Judge John Duncan and Sarah E. Postlethwaite

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Husband Judge John Duncan ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Spring, 1793
         Buried: 

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         Father: Stephen Duncan (      -      )
         Mother: 

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       Marriage: 

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Wife Sarah E. Postlethwaite ^{1 2}

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           Born: Abt 1760
     Christened: 
           Died: Abt 1850 - Philadelphia, PA
         Buried:  - Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA

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         Father: Col. Samuel Postlethwaite (      -      ) 1 2
         Mother: 

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   Other Spouse: Col. Ephraim Blaine (1741-1804) 3 4 - 20 Sep 1797 2

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Children

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General Notes: Husband - Judge John Duncan

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Carlisle, Cumberland Co, PA

At some time near 1791, during the political excitement which then ran so high, a duel was fought between John Duncan, a merchant, the son of Stephen Duncan, and the brother of the late Chief Justice, Thomas Duncan, Esq., and General James Lamberton, a prominent civil and military officer of that period, originally from Ireland. Mr. Duncan took offence at some remark, made by Mr. Lamberton, and forthwith challenged him. Their place of meeting was in a wood this side of Jonathan Holmes' place, on the road toward the present Poor House. James Blaine, a son of Ephraim Blaine, and Joseph Postlethwaite were the seconds of Mr. Duncan; and Robert Huston, a merchant and a fellow-countryman of Mr. Lamberton, and a gentleman of the name of Ray were the seconds of his antagonist. It is said that the parties met on their way to the ground on the bridge at the east end of Lowther street, and that Mr. Huston there made efforts to settle the difficulty. The proposal was, however, rejected by the opposite party, when Mr. H. coolly said: " Weel be it so, ye'll find us a' sogers." The duel was fought with pistols, and both were to fire one round at the word, and the second, should that be ineffectual, as soon afterwards as they pleased. When Duncan was asked how many shots should decide the matter, he replied, "As many as until one of us falls!" At the first shot Duncan was shot through the head. He was a married man, and his widow many years afterwards married Ephraim Blaine.

1 —, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1914), Pg 662.

2 Wm. H. Egle, Historical Register: Notes and Queries, Historical and Genealogical (Harrisburg, PA: Lane S. Hart, Publisher, 1884), Pg 146.

3 Wm. H. Egle, Historical Register: Notes and Queries, Historical and Genealogical (Harrisburg, PA: Lane S. Hart, Publisher, 1884), Pg 145.

4 —, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1914), Pg 660, 661.