Individual Details
Everett Oliver DUNCAN
(12 Feb 1900 - 20 Aug 1975)
1 Jun 1900, Tule River Twp., Tulare County, California, ED 68 Sh 4A;
Ida Duncan, head, born Sep 1879, 20, married 3 yr., mother of 2, 2 living, born CA father born OH mother born Canada, Farmer, owns free and clear
Inis L. Duncan, daughter, born Jun 1898, 1, born CA both parents born CA
Evert O.Duncan, son, born Feb 1899 (This obviously wrong as census taken 11 June 1900.), age 3/12, born CA, both parents born CA
Alice E. Flagg, servant, born Dec 1883, 16, born CA both parents born IN
15 Apr 1910. Tule River Twp., Tulare Co., CA, ED 203 Sh 16A;
M. Ray Duncan, 36, (1873-74) born CA, born CA father born U.S. mother born Illinois; marriage 2 of 2 years; Farmer, owned a mortgaged farm. Can read & write
M. Mattie Duncan, wife, 27 (1882-83), marriage 1 of 2 yr., mother of 1, 1 living, born CA father born IL mother born CA
L. Inez Duncan, daughter, 11 (1888-89), born CA father born CA mother born U.S.
O. Everett Duncan, son, 10 (1899-1900), born CA father born CA mother born U.S.
M. Elsie Duncan, daughter, 1/12 (abt Mar 1909), born CA both parents born CA
1 Apr 1930, Strathmore Twp., Tulare Co., CA, ED 54-54, sh 5A;
Everette O. Duncan, head, 30 (1899-1900), 20 at first marriage, born CA, both parents born CA, Foreman on ranch. Can read and write. rents for $25, owns a radio
Bessie Duncan, wife, 29 (1900-1901), 19 at first marriage, born Montana father born Vermont mother born Iowa
Leora Duncan, daughter, 9 (1920-21), born CA father born CA mother born MT
Barbara J. Duncan, daughter, 2 (1927-28), born CA father born CA mother born MT
NOTE: Carl and Shirley Brown next door.
1 Apr 1940, 1531 Sunnyside Ave., Porterville, Tulare Co., CA, ED 43 Sh 1A:
Everett O. Duncan, head, 40 (1899-1900), born CA, completed 8th grade, in 1935, lived elsewhere in Tulare County, laborer - county road work, rents for $20 a month
Bessie Duncan, wife, 39 (1900-01), born Montana, in 1935, lived elsewhere in Tulare County, completed 4 years of high school, earned $1,440 in 1939.
Barbara J. Duncan, daughter, 12 (1927-28), born California, completed 7th grade
Patricia Anne Duncan, daughter, 7 (1932-33), born California, completed 1st grade
Same page as Archie and Leora Landers.
Original Agreement for Sale of Real Estate dated 1 Sept 1943 with George D. Jackson and Susie A. Jackson selling to Everett O. Duncan The North 100 feet of Lot One Hundred Thirteen of Pioneer Land Company's First Subdivision, in the City of Porterville, County of Tulare, State of California, as per Map recorded in Book 3 page 34 of Maps in the Office of the County Recorder of said County. [aka 1531 Sunnyside].
Sales price was $2,500, with $250 down and $25 a month beginning Oct. 10, 1943 until paid in full.
Application for Social Security Account Number dated Oct 23,1946. SSN assigned 564-38-2224. Everett Oliver Duncan, 1531 Sunnyside, Porterville, Ca., age on last birthday - 46; born Feb. 12, 1900 at Porterville, Tulare Co., Cal. Father's full name - Ray Myron Duncan; mother's full name - Ida May McCoy; white male, employed by Franks Tanning Co., Redwood City, Cal. Signed E. O. Duncan. Copy in file.
In a conversation 18 Sep 2008 with Barbara Fridlund, she remembered that she had been told that when Ray inherited $3,000 when his father died, he invested it in the ranch at Citrus South Tule. Bessie wasn't happy about that, but he did it anyway. Later, he did lose the ranch. Everett had a casual relationship with Elsie, his half sister. She was raised by her mother's family and he didn't have a chance to get to know Elsie until later. Elsie was living in Porterville at the time of Everett and Bessie's 50th anniversary and was at the party.
Porterville Recorder Thursday, August 21, 1975, has this obituary,which included a photo.
"Everett Duncan, Area Native, Dies At Age 75
A life long resident of this area, Everett O. Duncan, 75, died Wednesday in Sierra View District hospital following a long illness.
Mr. Duncan was born in Success valley, a son of Ray and Ida McCoy Duncan; and a grandson of O.P.H. [sic] and Matilda Swanson Duncan. His grandfather came to Tulare county on foot from the Midwest when he was 16 and his grandmother, with her family, by oxen and covered wagon, also from the Midwest.
As a young girl his grandmother is credited with saving the area from an Indian massacre. Through her friendship with the Indian children she learned of plans to kill the white settlers of this area. She ran home and told the news to older people and thus enabled the settlers of this section to escape the Tulare County Indian War which followed in 1885 [sic].
Everett attended school in Success Valley and on April 24, 1920, married Bessie Violet Brown at the home of his aunt, Nancy Swanson, in Visalia. They established their home here and in 1970 celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.
