Here are two letters, the first written by Lucy Duncan, of Trimble County, Kentucky, to "My Dear Friend". This letter contains a section written by a woman named Sarah. The second is from her brother Sennett Duncan, then serving in the 4th Kentucky Cavalry (Confederate.)
Owingsville, Kentucky Sept 1, 1864Letter from Sennett Duncan.
My Dear Friend
I am writing this with the hope of your receiving it some day but how far distant I do not know. I received a letter today from Sister she and most of the family have had the flue. the Yankees have arrested nearly every man in the county. They arrested Pa and took him to Carrolton though they let him come home the next day. Cousin Sam Strother and Will Jackson are in Lexington in Prison. Mr Willis cousin James Chowning and several others were in Louisville and spent two or three weeks and they were compelled to take
the oath. They are now at home and have not been molested since. The report was that there was a negro Regt at Carrolton but could not vouch for the truth of it. I have no doubt but what you have heard of cousin Weller capture he is in Lexington Prison. cousin Cleet came yesterday but left this eve he is trying to assist cousin Weller all that he can. uncle Willis is living in Jacksonville Ill, Sallie and Callie sends there love to you and regrets very much in not getting to see you and Bud Callie also sends her love to Bud I wrote to Buress[?] some two weeks ago I hope he has received though I do not know whether I directed it correctly or not. I directed to John Ely Is that his name? For I never knew him only by
the name of Buress. I received a letter to day from your friend [E/C B] Z Mitchell has herd you are now in Camp Chase. Your friend Mr Combs is there also. Sam Philson the negro recruiter is now at Sharpsburg. I do not think he has any new recruits but I suppose he will get as many as he wants And for my part I hope all the reans[?] will leave. Would you be surprised to see me there in the South? Well you need not be for the Yankees are retreating[?] a good deal and you know they do not love this neighborhood I send you a shirt and a pair of socks by the bearer of this. I hope you will receive them. Gran Ma sends her love to you and Bud Johnson and Cavella[?] also send wish to see you often.
Mr F[...]t Mr Duncan
Though I am blinking at the world with a single eye as one is very sore. I must endeavor to thank you for your kindly mention of me in your letters to your Sister and my friend Lucy. Tis a boneful thought to be forgotten and Kentucky girls feel that they are alienated from friends that are surrounded by noble, accomplished and generous women of the South whose amiable qualities are likely to sound a [truce?] to many of us. We occasionally hear of one though whose fidelity has not abated but whose friendship is as [vendant?] as when the sacrificed a love of ease for the battle[?] field as liberty champions. We admire your christian devotion to your country and devoutly pray for your safe return. The county is in a chaos of excitement now the negros have grown so insolent tis almost a relief when they leave for the army Recruiting among them is constant and spirited. We are all threatened with banishment and we cant resist if tis executed if the state is garrisoned by negros
[top of page 4 overwrite] as is promised. I have written all Lucy allotted me and must conclude tendering you the best wishes of a friend
Sarah
Give my love to John and Buress [Burrell?] expecially also all those that inquire for me your [...] friend Lucy
Department of Western Va & E Tenn"The letter writer is probably Lucy Duncan (1842-1933). She was born in Trimble County and had a sister named Caroline who used the nickname Callie (1870 census). Lucy's Grandmother Young was an elderly widow, was living alone in 1860 and appears to still be alive in 1864. It is very possible that Lucy and her sister were living there for a while during the war years. She appears to have a cousin named Sarah Young (1845-?) who was the daughter of Willis W Young (1806-?), no record of her or him in the 1860 census. There are several Sarah Youngs and a Sarah Duncan in Bath whom she was probably related to.
Sept 29 1864
Mutch Esteemed Friend
I recieved your letter on the 13 and hasten to answer it the first opportunity that I have had since I recieved it. I can assure you that I perused it with the greatest pleasure immaginable and whished that it had been longer but you could not write no more.
I recieved a letter from Lucy to day and the news she wrote me hurt my feelings very mutch; very sory to here of Grand Pa death I console myself by thinking Gods will be done not mine; you wrote me that Sally had wrote to me you can tell her that I never received her letter; you wanted to know something of Jim Tandy [Sandy?] he is here and well he is as tall as a young sapling and still all of the boys are well to numerous to mention; you spoke of bygone days they are all ways fresh in my memory and I would like so mutch to recall them. Those were my happyest days; but gone now for ever; No I will not say that the day may come when I can claim what I have resigned I shall ever think of you as the brightest one in my memory. I here from Ky ever week and now how things are going on in their tell Jim Jackson that we here from him every few day. Julia you must write often I love so mutch to get a letter from you I read it over again again ever thing is in good [...] out here all of us are in from the van; Gen Marshall made our Regt a shaich[?] the other day and complimented us very highly; write often as you can dont wait for and answer from me I will write
Sennett Duncan
Her father was William B Duncan and her mother was Minerva Young Duncan (1817-1853), Grandfather was Sinnett Young (1774-1851) and Grandmother was Margaret WALLER Young (abt 1784-after 1860). Her brother Sinnett Duncan was in Company E, Confederate Kentucky 4th Cavalry Regiment.
The Duncan and Strother families were connected by quite a few marriages from the early, mid and late 1800s. Lucy Duncan married a Richard H. Strother in 1875 (Sam Strother's half brother). Richard's young step-mother was Sarah McClellan Strother and the sister-in-law of William Jackson. Richard appears to have been a POW and had enlisted in the Confederate Kentucky 4th Calvary Regiment in Sep 1862. There is a record of a Richard H Strother from the 4th KY who was captured in Tennessee on 11 Oct 1863 and was sent from the Seminary US General Hospital in Covington, Ky to Camp Chase, Ohio on 19 Dec 1863. John A Ely - Milton, Trimble, Kentucky, born about 1843 Enlisted in Company E, Confederate Kentucky 4th Cavalry Regiment on 10 Sep 1862. No record of his capture found.
James Chowning - Trimble, Kentucky, born about 1810, Wife was Asenith (Seny) Duncan born 1809
Flournoy Willis - Trimble, Kentucky, born about 1820
John Willis - Trimble, Kentucky, born about 1842"
[Note, the above information is from Philip Jackson.]
