Individual Details

Death

One of the area's most beloved characters passed away of a heart attack last Saturday. Death came quite suddenly for Judge Clarence C. Duncan of Monticello. He was 76. The grand old man endeared himself in the hearts of Russell Countians a few years ago as the first Circuit Judge of the newly created 40th District, which included Russell, Wayne and Clinton counties. Soon after the district was formed, he was appointed to the office by Gov. Wetherby, and served more than a year before the present judge, Terrill A. Wilson was elected. Judge Duncan was regarded as one of the state's greatest lawyers, and the firm of Duncan and Duncan, a partnership with his son, Parker W. Duncan, now of Bowling Green, extending over a wide region. In 1946 he was president of the State Bar Association. The judge was noted for his wit and humor, and was a forceful speaker. He could tell stories all day long, and there was not a person around Monticello who didn't always welcome his presence. A Jamestown attorney said this about him recently, "Once he, Parker and I were all in a case together. The trial wore on slowly. The judge took no notes because at that time his eyesight had become poor, and it seemed to me that he paid very little attention to the case. I thought that the whole thing rested on Parker and me. Then it came time to speak on the case, and the question was posed, "Who will make the speech?" Parker said, "I guess Poppa had better do that." The suggestion didn't set very well with me. How in the world can he make a speech when he hasn't been paying any attention to this case? I asked myself. The Judge Duncan arose. He faced the jury confidently and lit into the greatest speech before twelve jurors I have ever heard, quoting evidence of the How he did it I'll never know, but we won the case." The above is only one example of Judge Duncan's unusual mind. When he was Circuit Judge here his eyesight was so bad that he couldn't even read from a law book, but no lawyer ever put anything over on him, and he could quote the statutes at a moment's notice. Of course this ability was a carry over from his ----younger days. Born at Cooper, Ky., a son of Sheriff Charles and Nettie Warden Duncan, the family moved to South Main Street where they lived for many years, he attended the rural schools and then enrolled at Cumberland University, the alma mater of Cordell Hull, whee he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He loved the law and everything about it, and practiced for more than 40 years, first in partnership with E.E. Bell at Monticello, and then with his son Parker before the ---was elected a judge of the State Court of Appeals. For the last few years he had been in retirement. Doubtless, there have been but few men who enjoyed retirement more, for this gave his plenty of time to converse with his old cronies about town, to take trips to Russell Springs, Jamestown and other points, to listen to newscasts and to otherwise bask in the luxury of old age that only a life well spent can bring. Judge Duncan was first married to Miss Nellie Harrison, of Wayne County, who preceded him in death in 1919. They had three sons, Parker Duncan as stated above, now of Bowling Green, Dr. Frank Duncan, a physician at Monticello, and David Duncan, a Monticello druggist. A daughter, Mrs. Marjorie Cavanaugh of Hopkinsville. In 1925, Judge Duncan was wed to Miss Mary Wentland, who survives him. They had one son, Joe W. Duncan, a druggist at Hazard.
Wayne County Outlook, Monticello, Kentucky, November 14, 1957