Capt. John Duncan, Who has been assistant superintendent of the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company since 1869, located in Houghton County in 1858. Captain Duncan was born in Canada, near St. Thomas, but was mainly reared in Michigan. He is a son of John and Mary Duncan, natives of Scotland.
Biography[]
In his early manhood, our subject began work on the Great Western Railroad of Canada and later drifted into Michigan, where he found employment on the Detroit & Mackinac Railroad. From there he removed to Houghton County in 1858, on the steamer “Montgomery”, which was commanded by the late Captain Wilkinson, ex-superintendent of the Detroit House of Correction. The trip was the first one both for the vessel and its captain. For 10 years he was then associated with the Quincy mine in Houghton County, going from there to his present position.
Captain Duncan has always been a stanch Republican and has been honored by his party on many occasions. He is one of the oldest continuous county commissioners in the State, having served as chairman of the board in Houghton County since 1866. He was identified with both village and township organizations and has exercised the influence of a level headed responsible and just citizen. No man in Houghton County enjoys more universal esteem.
On June 18, 1862, Captain Duncan married Mary A. Moon, a daughter of William Moon, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Mrs. Duncan became a resident of Houghton County at the age of 11 years. The children born to Captain Duncan and wife are: William, who is engaged in a hardware business at Calumet, where he resides with his family; Fannie, who married William Holman, an insurance man of Calumet, Michigan; and Helen, who is the wife of Fred E. Woodbury, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Captain Duncan has one of the finest residences at Calumet at No. 1025 Mine Street. He is a man of large means, a stockholder in the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company, and is financially interested in various commercial ventures. Fraternally he is very prominent in Masonry, having attained to the thirty-third degree. He was made a Mason in Houghton County and was formerly a member at Quincy until the lodge was transferred to Calumet. He is a member of Montrose Commandery, K.T., at Calumet, and the Marquette Consistory. It is with pleasure that we are able to state that a portrait of Captain Duncan may be found in this work being presented on a foregoing page in connection with this sketch.