Clark County WA Archives Biographies.....Duncan, Joseph B. January 21, 1885 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/wa/wafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com and June 13, 2009, 12:04 am Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company JOSEPH B. DUNCAN. As an exponent of "the art preservative," Joseph B. Duncan of Vancouver has achieved a distinctive success, the Duncan Printing Company being regarded as one of the leading concerns of the kind in the Columbia River valley. He was born at Sixteenth and G streets, Portland, Oregon, on the 21st of January, 1885, and is a son of Joseph and Agnes (Mitchell) Duncan, both of whom were natives of Scotland, the father having been born in Kingston and the mother in Aberdeen. Joseph Duncan came to the United States alone when about sixteen years of age, shipping on a sailing vessel as ship carpenter. He landed at San Francisco, California, where he remained until the late '70s, when he went to Portland, where he was employed at his trade during his remaining active years. He was connected with the building of many of the famous boats of his day. At the time of his death he was a member of the old St. Johns Shipbuilding Company. He was charter member of the old Caledonian Club and also belonged to the Foresters of America. In Portland he married Miss Agnes Mitchell, who also came to this country alone at the age of sixteen years, and she still resides in Portland. They became the parents of four children, namely: Charles C., of Portland; Joseph B., of this review; Agnes, who is the wife of C. H. Gorrill, of Alameda, California; and Frances, who is the wife of Thomas Granville, of McMinnville, Oregon. Joseph B. Duncan of this review attended the public schools of Portland, and then began learning the printing trade in the office of The Oregonian, completing his apprenticeship with F. W. Baltes of that city. Later he worked at his trade in various parts of the country, thereby gaining much valuable experience and different ideas in typography. In January, 1913, he came to Vancouver, Washington, and opened a printing office, under the name of the Duncan Printing Company. Success attended him from the start and soon he was compelled to seek larger quarters, at which time he removed to his present location at 202 West Eighth street. He has added to his equipment as needed and now has two cylinder presses, two job presses, two folding machines, a large paper cutter, stitching machine, perforator, punching machine and other machinery, besides a well selected line of type and material, so that he is prepared to handle any size or character of jobs in the printing line. He does general commercial work and also prints and binds a large number of Roman Catholic publications throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. His is the only union job printing office in southwestern Washington. He takes a painstaking interest in every job that passes through his hands and, being a man of artistic taste and a thorough technical knowledge of printing in all of its branches, he is able to give his customers valuable assistance in the preparation of their work. Through his close attention to business and his wise management he has secured a large patronage and is enjoying a splendid measure of prosperity. In November, 1913, Mr. Duncan was united in marriage to Miss Tilla Cooley, who was born in Silverton, Oregon, a daughter of Mathias and Wilhelmina (Smith) Cooley. Her father crossed the plains in boyhood, coming by way of The Dalles, thence rafted down the Columbia river. Mrs. Duncan died October 13, 1927. They had no children of their own, but adopted a child, Bonnie Jean, who received from them the same loving care and attention that would have been given to a child of heir own. Mr. Duncan is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Kiwanis Club and the Chamber of Commerce at Vancouver. Mrs. Duncan was a member of the Lady Elks. Mr. Duncan is a man of sterling qualities of character, is cordial and friendly in manner, and throughout the range of his acquaintance is held in the highest regard. Additional Comments: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, Pages 867-868 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wa/clark/bios/duncan41gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wafiles/ File size: 4.6 Kb