Joseph Martindale wrote about the Duncan family in his history of Byberry. “The Duncans settled north of Byberry, in Bensalem. They were noted in their day as solid and exemplary Friends. Among these were John Duncan, Edmond Duncan, and William Duncan, for many years Clerk of Byberry Meeting. The last of the family was a ‘learned old bachelor’ who died at an advanced age, in 1808.”1 He makes them sound like the proverbial three brothers who immigrated together. In fact, William Duncan came with his wife and two young sons, John and George.2 After they immigrated they had two more children.

William married a woman named Jane while still in England.3 They must have married  by 1666, since their son John was born in 1667. Another son, George, was born about 1671. There is no record of when they immigrated or which ship they sailed on, but they arrived by 1683. They were members of Falls Meeting, and the birth of their son Edmund was recorded in meeting records as 1^st day 4^th month 1684.4

There is no record of William buying land early on, and some indication that they were poor. In early 1688 Jane Adkinson told Falls Monthly Meeting that William Duncan was in need of a house and that Friends should buy him one.5 This was an unusual request for a monthly meeting. Friends were accustomed to taking care of their poor, but only by giving them money, not by finding houses for them. They took up a collection instead, brought in by William Biles in 3^rd mo 1688.6 The land of Thomas Adkinson, which adjoined land of William Duncan, was sold after his death to support his children.7 This is probably the land that William Duncan sold in 1702 to Ann and Gabriel Baynes (mother and son), a tract of 145 acres, patented to Duncan in 1693.8

Jane Duncan was not active in Falls meeting, but when the widowed Jane Adkinson proposed to marry William Biles, Jane Duncan was appointed to investigate Jane’s clearness for the marriage.9 In 1693 William and Jane complained to the meeting that Edmund Lovett and his wife Martha were spreading false rumors about Jane. The meeting investigated and found that the rumors were not true, and also that the Lovetts were not guilty of spreading them.10 In 1699 both William and Jane signed a testimony for Thomas Janney, a noted minister among Friends.11

In 1697 William made another land purchase. He bought 600 acres on in Bensalem from Joseph Growden, paying £70.12 With such a large tract William was able to provide for his three sons. In 1708 William granted 184 acres to his son George and 259 acres to his son John, and in 1714 granted 120 acres to his son Edmund.13

William died in 11^th mo 1715 and was buried 7th day of 11th mo 1715 in Friends ground at Byberry.14 The date of Jane’s death was not recorded.

Children of William and Jane:15

John, b. ab. 1667, lived in Bensalem, died in 1729. He married Margaret Crighton in 1698.16 John was a member of Byberry meeting until his death in March 1729. A memorial to him in the minutes of the Yearly Meeting said that “he was appointed an elder for Byberry meeting in 1725 and continued such to his decease, which was about the 61^st year of his age and was a useful member in the society.”17 He left a will, naming his wife Margaret, and son William, and brother Edmund. His other two sons were infirm and had to be cared for by Margaret, and then William.18

George, b. ab. 1671, d. 1729 at age 58, m. before 1700 1) Mary Saunders, 2) Mary Ball. In 1715 George took a certificate from Abington Meeting to Cecil Monthly Meeting, Kent County, Maryland.19 His children included Joseph, William, Ebenezer, and James.20

Ellen or Eleanor, b. ab. 1680, m. 1702 Alexander Mode.21 In 1713 they sold their Byberry land to William Homer and moved to Kent County.22 They may have moved along with Ellen’s brother George. In 1735 Alexander was a witness at the wedding of George Duncan Jr.23 They may have spent time in Chester County, where the records of London Grove meeting show the birth of Alexander Mood in 1713, probably a son of Alexander and Eleanor.24

Edmond, b. 1684, m. 1708 Sarah Butler at Falls Meeting. Edmond died in 1760 and left a will, naming his surviving children: Edmond, Isaac, Catherine, Jane, Sarah, Helen, Ann and Mary. Edmund and Sarah also had a son George, born 1729, who must have died before Edmond wrote his will.25 Sarah was not named in the will and must have died before Edmond. The son Isaac moved to Plumstead, Bucks County.26