William Duncan Co. Leitrem, Ireland Canada
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THE FAMILY Or WILLIAM DUNCAN OF CO. LEITREM, IRELAND AND CANADA A HISTORY COMPILED BY ERIC H. WALDRAM • THE FAMILY OF • WILLIAM DUNCAN • OF CORIGEENCOR BRIDGE CO. LEITREM, IRELAND AND CANADA DATE MICROFILMED AUG 2 9 1996 .. ITEM # 7 PROJECT and Q. S. A HISTORY COMPILED BY X LlLt-102CALL# I 40 I 3 ^ J ERIC H. WALDRAM 2055137 PENTICTON, BRITISH COLUMBIA CANADA '^r] 1995 rY)c\\2>ju © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED By,, <BRARY E.H. WALDRAM 35 NCS SALT' L -184150 THANKS. The easiest thing would be to thank all the many people that have been contacted during the researching of this history. There has been nothing but cooperation from everyone, for which I am really thankful. However there are a few people who must be given special thanks for their help, patience and forbearance. The first of these must be my wife Katheleen who racked her brains remembering all she could about her family, while digging out all her old photographs and letters. She also listened patiently to my endless theories, hopes, successes and failures, besides searching records in Alberta, Ontario and Ireland Archives and tramping through numerous cemetaries in these same areas. Without her the task would have been considerably harder. The same can be said, in varying degrees, to her family from whom I continually requested information and pictures. Mabel M "Wright" Duncan who wrote "The Duncans of Bethel" must be commended for the work she put into the book, while her niece Margaret Elizabeth Duncan, of Edmonton is thanked for introducing me to it. While on the subject of books Patricia Harts "Pioneering in North York", is a must to anyone who is researching that area. The personel in the North York Library, and in the archives of Peel township and Woodbridge gave valuable assistance. Eristine "Werezuk" Duncan of Vermillion, and Flora "Houser" Duncan of Red Deer, both in Alberta, as well as Cecil Duncan of Chelmsford, Ontario all contributed with information and encouragement. To the many others that I have not mentioned, THANKS. THE DUNCANS This story starts in Carrigeencor Bridge in County Leitrem. Ireland, with William Duncan who was a merchant and mill owner (oatmeal) living beside the River Bonet, where he had his mill. For the sake of convenience this William will be referred to as William I. The father of William was an Army Surgeon. Among the children of William and his wife was another William who will be referred to as William II. William II married Jane Elliot of County Fermanagh. They had six sons and two daughters that have been traced. These children were named William III, John, James, Jane, Adam, George and Mary and Henry. The eldest son, William III came to Canada selling linen from his, or his family's flax mills. He was apparently impressed by what he saw as he came over a second time and bought land in York County and settled down there. His father and his brothers and sisters, with the exception of Henry, also came over to Canada in 1929. The father, William II, died on the ship on the passage over and was buried at sea in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. There is no mention of the mother. William III bought land in York County for his four brothers, and they all settled down in this area, The two sisters both got married. They married brothers William and John Jackson. The five brothers all farmed, and four of them married and had quite a few children. The exception was Adam who apparently never married and died around the age of 44. William III built a large house which he named Dublin. The brothers were very successful in their farming, and other ventures. Their children spread out across Ontario while their grandchildren spread still further to Western Canada and the United States. The early Duncans were very active in their communities and churchs, as well in the promoting of educational facilities and business opportunities in their areas. This then is the story of the Duncan family in Canada with their achievements and influence in the development of the last one hundred and seventy years of Canada's history. For the sake of convenience the families of four of the five sons who emmigrated to Canada will be covered in separate sections. This separation is necessary due to the large number of children these four brothers had, along with the fact that they all seem to name them with the same chistian names, and all of them lived, originally, in the same small area of North York Township in the County of York. Ontario. REBELLION IN UPPER CANADA (ONTARIO) IN 1837 During the "rebellion" in 1837, a Thomas Matthews, who was one of