The Duke Family History Papers
"Given to Adam Christmas of Duke family. Written by Lewis Y. Christmas while his mother was still alive."

History of the Duke Family.

[This a copy, verbatim, written by George Wortham, a lawyer of Granville County, North Carolina and a Colonel in the late war of the Confederacy.

This history he obtained from the late Lewis Y. Christmas, of Warren County, North Carolina, who was a retired gentleman of high veracity and integrity, who devoted himself to collections of family genealogy, and also from letters and other information abstained by said Wortham, and is in the main a correct history.

This is the testimony of Dr. L. Green Ward, of Texas, a native of Warren County, where he spent the greater part of his life.

November1877.]

This history is copied from the MS of the later Hon. Daniel R. Goodloe by his niece Annie Goodloe ... Edgecomb Co., NC

Feb. 13, 1911 for Mrs. W. P. Mercer.

1709 William Duke was a younger son of Raleigh Duke, Esq. of Hays Farm, Dovershire, England and was born at that place in the year 1709. Hays Farm is still owned by the descendants of his older brother. It was the birth place of Sir. Walter Raleigh, and a picture of it can be seen in the first volume of Hawk's History of North Carolina.

Whether there was any relationship between the Dukes and Ralieghs I do not know. [but Mr. Raleigh Daniel, of Virginia, a descendant of Sir Walter Raleigh] says that he always understood that Hays Farm ascended the Duke family by intermarriage with the Raleighs. His impression is that his father was so informed by them. Some favor is lent to this supposed marriage by the fact that William Fever's father was named Raleigh Duke.

His parents dying when he was a small lad, and the estate passed, according to English law and custom, to his oldest brother, William Duke was left poor and brought to Virginia by his relative Col. William Byrd, of Westover on James River who reared him and gave him the rudiments of a good business education and better than all taught him to work. {NOTE: It is said that William Raleigh Duke was a grown man and well educated when he came to Virginia with Col. Byrd and had an interest in the Virginia estate.}

1727 In 1727 Col. Byrd was appointed one of the Commissioners to run the dividing line between Virginia and North Carolina, and as we learned from his published account of the survey, he was so pleased with the soil of what is now Warren and Granville, that he called it the "Land of Eden", and pronounced it a great country for a young man a short time afterward, William Duke, probably through Col. Byrd's influence, moved to North Carolina, and in 1735, married Mary a daughter of Thomas Edward Green, who lived in what is now Warren County then a part of Edgecomb. William Duke settled on "Purchase Patent", and had a lot of children.

Children of William Duke Sr:

1- Green Duke Sr., who married a Parham of Virginia Nov 26, 1762
2- Sally, who married Capt. Thomas Christmas Nov 26 1764
3- Winifred, who married Jonathan Davis
4 -Anne first, married John Christmas, second Robert Jones.
5 -Tamar, wife first of William Wortham, second of Edward Jones. Anne and Tamar were twins.
6 -Mary, wife of Isaac Howze.

Grandchildren of William Duke Sr:

1-- Green Duke (Son of Green Duke Sr, who married Miss Parham of Virginia) had children:

1 ---William Duke Jr. who moved to Hardeman County, Tennessee, where his descendants now live.
2 ---Green Duke Jr, who married a Miss Robertson.
3 ---Lewis P. Duke, who married Polly Ransom.
4 ---A Daughter, Sally, who married Henry Fitts.
5--- Elizabeth, who married Dr. Thomas Hunt of Granville.
6 ---A daughter, married a Mr. Collier, who improved and settled in Ridgeway, Warren County, North Carolina. He sold it to Mr. Marshall, since purchased by Dayly.
7--- Nancy, wife of Edward Clanton.
8 ---Rebecca, wife, first of Lewis Lanier, second of Capt. John Washington of Walnut Grove, Granville Co, NC.

2-- Sally, Daughter of William Duke Sr. Married Thomas Christmas. Her first son:

1 ---William Christmas, married Jane Yancey, they had three sons and three daughters.

The sons {of William} were:

1---- William Christmas
2 ----Thomas Christmas
3---- Lewis Y. Christmas who never married.

The daughters {of William} were:

4 ----Mary
5 ----Sally
6 ----Jane

1 ----William Christmas moved to Mississippi and had three sons, Henry, Richard and Hiliard. Now living there in 1872. Richard died childless.

2 ----Martha, wife of Capt. John Green who had two children, Viz.

