William Preston “Preston” DUNCAN (1826-1868) +
Susan Lauren RING (12 Mar 1833-21 Sep 1917)

George W. (12 Oct 1850-25 Jan 1901) — m. Mary Jane “Sis” Sageley about 1871

Julia Ann (12 Apr 1852-31 Mar 1934) — m. Dewitt C. Ring about 1869

Mary Elizabeth “Lizzie” (Jan 1854-193x) — m. Thomas Thornton Kent on 28 Jan 1872

Nancy Jane (~1855-1891) — m. William Carroll Kent in 187x

Sophronia B. (13 Aug 1861-16 Mar 1894) — m. William T. “Little Tom” Norris on 12 Jan 1881

Thomas A. (1862-1879)

Sarah Louisa “Lue” (21 Jan 1864-6 Sep 1927) — m. Leander A. Barker about 1887

William Vinson “Vinson” (8 Jun 1866-16 Apr 1941) — m. Mary “Pres” Grant on 29 Apr 1886

Mary Ellen (3 Mar 1869-16 Feb 1932) — m. Robert Lee Russ in 190x

There are stories about the Duncan (sometimes “Dunkin” or “Dunkean”) and Ring families being mixed-blood Cherokee, part of the 1831-1840 diaspora of the eastern tribes known as the Trail of Tears. I don’t know whether this is true. The Cherokee of North Carolina were forced out beginning in 1838. Their trail ran from western North Carolina into central Tennessee, and then west through Arkansas.

Preston was born in Cannon County, Tennessee, son of James Duncan and Elizabeth Wilson Robertson. He moved west into Arkansas in the 1840s. Other members of his family later joined him.

Susan was also born in Tennessee, although she sometimes said Arkansas. Her parents, Joseph Peter Ring and Carmela Medline, were from Stokes County, North Carolina. They probably moved into Arkansas in the late 1830s.

Preston and Susan married on 18 Oct 1849 in Lawrence County, Arkansas. The 1850 census showed them living in Piney Fork Township in what’s now Sharp County, ages listed as 24 and 17.

The 1860 census showed Preston Duncan (37), farmer, and wife Susan (26) living in Franklin Township, Independence County, Arkansas. (Franklin later became part of Stone County.) Their children were George W. (9), Julia (7), Elizabeth (6), and Nancy J. (5). They were living one census page away from Susan’s parents and married younger sister.

I don’t know whether Preston took part in the Civil War. There were Arkansas soldiers named William Duncan, but that wasn’t an uncommon name. Two of his younger brothers and a brother-in-law fought for the Union.

Preston died about 1868, allegedly in a hunting accident. I’ve seen an unverified report that he’s buried in Maxville or Evening Shade, Sharp County. On 7 Nov 1869, Susan married William C. “Buck” Kent, Sr. (1821-28 May 1892), a farmer from Morgan County, Alabama who, like her, had several children from a previous marriage, to Susan Maud Clark (1823-1869).

The 1870 census for Reed’s Creek, Washington Township, Sharp County, which is between Poughkeepsie and Evening Shade, listed Buck and Susan with their blended family, all under the Kent surname: Alabama-born William C. (17) and Henry J. (11), and Arkansas-born Elizabeth (16), Nancy (15), Saphrona (9), Thomas H. (8), Louisa (5), Martha (5), Vinson (4), John (4), and Mary (2). Susan’s brother-in-law W. A. (William) Duncan was living next door with his wife Lizzie.

The 1880 census for Sullivan Township, Sharp County showed William C. (59) and Susan (48) Kent with children Martha E. (15), John G. (13), Jasper N. (9), Margret (7), William P. (6), and Jennie (1) Kent; and Safrona (19), Louiza (15), Vinson (14), and Mary (12) Duncan. Sullivan Township is the area between Evening Shade, Sidney, and Cave City.

