The Robert Dukes of Camden District, SC
This document is copyright © 1999 by Tony L. Cox. All rights reserved.
(It was last changed on December 10, 1999)
CAVEAT: The content herein is a temporal blend of fact and current personal opinion that may not represent the total truth. This note is subject to, and will, change without notice. It is not genealogical data and should not be treated as such. The note is intended to convey and to document a direction of research that the reader may find fruitful. Please email comments or questions to us.

Use the back button on your web page browser to return to the note you were reading.

Much has been written about Robert Duke of Camden, deceased circa 1785. Numerous and imaginative arguments have been used to attach children to his family. However as genealogists sift through the rich data of the Camden District area, and era, it becomes obvious that the Duke children in the records were not simply the progeny of one man. A view is emerging that there were a number of, and possibly unrelated, Duke families in the Camden District, circa 1785. We believe that these Duke families must be defined before an effort to assign children to families will be successful. A positive result of our research toward this goal has been the realization that there were at least five men named Robert Duke living in the Camden District of South Carolina during the late 1700s and early 1800s.

We plan to differentiate between the five Robert Dukes by giving them the following names. The reason for the choices of names will become clear in the text that follows. We should also remind the reader that the following is an open research document which may change and certainly grow as more is learned about the men of Camden named Robert Duke.

Robert Duke of Lancaster
- Born: unknown
- Married: Unknown date, to Unknown (suspected wife: Priscilla Crenshaw)
- Died: Before April 30, 1784
- Known Children:
- Suspected children: Robert (Junior), Crenshaw (or Granger), Stephen, and Jesse
- Known siblings:
- Parents: Unknown

The Administrative Bond for the estate of Robert Duke, deceased before April 30, 1784, was done by George Wade and Frederick Kimball. In the bond document, George Wade is identified as the Administrator. A George Wade is on the 1778-1979 Grand Jurors list for the east side of the Wateree River, Waxaws. Two George Wades are listed in the 1790 US Census for Lancaster County, SC. Frederick Kimball is listed in the 1778-1779 Petit Jurors list for the east side of the Wateree. This places both men in the Lancaster District, SC. We believe the Robert Duke named in the administrative bond document is Robert Duke of Lancaster.

Robert Duke of Lancaster owned land on Dry Creek, a tributary of Camp Creek which in turn drains into the Wateree, or Catawba, River. Located in the northeastern part of Camden, the area would later become Lancaster District and today, Lancaster County. Dry Creek is either in or very near the part of Lancaster District known as the Waxaws.

We have not yet found a deed conveyance or plat for Robert Duke's land. However, Robert's land can be defined by the plats and conveyances of his neighbors. Jesse Tillman received an irregular-shaped land grant of 540 acres on October 7, 1784. A ridge ran through his land separating the Cedar Creek and Rocky Creek watershed to the south from the Camp Creek and Dry Creek one to the north. His nearest neighbor to the northeast was Widow Duke. North of Jesse Tillman and west of the Widow Duke was land belonging to William Ashley. On November 8, 1784, Francis Boykin was granted a 150 acres northwest of Robert Duke's land. On December 17, 1784, Francis Boykin was granted an irregular-shaped tract of 135 acres of vacant land between his earlier grant and Robert Duke. The Duke and Boykin families were now adjacent neighbors and William Ashley owned the land south of Francis Boykin's land grants, between Boykin and Tillman. On March 24, 1787, the Widow Duke and Jesse Tillman had a new neighbor; Micajah Crenshaw was granted 202 acres of land to the east on a branch of Rocky Creek, a tributary of Cedar Creek.

So, a picture emerges of the land of Robert Duke of Lancaster who died before October 7, 1784. Located on the waters of Dry Creek, a tributary of Camp Creek and the Catawba River, Robert's northwestern neighbor was Francis Boykin. Also, James Rogers owned land nearby just north and east of Boykin's land. Robert Duke's western neighbors were Francis Boykin and William Ashley. The Duke family's southwestern and south neighbor was Jesse Tillman. After 1787, Micajah Crenshaw owned land on the southeastern side of the Duke land.

Apparently, the land owned by the Robert Duke family in Lancaster was originally granted to Benjamin Cook. On January 19, 1809, Joseph Crenshaw conveyed 100 acres of land to Henry Horton. Although the conveyance doesn't mention Robert Duke by name, the land appears to be all or part of the tract of land owned by him. The conveyance indicates the land was part of an original land grant to Benjamin Cook. In another conveyance, dated April 8, 1811, the land sold to Henry Horton by Joseph Crenshaw is identified as adjacent to, and east of, land originally owned by William Ashley. This deed conveyance was part of an indenture between James Crenshaw, the owner, and Arthur Hicklin. The tract involved in the indenture was conveyed to James Crenshaw by John Chesnut in 1805. Henry Horton was already a land owner in the Dry Creek area. In 1807 he bought, from Samuel Crenshaw, the land originally granted to Francis Boykin, north and west of his 1809 purchase.

We should note that Robert Duke of Lancaster was not listed among the 1778-1789 petit jurors east of the Catawba River. This implies he wasn't a head of household in the area at that time.

