Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/357

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DUNCAN


DUNCAN


Newton theological institution, 1840-69, and a fellow of Brown, 1835-69. He married in 1826, Mary, daughter of Benjamin Willis of Boston. He received the degree of LL.D. from Brown in

1861. He died at Haverhill, Mass., Feb. 8, 1869. DUNCAN, John Mason, educator, was born

in Baltimore, Md. April 2U, 1858 ; son of Richard McKim and Rosalie (LaFayette) Duncan, and grandson of the Rev. Dr. John Mason and Eliza (McKim) Duncan. He was educated in Balti- more at private schools and under private tutors, and both in letters and theology, mider special masters in Pennsylvania and^ew York, ill health preventing his regular attendance upon either college or seminary classes. Upon examination he was regularly ordained a minister in the Pres- byterian church in 1889, by the presbytery of Vincennes; was principal of the Juniata Presby- terian academy, Mitflintown, Pa., 1882-85; of the Allegany county academy, Cumberland, Md., 1885-88 ; president of Coates college for women, Terre Haute, Ind., 1888-97, and of Craggen- croft classical institute, Duluth, Minn., from 1897. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from the College of New Jersey and from Lafay- ette college in 1887.

DUNCAN, Johnson Kelly, soldier, was born in York, Pa., March 19, 1827. He was gradu- ated from the U.S. military academy in 1849, and served in the Florida war against the Semi- noles, 1849-50, being promoted 2d lieutenant, Oct. 31, 1849. He was on garrison duty at Fort Sulli- van, Maine, 1850-52; and at Fort Preble, Maine, 1852-53, and was assistant on the Northern Pacific railroad exploration from April 14, 1853, to Dec. 9, 1854. He was promoted 1st lieutenant, Dec. 24, 1853, and resigned from the army, Jan. 31, 1855. He was superintendent of repairs at the branch mint, marine hospital, and quarantine warehouse, New Orleans, La., and at the Pas a Loutre, La., boarding station, 1856-59. In 1859- 60 he was civil engineer, surveyor and architect, at New Orleans, and in 1860-61 was chief engineer of the board of public works of the state of Louisi- ana. He entered the Confederate armj- in 1861 as colonel, and was promoted brigadier-general, having command of Forts Jackson and St. Philip when they were captured by Farragut, April 25.

1862. He died at Knoxville, Tenn., Dec. 18, 1862. DUNCAN, Joseph, governor of Illinois, was

born in Paris, Ky., Feb. 22, 1789; son of David Dimcan, an officer of the Revolutionary army, who migrated from Massachusetts to Pennsyl- vania, and thence to Kentucky soon after the close of tlie war. Joseph was admitted to the bar but entered the army before practising his pro- fession, serving throughout the war of 1812. In 1818 he removed to Kaskaskia, 111., where he served as major-general of militia and as state


senator from Brownsville, 1824-26. He was a representative in the 20th, 21st, 22d and 23d con- gresses, 1827-34, and resigned his seat in congress in 1834, having been elected to the office of gov- ernor of Illinois, in which office he served, 1834- 38. He died at Jacksonville, 111., Jan. 15, 1844.

DUNCAN, Louis, educator, was born in Wash- ington, D.C., March 25, 1862. He was graduated from the United States naval acadeni}- in 1880, cruised in the South Pacific station, 1880-82, visiting the ports of South America, Pacific Islands, Japan, Alaska, Mexico, Chili and Peru. He cruised on the North Atlantic station in 1883, and was on special duty at the Johns Hopkins uni- versity, 1883. In the summer of 1883 he was on duty at the United States torpedo school at New- port, R.I., and during 1883-84 he assisted at Johns Hopkins university in the work of deter- mining for the United States government tlie unit of electrical resistance During the summer of 1884 he was stationed at the International electric exhibition at Philadelphia, Pa., where he was a member and afterward chairman of the board of judges. He was ordered to sea in 1885 on the U.S. steamship BrooMyn which cruised on the North Atlantic station. He resigned from the navy in 1886 and was apjiointed associate pro- fessor of electricity at Johns Hopkins university. He was elected an honorary member of the Franklin institute; vice-president of the Ameri- can institute of electrical engineers; fellow of the American philosophical society ; member of the Societe Mathematique de France ; and other European and American associations. He re- ceived the degree of Ph. D. from Johns Hopkins in 1885. He contributed niunerous papers to electrical periodicals and patented several de- vices for secondary batteries and electrical machines.

DUNCAN, Samuel White, clergyman, was born in Haverhill, Mass., Dec. 19, 1838; son of the Hon. James Henry and Mary (Willis) Dun- can. He prepared for college at Kimball Union academy, was graduated with honor from Brown university in 1860, and attended the Newton theological institution, 1861-62, leaving his studies to raise a company, and serving as cap- tain in the 50tli Massachusetts volunteers, 1862- 63. On being mustered out he resumed his theological covurse at the Rochester, N.Y., theo- logical seminary in 1864, where he was graduated in 1806. He was ordained to the Baptist ministry at Cleveland, Ohio, April 18, 1867, and was pas- tor at the Eviclid avenue church, 1867-75, at the Ninth street church, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1875-83, and at the Second church, Rochester, N.Y., 1883- 88. He was elected president of the Ohio Baptist state convention in 1879. He declined the presi- dency of Vassar college offered him in 1885. In