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         HON. FRANCIS ALEXANDER DUNCAN, a prominent farmer and an early settler of Louisa County, was born in Blount County, Tenn., June 9, 1824, and is the son of Andrew and Margaret (Alexander) Duncan. His father was born in Washington County, Tenn., March 9, 1787, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. His mother was born in Tennessee, Nov. 16, 1809, and was of Scotch descent.

Francis Duncan was reared upon a farm, receiving a common-school education, and emigrated from Tennessee to Iowa with his parents and a colony made up largely of members of his own family, landing at Port Louisa April 13, 1844. The party consisted of seven families, mostly the children and grandchildren of Mr. Duncan’s parents. The first year was spent at Columbus City, and the following spring all the members of the party who were legally qualified took claims in the adjoining country. Mr. Duncan, Sr., had some Government land warrants, which he and his son Francis A. used in securing a portion of their land. Francis A. now owns three farms, aggregating 400 acres, and lying in the township of Columbus City. A part of this land consists of the original tracts entered from the Government by his father and himself on sections 33 and 34, Columbus City Township.

In November, 1847, Mr. Duncan was united in marriage with Miss Mary Adeline Shaw, daughter of Francis Shaw, and a native of Blount County, Tenn. Five children were born of their union, three sons and two daughters: Thomas Leander, who wedded Miss Mary Duncan, is a farmer of Columbus City Township; James J. is a graduate of Monmouth College, Illinois, and is a teacher; Sherman resides on the old homestead farm; Elizabeth A., wife of Robert A. Hutton, of Washington County, Iowa; Marietta, wife of Frank A. Edmondson, of Union Township, this county. Mrs. Duncan, who was an earnest Christian woman, died in October, 1858, and Mr. Duncan was again married, at Putnam, N. Y., in November, 1860, Miss Ella Easton becoming his wife. She is a daughter of George Easton, and a native of Putnam, Washington Co., N. Y. They have three sons—Victor L., Frank and George.

In early life Mr. Duncan was an earnest anti-slavery man, or Free-Soiler, and later a Republican. He is the only survivor of three who voted the Liberty ticket in Columbus City Township in the Presidential election of 1848. When the Republican party was organized he was among the foremost to zealously aid in that interesting event, and to support Fremont and Dayton, the first Presidential nominees of that party. Mr. Duncan has been chosen to various official positions of honor and trust. He was several times elected Supervisor of the township of Columbus City, and for two years presided as Chairman of that body. He was elected to the Iowa Legislature in 1872, and served in the Fourteenth, Nineteenth, Twentieth and Twenty-first General Assemblies. In 1881 he was elected to the State Senate. While in the Legislature he served as a member on the Constitutional Amendment Committee, on the Equalization Committee, and on the Committees of Ways and Means and Road and Highways.