Robert Duke of Camden
- Born: unknown
- Married: Unknown date, to Nancy Unknown
- Died: Circa 1785
- Known Children: Thomas, Rachael, Moses, Aaron, Hestor, Anne, Jesse
- Suspected children: Jeremiah
- Known siblings:
- Suspected siblings: John
- Parents:

Robert Duke of Camden died between December 10, 1784 when he signed his will and January 28, 1785 when the will was recorded by probate court. We have written extensively about Robert Duke of Camden in the research note concerning his Last Will and Testament. During the Revolutionary War, Robert Duke of Camden sold livestock and foodstuff to the military. A record of the several transactions can be found in the South Carolina Revolutionary War Account Audited File number 2067A, account number 252

Robert Duke, Junior
- Born: Before 1765
- Married:
- Died: After 1790
- Known Children:
- Suspected siblings: Crenshaw (or Granger), Stephen, and Jesse
- Suspected parents: Robert Duke of Lancaster, Prescilla Cranshaw

Robert Duke, Junior, is known because of his service in the Revolutionary war and his subsequent claim for pay. His service record can be found in the South Carolina Revolutionary War Account Audited File Number 2067A. This File contains two accounts and two indents for Robert Duke, the first, Number 251 was signed by Robert Duke, Junior. The second account, Number 252, was signed by Robert Duke and contains a note authored by Moses Duke. We believe the second account belongs to Robert Duke of Camden who had a son named Moses Duke.

Sometimes a young person is called Junior by others to differentiate him or her from an older person with the same name. This not the case with the files. The records were all for persons named Robert Duke. The Robert Duke of Account Number 251 named himself by signing the record and adding Junior after his name, thus, we believe, implying his father was also named Robert Duke.

Robert Duke, Junior was paid for forty-eight days on horse, sixty-two days on foot, and thirty-two days on foot with the rank of Lieutenant. This service occurred during 1781 and 1782 with Colonel Thomas Taylor's Regiment under Captain William Goodwin and Lieutenant Thomas Trap. The first service was "at the Congaree and Junerper", the second, "at Orange Burg and Ft. Nimrod", and the last, as a Lieutenant, "at Orange Burgh". The service account was certified by "Thos Taylor". We believe Robert Duke, Junior would have to be at least 16 years old to accomplish all this. So we conservatively place his birth as before 1765.

He made oath and signed the account as "Robt Duke Junior" on December 21, 1783. The file also contains a note, signed in 1787, as "Robt Duke Junior", where he requests the proceeds from the Indenture be delivered to William Simmons. After October 27, 1787 and prior to January 17, 1788, it appears Robert Duke, Junior assigned the remainder of the Indenture to William Dortch in payment, perhaps partial, for 445 acres of land.

The 445 acres granted to William Dortch were on Cedar Creek. His neighbors are listed as Ben Sims, Jacob Bethinie, Hoigwood, and A. Canady. The plat depicts Cedar Creek running through the land from northeast to the southwest, making about a forty five degree angle with geographic north. There were two Cedar Creeks in the Camden District. One is in the southern part of present-day Lancaster County. It flows mostly west to the Catawba, or Wateree, River; however, there is a portion that flows southwest. The other Cedar Creek begins in Southern Fairfield County and flows through northwestern Richland County to empty into the Broad, or Congaree, River. The South Carolina census for 1790 lists the following heads of household in the Fairfield District: Benjamin Sims, Jacob Bethany, and Alexander Kenneday. In addition, there were four Haigwood and two Dortch households listed in Fairfield. Although we believe the 445 acres were likely located in southern Fairfield District or northern Richland District; the question of which Cedar Creek is still being investigated.

Robert Duke, Junior had to be close to William Simmons, to trust him with his indent money. Perhaps they served together in the Revolutionary War. There was a Robert Duke from South Carolina that served under a Captain William Simmons, Colonel Robert Goodwyn, and General Williamson during the Florida Expedition, circa 1778. This Robert Duke apparently moved to Mississippi after the war.

In 1792, a Robert Duke signed as a witness for a Lancaster District deed conveyance between John Roper and Micajah Crenshaw. We believe, with no proof, this was very likely Robert Duke, Junior and that the deed links him to the Crenshaw family and to Robert Duke of Lancaster.

There are two heads of household listed on the 1790 South Carolina census named Robert Duke, one for Richland District and one for Fairfield. We believe, with no proof, Robert Duke, Junior is listed in the Richland District.

Robert Duke, son of Elizabeth
- Born: before 1774
- Married:
- Died:
- Known Children:
- Known siblings: Samuel, Sarah, Margaret, Nancy, Celey, and Rodney
- Parents: Unknown Duke and Elizabeth Unknown

Robert Duke, son of Elizabeth is likely listed 1790 South Carolina census, in Fairfield District. If this is true, his birth date was prior to 1774. He is also named in the 1815 probate record for Elizabeth Duke along with his surviving brothers and sisters.

Robert Duke, son of Thomas Duke
- Born: January 1774 - December 1786
- Married: Suspected wife: Ann
- Died:
- Known Children:
- Known siblings: Mary, John D., and James
- Suspected siblings: Jeremiah
- Parents: Thomas Duke and Mary Dougherty

According to the 1790 South Carolina census, Robert Duke, son of Thomas Duke, was likely born after 1774. On the 1790 census Thomas Duke had 5 males in the household under the age of 16 and none over that age. Robert was one of the older sons of Thomas Duke and Mary Dougherty. On December 5, 1807, Robert signed a receipt for his share of his father's movable estate. To do this he had to be at least 21. With this information, we can place an upper bound on his birth year of 1786.

Use the back button on your web page browser to return to the note you were reading.