J. W. Duncan, an extensive merchant and cotton planter of Golddust, Lauderdale
County, was born January 26, 1848, at Rising Sun, Ind., and was the oldest of
seven children born to Wilson N. and Frances E. Duncan. The father was a
native of Virginia, and died in 1881 in Golddust. The mother was a native of
Indiana and died in 1870. The father was a steamboatman, and our subject was
engaged in the same business when fifteen years of age, at Cincinnati, Ohio,
until 1876, when he commenced merchandising at Ashport and Golddust, and has
since continued. During the war he was on steamboats employed by the
Government to transport goods from the war department. July 11, 1877, he
married Amelia B. Volkmar, the daughter of Frederick and Mary Volkmar, of
Memphis, Tenn., and they have had three children: Berdie May, born August
1878; Willie, born October 1882, and Fannie, born September 18, 1886. Mr.
Duncan has made his money since the war by close application to business and
good management. For ten years he has acted as postmaster at Ashport and is a
member of the Masonic Lodge (De Soto 229) at Memphis, Tenn., and is a firm
Democrat. He is one of the most extensive cotton planters in this part of the
state, and owns a steam cotton gin, in addition to a large stock of general
merchandise. He has never had a partner in business in his life, and is now
worth $25,000 free of any incumbrance. He is one of the solid men of the
county.

Goodspeed’s Biographies of Lauderdale Co., TN