In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1895) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From Portrait and biographical record of Winona County, Minnesota: containing ... (1895), Portrait and biographical record of Winona county, Minnesota. Containing biographical sketches of prominenet ... citizens .. (1894)
ROBERT J. DUNCAN. Among the leading and influential farmers of Rolling Stone Township is numbered the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He resides on section 12, where he has eighty acres of land, constituting one of the good farms of the county. There he carries on general farming and the dairy business, and his place in its neat and thrifty appearance well indicates the enterprise and careful supervision of the owner.
Mr. Duncan was born on the 16th of October, 1840, and Is a son of Noyes and Mary (Billings) Duncan. His father, who was a native of Oneida County. N. Y., there spent his early life and during his youth learned the wagon-maker's trade. When a young man he removed to Chautauqua, N. Y., where he carried on wagon-making until 1856, in which j'ear he emigrated to Minnesota. Arriving at his destination, he purchased a farm in Fremont Township, Winona County, and was one of its representative citizens up to the time of his death, which occurred at the age of seventy-five years. His parents were natives of New England, but the family is of Scotch descent. Mrs. Mary (Billings)
Duncan was also born in Oneida County, N. Y., and died in 1842, when Robert was only two years of age, leaving three children: Mary, now deceased; Harry, who served in the One Hundred and Twelfth Infantry during the Civil War, and died in Suffolk, Va., while in the service; and Robert J., of this sketch. Mrs. Duncan's parents were natives of New England, and her father was a soldier in the War of 1812. After the death of his first wife, Noyes Duncan was again married, his second union being with Amanda Howard, by whom he had two children, Mary and Mark, the latter a farmer of this county.
In the history of his adopted county Robert J. Duncan well deserves representation, for he is regarded as a leading and influential citizen, and the record of his life will prove of interest to his many friends. He only remained at home until about twelve years of age, when he began to earn his own livelihood by working as a farm hand. Thus he was employed during the summer months, while in the winter season he attended the district schools. After the breaking out of the late war he responded to the call for troops, for he believed that every patriotic citizen should stand by the Union in her hour of peril and aid in crushing out the rebellion. Donning the blue, he was assigned to Company G of the Third New York Infantry. He was the first one to enlist in the town of Stockton, N. Y., and with the company he continued until the 19th of April, 1862, when he was discharged on a surgeon's certificate of disability. He afterward reenlisted, but his services were not accepted. While in the army he had suffered from an attack of t'- phoid fever, and was confined in the Union Hotel Hospital at Georgetown, D. C, for some time.
After being mustered out, Mr. Duncan returned to his home in Stockton, N. Y., and learned the profession of dentistry, which he followed for two years, but on the expiration of that period he resumed farming, as he did not like office work. In the spring of 1869 he left his home in the East for Missouri, and in that state purchased a farm, upon which he resided for a few months. He then sold and came to Minnesota, where for about five years he served as Superintendent of the County Poor Farm, discharging the duties of that position in a prompt and acceptable manner. His next place of residence was in Winona City, where he remained for a year. He then rented a farm for two years, after which he purchased the farm on which he now resides.
On Independence Day of 1862, shortly after his return from the scene of war, Mr. Duncan was joined in wedlock with Miss Mary Kelly, of Stockton, N. Y., who died in March, 1875. He later married Miss Helen C. Kelly, a sister of his first wife, and to them have been born two sons, Harry and Herman. Mr. Duncan is a stanch Republican in his political views, and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln. He may truly be called a self-made man, for since the age of twelve he has been dependent on his own resources, and his success is the reward of earnest effort.
Samuel Augustus Johnson.
As printed in Portrait and biographical record of Winona county, Minnesota. Containing biographical sketches of prominent ... citizens .. (1894). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
ROBERT J. DUNCAN. Among the leading and influential farmers of Rolling Stone Township is numbered the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He resides on section 12, where he has eighty acres of land, codstitnting one of the good farms of the county. There he carries on general farming and the dairy business, and his place in its neat and thrifty appearance well indicates the enterprise and careful supervision of the owner.
Mr. Duncan was born on the 16th of October, 1840, and is a son of Noyes and Mary (Billings) Duncan. His father, who was a native of Oneida County, N. Y., there spent his early life and during his youth learned the wagon-maker's trade. When a young man he removed to Chautauqua, N. Y., where he carried on wagon-making until 1856, in which year he emigrated to Minnesota. Arriving at his destination, he purchased a farm in Fremont Township, Winona County, and was one of its representative citizens up to the time of his death, which occurred at the age of seventy-five years. His parents were natives of New England, but the family is of Scotch descent. Mrs. Mary (Billings)
Duncan was also born in Oneida County, N. Y., and died in 1842, when Robert was only two years of age, leaving three children: Mary, now deceased; Harry, who served in the One Hundred and Twelfth Infantry during the Civil War, and died in Suffolk, Va., while in the service; and Robert J., of this sketch. Mrs. Duncan's parents were natives of New England, and her father was a soldier in the War of 1812. After the death of his first wife, Noyes Duncan was again married, his second union being with Amanda Howard, by whom he had two children, Mary and Mark, the latter a farmer of this county.
In the history of his adopted county Robert J. Duncan well deserves representation, for he is regarded as a leading and influential citizen, and the record of his life will prove of interest to his many friends. He only remained at home until about twelve years of age, when he began to earn his own livelihood by working as a farm hand. Thus he was employed during the summer months, while in the winter season he attended the district schools. After the breaking out of the late war he responded to the call for troops, for he believed that every
Google patriotic citizen should stand by the Union in her hour of peril and aid in crushing out the rebellion. Donning the blue, he was assigned to Company G of the Third New York Infantry. He was the first one to enlist in the town of Stockton, N. Y., and with the company he continued until the 19th of April, 1862, when he was discharged on a surgeon's certificate of disability. He afterward reenlisted, but his services were not accepted. While in the army he had suffered from an attack of typhoid fever, and was confined in the Union Hotel Hospital at Georgetown, D. C, for some time.
After being mustered out, Mr. Duncan returned to his home in Stockton, N. Y., and learned the profession of dentistry, which he followed for two years, but on the expiration of that period he resumed farming, as he did not like office work. In the spring of 1869 he left his home in the East for Missouri, and in that state purchased a farm, upon which he resided for a few months. He then sold and came to Minnesota, where for about fiye years he served as Superintendent of the County Poor Farm, discharging the duties of that position in a prompt and acceptable manner. His next place of residence was in Winona City, where he remained for a year. He then rented a farm for two years, after which he purchased the farm on which he now resides.
On Independence Day of 1862, shortly after his return from the scene of war, Mr. Duncan was joined in wedlock with Miss Mary Kelly, of Stockton, N. Y., who died in March, 1875. He later married Miss Helen C. Kelly, a sister of his first wife, and to them have been born two sons, Harry and Herman. Mr. Duncan is a stanch Republican in his political views, and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln. He may truly be called a self-made man, for since the age of twelve he has been dependent on his own resources, and his success is the reward of earnest effort
samuel Augfustus Johnson-
As printed in Portrait and biographical record of Winona County, Minnesota: containing ... (1895). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: Samuel Augustus Johnson (b. 1826)
Their biographies name Robert J. Duncan: Robert Crooks (b. 1825)
The printed record stops around 1895. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.