Tracking the family storiesIt's always a wonder how stories get handed down from generation to generation. Years ago, even only 30 years ago, our parents would sit by campfires, or in the livingroom and share story after story about family and our roots.
But how do you track some long handed down lore? When ancestors who told the stories are long gone and you only have a small portion of a memory to go on with little details, where do you start? Here are two stories I've recently learned. I share to see if someone may help out with it. Maybe one of you reading has heard the story too and knows another tidbit to add to the clues. Story #1 Twins Jasper Gerome Duke and Newton Monroe Duke were sons of James T Duke and Lizzie Judith Wilson Duke. Newton was at the Marion, Perry County, Courthouse sometime after 1870 and before 1872 when someone mistakenly shot him on the steps thinking he was Jasper. Questions raised: Why was Newton at the Courthouse that day? Who shot him? Why did the shooter have a problem with twin Jasper? Are there newspaper records of said shooting? Story #2 Robert Oneal Duke- grandson of Thomas J Duke who was brother to the above two mentioned Duke twins, told a story that one of "The Duke boys" was visiting in Tupelo, Mississippi when he got news that his only child in Arkansas had died of Diphtheria. He then boarded a train en route home and got off in Memphis, Tennessee, clearly distraught, he rented a hotel room and hanged himself. Questions raised: Which Duke "boy" was this? Facts- quite a few of this family moved to Arkansas and also lived in Tupelo, but I'm not certain that any had only one child that I can tell. - could this be the elusive 'other brother' for which I've never found any valid information on? (James B Duke - brother to all of the above named Duke siblings.) While I'm working on these stories, other little ones pop up and I take some side trips. If you are a Duke relative and you have heard a story, please feel free to leave me a message and let me know and perhaps we can have fun in our
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AuthorMichele is an obsessed mother of 4 residing in North Alabama. Hobbies include long walks in the woods, on the beach and in strange cemeteries and libraries. Genealogy friends need only apply. Categories
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