RICHARD M. DUNCAN. – A representative man of Union county, and an agriculturist who has wrought for the general advancement and interest of the county since his residence here, which dates back to a very early pioneer period, the subject of this sketch is richly deserving a place in this volume that purports to accord a review to the leading men of this section.
In Callaway, county, Missouri, Richard M. was born to Frederick and Elizabeth (Gibson) Duncan, on August 25, 1859. In 1864 the parents gathered their substance together and essayed the long journey across the wild plains to the fertile region of the Grande Ronde valley. Ox teams were utilized in the pilgrimage and six months were consumed in it. Weary and travel worn the little company drew up in the Cove and there sought out a location, settling on raw land and working out their home from the resources of the country. Government land was taken and there our subject passed the days of his minority, gaining the education that fortified him in the race of life. There, also, on Jun 9, 1879, he married Miss Julia, daughter of David and Lydia Goble. Mr. and Mrs. Goble live near the Medical Springs and they came across the plains in 1864 from the state of Iowa, settling here on the place where they now reside. Our subject and his wife moved to the vicinity of Huntington, in 1879, and in 1881, they returned to Union county, settling on their present place, one-half mile north of Medical Springs, where they own a fine farm of one-quarter section. The land is well improved, being largely under cultivation and embellished with comfortable residence, large barn, and substantial outbuildings and well selected orchards. General farming and stock raising occupy the attention of Mr. Duncan and he has made a good success of these undertakings.
To our subject and his estimable wife there have been born the following children: Jessie, Claudia, May, Winthrop, George, Guy, Leslie and Virgil. Mr. Duncan’s mother died in 1878 and the father departed this life in 1881.