Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of Robert Dukes

Big changes have come to Genealogy.com — all content is now read-only, and member subscriptions and the Shop have been discontinued.

Learn more

[ Home Page | First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page ]

Descendants of Robert Dukes - June 24, 2003

10. JOHN ALEXANDER⁴ DUKES (JAMES BASIL³, ROBERT S.², ..¹) was born Bet. 1830 - 1831 in Rheatown, Greene Co, TN, and died Bet. 1863 - 1865 in (as a POW - Libby Prison?). He married SARAPHINA E. MCGINNIS 29 Apr 1854 in Rheatown, Washington Co, TN (possibly other children). She was born 10 Apr 1837 in "Sarah", and died 09 Jul 1888.

Notes for JOHN ALEXANDER DUKES:
Irene Spunde (irene@cityisp.net) writes in June 2000 with the following information:

"Alexander, as the story goes, was 'abducted by the Yankees during the Civil War and never seen nor heard from again.' We suspected he was a spy because of the wordage. I have learned that he was actually in Libby Prison in Richmond, where he died. Richmond was the capitol of the South, so depending on WHEN he was there, he was either a Union spy or a Confederate soldier. When the Union took Richmond in 1865, some Confederate soldiers were imprisoned there. Prior to that, it had Union prisoners.

"Libby Prison itself was a converted warehouse and was (I think) dismantled and for sure shipped to Chicago where it is supposed to be a Civil War museum to this day (not verified)."

She adds that Carol Hicks remembers her Uncle Bob (still living in 2000) telling about his grandfather (Edward Alexander Dukes) telling the story of visiting his father in prison, along with his mother, as a small child. He remembered that the prison was in Richmond and fell into Yankee hands before the war ended.

She later adds, "I stated that Alexander may have been a Confederate soldier, but it sounds like he wasn't a soldier at all. He really could have been a double agent. Why else would the Union 'abduct' him from his home? He was in his early 30s and already had 3 or more children -- why wasn't he a soldier?"

And again adds: "...maybe GG-Grandpa was a Confederate deserter..." This after information from a lady whose ancestor was in the Union army. Her information from Richmond Prison website indicates that Confederates who were imprisoned in various places in Richmond were criminal types of deserters.

Later Irene tells that she has located, but not seen, a book that lists 107 of the 109 prisoners who participated in the "great escape" at Libby prison. About 50 of them survived the escape. The others were tortured and/or killed. Yankees assumed control of Libby in 1865, but the escape took place before that time, so the escapees were probably Yankee prisoners or Confederate miscreants.

MRB note: Given the unusual service of some Confederates -- going home for harvest, putting in a replacement for a leave, and so forth -- it is impossible to say without further information what Alexander's status was.

A stretch, but possible clue is the following cemetery record of Jefferson County, Tennessee. (The county seat of the county is Louisville.)

In September 2000, Carol Hicks wrote that she had attended a Dukes family reunion in Mt. View, Oklahoma, and learned that Alexander's first name was John and that he was "very active in the Masonic organization."

ALEX P. DUKES - AUG. 14, 1908-DEC. 28, 1979

DUKES
ALEXANDER PARKER DUKES
JULY 26, 1836 - AUG. 8, 1902
"I DONT WANT YOU CHILDREN TO FORGET ME I HAVE DONE ALL I COULD FOR YOU."

MARY CATEWIFE OF A.P. DUKES
SEPT. 20, 1839 - DEC. 16, 1906

BRUNA MAE DUKES - NOV. 26, 1899-JULY 22, 1906

DUKES
BUFORD A. ROXA D.
APR. 16, 1881 APR. 4, 1894
JUNE 21, 1947

GEORGE A. DUKES - 1874 - 1944

IDA FRENCH DUKES - MAY 25, 1874-MAR. 28, 1963

INFANT SON - FEB. 4, 1906-FEB. 10, 1904

J.M. DUKES - JULY 15, 1866-MAR. 10, 1941

JEAN M. DUKES - NOV. 11, 1918-MAY 4, 1988

KATE FRENCH DUKES - MAR. 27, 1880-OCT. 20, 1916

LIZZIE IRWIN DUKES
1888 - 1917

M.M. DUKES
Son of G.A. & ELIZABETH DUKES
JUNE 4, 1915-MAR. 27, 1926
OUR DARLING BOY

MARTHA ANN CATES
WIFE OF DR. N.M. DUKES
JUNE 20, 1863-May 26, 1954

MARY ALICE DUKES - MAR. 4, 1907-FEB. 8, 1926

DR. N.M. DUKES - SEPT. 2, 1861-JUNE 6, 1933

DR. OLIVER L. DUKES
OCT. 30, 1869-DEC 5, 1899
Attended Lectures at the University at Louisville KY during the years 95 & 96
OUR BROTHER DUKES
MARTIN LUTHER DUKES
DEC. 2, 1864- AUG. 7, 1876
OUR BROTHER

PEARL DUKES

SALLIE DUKES - NOV. 1, 1909-JAN. 14, 1958

SAMUEL BEECHER DUKES
DEC. 31, 1878 AUG. 8, 1909
Oh, God how misterious and how strange are Thy ways
To take from us this loved one in the best of his days
DUKES

WILLIAM T. DUKES - APR. 30, 1871-JAN. 25, 1932

Notes for SARAPHINA E. MCGINNIS:
Carol Hicks has "Sarah" and not Saraphina, but provides birth and death dates for her. The group sheet she sent in July 2000 is very hard to read on the year of death, and may actually be 1886. I have asked for verification of the date.

Carol wrote in September 2000 after having attended the Dukes family reunion in Mt. View, Oklahoma, and said that she had learned that Sarah was possibly Irish. She had previously thought she may be of Indian ancestry.

Marriage Notes for JOHN DUKES and SARAPHINA MCGINNIS:
Irene Spunde says that she was told the marriage occurred in Washington, Tennessee, which she takes to be Washington County, Tennessee. She goes on to say that all of Tennessee was once Washington County, but she believes that the actual marriage took place in Greene County.

Carol Hicks has a marriage date of 24 Apr 1854 in Rheatown, Washington County, Tennessee. At first glance, this could be the license date.

Children of JOHN DUKES and SARAPHINA MCGINNIS are:

34.	i.		DAVID ALLISON⁵ DUKES, b. 1855; d. Abt. 1938, (Irene Spunde's estimate).
	ii.		CHARLES DUKES, b. 1859; d. Unknown.

Notes for CHARLES DUKES:
This son was previously not known. It was sent by Carol Hicks, together with the year of birth.

35.	iii.		IDA F. DUKES, b. 30 Aug 1860, Rheatown, Greene Co, TN; d. 04 Sep 1900, Rheatown, Greene Co, TN.
36.	iv.		EDWARD ALEXANDER DUKES, b. 28 Nov 1863, Rheatown, Greene Co, TN; d. Unknown, Moved to Carnegie, Caddo Co, OK 1903.

[ Home Page | First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page ]