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Descendants of Robert Dukes - June 24, 2003

Generation No. 2

2. JAMES BASIL³ DUKES (ROBERT S.², ..¹) was born 1799 in Abingdon, Washington Co, VA, and died 06 Dec 1871 in Albany, Gentry Co, MO. He married JANE BRITTON 01 Mar 1823 in Greene Co, TN, daughter of JAMES BRITTON and JANE GASS. She was born 1804, and died 12 Jan 1866 in (age 62); Rheatown, Greene Co, TN.

Notes for JAMES BASIL DUKES:
Ed Kutz pieced together the children of James Dukes aside from Elbert and Mary Emily. We had limited information on the children previously. This information comes from a variety of sources, including Rheatown, TN records.

Arleta Utterback (mamaleta@nemonet.com) gives James' middle name as "Basil." This would seem to be a clue to earlier Dukes relationships. She cites her great grandmother Canaday's Bible as a source for some information, not specified.

James Dukes moved to Albany, Gentry County, Missouri with the McCurry family just after the Civil War.

The Greene County, TN 1830 census shows:

p. 227, Dukes, James
      30001-01001
Male 20-30, Female 20-30
      males -5, 3
      females 5-10, 1

The Greene County, TN 1850 Census:
      4 Apr 1850, 9th Division of E District, HH 289/289
      Dukes, James 48M Saddler, b. VA
            Jane 46F b. TN, can't read/write
            Alexander 19M b. TN
            Elizabeth 17F b. TN
            David C. 12M b. TN

The Greene County, TN 1860 Census:
      Rheatown, p. 12. 12 Jun 1860, HH 84/84
      Dukes, James 59M mechanic b. VA, pp $150
            Jane 57F domestic b. TN

The Rheatown Cemetery, Rheatown, Greene County, Tennessee contains the following as yet unidentified burials, probably descendants of James B. Dukes:

Dukes, Gracie      1896 - 1898
Dukes, Homer L.      1888 - 1898
Dukes, Sarah E.      10 Apr 1837 - 9 Jul 1888
Dukes, Winnie F.      1901 - 1902

Cardwell, Ida F. Dukes      30 Aug 1860 - 4 Sep 1900      wife of G. A.
Cardwell, Jerome            1891 - 1891            son

Notes for JANE BRITTON:
There is a record of a Jane Gass in Greene County, Tennessee, marrying James Britton on 25 May 1794. This is possibly Jane's parents or another relative. Information on the couple, sent by Sharon Gowen (sgowen@tyler.net) includes four of their children:

William b. 1799 moved to Franklin County, AL after he was grown.
James
John
Daniel

Descendants of the last three still live in Greene County, TN.

Greene County, TN Records sent by Ed Kutz, possible leads to the family of Jane Gass:

Greene County, TN Wills 1783-1890, p. 127
8 May 1880
James Gass - of James. To wife Mary E. Gass $1. Brother Thomas. To brother, Caswell V. $5 and a sarle (sorrel) filly. Adamay Anderson. Two sisters, Mrs. Rebecca Mercer, Miss Nancy Gass.
Witness C. C. Harmon, Rufus Lucky.
Signed James (x) Gass

Greene County, TN Wills 1783-1890, p. 131
January term 1883
Charles Gass. (Codicil). To be buried in graveyard at Harmon's. Present wife to be buried in same row if she desires. Tombstone to be placed at our graves. To wife Elizabeth the property I got with her, one half bed clothing she has made since we married, $100 and 1 year's support. To Rufus Lucky 80 acres of Reynolds plantation. Land I bought of Clement Reynolds and James Harmon (of Bingman Harmon) to John Gass. Gass girls: Nancy and Rebecca.
Executor: Rufus Lucky
Test: A. Gray, Mordecai L. Harmon
Signed Charles Gass
Codicil: 5 heirs: James, Nancy, Rebecca, Thomas, Caswell Gass lawful heirs of James Gass, dec'd.

Greene County, TN Wills 1783 - 1890 p. 150
18 Apr 1890
Will of Nancy Gass
To James Roy Mercer and Caswell V. Gass, my brother -- entire farm including homestead. To Elbert F. Mercer -- interest in the 10th District and lot in Greeneville. To the New Bethel Cumberland Presbyterian Church $20.
Exec. E. F. Mercer
Attest: D. W. Mercer, Rufus Lucky

Sarah (marfeed@internetwork.net) writes 8 April 1999 that she descends from Jane Gass and James Britton.

She records (without documentation) that Jacob Gass is father of Jane, and seems to be Jacob Sr., as there is a Jacob Jr. also. Jacob Sr. and a son, she says, are on some ship records.

Sara's James and Jane (Gass) Britton had a son James Phillip Britton, who was Sarah's great grandson. James Phillip had a son William E. Britton, who married a Cherokee named Sarah Lucinda Byrd. Sarah lives in Marshall, Texas.

Jane is buried next to daughter Mary Emily at Rheatown Cemetery in Rheatown, Tennessee.

