Wednesday, January 16, 2008

William Duke Monument in Northeastern Itawamba County

The remains of the old William Duke monument are located near the old Duke Flats in northeastern Itawamba County. Located in a very remote area on Mud Creek, the engraved tablet was once inlaid on top of a marble crypt in the old cemetery. William Duke came to Itawamba County shortly after the formation of the county during the late 1830’s where he received patents for over 3,000 acres of land west of Salem Church along Mud Creek. He was elected to the Mississippi Senate during 1841 representing Itawamba County. There are several graves in the old remote cemetery including members of the Browning, Cromeans, Nelson and Conwill families.

William Duke was born July 4, 1766 in Laurens District, South Carolina, the son of Major Duke and Elizabeth Drury. Around 1790 he married Jane McLaughlin. William Duke was enumerated in the 1820 Franklin County, Alabama Federal census, the 1830 Marion County, Alabama Federal census and the 1840 Itawamba County Federal census. William Duke died in Itawamba County on August 29, 1847. Children of William Duke included: James, John, Charles, William Henry, and Wiley.

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