Herman J. Duncan, Rapides Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller

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Herman J. Duncan has thoroughly schooled himself in the art and 
science of architecture and is established in the successful 
practice of his profession in the City of Alexandria, Rapides 
Parish.  He was born in this city September 30, 1891, and is a 
son of Rev. Herman C. and Maria Elizabeth (Cooke) Duncan, the 
former of whom was born in the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 
and the latter at Washington, Louisiana, in which state their 
marriage was solemnized.

Rev. Herman C. Duncan received in the University of Pennsylvania 
his higher academic education, and thereafter completed a course 
in the Theological Seminary at West Philadelphia.  In his native 
state of Pennsylvania he was ordained a clergyman of the Protestant 
Episcopal Church, and after coming to Louisiana he organized and 
became the first rector of St. George's Church in the City of 
New Orleans.  He finally became rector of the parish of St. James 
church at Alexandria, and he continued in the active work of the 
ministry for fully thirty-five years--a man of gracious personality 
and high intellectual attainments.  Of the two children the subject 
of this sketch is the younger, the elder son, Greer A., having been 
graduated in the United States Naval Academy, at Annapolis, and 
being now a commander in the United States Navy.  Commander Duncan 
is now stationed in die Bureau of Yards and Docks at Washington, 
D. C., and he has made a record of specially effective service in 
the navy.

It was given Rev. Herman C. Duncan to achieve special prominence 
and influence in connection with the affairs of the Protestant 
Episcopal Church in Louisiana, and he gave fully fifty years of 
service as secretary of the Diocese of Louisiana.  He was long 
and prominently affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, including 
the Scottish Rite bodies and the Mystic Shrine, and for a number 
of years he served as chaplain of the Louisiana Grand Lodge of 
Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, besides officiating in a similar
capacity for other grand organizations of the order in the state.

Herman J. Duncan received the advantages of the well ordered Episcopal 
Parish School at Alexandria, and for, a time attended the public 
schools of his native city.  Thereafter he was for two years a Student 
in Tulane University, New Orleans, and he then entered his father's 
alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, in which he continued 
his studies three years, he having been a student of architecture 
in each of these universities.  He is a member of Theta Kappa 
Epsilon fraternity.  After leaving college Mr. Duncan went to Detroit, 
Michigan, and took a position in the office of C. Howard Crane, one 
of the leading architects in the Michigan metropolis and in this 
connection he gained valuable technical and practical experience.  
Since 1913 Mr. Duncan has been professionally established at 
Alexandria, and as an architect he has designed and supervised the 
erection of many modern buildings of the best type, including school 
buildings at Oberlin, Alexandria, and in St. Landry parishes, 
Louisiana.  He has handled important work in eight different 
Louisiana parishes, and his professional activities are constantly 
expanding in scope and importance, and he retains a corps of four 
efficient assistants.

Mr. Duncan pays unfaltering allegiance to the democratic party, and 
he and his wife are zealous communicants of the Episcopal Church, 
he having served under his father as assistant secretary of its 
Louisiana diocese for several years.  Mr. Duncan is prominently 
affiliated with various bodies of the Masonic fraternity, has 
served as grand conductor of the Louisiana Grand Chapter of Royal 
Arch Masons, and is now high priest (1924) of his local chapter 
of Royal Arch Masons.  In 1923 he was grand patron of the 
Louisiana Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, and 
in her home city his wife is serving as an officer of Electa 
Chapter of this order.  Mr. Duncan is affiliated also with 
the Knights of Pythias.

In 1916 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Duncan to Miss Eleanor 
Elizabeth Stone, who was born in the City of Terre Haute, Indiana, 
a daughter of Guy Stone, for a number of years a prominent 
architect in the City of Yew Orleans.  Mr. and Mrs. Duncan have 
three children:  Herman John, Jr.,  Martha Pauline, and  Elizabeth 
Cooke.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 219, by Henry E. Chambers.  
Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and 
New York, 1925.