Comparing the 1870 and 1880 censuses, and the 1860 census for Buck, helps sort the Duncan-Ring children from the Kent-Clark and Kent-Ring children. The children of William Kent and Susan Maud Clark were William C. Kent, Jr. (b. 1853 in Alabama), Henry Kent (b. 1859 in Alabama), Martha E. Kent (b. 1865 in Arkansas), and John G. Kent (b. 1867 in Arkansas). They also had four older children born in Alabama – Polly (~1842), Francis (~1846), Mary E. (~1847), and Thomas (~1849) – who were no longer with their father by 1870. The children of William Kent and Susan Ring were:

Jasper Newton Kent (25 Aug 1870-21 Jan 1944) — poss. m. Carrie Margaret Wood; m. Alberta Lucretia “Bertie” Shirley on 18 Oct 1922

Margaret Kent (12 Jul 1872-9 Dec 1917) — m. James Monroe Stout on 21 Sep 1890

William Preston Kent (5 Jun 1874-10 Nov 1937) — m. Mattronice Anne “Trona” Laman about 1893

Dora Jennie Kent (Sep 1878-~1902) — m. John Wiley Brown on 1 Dec 1895

Buck died in 1892. He’s said to be buried in Williford Cemetery, Sharp County.

In the 1900 census, the widowed Susan Kent was living in Johnson & Sullivan Townships, Sharp County with son Jasper W. Kent, daughter Mary L. (Mary Ellen), and grandson Lee Duncan (25), George’s son. Her married daughter Lue Duncan Barker was next door. Susan claimed to be the mother of 16 children, 10 still living. I’ve seen records for 13 children, 10 of whom were still alive in 1900, so either she was counting some of her stepchildren or there were three children for whom there’s no record.

In 1910, Susan was in Maxville, East Sullivan Township with son Jasper and Enna Kent (6), one of Buck’s grandchildren by his first wife.

Susan died in 1917. Her obituary appears on pages 68 and 122 of “Abstracts from the Sharp County Record Newspaper, Published in Evening Shade, Arkansas, 1917”, but I haven’t seen it. She’s buried in Maxville Cemetery, Cave City, Sharp County, the same place where son Jasper was later buried. It’s a couple of miles north of Cave City proper.

Children of Preston Duncan and Susan Ring

Several of Susan’s children moved to the area of Dallas, Texas in the early 20th century.

George W. Duncan (1850-1901)

George married Mary Jane “Sis” Sageley (23 Jul 1848-7 Nov 1934) from Chickasaw County, Mississippi about 1871. I bet Mary Jane’s nickname was for her home state. Their children that I know of:

Lee Ander (25 Sep 1874-11 May 1953) — m. Mary Louise D. Runsick on 3 Nov 1901

John Cleo (17 Jan 1878-4 Feb 1969) — m. Grace Smithy Powell on 29 Mar 1905; m. Ora Leona Medlock on 8 Dec 1920; m. Effie Brock on 19 Aug 1960

Lue Willie “Lou” (20 Jun 1858-1 Mar 1952) — m. Jonathan C. Clark on 12 Jul 1896

Marshall (Jan 1882-????)

Charlie Houston (10 Mar 1884-23 Jan 1951) — never married, I think

Hubert Roscoe (13 Aug 1885-3 Mar 1950) — m. Myrtle Ritchie on 18 Dec 1912

James Corbet “Corbet” (7 Jan 1891-2 May 1959) — m. Vera Cleo Runsic on 29 Sep 1915

In the 1900 census, the family were living in Washington Township, Sharp County, although son Lee was living with his grandmother Susan. George died in 1901, and is buried in Powell’s Chapel Cemetery, Poughkeepsie. Mary Jane died in 1934 and is buried with him.

Julia Ann Duncan (1852-1934)

Julia married her mother’s first cousin Dewitt Columbus “Dee” Ring (11 Jun 1851-25 Oct 1921), a farmer and preacher from North Carolina, about 1869. The 1870 census listed them in Piney Fork Township, Sharp County, surrounded by other Ring families. Their children were:

Susan P. (13 Jun 1869-18 Sep 1953) — m. Joseph A. Johnson on 22 Jun 1890

Lucy A. (~1873-????)

Henry Harrison (21 Nov 1874-24 Apr 1963) — m. Selestial Glad Ora Richie on 16 Jan 1898; m. Effie Peona Shirley on 26 Jun 1921

Mcalee C. (~1876-????)

