William Duncan, son of John and Margaret, was born in 1699.1 He grew up in Bensalem, the oldest of four sons. Like his father John, he was a member of Byberry Meeting and later became an elder of the meeting. William was a weaver and lived in Bensalem, where in 1729 he inherited land from his father.2 Part of the land was to be held for the benefit of his brothers Edmund and John who did not marry and became infirm.3 In 1732 William deeded some of the land to his mother Margaret and his brothers Edmund and John, in trust for her during her life and then to Edmund and John.4

In 1722, William married Rachel Carver, daughter of William and Mary.5 William and Rachel had nine children, several of whom probably died young. In 1737 he left 62 ½ acres in Bensalem to his son William, a blacksmith.6

William wrote his will in 12^th month 1773. Only three of his children were still alive, and he mentioned two of them in the will: William and Esther. He must have felt that his daughter Rachel, wife of Thomas Ridge, did not need his support. Oddly enough the will was not proved until July 1790.7 William died in 1781, an elder of Byberry Meeting, as the meeting record stated, “26^th 11^th mo 1781 in the 83^rd year of his age”.8 Rachel must have died before 1759 when two of her children were married at Byberry meeting, since she did not sign the wedding certificate as would have been customary.9

Children of William and Rachel:10

Mary, b. 16 Nov 1723, no further records

Margaret, b. 12 Apr 1726, d. 19^th mo 1744 unmarried11

William, b. 8 Nov 1728, d. 1807 in Bensalem. He was a blacksmith.12 William did not marry, the “learned old bachelor” described in Martindale’s History of Byberry. He must have trustworthy. In 1761 he was appointed as a guardian for the five children of William Groom, who died in 1760 leaving a widow Rachel.13 In 1772 he was an administrator for the estate of his brother John.14 In 1790 he was the executor for the will of his father William (who had died eight years before).15 In the 1790 census he was listed between Mahlon Ridge and William Giles, both of whom would feature in his will.16 In William’s will, written in 1805 and proved in 1807, he named sisters Rachel and Esther, and nephew William Ridge and four nieces—Rachel Duncan, Esther Briggs, Abigail Giles and Phebe Rich, daughters of his deceased brother John.17 He left his share in Byberry Library to his nephew William Ridge, and also named George Ridge, son of Mahlon Ridge.18

John, b. 2 Aug 1731, married Agnes Comly on 5^th day 12^th month 1759 at Abington. The witnesses included William Duncan, William Duncan Jr, Rachel Duncan, Esther Duncan—three of John’s siblings plus his father.19 Agnes and John had five daughters born between 1760 and 1767.20 John died in October, 1772. Administration on his estate was granted to Richard Walton, William Duncan (John’s brother), Thomas Ridge (John’s brother-in-law) and Daniel Walton.21 Agnes survived her husband and married again, in 1793 to Andrew Singley Jr. of White Sheet Bay on the Delaware River. She died in 1821.22

Sarah, b. 21 Jul 1734, no further records.

Joseph, b. 4 Dec 1737 (twin with Rachel), d. 1765, a house carpenter in Phila,  left a will, written in 1765, proved two weeks later, leaving his estate to his father William, weaver of Bensalem.23

Rachel, b. 4 Dec, 1737 (twin with Joseph), m. 19^th day 12^th month 1759 Thomas Ridge at Byberry Meeting, just two weeks after her brother John married Agnes Comly there. Thomas was the son of William Ridge and Mary Walmsley. Thomas and Rachel lived in Bensalem, where he died in 1810. Rachel died in 1818 in Bensalem. Children: William, Mahlon, Rachel, Thomas, and possibly others.24

Esther, b. 7 Apr 1742, alive in 1805, m. John Praul. In 1807 John Praul was named as the brother-in-law of William Duncan in his will, and served as executor. Esther Praul was named in the will.

Isaac, b. 4 May 1750, no further records.