1 -----Thomas E. Green of Warren County, who married 1823 Nancy Willis of Warrenton and had many children.
2 -----Sally, a sister of Thomas E. Green, married a Henry Yancey and left three sons.

1 ---- John Yancey married a Miss Body of Halifax
2 ----Alexander Yancey married a Miss Bragg sister of Gen. Bragg and moved to Alabama.
3 ----The younger brother moved with Alexander to AL.

3 ----Nancy, wife of Edward Tanner had children Viz:

1---- John Tanner now in Mississippi
2---- Susan, who married a Willaims
3 ----Martha who married another Willaims
4 ----Alice married Thomas Power.
5 ----Mary G., wife of Col. Richard Power, had children Viz:

1 ----Edward
2 ----John 
3 ----Amanda, who married a Collier of Franklin.

3 -Winifred, 3rd child of William Duke Sr. Married Jonathan Davis. There children were:

1-- William Davis who moved to Chester, Virginia and married there.
2-- Green Davis, who moved to Kentucky and thence to Indiana, where he had numerous descendants.
3 --Wiley Davis
4 --Jonathan Davis, who married Susan Wortham, daughter of John Wortham and granddaughter of William and Tamar Wortham and sister to Dr. J.S. Wortham. Their children were:

1 ---Sally who died unmarried.
2 ---Susan who married Robert Mabin and now resides with her daughter, Mrs. Ladd in Baltimore.
3 ---Mary, who married Robert Boyd.
4--- Elizabeth, who married Henry Hunter of Granville County.
5 ---James W. Davis who married a Doty.
6 ---Lewis J. Davis, who died in the Confederate Army, and whose widow has since married a Mr. Charlz of Mississippi and moved there with her children.
5 --William Davis {Original manuscript says 4th} [two Williams? glc]
6 --David Davis {Original manuscript says 5th}
7 --Nancy Davis, who married William Duke {Grandson of William Duke Sr. descendant of Winifred Duke}
8 ---Mary, who married Yarborough.
9 --Martha
10 --Winifred


4 -Anne Duke {Called Nanny Duke}

Anne, 4th daughter of William Duke Sr. married first to John Christmas, by whom she had three children, Viz:

1-- Henry, a naval officer who died at sea.
2 --Mary, who married Philamon HAWKINS of Franklin County.
3 --Martha, married to Alison Willaims whose children were:

1--- Dr. Henry Willaims who married a Miss Smith
2 ---James, married Gen. Burton's daughter.
3 ---Wesley, never married
4 ---Mary, married a Burwell
5 ---Mercy "Nancy", never married

Anne daughter of William Duke Sr, and widow of John Christmas, married a second time to Robert Jones. Their children were:

4-- Dr. Thomas Cook Jones, who married Tempi Williams the daughter of ... one son ...
5-- William Duke Jones, of White Sulphur Springs, Warren County, North Carolina. His children were:

1 ---Ann Bignall, who married John Boyd
2 ---Minerva, married Henry Fitts
3 ---Mary Eliza, married Joe Summerville and moved to Tennessee
4 ---Joseph Speed Jones, Sheriff of Warren County, married Lucy Pitway and had many children
5 ---John Jones, married also a Pitway
6 --Elizabeth, married Robert Jones of Essex Co., VA
7 --Nancy Jones, married Rev. John Early of Virginia. A Bishop in the Methodist Church.
8 --Sally Jones married Rev. John Glenn of Oxford, Granville County, moved to Tennessee and has a son:

1--- William a distinguished Lawyer. He has other descendants.

9 --Edward Jones who married Miss Seiville, his cousin ...

5 -Tamar, Daughter of William Duke Sr, first , William Wortham. Oct 4 1764, second, Edward Jones.

By her first husband she had:

1 ---Nancy Wortham... who married William MarshallL
2-- James Wortham, born 6th August 1771, married Sally Davis.
3 --William Wortham, born 21st April 1773
4 --John Wortham, born 6 March 1775, marred Miss Jordan.
5 --Thomas Wortham, born 24th November, 1776, married Miss Molly.
6 --Benjamin Heath Wortham, born 2nd December, 1778, married Polly Lanier.
7 --Edward Wortham, born 11th December 1780.
8 --Duke Wortham, born 1st December 1782
9 --Mary Elizabeth, born 16th September 1784, married Mr. Nicholson
10 --Robert

1 --Nancy, born 1767, married a Marshall and had children.

