John Lane McDuff , Franklin Parish

Submitted by: DeWanna Robinson Lindo

April 2001

Source: Franklin Parish Library 

Clipping by: Alice V. Reynolds



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Superintendent of parish schools for many years, John Lane McDuff 

is perhaps one of the best known personages in Franklin.



He came to the parish with his parents, Andrew W. And Mollie M. McDuff, 

in a covered wagon caravan from Ola, Arkansas. Twelve ox-drawn wagons 

made up the train, with young John driving the family wagon most of 

the way. Although they didn't encounter unfavorable weather, the journey 

took 17 days, which was considered good time by pioneers.



The McDuffs were one of the first families to settle in Chase and among 

the first in the parish. The total population of Franklin was around 8000, 

with Winnsboro just a small village, the main part of town being huddled a

round the courthouse square. Prairie Stret, which today is a main throughfare, 

was just a mess of pine thickets and didn't become populated until after 

the railroad was built, several years later.



Mr. McDuff grew up on the home place and attended local schools, in the 

meantime following cotton until he was 21 years old. In one year he raised 

13 bales of cotton and with his money entered Calhoun Institute at Calhoun, 

later going to Prepartory Institute at Ruston. Subsequently he took post 

graduate work at the State Normal School and at Louisiana State University.



He holds a lifetime certificate to any educational position in Louisiana, 

and taught school in the parish several years before taking over the duties 

of superintendent. When he first became head of the school system, the parish 

had only one high school which was loacated in Winnsboro. Despite many 

discouragements, he secured high schools for other towns in the parish 

and as a result helped build one of the finest educational systems in the state.



Mr. McDuff was born February 28, 1874, on a farm in Leake County, Mississippi. 

His great grandfather was a major in the patriot army during the 

Revolutionary War 

and a native of Scotland. The grandfather of Mr. McDuff served in the 

Confederate Army for four years.



One of the thousands of students that have graduated from parish schools, 

McDuff names Maj. Gen. Claire Chennault as one of the most outstanding. 

The general went to school to Mr. McDuff for several years in Gilbert and 

later the former "Flying Tigers" chief was always an excellent student and 

organized the first football team in the parish. He was also instrumental 

in seeing that Ward 5 got a good high school building, which was later 

named Central.



Active in civic and community affairs, Mr. McDuff has always maintained an 

intense interest in all of the parish pupils an is noted for continuing the 

regard after their graduation.