the rebellion leaders, was arrested in the house of bachelors John and William Duncan. The house was situated on Lot 25, Concession 3, EAST of Yonge Street in L'AMAROUX. These two bachelors, John and William are not the John and William of the family we are tracing. The William of this family was by then 36 years old and was married with children. He was also living on his property at Lot 16, Concession 3, WEST of Yonge. His brother John was also married, with children, and living on his property at Lot 23, Cocession 6. WEST of Yonge. Records show that there were other Duncan families living in York County around this time. Unfortunately all these Duncan families seem to like the christian names of William, John, George and James. The above rebellion took place in Upper Canada (Ontario), which brings up the fact that this area has changed a lot over the years, in area and name. Until the American Revolution, (War of Independence), of 1775 - 1783, the parts of North America controlled by England were known as British North America. In 1791 large areas of what is now Quebec and Ontario were divided into Upper Canada, (Ontario), and Lower Canada, (Quebec). The next change came in 1841 when the Act of Union changed the names to Canada West (Ontario), and Canada East, (Quebec). These names were again changed in 1867 by the British North America Act which included Ontario and Quebec as Provinces, under those names. The areas that these various names alluded to have also changed over the years, but for our research the names cover the areas that the Duncan family lived in. WILLIAM DUNCAN Army Surgeon " Father: Mother: Born: Scotland. Married: Died: Spouse: h Born: Died This William Duncan apparently came over to Ireland and with his son built the mill at Corigeencor Bridge. Wellcome Historical Medical Library, 1925, 1968, shows two army surgeons by the name of William Duncan in the 18th century:- The first, #105 on page 6, is surgeon to "Rich's (8th) Dragoons" from 15 Sept 1727 - Feb 1745. The second, #124 on page 7, is surgeon to "Carpenters Horse (3rd) Dragoons",from 30 may 1730 - Feb 1740. According to the National Army Museum in Chelsea, "Rich's (8th) Dragoons", later redesignated "8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars", was initially recruited in Ireland. The Grand Lodge of A.F.& A. Masons of Ireland say that there was a Lodge attached to the 8th Dragoon Guards but it was founded in 1757 and the name of William Duncan does not appear on the membership register. There was a William Duncan registered as a member of Lodge # 472, Ballinamore, Co. Leitrem, on the 16th November 1798. He is also shown as a founding member of Lodge # 866, Newtowngore, Co. Leitrem, founded on 2nd May 1799. Both of these places are within a few miles of Corigeencor Bridge where later Duncans are know to have lived. WILLIAM DUNCAN I f Father: William Duncan Army Surgeon Mother: Born: Married: " Died: Spouse: ~ Born: Died: I I William Daughter Born Married Died 1829 William Gales On board ship on the Remained in Ireland. way to Canada. n Buried in the Gulf of St, Lawrence. William Duncan 1 was a merchant and mill owner or opertator (oatmea 1) at Carrigeencor Bridge, County Leitrem, Ireland. He also ran general store. .• • .:. n " Corigeencor Bridge River Bonet The Duncan house can be see on the left with the ruins of the mill between the house and the river. i^#t& The Duncan's House The Duncan's House The mill was in the trees to the right of the house William Duncan II Father: William Duncan I Mother: - Born: Ireland h Married: Jane Elliot from below the town of Garrison in Co. Fermanagh, Ireland. Died: 1829 Aboard ship on his way to Canada. He was buried - at sea in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Spouse: Jane Elliot - Born: —^ Died: 1 James 7 Jonn Adam Mary George H 1 Willia1801 m 1803 180Jan7e 1808 1816 Henry Ireland Ireland Ireland Ireland Ireland Ireland Ireland Ireland Married Married William John Jackson - Jackson All of the above emigrated to Canada along with their mother Jane Elliot Duncan, except Henry. Little or nothing is heard of the mother after she arrived in Canada. Their other brother, named Henry, did not emigrate. He was a teacher and taught, at least at one time, in the town of Dromahair. Co Leitrem. This brother had ten children. These were:- sons,Robert, James, John and William. Daughters, Charlotte, Jane, Sarah, Isabella, Mary and Lizzie. According to the Asst. Registrar of Births, Deaths in that area, ( who was 70 years old in 1931,) that as far as he could remember three of the boys emigrated, probably to Canada, though nothing was ever heard from Robert and James. It was thought that they may have drowned or met foul play.