Duncan family letters

Abstract

The Duncan family letters (dated 1803-1864; 0.68 cubic feet; 2 boxes) comprise correspondence to Henry Timberlake Duncan, Jr. from family and friends.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Duncan family letters
Date
1803-1864
Extent
0.68 Cubic feet
Subjects
Agriculturists.
Cholera--Kentucky.
Elections--Kentucky.
Fairs--Kentucky.
Lynching.
Private schools.
Railroads--Illinois--Chicago.
Students.
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged chronologically.
Finding Aid Author
Finding aid prepared by Laura A. Hess
Preferred Citation
71M38: [Identification of item], Duncan family letters, 1803-1864, University of Kentucky Special Collections.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Henry Timberlake Duncan was a farmer and livestock breeder, who owned two farms in Bourbon County, Kentucky, and maintained a family estate, "Duncannon," outside Lexington. He also acted as president of the Clay Monument Association in the 1850s. His son, Henry Timberlake Duncan, Jr., attended Harvard and became a major in the United States Army, the founder of the Lexington Daily Press in 1870, and the mayor of Lexington twice. His sister, Mary Duncan, attended the Pittsfield Institute for Young Ladies.
Scope and Content
The Duncan family letters (dated 1803-1864; 0.68 cubic feet; 2 boxes) comprise correspondence to Henry Timberlake Duncan, Jr. from family and friends. The letters date from 1803-1863, with the bulk of the letters written during the 1850s while Henry Duncan, Jr. attended Harvard College. The majority of the letters were written by Duncan's father, Henry J. Duncan, Sr.; his mother; his sister, Mary Duncan, while she was at the Pittsfield Institute for Young Ladies; and his cousin, H.D. Jenkins. Duncan's school friends, such as C.W. Horne, J.H. Richardson, and Henry M. Bond, also wrote frequently. Subjects covered include the Civil War, slavery, railroads, lynching, fairs, politics, the depression of 1857, and an Asiatic cholera outbreak in 1832. Some letters written in the 1850s from Henry Duncan, Sr., mention the plans of the Clay Monument Association.

Restrictions on Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Use Restrictions
The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections.

Contents of the Collection

, 1803, 1852

  • Box 1, Folder 1
Scope and Contents note

Letter dated 1803 is a photocopy.

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, 1853-1854

  • Box 1, Folder 2
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, 1855 January-March

  • Box 1, Folder 3
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, 1855 April-July

  • Box 1, Folder 4
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, 1855 August-December

  • Box 1, Folder 5
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, 1856 January-June

  • Box 1, Folder 6
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, 1856 July-December

  • Box 1, Folder 7
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, 1857 January-May

  • Box 1, Folder 8
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, 1857 June-December

  • Box 1, Folder 9
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, 1858 January-June

  • Box 1, Folder 10
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, 1858 July-December

  • Box 1, Folder 11
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, 1859 January-March

  • Box 2, Folder 1
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, 1859 April-December

  • Box 2, Folder 2
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, 1860 January-June

  • Box 2, Folder 3
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, 1860 July-December

  • Box 2, Folder 4
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, 1861

  • Box 2, Folder 5
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, 1862 January-March, undated

  • Box 2, Folder 6
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Henry T. Duncan, Jr. letter to wife, Elizabeth Duncan, 1864 November 23

  • Box 2, Folder 7
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UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.

Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.

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You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.