1-- Mary, who married Spotswood Burwell and was the mother of

1 ---Henry Armstead
2 ---Robert
3 ---William

2 --Elizabeth, who married William Blackwell, who married Miss Cook of Warrenton.
3 --William D. Wortham (of Henderson)

2 --James Wortham, born 1771, married Sally, daughter of ... James ... of Island Creek, Granville County, NC and had children:

1 --Susan, who married her cousin Jonathan Davis Jr., son of Winifred , daughter of William Duke Sr.
2 --Dr. James T. Wortham who first married Roweana, only child of Capt. John Washington of Walnut Grove, Granville Co., NC and granddaughter of Green Duke Sr. Their children were:

1 ---Sally
2 --- Rebecca
3 ---John
4 ---Robert all of whom died unmarried.
5 ---George married a Watson of Bertie Co. but is now a childless widower.
6 ---Susan A., married Dr. Isaac Jackson of Columbus County
7 --James John Wortham, married Martha Green of Goshem, Granville County, moved to South Carolina, was Senator from All Saints Parish a number of years and died in 1867 of a wound received in service during the war. He left a son.

1 ---James T. Wortham Jr.

8 --Mary, who married Col. Tornley George of Whiteville, NC. 

Dr. Wortham married a second time, Charity, daughter of Philip and Mary Alston of Warren County. No child.

3 --William Wortham, born 1773, married and moved to ... Tennessee where he has descendants. Mrs. S. Southerland of Warren County is his granddaughter.

4-- John Wortham, born 26 March 1775, married a Miss Jordan granddaughter of Benjamin Ward and has a number of Children Viz:

1 ---James, who married a Rigon
2 ---William D., who married his cousin Fanny Blackwell
3 ---Thomas, who married Frances O'Brian
4--- Robert, who married a Webb
5 ---Richard, who married a Britt
6 ---E.W. Wortham, married first a Macraw, second, a Miss Harris, third a Miss Rowland.
7 ---Patsy, who married Phil. Hawkins of Warren County
8 ---Sally, married Blackwell
9 ---Nancy died young
10 ---Mary
11 ---Susan

5 --Thomas Wortham, born 1776, married Molly, (an Aunt of Gov. John Molly Morehead) settled in Rockingham County, NC, represented the country in the Legislature moved to Tennessee thence to Kentucky where he died leaving numerous descendants. One of these is Professor John Motly Wortham of the University of Louisiana and another commander of a regiment in Kentucky on the Confederate side during the late war.

6 --Benjamin Heath Wortham, born 1778, married his cousin Polly Lanier ... moved to Tennessee where he has numerous descendants.

7 --Edward Wortham, born 1780, married a Power, moved to Tennessee where he has numerous descendants. A grandson of his Col. John Wortham Commanded a Georgia regiment during the late war.

8 --Duke Wortham, born in 1782, moved to Tennessee and thence to Kentucky. A son of his was Col. of a Kentucky regiment on the Union side in the late war. His name was George Wortham. For a long time his regiment picketed against the 5th North Carolina regiment Commanded by Col. George Wortham son of Dr. J. S. Wortham.

9 --Mary Elizabeth Wortham, born 16th September 1784 married Lewis Nicholson and had two children Viz:

1--- Lewis who went to Tennessee and 
2 ---Martha who married John Askew. No living issue. {See Robert Jones Cemetery}


10 --Robert Wortham born 19th of September 1786, moved to Tennessee and thence to Texas where he has numerous descendants. His son 

1 ---Col. Luther Wortham of Freetown County, Texas Commanded a Texas regiment on the Confederate side in the late war.

Here ends the Genealogy of the Wortham-Duke that of the Jones-Duke follows on the next page. 

Descendants of Tamar Duke and Edward Jones and other children of William Duke Sr. Tamar, daughter of William Duke Sr had by her second husband, Edward Jones.

11 --William Green Jones, who married Mary Johnson granddaughter of William Green Sr. He was sheriff of Warren County many years.

12 --Prescilla, wife of Major Leftridge of the United States Army.

13 --Betty Jones, wife of William Hunter of Warren County and mother of 

1 ---Henry and others.

6 -Mary the sixth child of William Duke Sr. married Isaac Howze and had children:

1 --M. Howze
2 --John Howze
3 --Mary Howze who married Daniel Jones of Franklin County and their daughter:

1--- Mary Reaves Jones married Dr James Kenik Goodloe of Franklin County, son of Henry Green Goodloe their children were:

1 ----Daniel Reaves Goodloe
2 ---Henry Garrett Goodloe, married his cousin Indiana daughter of Lewis Parham Duke and great grand daughter of William Duke Sr.