He retired six months prior to his 74th birthday as a field man for the Nelson Concrete Pipe company, where had [sic] worked for 25 years, starting with the installation of irrigation pipe. It was while he was digging a ditch about six miles south of Bakersfield that he dug up some osage orange wood, suitable for making knife handles, a later hobby.
Mr. Duncan's varied career also included 18 years with the county road department and he often recalled while thus engaged that he struck the first plough for building Grevilla Avenue (now Plano street) in 1918.
Other work included making redwood fence posts, earning as much as $100 a day and making 1,000 posts in a day's time. He also punched cows, broke horses, worked in a magnasite mine and Horseman's magnasite grinding mill at Success. He freighted and sledded magnasite from the mines in the South Tule area.
Mr. Duncan also packed tourists out of Camp Nelson, farmed, raising oranges and vegetables in the Strathmore area, operated machinery and bucked sacks in Frazier Valley, worked in the bark fields at Weoat in the Coast Range mountains, and as a bark peeler and split timberman in Northern and Central California.
In the midst of this varied career he hit upon the idea of making knives from old saw blades, knowing full well their durability. On his first knife he worked with Eber Birchfield of rural Porterville. Although he made more than 2,000 knives, with both wood and horn handles, he never made them for sale, saying, "If you go into it for business, it takes all the fun out of it, I do it for the fun of it."
Survivors include his widow, Bessie, of Porterville; three daughters, Leora Hostetter of Lindsay and Barbara Fridlund and Patricia Neal, both of Porterville; and seven grandchildren, Nancy, Craig, Elaine and Jill Fridlund, and Debbie Neal, all of Porterville, Sharon Probasco of Lindsay, and Gary Landers of Bakersfield; and two great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the family plot in the Home of Peace cemetery, under the direction of the Myers chapel.
The family prefers remembrances be in the form of memorial books, in his name, on the early history of this area to the Porterville City library."
Ida Duncan, head, born Sep 1879, 20, married 3 yr., mother of 2, 2 living, born CA father born OH mother born Canada, Farmer, owns free and clear
Inis L. Duncan, daughter, born Jun 1898, 1, born CA both parents born CA
Evert O.Duncan, son, born Feb 1899 (This obviously wrong as census taken 11 June 1900.), age 3/12, born CA, both parents born CA
Alice E. Flagg, servant, born Dec 1883, 16, born CA both parents born IN
15 Apr 1910. Tule River Twp., Tulare Co., CA, ED 203 Sh 16A;
M. Ray Duncan, 36, (1873-74) born CA, born CA father born U.S. mother born Illinois; marriage 2 of 2 years; Farmer, owned a mortgaged farm. Can read & write
M. Mattie Duncan, wife, 27 (1882-83), marriage 1 of 2 yr., mother of 1, 1 living, born CA father born IL mother born CA
L. Inez Duncan, daughter, 11 (1888-89), born CA father born CA mother born U.S.
O. Everett Duncan, son, 10 (1899-1900), born CA father born CA mother born U.S.
M. Elsie Duncan, daughter, 1/12 (abt Mar 1909), born CA both parents born CA
1 Apr 1930, Strathmore Twp., Tulare Co., CA, ED 54-54, sh 5A;
Everette O. Duncan, head, 30 (1899-1900), 20 at first marriage, born CA, both parents born CA, Foreman on ranch. Can read and write. rents for $25, owns a radio
Bessie Duncan, wife, 29 (1900-1901), 19 at first marriage, born Montana father born Vermont mother born Iowa
Leora Duncan, daughter, 9 (1920-21), born CA father born CA mother born MT
Barbara J. Duncan, daughter, 2 (1927-28), born CA father born CA mother born MT
NOTE: Carl and Shirley Brown next door.
1 Apr 1940, 1531 Sunnyside Ave., Porterville, Tulare Co., CA, ED 43 Sh 1A:
Everett O. Duncan, head, 40 (1899-1900), born CA, completed 8th grade, in 1935, lived elsewhere in Tulare County, laborer - county road work, rents for $20 a month
Bessie Duncan, wife, 39 (1900-01), born Montana, in 1935, lived elsewhere in Tulare County, completed 4 years of high school, earned $1,440 in 1939.
Barbara J. Duncan, daughter, 12 (1927-28), born California, completed 7th grade
Patricia Anne Duncan, daughter, 7 (1932-33), born California, completed 1st grade
Same page as Archie and Leora Landers.
Original Agreement for Sale of Real Estate dated 1 Sept 1943 with George D. Jackson and Susie A. Jackson selling to Everett O. Duncan The North 100 feet of Lot One Hundred Thirteen of Pioneer Land Company's First Subdivision, in the City of Porterville, County of Tulare, State of California, as per Map recorded in Book 3 page 34 of Maps in the Office of the County Recorder of said County. [aka 1531 Sunnyside].
Sales price was $2,500, with $250 down and $25 a month beginning Oct. 10, 1943 until paid in full.
Application for Social Security Account Number dated Oct 23,1946. SSN assigned 564-38-2224. Everett Oliver Duncan, 1531 Sunnyside, Porterville, Ca., age on last birthday - 46; born Feb. 12, 1900 at Porterville, Tulare Co., Cal. