Biographical Sketch of Thomas Duncan, Wright County, Missouri >From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, Pulaski, Phelps and Dent Counties, Missouri" The Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1889. ********************************************************************** Thomas Duncan, blacksmith, of Hartville, Mo., was born in East Tenn., October 20, 1839, being the son of Robert and Pollie (Duncan) Duncan, and was reared under the reign of slavery, but was a single man when the emancipation proclamation was issued. He then came to Missouri, and he and Anderson Hogue and Hugh White were the first colored men who located in Wright County. Thomas Duncan learned the trade of black- smith in Tennessee, and in 1872 he located in Hartville, and purchased an outfit, and has been engaged in the business ever since. Although several blacksmiths have come and gone, he does as much as $1,000 worth of business here in one year. He owns his residence in Hartville, also his shop, and aside from this is the owner of 120 acres of land. He was married to Miss Ellen Vernon, daughter of Lill Vernon, who is the son of Col. Vernon, of Laclede County, Mo., she having been the daugh- ter of a slave in that family. By her marriage with Mr. Duncan she became the mother of five living children: Mry, Clarence, Flora, Toby and Clara. Mr. Duncan is a Republican in his political views, and is a much esteemed citizen. He learned to read and write during the war. His nephew, Prof. Solomon Gilliam, was born in Marion County, Tenn., September 17, 1858 his parents being Solomon, Sr. and Margaret (Duncan) Gilliam. Solomon Gilliam was also a native of Tennessee, and died there before the emancipation. He was a slave in the family of Dr. Gilliam, of Jasper, Tenn. Margaret Duncan became the mother of four children, of whom Prof. Solomon Gilliam is the youngest and the only one now living. Margaret Gilliam died in Tenn., October 3, 1864, and the subject of this sketch was left to the care of grandparents and uncles, and remained with them in Tennessee until January, 1880, when he joined his uncle, Thomas Duncan. He farmed one season here, and then concluded to supplement his common school education received in Tennessee with a course at college, and with that intention in view went to Lincoln Institute, Jefferson City, Mo., and took the degree of B. S. D. from that institution in 1888. He has taught school for five years, and at intervals during those years he has attended school. He is a man of large vocal capacity, and is one of the best educated men of his race in South Central Missouri. He is a Republican politically. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Joe Miller Penny (Eisenbarger) Harrell ====================================================================