Allie M. (12 Oct 1879-22 Aug 1966) — m. Martin Texas Bland on 19 Mar 1899

Thomas Newton “Newt” (10 Jan 1881-13 Jun 1938) — m. Emily Jane Hancock on 13 Jan 1911

John Wesley (27 Jan 1883-27 Jan 1967) — m. Mary Jane Jackson on 12 Feb 1905

Margaret Azlee (15 Sep 1885-1 May 1959) — m. Nathan Jackson on 27 Mar 1904

John Arden “Ard” (10 Jul 1888-13 Apr 1954) — m. Ida Lee Parker on 1 Oct 1911

Jessie Arthur (10 Jul 1888-12 Jan 1972) — m. Elsie Allen on 28 Aug 1919

Iddo M. (16 Nov 1893-4 Sep 1958) — m. Josie Elizabeth Prater on 23 Dec 1915

Effie Oradell (23 Feb 1898-1 Jan 1967) — m. Edward A. Gaines on 9 Dec 1917

The 1900 census for Big Rock & Washington Townships, Sharp County said Julia was the mother of 13 children, 11 still living. So I’m missing one.

The 1930 census, the last to find Julia, showed her staying with son Newt in Black Rock, Arkansas. Julia died in 1934. She’s buried in Old Lebanon Cemetery, Eaton, Lawrence County, Arkansas.

Mary Elizabeth “Lizzie” Duncan (1854-193x)

Lizzie, who variously went by that, or Mary, or Elizabeth, married her Alabama-born stepbrother Thomas Thornton Kent (~1849-29 Jul 1927) on 28 Jan 1872 in Independence County. Which is a little creepy, but genetically fine. Known children:

William P. (Jul 1873-????)

James Haywood (6 Jul 1875-6 Apr 1957) — m. Virginia “Virgie” Byrd on 14 Oct 1900; m. Laura Thompson on 29 Nov 1912

three others

Huston (1879-????)

Martha Melissa “Lula” (22 Jun 1883-5 Jul 1965) — m. Oscar P. Norris on 8 Feb 1902

Mary Elizabeth (Aug 1886-after 1940) — m. Henry H. “Bud” Hamilton on 2 or 27 Jun 1908

Ollie (girl, Aug 1892-19xx)

Luna (1 Jan 1894-9 Aug 1957) — m. Jim Norris in 191x

Records for this family are tricky to find. Not only did Lizzie switch up her name, but Thomas is sometimes listed as “Thornt”, which puzzles transcription programs, and his marriage record turned his last name into “Kentig”. I did finally find them, though. The 1880 and 1900 censuses showed them in Washington Township, Sharp County.

In 1900, the census listed the children as Haywowld (Haywood, supposedly 27), Lula (17), Mary (14), Ollie (8), and Luna (6). I thought “Haywowld” was a joke until I found out James’s middle name. Don’t know where William and Huston were, but Lizzie claimed to be the mother of 10 children, 6 still living, so at least one of them had died. The William P. Kent living in Hunt County, Texas in the 1900 census was Lizzie’s half-brother, not her son of the same name.

The 1910 census had them in Big Rock Township, Sharp County, with the two youngest still at home. The 1920 census showed them with just grandson Ottis Kent (13) in Williford, Sharp County.

Thomas died in 1927, and is reportedly buried in Williford Cemetery, the same place as his parents. In the 1930 census of Jackson Township, Sharp County, Mary/Lizzie (supposedly 66), widowed, was head of household for widowed grand-daughter Ola Combs (23) – Haywood’s daughter – and Ola’s children James H. Combs (4) and Dortha G. Combs (0). She was living near George’s son Hubert Duncan. A Mary E. Kent died on 6 Aug 1931 in Clay County, Arkansas, and a Mary Elizabeth Kent died on 8 Aug 1935 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Either one might have been her.

The Ollie Kent who married W. L. Slayden in 1911 was not this family’s daughter.

Nancy Jane Duncan (~1855-1891)

Nancy married her step-brother William Carroll “Bill” Kent, Jr. (24 Oct 1853-2 Apr 1935) in the early 1870s. They had 11 children, so this is not a complete list:

Signora Bell (17 Apr 1875-10 Mar 1952) — m. Martin Luther Turentine about 1902

Menter Austin (2 Dec 1877-7 Nov 1945) — m. Lyda ???

