DUKE RESEARCH REPORT
2 May 2010
Research Objective:
Prove that the father of Charles Duke, who married Nancy Elliott and died in 1850 in Floyd, Georgia, was or was not Henry Duke that was hanged by the British in 1780.
Summary of Findings:
1773 – Henry Duke received 1000 acres of land on Fishing Creek (Lincoln County, GA)
April, 1780 – Henry Duke mentioned a son, Charles Duke, in his will.
September, 1780 – Henry Duke was hanged by the British,
1797 – Charles Duke and wife, Dorothy or Dolly Duke, sold land on Fishing Creek.
1805 – Charles Duke died and his wife, Dorothy or Dolly, is administratrix.
1814 – Dorothy (Dolly) remarried a Mr. Williams and settled estate of Charles Duke.
Conclusion:
The Charles Duke that is the son of Henry Duke is not our Charles Duke because the Charles Duke that was the son of Henry Duke died in 1805, but our Charles Duke died in 1850.
Sources:
1773 – Henry Duke received 1000 acres of land on Fishing Creek (Lincoln County, GA)
On 16 November, 1773, “Henry Duke of South Carolina” received liberty to settle on land “ceded to His Majesty.” The family of Henry Duke, at that time, consisted of a wife, three sons, and two daughters. Henry was granted 1000 acres of land at the head of Fishing Creek “where Michael Cups cut logs.” [This is in present-day Wilkes and Lincoln County, Georgia.]
Crown Grant, Original Georgia Papers.
April, 1780 – Henry Duke mentioned a son, Charles Duke, in his will.
Will of Henry Duke – 4 April 1780
In the Name of God Amen, the Fourth day of April one Thousand Seven hundred Eighty, I am of Wilkes County Being Sick in Body but of Good and Perfect memory Thankes to God and Calling to Remembrance the uncertainty as late of this Transitory Life and that all Flesh must yield unto Death when it Shall Please God to Call I do make and Declare this my last Will and Testament in Manner and Form Following First being Penetent and Sorry for all my Sins Most Humbly Desiring Forgiveness for the same I Commend my Sole to God and by whose mercies I trust and hope to be saved and have full Benefision and Forgiveness of Many Sins and to inherit the Kingdom of heaven and For the Settling of my Temporal Estate and Such Good and Chattles and Debts as it hath Pleased God to bestow upon me I do order and gave and Despose the Same and manner and Form — Following that is to say [unreadable word] I Give and bequeath my Loving son Charles Duke five hundred acres of Land Taken it where son Pleases one negro Boy named Cone one bay mare Formerly called his one Stallion Colt bought Cleting I gave my Loving Daughter Mary Duke one mare called Janes and one Inglish filly Called Pat come out of the mare Ten Cows and Calves with all Household Furniture to be Delivered to her at seventeen years of age I give my Loving Son Thomas Duke one negro fellow Ben if he can be got and I Desire my Loving Brother Thomas Duke to Exchange him for a negro wench as soon as possible I also gave my son Thomas four hundred Acres of Land taken where he Pleases after Charles is saved with one mare Called Cud Two baymare one bought of Cleting and one bought of hintons Sales and if Ben should not be got I gave Inty instead of Ben I gave one Black horse Baugh of hay[?] I gave my Loving Son Henry Duke Two hundred Acres of Land Lying near Will Carthern bought of Sanders Walker one negro Fellow Called Imoy one Black mare bought of Wade one black horse bought of Charles Wade I gave my Loving son Charles my Sadle horse bought of Frederick Runnels after thes legacies is given according to my Desire to all my Children to have an Equal Share of the Remainder of living after a horse Saddle and Bridle to be given to a Daughter of Nancy Cups surposed to my and I further Desire for my Honored Father and Mother to Live with my Children on my Liven at there will til Charles Comes of age and as fast as any of my Children Comes of age for to have posession Formentioned I Apoint my Loving Brothers Thomas Duke and James Duke and Loving friend Steven H. Wade Executors fore to Devid my Living Equal among my Children this I acknowledge to be and my Last will and testament I hereby Revoke Disanulling all former wills made by me Given from under my hand Burel Smith Henry Duke John (X) Coles mark John (X) Legett mark Ref: Folio 24, Will Book A, Wilkes County, GA – The estate of Henry Duke
September, 1780 – Henry Duke was hanged by the British,
Henry Duke was a captain serving under Col. Elijah Clarke’s American forces (Men from Wilkes County, GA and SC). His nephew, William Duke, was a lieutenant under him. Henry Duke served as a Captain under Elijah Clarke’s command in the Revolutionary War. He was captured and instantly hung by Col. Thomas Brown’s Loyalist Forces on September 18, 1780 following an unsuccessful attempt by Col. Clarke’s Whig Forces to overcome Brown’s garrison. Brown and his Loyalist soldiers were bottled-up in the MacKay Trading Post. This is sometimes referred to as the White House and was located on the Savannah River about one and one-half miles from Augusta. Henry Duke was a refugee who had been forced to flee, by Col. Brown’s edict, from his land in Wilkes County to safety outside Georgia and had been allowed later to return as a parolee.