Marriage Notes for JAMES DUKES and JANE BRITTON:
Marriage bond for James Dukes and Jane Brittain is found in Greene County, Tennessee dated 1 March 1823. James Dukes and David M. Guin post bond of $1,250. License is dated 1 March 1823. Marriage date is apparently not entered.

Greene County Tennessee Marriages 1783-1868, by Goldene Fillers Burgner, 1991, gives item #2409.

Children of JAMES DUKES and JANE BRITTON are:

6.	i.	MARY EMILY⁴ DUKES, b. 12 Jan 1824, Rheatown, Greene Co, TN; d. 25 May 1855, Rheatown, Greene Co, TN.
7.	ii.	ROBERT SHERROD DUKES, b. Bet. 1825 - 1826, Rheatown, Greene Co, TN; d. 02 Oct 1884, Greene Co, TN.
8.	iii.	WILLIAM MORLEY DUKES, b. Bet. 1826 - 1827, Rheatown, Greene Co, TN; d. Aft. 1870.
9.	iv.	ELBERT SEVERE DUKES, b. 29 Jun 1829, "Eb" b. Rheatown, Greene Co, TN; d. 10 May 1907, Neosho, Lyon Co, KS.
10.	v.	JOHN ALEXANDER DUKES, b. Bet. 1830 - 1831, Rheatown, Greene Co, TN; d. Bet. 1863 - 1865, (as a POW - Libby Prison?).
	vi.	ELIZABETH DUKES, b. 14 May 1833, Rheatown, Greene Co, TN; d. 19 Mar 1919, Albany, Gentry Co, MO; m. JAMES MCCURRY, 08 Mar 1856, Rheatown, Greene Co, TN; Batch 7619703 #24 ²; b. 03 Dec 1822, Tennessee; d. 17 Jun 1880, Albany, Gentry Co, MO.

Notes for JAMES MCCURRY:
US Census

1850 Census, Greene County, TN
Page 157, Part B, 9th Division E District, 4 Sep 1850, 286/286
McCurry, James 27M tailor b. TN Real Estate $200
Mary E. 26F b. TN
Martha J. 4F b. TN
Henrietta F. 2F b. TN
Elbert S. 1M b. TN

1860 Census, Greene County, TN
Rheatown, p. 12, 12 jun 1860. HH 85/85
McCurry, James 37M tailor b. TN $500/$400
Elizabeth 27F domestic b. TN
Martha J. (?) 14F b. TN
Analiza F. 12F b. TN
Elbert L. 10M b. TN
Kitty E. 8F b. TN

1870-Gentry Co MO

Early East Tennessee Marriages, Vol. I , p. 242 (Sistler)

Early Settlers of Gentry County MO Biographical Data, p. 61
Carmeta Pierce Robertson

Gentry County Cemetery Records - City Cemetery, Albany MO p. 5

US Census1870-Gentry Co MO

US Census 1860-Gentry Co MO:
Henrietta McCurry age 24 & Eli age 34

Also on 1870 Gentry Co Mo Census:
Wm. McCurrie age 31 b. TN
Wm. McCurry age 51 b. TN, wife Thurza age 54 b. KY & children
John J. McCurry age 27 b. MO, wife Elizabeth age 25, b. VA & children
Matthew McCarrie age 46 b. TN

Gordon Bevens (gbev@bright.net) writes in March 1998 that he is researching James A. McCurry, born in Tennesee about 1807-1809 and who married ? and then married Delilah Gilliam in Scott Co, VA 25 Jun 1838. They lived in Greene County, Tennessee in 1850 (census page 186). He believes James' father was John McCurry who is listed on the same page. This is a promising lead for the father and grandfather of this James McCurry.

Arleta Utterback says that James Dukes, her ggg grandfather, moved to Albany, Gentry County, Missouri just after the Civil War. Her gg grandfather James McCurry had been a tailor with the Union army and the Confederates burned their house in Rheatown, Tennessee. They later sawed lumber to rebuid, and that house was also burned. That is when they decided to join his brothers, William and Matthew, who were already in Gentry County, Missouri.

She cites her great grandmother Canaday's Bible and also the family files of Ernestine Ernst Seider as her primary sources, but does not specifically say which information comes from these sources. The Bible record is actually a typed copy given to her by Ernestine Ernst Seider.

The following McCurry burials are found at Rheatown Cemetery, Rheatown, Greene County, Tennessee, and are as yet unconnected:

McCurry, O. L. "Jack" 16 Jan 1909 - 15 Apr 1976
McCurry, Earl 1933 - 1933 son

Marriage Notes for ELIZABETH DUKES and JAMES MCCURRY:
Greene County Tennessee Marriages 1783-1868, by Goldene Fillers Burgner, 1991, shows the marriage bond or license, 6 Mar 1856 and marriage 8 Mar 1856 by A. G. Worley, MG. John L. McDannel is bond or witness.

11.

vii.

DAVID CARTER DUKES, b. Bet. 1837 - 1838, Rheatown, Greene Co, TN; d. Aft. 1870, Greeneville, Greene Co, TN.

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