Albert (~1878-????)

Ida A. (2 Sep ?1880?-7 Oct 1946) — m. B. H. Smith on 28 Aug 1901

Lue Dora Susan “Sue” (~1881-14 May 1936) — m. ??? Riggs

Cassie Pearl (~1882-12 Jul 1952) — m. J. N. Smith about 1912; m. Robert Brackston Walls on 13 Jan 1919

Noah Abraham (9 May 1891-19 Aug 1984) — m. Ollia A. Duncan about 1909

In 1880, they were living in Sullivan Township, Sharp County with daughter Signora (5). The next page of that census lists four children with the last name McGee that it appears to be claiming are the children of Bill and Nancy, and further down shows their children Menter, Albert, and Ida living with Nancy’s uncle Owen Duncan and near Nancy’s mother. All very odd.

Nancy died in 1891. Burial location is unknown. Bill moved the family to Texas. In 1900 he moved again to Washington state, but daughters Signora, Ida, and Lue remained in Texas.

Bill died in Washington in 1935 at the home of his daughter Cassie, and is buried in Camano Island Lutheran Cemetery, Camano, Island County, Washington.

Sophronia B. Duncan (1861-1894)

Sophronia has her own entry in the family tree.

Thomas A. Duncan (1862-1879)

Thomas appeared only in the 1870 census, and is said to have died in 1879.

Sarah Louisa “Lue” Duncan (1864-1927)

Lue married Civil War veteran Leander Adam Barker (9 Dec 1847-2 Feb 1931) from Fayetteville, Tennessee about 1887. They had four children:

Roscoe Conrad (22 Feb 1894-30 Mar 1975) — m. Frances Marie Turney in 192x

Horace E., Sr. (22 Dec 1896-4 Jan 1957) — m. Margaret “Virgie” Terry on 5 Nov 1923

Percy Clarence (12 Oct 1902-28 Feb 1972) — m. Jo Eura Weaver in 1925

Ernest Preston (23 Jan 1905-10 Oct 1972) — m. Nora Lee Cooper on 2 Feb 1931

In 1900, the family were living next door to Lue’s mother in Johnson & Sullivan Townships, Sharp County, Arkansas with their oldest two children and a servant named Mirtie Kent, relationship (if any) unknown.

Shortly after that, they moved to Texas, where the two younger sons were born – although at least one account has Ernest born in Oklahoma. No further trace of them until the 1920 census, which showed them in Hunt County, Texas, east of Dallas, with all four sons. Lue died in 1927, and Adam in 1931. (Adam’s gravestone says 1933, but the death certificate is very definite that it was filled out in 1931.) They’re buried in Arlington Cemetery, Arlington, Tarrant County, Texas. All four boys remained in the Dallas area.

William Vinson Duncan (1866-1941)

Vinson married Mary “Pres” Grant (14 Jul 1868-15 Nov 1934) on 29 Apr 1886 in Sharp County. The marriage record gives Mary’s maiden name as Bishop, but the tombstone says Grant, and I generally trust tombstones over documents. I’m guessing that the nickname “Pres”, used on the marriage record and again in the 1920 census, was a riff on her last name – Ulysses S. Grant was the Republican candidate for president when she was born, and took office before she was a year old. Their children:

Jennie B. (27 May 1887-11 Sep 1975) — m. Marcus L. Whitlock on 30 Jan 1912

James Arden (28 Jun 1889-18 Jun 1963) — m. Nancy Fortune on 10 Aug 1910

Grover Cleveland (14 Jul 1892-7 Feb 1968) — apparently never married

William Preston (24 Jan 1896-1 Aug 1931) — apparently never married

Eula Ethel (?9 Mar? 1898-14 Jul 1992) — m. Oliver Wesley Hinson in 192x

Rotha Pearl “Pearl” (4 Feb 1900-6 Apr 1988) — m. Jim S. Marlin on 9 Aug 1924

Zelma Seveda (1 Jan 1912-26 Aug 1990) — m. Lucien E. Smith on 18 Nov 1928; divorced; m. George H. Smith in 193x

They appeared in the 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 censuses for Sharp County in Sullivan Township, Sullivan Township, Big Creek Township, and Washington Township respectively. By 1930, only son William Preston was still at home, and he died the following year.