References:
Historical Collections of Georgia, Page 609, by White
The Georgia Historical Quarterly, Vol. LVIII, No. 4, pp 434-35
The History of Georgia, Vol. II, pp. 456-58, by Jones.
The American Revolution in Georgia, p. 134, by Coleman
1797 – Charles Duke and wife, Dorothy or Dolly Duke, sold land on Fishing Creek.
March 27, 1795, Lincoln County, Georgia, Charles DUKE, Thomas DUKE, Henry DUKE, and Jeremiah RUSSELL, heirs and representatives of Henry DUKE formerly of the county of Lincoln conveyed …all that tract or parcel of land lying and being in the county of Wilkes on the waters of Soap and Fishing Creek to Stephen Harnsburger. Wit: Thomas Murray Charles DUKE (Seal) Wm. Son Thomas DUKE (Seal) Wm. Stokes
Ref: Deed Book A. page 16, Lincoln County, GA April 15, 1795
Nathaniel Coats, Sheriff of Wilkes County, conveys to Stephen Harnsburger…by virtue of a writ of fiera facias…on a judgement at the suit of the heirs and representatives of Henry DUKE, deceased against Thomas Winkfield…levy made by said sheriff on 300 acres of land on Soap Creek.
Ref: Deed Book A, page 17, Lincoln County, GA
April 15, 1795 Nathaniel Coats, Sheriff of Wilkes County, by virtue of a writ of fiere facias on a judgement on a suit by heirs and representatives of Henry DUKE, deceased against Thomas Winkfield. 100 acres on waters of Soap Creek were bid off by Sheriff and Charles DUKE became purchaser for 25 pounds.
Ref: Deed Book A, page 45, Lincoln County, GA.
October 21, 1797 Charles DUKE, of Wilkes, conveys 100 acres on Soap and Fishing Creek in Lincoln County to Richard Benson of Wilkes for $120.00. Wit: Thomas DUKE Charles DUKE (Seal) Phillip Zimmerman Dolly DUKE (Seal)
Ref: Deed Book A, page 46,
1805 – Charles Duke died and his wife, Dorothy or Dolly, is administratrix.
Page 161 in the book Early Records of Georgia – July 9, 1805
Page 52 – March 15, 1806
1814 – Dorothy (Dolly) remarried a Mr. Remington and settled estate of Charles Duke.
Page 229 in the book Early Records of Georgia – 1814
CONCULSION
Charles Duke, the son of Henry Duke that was hanged by the British, could not have been the Charles Duke, married to Nancy Elliott who dies in 1850. The key to this is that Henry Duke was given 1000 acres of land on Fishing Creek, in what is now Lincoln County, Georgia. After the death of Henry in 1790, Charles Duke and his wife, Dolly, are selling that land in 1797. Then Charles dies in 1805 and his wife Dolly is appointed his administratrix. This cannot be our Charles Duke because our Charles Duke lived to 1850.
THANKS FOR THE RESEARCH ON REID AND DUKE. DESCEND FROM
REID FAMILY OF SC AND THE DUKE FAMILY OF WILKES CO, GA. NEED MUCH MORE INFORMATION ON THE REIDS, AS THIS A DIFFICULT FAMILY TO CONNECT.