John Holt Duncan
Encyclopedia
John Holt Duncan was one of eight founders of Beta Theta Pi
, a prominent college fraternity founded at Miami University
in 1839 and was its first president. He made a career in law as a lawyer and judge in Houston & Bexar County, Texas
. He served as a Confederate Artillery Captain in the 31st Texas Cavalry during the Civil War. He lost a leg as a result of a battle wound on September 20, 1862 at the First Battle of Newtonia
. He was taken in by an Old Confederate soldier's family. When the soldier returned home, Duncan was found by the authorities. Because housing a confederate soldier was punishable by death, the old soldier was executed in front of his wife and family. The family begged for Duncan's life to be spared and it was. John Holt Duncan spent the rest of his life caring for the family and he died penniless because of it. After the war he moved to Houston, Texas where he practiced law (district justice 1864-65, city attorney 1877-79. He became Chief Justice of Bexar County. He died in the Confederate Old Soldier's Home
in Austin, Texas
in 1896 and was buried in the Confederate Veterans section of the Texas State Cemetery
.
Duncan's wooden leg is on display at the National Headquarters of Beta Theta Pi at Oxford, Ohio
.
Other founders of Beta Theta Pi
:
Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi , often just called Beta, is a social collegiate fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, USA, where it is part of the Miami Triad which includes Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi. It has over 138 active chapters and colonies in the United States and Canada...
, a prominent college fraternity founded at Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
in 1839 and was its first president. He made a career in law as a lawyer and judge in Houston & Bexar County, Texas
Bexar County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,392,931 people, 488,942 households, and 345,681 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,117 people per square mile . There were 521,359 housing units at an average density of 418 per square mile...
. He served as a Confederate Artillery Captain in the 31st Texas Cavalry during the Civil War. He lost a leg as a result of a battle wound on September 20, 1862 at the First Battle of Newtonia
First Battle of Newtonia
The First Battle of Newtonia was a battle of the American Civil War, occurring on September 30, 1862 in Newton County, Missouri.Following the Battle of Pea Ridge in March, most Confederate and Union troops left northwestern Arkansas and southwestern Missouri...
. He was taken in by an Old Confederate soldier's family. When the soldier returned home, Duncan was found by the authorities. Because housing a confederate soldier was punishable by death, the old soldier was executed in front of his wife and family. The family begged for Duncan's life to be spared and it was. John Holt Duncan spent the rest of his life caring for the family and he died penniless because of it. After the war he moved to Houston, Texas where he practiced law (district justice 1864-65, city attorney 1877-79. He became Chief Justice of Bexar County. He died in the Confederate Old Soldier's Home
Old soldiers' home
An old soldiers' home is a military veteran's retirement home, nursing home, or hospital, or sometimes even an institution for the care of the widows and orphans of a nation's soldiers, sailors, and marines, etc.-United States:...
in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
in 1896 and was buried in the Confederate Veterans section of the Texas State Cemetery
Texas State Cemetery
The Texas State Cemetery is a cemetery located on about just east of downtown Austin, the capital of Texas. Originally the burial place of Edward Burleson, Texas Revolutionary general and Vice-President of the Republic of Texas, it was expanded into a Confederate cemetery during the Civil War...
.
Duncan's wooden leg is on display at the National Headquarters of Beta Theta Pi at Oxford, Ohio
Oxford, Ohio
Oxford is a city in northwestern Butler County, Ohio, United States, in the southwestern portion of the state. It lies in Oxford Township, originally called the College Township. The population was 21,943 at the 2000 census. This college town was founded as a home for Miami University. Oxford...
.
Other founders of Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi , often just called Beta, is a social collegiate fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, USA, where it is part of the Miami Triad which includes Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi. It has over 138 active chapters and colonies in the United States and Canada...
:
- John Reily KnoxJohn Reily KnoxJohn Reily Knox was an American attorney who was the principal founder of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity at Miami University in 1839....
1839 - Samuel Taylor MarshallSamuel Taylor MarshallSamuel Taylor Marshall was one of eight founders of Beta Theta Pi, a college fraternity founded at Miami University in 1839. It was the first college fraternity founded west of the Allegheny Mountains. Marshall was a lawyer in Lee County, Iowa and served as the sergeant-at-arms of the Iowa...
1840 - David LintonDavid LintonDavid Linton was one of eight founders of Beta Theta Pi, a prominent college fraternity founded at Miami University in 1839. He made a career as a lawyer in Wilmington, Clinton County, Ohio, and finally Linn County, Kansas where he was a probate judge . Also, a State Senator for Ohio before he...
1839 - James George SmithJames George SmithJames George Smith was one of eight founders of Beta Theta Pi, a prominent college fraternity founded at Miami University in 1839. He was never in good health and after graduating from Miami University in 1840, he became a farmer in Powhatan County, Virginia and died on September 16, 1849 from...
1840 - Charles Henry HardinCharles Henry HardinCharles Henry Hardin was one of the eight founders of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. Born in 1820 in Trimble County, Kentucky, he graduated from Miami University in 1840 and received his LL.D. from William Jewell College in 1890. He later became the 22nd Governor of Missouri between 1875 and 1877 and...
1841 - Michael Clarkson RyanMichael Clarkson RyanMichael Clarkson Ryan an American attorney who was one of eight founders of Beta Theta Pi, a prominent college fraternity founded at Miami University in 1839. he was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and his family moved to Hamilton, Ohio in 1832. He received his A.B. degree from Miami in 1839 and...
1839 - Thomas Boston GordonThomas Boston GordonThomas Boston Gordon made a career as a lawyer and county judge for Bath County, Kentucky. He was a civil war captain for the Confederate States of America under Johnson's Brigade. He was one of the eight founding members of the Beta Theta Pi national fraternity at Miami University on August 8,...
1840
External links
- Beta Theta Pi Founders page
- http://www.cemetery.state.tx.us/pub/user_form.asp?step=1&pers_id=261 Photo of Duncan's Headstone