Scott County Arkansas Biographies

Waldron News
11 December 1975
The Scott County Bicentennial Committee Salutes:
Samuel Knox Duncan

Samuel Knox Duncan, Sr. (1830-1906), father of Lucy Duncan Dozier and Robert T. Duncan, and Isabelle Gilbreath Hamilton (1835-1913), mother of James M. Hamilton, were married April 10, 1862, at Clarksville, Ark. Samuel K. Duncan was born in Kentucky, coming to Arkansas by way of Tennessee. Here he married Isabelle Gilbreath Hamilton, a native Arkansan born in Johnson County. Her parents were both born in Illinois, coming to Arkansas about 1825. During the rebellion the S.K. Duncans lived in Fort Smith. Soon after they located in Scott County, living here the remainder of their lives. The original land for the Duncan Cemetery was donated by S.K. Duncan, Sr., and Isabelle Duncan Nov. 4, 1873. To this family were born 5 sons, all born in Scott County with the exception of Thomas M. Duncan, the eldest, who was born in Fort Smith.

Thomas M. Duncan (1864-1906) was identified with the political life of the county. At 15 years of age he entered the office of circuit clerk as a deputy serving until 1887 when he was appointed by the Governor of Arkansas to fill a vacancy left by the death of Clerk J.C. Gilbreath. He was elected to the office then in 1888 serving until his death in 1906, with the exception of 4 years that he served again as deputy clerk under Clerk L.P. Fuller.

Dr. L.D. Duncan (1867-1946) was a practicing physician in Scott County for almost 50 years. He graduated in 1897 from the University of Arkansas School of Medicine and had post graduate work at the Plyclinic School of Medicine, New York City. He was included in (the) 1938 edition of "Who's Who" Among Physicians and Surgeons. During World War I, he was appointed to serve on the County Draft Board. For many years he served as County Coroner and County Health Officer besides being appointed twice to the (illegible) Board of Health. Politically he served at least four terms as the Scott County Representative to the State Legislature.

S.K. Duncan, Jr., (1870-1972) entered the law profession. He was elected county judge in 1898 serving one term and later served 3 terms as county clerk. Established with Baker a weekly newspaper in 1904, the "Advance." Another weekly, the "Reporter" established in 1879 consolidated with "Advance" and became the "Advance Reporter." In 1913, he became a member of the law firm "Bates and Duncan," continuing through the remainder of his life.
W.B. Duncan, (1873-1939) was a merchant in Waldron in the early part of his life, but moved to Oklahoma, where he continued to operate mercantile establishments.

Dr. F.R. Duncan, (1876-1954) was a practicing physician in Scott County for over 40 years, moving to Waldron in 1909 from Mulberry, Ark. He attended Arkansas University Medical Department in Little Rock and graduated from Memphis Hospital Medical College in Memphis, Tenn. in 1903. In 1953 he was honored as one of the 93 physicians of his class to receive the "Golden T" award from the University of Tennessee in commemoration of his fifty years service in his profession and community. In Scott County there are many people who county "Dr. Fred" as their first doctor, even the one who brought them into this world. There are many others who loved him and still revere his memory.

Let us give a sincere salute to the Duncan family who gave so much to Scott County, its welfare and its history! Happy Birthday Scott County! Happy Birthday, U.S.A.

Note: The photo above is reproduced from a newspaper and the quality is not the best.