Christopher C. Duke Bio, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller
Source:
Date: 1/26/2000 9:21:15 AM Central Standard Time




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Christopher C. Duke was born in Georgia, in 1826.  He is a son of Bailey C.
and Sarah E Duke.

B. C. Duke was born in Georgia. 1799.  He was a man of good education, and
began life for himself as a merchant, which business he followed for a
number of years, finally turning his whole attention to the operations of
his plantation.  He served in the legislature of Georgia about 1834.  In the
Creek Indian war he was chosen as captain of a company, but was never
accepted as such, as the war closed before he reached the scene of action.

From Georgia, Mr. Duke Sr., removed to south Alabama, and later to
Louisiana, in 1843.  He was married to Miss Sarah Burges, and to them were
born seven children, of whom four are now living.  They are:  C. C., the
subject of this notice;  Blakely C., of Alexandria;  Olive T., the widow of
R. Legas, and Mattie K, the wife of Dr. J. K. Mayor of Houston, Tex.  After
the death of his first wife Mr. Duke married Mrs. Elizabeth (Henarie)
Barlow.  Up to the time of his death, in 1848, Mr. Duke was a worthy member
of the Methodist Episcopal church.  In his early life C. C. Duke received a
good education, and at the age of twenty-three years he was chosen clerk of
the court of the parish of Catahoula, which position he held until the
beginning of the war, when he resigned to enter Shelley's battalion in 1862.
Mr. Duke was in the heavy artillery, located at different times at
Harrisonburg, Shreveport, Natchitoches and Alexandria.  He entered as a
first lieutenant.  At the close of the war he was paroled as captain of
Company B, of Logan's battalion, heavy artillery.

In 1851 Captain Duke was married to Miss Amanda F. Phelps, the daughter of
Luman and Amanda (Fristoe) Phelps.  To them have been born two children:
Charles S., now of Vidalia, district attorney of Concordia and Tensas
parishes, and  Ella M. (deceased), widow of Robert D. Denton.  Mrs. Denton
died in May, 1891, leaving an only daughter, Mabel C. Mrs.  C. C. Duke died
in 1886.  After the close of the war, Mr. Duke was chosen clerk of court and
afterward tax collector, and has since been chosen clerk of the court, which
position he fills at present.  He is a member of Lodge No. 110, A. F. & A.
M., masons, also of the I 0.0.F. formerly.  Mr. Duke is. a man of large and
fine proportions; his hair and beard are now silvered by age; but he retains
a great deal of the vigor of his early years.  He is highly respected by all
the people of the parish, and has done his full share toward the development
and upbuilding of the parish.

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 1), pp. 390-391.
Published by the Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.