Green Duke Sr.

The descendants of Green Duke Sr. who married a Parham of Virginia were:

1 -William Duke II, who moved to Hardeman County, Tennessee and married. His son

1 --William Duke III married his cousin Mary Davis daughter of Jonathan Davis and Winifred his wife.

2 -Nancy, married a Yarborough
3 -Green Duke Jr. married a Robertson and had two daughters

1 --married Benny Johnson of Franklin County
2 --daughter married Hicks of Franklin County

4 -Lewis Parham Duke, son of Green Duke Sr. married Polly Raansom daughter of Seymour Ransom of Warren County. Their children were:

1-- Lawrence Duke who married Betsy Baskerville, daughter of George Baskerville. They had one child.

1 ---Mary, who married a Dr. Powell of Petersburg, Virginia their children now live (1911)

2 --Indiana who married Henry Garrett Goodloe, her cousin and left children:

1 -Lewis Duke, married Miss Anne Lemay of Raleigh, no children
2 -Mary Reaves who married Ogden E. Edwards of Mass., no children.

2 -Anne Jones who married William George Randall of Burke County, no living children.
3 -Seymour Ransom, who never married. He died in Mobile of Yellow Fever about 1855.
4 -Sally, who married Henry Fitts and had numerous descendants

1 --daughter married Twitty
2-- daughter married Twitty
3 --daughter married Ezekiel Blanch 

5 -Elizabeth, who married Dr. Thomas Hunt of Granville County. Their children were:

1 --Capt. John Hunt who married a sister of James Bullock of Townsville. Their son

1 ---Richard Bullock moved to Texas and died without children. After his death his widow married Judge Sipscombe and had by him:

1 ----Sally who married Benjamin Summer, a distinguished teacher. Her children were:

1 -----Thomas J. Summer, a civil engineer and super--- of the North Carolina Railroad

2 --Benjamin Summer, a merchant of Asherville
3 --Mary, wife of Tardry McBee Esq.
4 --Georgia wife of Col. William Hoke mother of General Hoke prominate in this state.
5-- Charles
6 --Edward
7 --Julia and others not known.

Dr. Hunt and wife moved to Mississippi and have other children there.

6 -Nancy {crossed out and daughter written in}, married a Collier, the first settler of Ridgeway, Warren County, NC. They moved to Louisiana where she has descendants.

7 -Nancy, wife of Edward Clanton

8 -Rebecca, married first Lewis Lanier, and second, Capt John Washington of Walnut Grove, Warren County, NC. By her first husband she had:

1 --Lewis G. Lanier, who went to Mount Pleasant, Maury County where he has a large number of descents
2 --Mary, married her cousin Benjamin Wortham son of William and Tamar Wortham moved to Tennessee and left numerous descendants.
3 --Martha who married Lewis Daniel of Person County, NC and left numerous descendants. A son of hers

1 ---William Daniel, married a sister of Col. Edwards of Oxford and is now a tobacco manufacturer of Henderson, NC. Most of her other children moved west. 

By her second husband Capt. John Washington, Rebecca daughter of Green Duke Sr had one daughter

1 --Roweana, she married her cousin Dr. James L. Wortham, son of James Wortham and grandson of William and Tamar Duke.  She had eight children Viz

1 ---Sally
2 ---Rebecca
3 ---John
4--- Robert, who died unmarried
5 ---Mary, wife of Col. Torney George, who left one child.
6 ---Col. George Wortham
7 ---Susan, wife of Dr. Jackson of Columbus County all living 1877
8 ---James J Wortham of All Saints, SC (who died in 1876, leaving one)

The above sketch of the Duke family was derived mainly from Lewis Christmas, Esq. of Warren County, NC. Partly  from letters and papers in my possession. Also from my mother who had a ... for matters of Genealogy and in some degree from other sources. It is believed to be correct as far as it goes.

Signature of George Wortham Walnut Grove, Granville County, NC.

William Duke Sr. was appointed one of the Commissioners to divide Bute County into Warren sand Franklin. Col. William Christmas was appointed by Gen Washington to survey the state of Tennessee. He with the assistance of his grandson John C McLemore did the work. He also laid out the city of Raleigh and town of Warrenton, NC

Signed by Dr. S.G. Ward.

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