GREEN BERRY DUNCAN
Green Berry Duncan, b January 29,1824 in Madison County, Tennessee, d
January 30,1881 and buried in Eutaw Cemetery near Kosse, Limestone County,
Texas-was a son of Robert and Mahala (O'Barr) Duncan, and came to Coahuila,
Mexico (Texas) before the Texas Revolution with his widowed mother and four
brothers.
Green Berry enlisted in Captain Thomas H. Barron's Mounted Rangers on
October 1, 1836, but was discharged three months later because of his youthful
age. Beginning on January 4, 1841, Green Berry served as a Minute Man on eleven
occasions during a twelve-month period, under Captain Eli Chandler. For his
service, he was issued a "Certificate of Indebtedness" on September 1, 1851. His
service during the U. S. - Mexican War began at the Falls on the Brazos on
August 2, 1846, with his enrollment in Smith's Company - later Weyman's Company,
Thomas J. Smith's Battalion, Texas Mounted Volunteers, from which he was
mustered out on August 17, 1847. He selected Headright Land in present-day East
Falls County (on Blue Ridge), adjoining the Alexander Whitaker and W. P.
Cartwright Surveys. The surveyor was A. G. Gholson, and the chain bearer was
Charles T. Barclay, with David R. Mitchell as district surveyor. The final
patent was issued in 1848.
On September 27,1849, Green Berry Duncan was married to Rebecca Curry, b
September 14, 1829 in Alabama, d June 6,1885 and buried in Eutaw Cemetery by her
husband - a daughter of Thomas F. and Matilda (Rogers) Curry; and after selling
his Falls County land to Henry Steele and Thomas McKissick Garrett, he located
permanently in Limestone County.
In August 1861, Green Berry enlisted in the Confederate States Army, and
was elected Captain of the Reserve Company, Beat 3, 19th Brigade. Subsequently,
on March 8, 1864, he enlisted at Camp Johnson for six months - serving as
Captain of Company D, First Regiment, Second Brigade, Texas State Troops, under
Colonel J. F. Davis.
Before his death, Green Berry and Rebecca deeded a portion of their land
to their older children. After his death, Rebecca applied for and received a
1280 - acre grant as the widow of a veteran of The Republic of Texas Army. She
was also deeded her portion of her father's estate, near Wheelock, Texas.
The children of Green Berry and Rebecca (Curry) Duncan were:
Josephine Duncan, b ca 1852 - married R. E. Myers, and lived in Limestone
County, Texas.
Thomas Robert Duncan, b June 7, 1856 - married on November 25, 1880 to
Mary Susan Polk - a daughter of Ezekiel D. and Clorinda (Lawson) Polk. Three of
their children were: Newton E. Duncan, who married Vida Virginia Nichols;
Charles Perry Duncan, who married Mary Olive Taylor-daughter of C. M. Taylor and
his first wife, Eliza Ann (Barron) Taylor, b ca 1844 - a daughter of Thomas J.
and Elizabeth (Crouch) Barron, and granddaughter of Captain Thomas Hudson Barron
and his first wife, Elizabeth (Carnall) Barron; and Cora Susan Duncan, who
married Joe Graves.
William Green Duncan, b ca 1857 - married September 7, 1879 to Julia F.
Polk - a sister of Mary Susan Polk who married Thomas Robert Duncan, and a
daughter of Ezekiel D. and Clorinda (Lawson) Polk. They had a son, Ezekiel D.
Duncan, who married Verena Davis. After William's death, Julia was married
second to J. A. Strickland, and their daughter, Jennett Strickland, married a
Sowders. Julia (Polk) Duncan Strickland was married third to C. M. Taylor,
widower of Eliza Ann (Barron) Taylor, whose son, Thomas Taylor (brother of Mary
Olive Taylor), married Pearl Strickland - daughter of J. A. and Julia (Polk)
Strickland.
Frances Eliza Duncan, b ca 1861 - married J. F. Smith on September 13,
1878.
Minerva Ann Duncan, b ca 1872 - married November 29, 1888 to Sheridan
Alexander Cavitt.
Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing the biographies of
these Falls County Families to this Web page.
"Families of Falls County", Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical
Commission, page 121 column 2 and page 122 column 1 and 2.
Member of Falls County Historical Commission.