Mary died in 1934. Vinson died in 1941 and is buried with Mary in Powells Chapel Cemetery, Poughkeepsie, as are some of their children and Vinson’s brother George.

The 1920 census showed Eula living with her married brother James in Cave City and claiming to be 19. She kept up this claim all her life, and her tombstone gives date of birth in 1901, but the 1900 and 1910 censuses listed her at age 2 and age 12 respectively.

Mary Ellen Duncan (1869-1932)

In the 1900 census, Mary was living in Johnson Township with her mother, her half-brother Jasper, and her nephew Lee Duncan. She still had the Kent surname, which makes sense, as she never knew her biological father. (Or had she, like two of her sisters, married a stepbrother?) She married Robert Lee Russ (20 Feb 1873-5 Feb 1939) from St. Charles County, Missouri in the early 1900s. In the 19-oughts they lived in Oklahoma, where their only known child was born:

Elsie or Ellie (~1905-????)

They moved to Hunt County, Texas by 1910. Robert registered for the WWI draft in Rockwall County, Texas, where the 1920 census showed him and Mary with their daughter, and living next door to an Elmer Russ, age 25, from Arkansas.

In the late 1920s they moved to Dallas. Mary died there in 1932. She’s buried in Parkdale Cemetery, Arlington, Tarrant County, Texas. Robert died in 1939 and is buried with her. Can’t find Elsie/Ellie after 1920.

Children of Buck Kent and Susan Ring

Jasper Newton Kent (1870-1944)

In the 1900 census, Jasper was living in Johnson Township with his mother, his half-sister Mary Ellen, and his half-nephew Lee Duncan. In 1910, he was head of a household that included his mother and a 6-year-old niece named Enna Kent whose father was from Alabama – so, one of his half-brothers. By 1920, his mother having died, he and Enna were living with his brother William P. Kent in Texas. There’s a familysearch.org claim that he married someone named Carrie Margaret Wood, but I’ve found no record of that. He returned to Arkansas, where he did marry the much younger Alberta Lucretia “Bertie” Shirley (12 Aug 1902-26 Feb 1998) in 1922. Their children:

Jasper, Jr. (23 Mar 1923-22 Nov 1933)

Hanford Jewell (18 Dec 1924-15 Nov 2018) — m. Margarette Irene Hamilton on 24 Nov 1944

Glenil Verneal (12 May 1936-10 May 1943)

They lived in Sullivan Township near Jasper’s nephew Lee Duncan. Jasper died in 1944, and is buried in Maxville Cemetery, the same place as his mother. Bertie died in 1998 and is buried with him.

Margaret Kent (1872-1917)

Margaret married James Monroe Stout (1859-1947) in 1890. Their children:

Pearl Olive (22 Apr 1891-15 Apr 1979) — m. Chesley Daniel Vines; divorced

Ezra (1895-May 1982) — m. Eunice Tennessee Harris on 15 Apr 1917

Bryan (25 Nov 1897-10 Jan 1962) — m. Vinnie Lou Lowe on 22 May 1921

Junnie Juanita (3 Jun 1898-12 Aug 1988) — m. Edward Zenas Hicks

Lileth Dora (29 Mar 1900-17 Jul 1988) — m. Thomas Randolph Sellers

Daisy Myrtle (14 Nov 1901-4 Sep 1977) — m. Clarence Addison Pelton

Earl Floyd (16 Apr 1904-Dec 1982) — m. Ollie Elizabeth Slagle in 193x

Opal Althea (8 Jul 1906-16 Mar 1991) — m. John Henry Brown, Sr. in 192x; m. Nathan McGlathery on 26 Jan 1974

Ernest Arthur (11 Jun 1908-26 Jun 1997) — m. Verna Margaret Patton

In 1910 they were in Lunenburg, Izard County, Arkansas. They moved to Plano, Collin County, Texas, where Margaret died in 1917. She’s buried in Plano Mutual Cemetery. James died in 1947 and is buried with her. Most of the children seem to have settled in the Dallas area.

