submitted by: jim@duncanplan.com (James B. Duncan)

The Hinton Duncan Family

Hinton Duncan, the eldest son of Edmund Duncan, Jr. and Nancy White, was born on March 23, 1806 on the Goshen Swamp of the Northeast Cape Fear River in Duplin County, North Carolina. Hinton’s grandfather, Edmund Sr. immigrated from northern Ireland during the 1730s and his father served in the North Carolina Militia during the Revolutionary War. About 1819, the family moved from North Carolina to Georgia. On November 26, 1829, Hinton married Lucinda Amanda (Lucy) Poole, the daughter of Nicholas Poole and Nancy Chapman, in Baldwin County. Lucy was born on June 21, 1809. Hinton and Lucy had 11 children, including: William Edmund (Bill) Duncan, born January 26, 1831; died December 17, 1891 (60 years old); John Nicholas Duncan, born May 21, 1832: died November 11, 1833 (18 months old); James Monroe Duncan, born September 26, 1834; died October 24, 1856 (22 years old); Unnamed Son,
born March 31, 1838; died April 16, 1838 (2 weeks old); Nancy Tabitha Duncan, born August 5, 1839; died July 19, 1853 (14 years old); Frances L. (Frank) Duncan, born December 14, 1841; died May 4,1916 (75 years old); Lucinda F. Duncan, born May 17,1844; died November 8, 1916 (72 years old); Margaret Elizabeth (Maggie) Duncan, born March 20, 1846; died January 21, 1930 (84 years old); Hinton J. Duncan; born October 1,1848; died July 30, 1908 (60 years old); Bryant David (B. D.) Duncan, born August 10, 1851;
died January 11, 1929 (78 years old); Mary Frances (Mollie) Duncan, born July 23, 1854; died April 29, 1886 (32 years old).

During the 1830s and 1840s, Hinton acquired considerable land in Jones and Twiggs counties near Macon. In November 1849, he sold 2,250 acres to Samuel Griswold, an industrialist who would later invent a famous Civil War revolver. In early 1850, Hinton moved to Texas with his wife Lucy and children (William, James, Nancy, Frank, Lucinda, Margaret and Hinton, Jr.).  Later that year, the census recorded him as a Cass County farmer with real estate assets of $800. In 1858, he owned a tavern in Linden on the west side of the courthouse square.

By 1860, Hinton’s assets had increased to $8,500 in real estate and $34,040 in personal property and he and Lucinda and their
children (Frank, Lucinda, Margaret, Hinton, Bryant and Mary) lived in Hickory Hill. Hinton’s eldest son William, a merchant with $8,899 in personal property, and his wife Sarah Frances Fannie) Bragg and their son Samuel lived nearby. On October 14, 1861, 30 year-old William joined and was elected Captain of the Black Cypress Rangers, a Confederate cavalry unit made up of Cass County volunteers. He served until May 25, 1862. His 19 year-old brother Frank also joined and served until August 1863. During this period, the unit served in the Pea Ridge, Corinth and Vicksburg campaigns. In February 1863, the Cass County Court appointed Hinton to a
committee to help destitute families whose husbands or fathers had gone to war.

In 1870, Hinton owned real estate worth $2,000 and personal property valued at $1,000 and lived in Precinct #2 with Lucinda and their children (Hinton, Bryant and Mollie). His son, Frank and his wife, Virginia Elizabeth, lived next door. William and Fannie, and their son Bragg also lived nearby. In 1872, Hinton was named to the Cass County School Board. On December 17, 1874, Bryant married Sarah Adelia (Sally) Woodward, the daughter of Samuel Parker Woodward and Melissa Agatha Pruitt. Lucy died on February 28, 1880
at the age of 71 and was buried in the Hearne Cemetery near Youngs Chapel.  In 1880, Hinton lived with his son Bryant, a Linden druggist, and Sally and their sons (Clifton and Bryant, Jr.). Hinton’s son, William, lived near Avinger with Fannie, their son Bragg and three young black servants named Susan, Jinny and John. His son Hinton Jr., and wife Sarah J. Christopher, and their daughters (Fannie and Birdie) also lived near Avinger. His daughter Mary Frances, and her husband, John Crawford Bruce, a hotel keeper, and their children (Eva, Susan, Mollie and Crawford) lived in Avinger. Hinton died on May 10, 1883 at the age of 77 and was buried in the Hearne Cemetery. In 1889, Bryant started a beef market in Linden. About 1890, Bryant and Sally and their children (Clifton, Bryant, Sam, Ethel, Sally and Franklin) moved from Linden to Ballinger in Runnels County, Texas.