VAN BUREN CO. MI
Formed 1829 from Cass
 

CENSUS RECORDS

1830-1860 Van Buren Co. MI Census
      No Duncan indexed

1870 Van Buren Co. MI Census
Town of Keeler
Pg.404a, #20-20, DUNCOMBE, Chas. 48 CANada farmer $55,400-$25,000, parents of foreign birth
                  Frances S. (f) 40 NY keeping house,
                  Fanny E. 13, Albert O. 6, Hattie 4 MI, father of foreign birth
                  Charles 2, Lila (f) 3/12 b.Apr. MI, father of foreign birth
                  HURLBUT, Albert 24 NY works on farm
Pg.405, #43-44, DUNCOMBE, S.W. (m) 32 CAN farmer $44,200-$6,000, parents of foreign birth
                  Ada G. 23 NY keeping house
                  Frances A. (m/f written over) 2 MI, father of foreign birth
                  Nellie G. (f) 5/12 MI b.Jan., father of foreign birth
                  REESE, Salone B. (f) 23 NY domestic servant
 

MILITARY RECORDS

Pension Index Card File, alphabetical; of the Veterans Administrative Contact and Administration Services, Admin. Operations Services, 1861-1934; Duff to A-J Duncan (negative FHL film 540,888, some cards very faint); Joseph Duncan to Dunn (positive FHL film 540,889, some cards very dark)
      Cataloged under Civil War, 1861-1865, pensions, indexes; does not say if Confederate or Federal, but probably Federal. Negative film, some cards much too faint or dark to read, some cards blurred or faded, particularly the service unit and the dates of application. Most of the very faint or dark cards were in a slightly different format, with space for years enlisted and discharged which were sometimes filled in. Many of these were for service in later years, although one or two were for service ca 1866.
      Name of soldier, alias, name of dependent widow or minor, service (military unit or units), date of filing, class (invalid or widow or minor or other), Application #, Certificate #, state from which filed (sometimes blank), attorney (sometimes blank, MAD: did not usually copy), remarks. Sometimes the "Invalid" or "Widow" class had an "s" added to it before the application #; occasionally the area for the service information included a circled "S". The minor's name was frequently that of the guardian rather than the minor.
      The military unit was frequently the Company Letter, the Regiment Number, sometimes US Vet Vol Inf. (US Veteran Volunteer Infantry), L.A. (Light Artillery), H.A. (Heavy Artillery), US C Inf (US Colored? Infantry), Cav. (Cavalry), Mil. Guards, V.R.C. (?Volunteer Reserve Corps?), etc. Sometimes there were several service units given.
      Cards appear to be arranged by the last name, first name, middle initial if any, and state (including "US") of service.
      Duncombe, Stephen W., widow Duncombe, Ada G., minor Duncombe, Nellie G. et al; D 14 MO Inf.; 1891 Jan. 16, Widow Appl. #492357, Cert. #835245, Mich.; 1891 Nov. 14, Minor Appl. #531916, no cert., Mich. (MAD: 1870 Van Buren Co. MI)
 

HISTORIES before 1923

1880 "History of Berrien and Van Buren Counties, Michigan : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers" ed. by Franklin Ellis & Crisfield Johnson & others, pub. by D.W. Ensign & Co., Philadelphia (HeritageQuest image 2/2007, Local History Reel/Fiche Number 4587; FHL film 908,063 item 1 and 1,000,080 item 3)
      Pg.485-486, Van Buren Co. MI, Township of Keeler: CHARLES DUNCOMBE. Mr. Duncombe's father, Moses Duncombe, was a native of Norwalk [Fairfield Co.], Conn., and married Sarah Oliphant, who was born in Ballston, Saratoga Co. NY. To them were born eight children - three sons and five daughters. Soon after their marriage (about 1816-17, in Saratoga Co. NY), they removed to Ancester, near Hamilton, Ontario. About 1824 they returned to Waterford, Saratoga Co. NY, and in 1833 removed again to Canada, locating at Blenheim. In the fall of 1844 they came to Michigan, and located at what is now Keeler Centre, on a place which Charles Duncombe had purchased, and the same which he now occupies. The family was the first to settle at Keeler Centre. Mr. Duncombe was a tanner, currier, and shoemaker by trade, and after coming here worked at that business winters and made improvements on the farm during the summers. He was a very industrious man, an active politician, and a respected citizen. He was a Whig until the formation of the Republican party, whe he became a member of the latter. He was never an office-seeker. Mrs. Duncombe died in Keeler in 1848; Mr. Duncombe's death occurred in Hartford (Van Buren Co.) in 1866.
      Charles Duncombe, the third child in his father's family, was born May 30, 1822, at Ancaster, Canada, and until he was thirty-five years old aided greatly in supporting the family. In 1849 he went to California and engaged as a dealer in stock, dry goods, miners' furnishings, etc., returning to Michigan in 1852. In October, 1855, he was married to Frances S. Knights, of Half Moon, Saratoga Co. NY, where she was born on the 30th of January, 1830. Her father, Aaron N. Knights, came to Keeler a few years later, and is now living in Decatur, Van Buren Co. His wife (Mrs. Duncombe's mother) died in Keeler township. The place on which Mr. Duncombe now resides has been his home since he came to Michigan. For several years he was cashier of the First National Bank at Decatur, but is not now connected with that institution. He is one of the proprietors of the "Decatur Mills," and owns a hotel and several stores at that place. Decatur owes many of its improvements to him, he having taken great interest in their projection. In the summer of 1879 he erected a brick-store building in that village. He at present operates several fine farms. In 1867 he was a member of the State Constitutional Convention, and has been active in political matters. He was supervisor of Keeler township for 12 or 14 years. Mr. and Mrs. Duncombe are the parents of six children, - three sons and three daughters. These are all living except one son, who met a painful death from scalding when quite young. The others reside with their parents, except one daughter, Fannie E., who is now the wife of Seth Taft, and living in the neighborhood.
 

END

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