The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-14

of the Duncan families in New England: l Many first settlers of the name Dun can were to be found in the early New | England colonies, but for some reason their family records have not been well preserved and there is work for some energetic Duncan to do in the way of | collecting, tabulating and preserving various statistics, which must be avail able somewhere in the different families of the name in America.
 The Duncans of Londonderry, N. H., | ancestry seem to have more early rec ords than any of the other families bearing the name. These Duncans came direct to New England from Ireland, where they had been established for a short time, coming previously from Scotland George the founder of the American family, was born in Ireland, and was his father, George, but George the father and grandfather, re- spectively, of the two Georges mentioned was born in Scotland and moved to Ire land.
 The first American of this family George, who was born in Ireland, died in Londonderry, N. H. He brought with him to this country his second wife, Margaret Cross and seven children John, George, William, Robert, Abra- ham, Esther and James. John was the only son of George by his first wife
 
 can by his second wife, Margaret Cross, married Letitia Bell before he left Ire land He was an elder in the London derry, N. H., church.
 To J. C., who asks for the Courtney coat of arms and motto
 The coat of arms illustrated, Is blaz- oned or, three torteaux; a 1abel azure.
 Crest: out of a ducaI coronet, or, plume of seven ostrich feathers, argent.
 Motto: Quod Verum Tutum--what IS true is safe.
 Or, three torteaux'' is the original de Corrtenay arms. Henry VIII granted an augmentation-a border quartering arms of England and F'rance-the fleur- de-lys and lions, in orle. One branch of the family was allied to the royal family of France
 The Irish branch of the family have cherub for crest, and the motto, of one branch, is Ubi Lapsus? Quid Feel? Where have I fallen? What have I done?
 ''Passez bien devant'' Is also Court nay motto. The one of the illustra ton is that of the Earls of Devon, and the crest Is also one of the two crests of that noble house.
 To F. F. G., who asks for the origin of the southern family of Graves with de- rivation of the name:
 The distinguished family of Graves in thS south Wdb e5tapllSHeu Dy William Graves, who emigrated from England and settled in Virginia. There is no record of relationship between this family and either of the New England families.
 There was a Thomas Graves, known as Rear Admiral Graves, who was born in Radcliffe England, June 6, 1905, who died at Charlestown, Mass, July 31, 48 years later. Unfortunately efforts to trace his re'atit hship to the other emigrants of the namS have been unsuccessful
 From 1892 till 1885 he was master of several ships sailing between England and the American colonies. On October T. 163J, he was admitted to the church in Charlestown with his wife, Catherine 'Coytnore. In 1643 he was master of the Tyral, which was the first ship ever built in Boston. As a reward for the cap- ture of Dutch privateer in the English channel during CromwelPs protectorate in England he was appointed to command a ship of war and made rear admiral. He was presented with silver cup by owners of the ship.
 The name Graves, which is not unusual In England, has four possible deriva tions It may be the northern pronunciation of Grove, 1t may be derived from the word meahing bailiff or reeve, 1t may be taken from word meaning cave, or pos- sioiy from an ancient first name of the same spelling