Husband James Duncan 1 2 3
AKA: James Dunken 4
Born: 1758 - Scotland 2 3 5
Christened:
Died: 14 Oct 1843 2 3
Buried:
Father: David Duncan ( - ) 6
Mother:
Marriage:
Other Spouse: Elizabeth Wilson (1769-1797) 2 3 4 5
Other Spouse: Jane Dundass ( -1820) 5
Other Spouse: Mrs. Pedan ( -1823) 5
Other Spouse: Sophia Lashell ( -1837) 5
Wife Martha Cooke 1
Born: Abt 1782
Christened:
Died: 13 Feb 1847 1
Buried:
Father: James Cooke, Esq. ( -1818) 7
Mother:
Other Spouse: [Unk] Craig ( - ) 7
Other Spouse: Robert McClelland ( - ) 7
Children
General Notes: Husband - James Duncan
He was the first sheriff of Centre County, Pennsylvania.
He was born in Scotland and came with his father to the place where Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, now stands some years before the Revolution.
His father erected a cabin there in 1778, in connection with William McMurray, lying between Millheim and Aaronsburg. On account of Indian troubles, he and his family returned to York County in 1782, and subsequently removed to Fredericksburg, Virginia.
James, having had some altercation with his father, wrapped his clothes in a handkerchief, had one of his brothers row him over the Rappahannock, and walked to Lewisburg, where he worked as a day laborer. His father wrote to him to sell the tract of land above mentioned, and allowed him all he received over fifty dollars.
With this start he went to Northumberland, selected a small stock of goods, which he could carry on horseback, and made his way to Aaronsburg in the year 1790. He was the first sheriff of Centre County, Oct. 28, 1800, built Elk Mills, at Millheim (later Mussers) in 1817, and rebuilt Spring Mills in 1822. He took John Forster into partnership, and the firm of Duncan & Forster was known all through western Pennsylvania. Even after stores were established at Bellefonte, people passed them by to deal with Duncan & Forster, on account of superiority in quality, cheapness in price of the latter's goods, and long credit\emdash usually a year\emdash they gave their distant customers.
After conducting a successful business for fifty years, James Duncan, Esq., retired from business in 1840.