William Preston Kent (1874-1937)

William married Mattronice Anne “Trona” Laman (20 Jul 1875-1 Feb 1950) about 1893. Their children:

Everett (Oct 1899-190x) — died young

Bartis William (26 Nov 1902-14 Apr 1968) — m. Annie Lois Smalley on 6 Jul 1924

Odes Preston (25 Jan 1906-21 May 1982) — m. Helen Elizabeth Priddy

Connie Octo (16 Dec 1908-13 Apr 1964) — m. Myrtle Catherine Freiley on 24 Jan 1930; m. Daisy Elizabeth Ferry on 9 Dec 1939

Thomas (1909-????)

Alba Rubine (7 Oct 1913-30 Jul 1972) — m. James Fred Creecy on 1 Aug 1937

Berline (1914-????)

This family moved often. By 1900 they had settled in Hunt County, Texas. In 1910 they were in Collin County, Texas. In 1920 it was Rockwall County, Texas, and the household included William’s brother Jasper (49) and Enna Kent (16), William’s orphaned niece by one of his half-brothers (don’t know which one). By 1930 they were in Kaufman County, Texas, with just Odes and Rubine still with them. William died there in 1937, and is buried in Royse City Cemetery, Royse City, Rockwall County, Texas. Trona died in 1950 and is buried with him.

Dora Jennie Kent (1878-~1902)

Dora married John Wiley Brown (2 Jun 1866-22 Aug 1912) from Georgia in 1895. He came with three sons from a previous marriage. He and Dora had one child:

Oba Earl (11 Dec 1896-3 Aug 1963) — m. Maude Elizabeth Ferguson on 18 Mar 1919

The 1900 census showed them in Pleasant Hill & Strawberry Townships, Izard County. Dora must have died soon after, since on 11 Jun 1903 John married Ethoda Marlin (1881-1966). The 1910 census showed them still in Strawberry, with Dora’s son Earl (13), two of John’s sons from his first marriage, and two sons by Ethoda. John died in 1912 in Evening Shade.

In the 1920 census, Dora’s son Earl (23) was still with Ethoda, as were Ethoda’s three sons and Earl’s wife Maud (20), listed as a step-daughter.

Grandchildren

Lee Ander Duncan (1874-1953)

George’s son Lee was sharing a house with his grandmother Susan in 1900. He married Mary Louise D. “Lue” Runsick (27 Jul 1883-4 Jun 1978) in 1901. Their children:

Bertha Lulla (23 Aug 1902-17 Aug 1997) — m. Alexander C. Wilson in 1919; m. Larmon Hamilton Jones on 12 Aug 1923

Arthur Ulmon (11 Nov 1904-24 May 1976) — apparently never married

Everett (25 Jan 1907-14 Jul 1918)

Otho S. (8 Dec ?1909?-11 Apr 1972) — m. Catherine Townsend on 12 Jul 1942

Jeffie Mae (4 Dec 1910-5 Feb 1998) — m. Stephen Chester Lewis on 22 Apr 1938

Ozella Lee (3 Aug 1913-13 Feb 2008) — m. Everett E. Wilkes

Edna Estell (6 Mar 1915-19 Apr 2013) — m. Uless Oral Watts on 18 Sep 1932; m. ??? Barnes

George Truie (24 Apr 1917-25 May 1986) — m. Lona Maxine Bright

Mary Louise (9 Nov 1923-1 Dec 1979) — m. Richard J. Jones

The 1910 census listed Lee, Lue, and their first three children in Washington, Sharp County. In 1920, they were in Piney Fork Township; in 1930, Sullivan Township. In 1940, they were in Greenwood Township, Poinsett, Arkansas with children Arthur, Otho, Louise, and 6-year-old Marie, who was listed as their daughter but I have a hard time believing that. Adopted, maybe. By 1950, they had just Arthur with them. Lee died in 1953, and Louise in 1978. They’re buried in Evening Shade Cemetery, as are most of their children.

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