Davidson County TN Archives Biographies.....Dorris, Duncan Robertson 1843 - before 1913
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Author: Will T. Hale

   DUNCAN ROBERTSON DORRIS. A man of broad vision, active and brainy, Duncan

Robertson Dorris, late of Nashville, achieved a large measure of success as a

newspaper man, gaining prominence in the journalistic life of his native city,

and exerting an intelligent influence in public affairs. He was born, November

13, 1843, on Capitol Hill. Nashville, a city which he always proudly claimed as

home.



   His father, Dr. William D. Dorris, spent his entire life of ninety years in

Nashville, coming from honored pioneer ancestry. Fitting himself when young for

the medical profession, he was successfully engaged in the practice of his

profession for many years, being one of the leading physicians of the city. A

close student, he was the first to discover that cholera was a germ disease,

but, owing to a lack of scientific appliances, was unable to demonstrate the fact.



   Completing the full course of study in the Nashville public schools, Duncan

Robertson Dorris was ambitious to further advance his knowledge in some higher

institution of learning. His father, however, having endorsed notes which he was

forced to pay, was unable to send him to college. Nothing daunted, Duncan Dorris

began work for himself by selling papers and fruit on the railway trains, in

that manner earning enough money to enable him to take a course in stenography

with Prof. J. W. Dolbear. Stenographers in those days were comparatively few,

and their services were in much demand. During the Civil war, Mr. Dorris was

employed as stenographer in the United States courts, and did service in several

cases of court-martial, receiving for his work ten dollars a day. With the money

thus earned, he entered Oberlin College, in Oberlin, Ohio, where he continued

his studies for several months.



   On his return to Nashville, Mr. Dorris embarked in journalism, becoming

reporter and writer for several Nashville papers, including the Banner, and the

Union and American. He became interested in public matters, becoming well

informed on everything pertaining to the public welfare, and was well acquainted

with the public men not only of the state, but of the nation. When "Sunset Cox,"

congressman from New York, delivered an address in Nashville, Mr. Dorris

reported it in such a happy and satisfactory manner that he received a letter of

thanks from Mr. Cox. He also had letters of commendation from other public men,

for his work was always correct and satisfactory.



   Mr. Dorris married, November 17, 1870, Mary C. Currey, who was born near

Nashville, on the Franklin road, on the farm of her father. George Washington

and Emily Donelson (Martin) Currey, of whom a brief sketch appears on another

page of this volume.



   Mrs. Dorris now occupies a pleasant home on Blair boulevard, where she

extends a generous hospitality to her many friends and acquaintances. She is

descended from a long line of distinguished ancestors, notably Lieut.-Col. John

Donelson, who brought the colony that settled Nashville. She is also descended

from ministers prominent in the Presbyterian denomination, and has among her

treasures a photographic copy of the certificate of membership of her emigrant

ancestor in the Presbyterian church of Londonderry, Ireland, the paper bearing

date of 1716. Mrs. Dorris has been, a member of the Presbyterian church since

her girlhood days. She is now a teacher in the Sunday school, and an ardent

worker in the church. One of the organizers and founders of the Ladies'

Hermitage Association, Mrs. Dorris, who is a leading spirit in whatever she

undertakes, has always labored in its behalf, standing by it through all of its

vicissitudes, and materially assisting in keeping it alive, and making it 'the

successful organization that it is to-day. Mrs. Dorris is a charter member of

Cumberland Chapter, No. 61, Daughters of the American Revolution, and also of

the Woman's Historical Association, and the Housekeepers' Club, all of

Nashville, and is fond of all kinds of historic, patriotic and religious work.



Additional Comments:
From:



A history of Tennessee and Tennesseans : the leaders and representative men in

commerce, industry and modern activities

by Will T. Hale

Chicago:  Lewis Pub. Co.,  1913

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