Mystery Island

Sometimes even the most innocent things can bring on a huge question. The family of James J Duke - whom I am highlighting in my Civil War Family link in the menu above - have many mysteries to solve.

One of them is the son, Jasper - who says, in the second section of the document on the left, that he is a minor over the age of 14 but with no guardian.... It appears that his mother must have passed away just prior to these letters for the court. 

He and his mother, and several siblings including his twin brother Newton had been living with a sister and her family in 1850. In 1860 just his mother was living with Newton on a property adjacent to several of her children and spouses.

It could be that he had already moved out of his brother's home - but where did he move to, and where were the rest of his siblings? Where was his twin brother Newton? How did his mother die? Why did he have to petition the court to receive his money? Was there a family dispute?

I hope these mysteries are solved soon... but in the meantime I will have fun with my Adventures in Genealogy! I hope you do also!

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