DUKE.
James Duke, of Henrico, was the owner of two hundred
acres on Beaver Creek, in which he probably became interested
through his kinsman James Burnley, both of whom
were descended from the Englishman, John Burnley, before
referred to. He and his wife Mary disposed of this land in
1795 to George West. Cleviers Duke, of Louisa, also
descended from John Burnley, had two sons Richard and
James, who were settled in Albemarle. In 1806 Richard
married Maria, daughter of Thomas Walker Jr. In 1821 he
purchased from M. L. Walker and John Wren the Rivanna
Mills, afterwards known as the Burnt Mills, which they and
G. G. Lindsay had bought from Dabney Minor in 1819. He
was appointed a magistrate in 1819, served as Sheriff in 1847,
and died at Morea in 1849. His children were William J.,
who married Emily Anderson, Lucy, who was the wife of
David Wood, and with him removed to west Tennessee, where
she was married secondly to John H. Bills, Mary J., the wife
of William T. Smith, Mildred, the wife of Christopher Gilmer,
Sarah, the wife of Harvey Deskins, Martha, Margaret, the
wife of Robert Rodes, Charles and Richard T. W. R. T.
W. married Elizabeth Eskridge, of Staunton, taught school
in Lewisburg, W. Va., was admitted to Albemarle bar in
1849, filled the office of Commonwealth's Attorney three
times, represented the county in the House of Delegates, was
a member of Congress, was Colonel of the Forty-Sixth Virginia
in the civil war, and died in 1898.
James, the brother of Richard, was associated with him in
the management of the Rivanna Mills. In 1832 he purchased
from James McCulloch the brick mill and store located at
Millington. Subsequently he established a mill on Rocky
Creek, where he spent his remaining days. He was
appointed to the county bench in 1838, and departed this life
in 1844. His wife was Miss Biggers, of Louisa, and his
children were Richard, who removed to Nelson County,
Horace, who removed to Mississippi, Charlotte, the wife of
Dr. William G. Carr, and Lucy, the wife of Thomas Ballard.
A daughter of Richard became the wife of John Cole, and
resides where her grandfather died.
Alexander Duke, of Hanover, in 1835 married Elizabeth,
daughter of Alexander Garrett. For some years he was connected
with Rev. Pike Powers, and afterwards with Charles
Slaughter, in conducting a high school at Midway. He was
the father of Mrs. Horace Jones.
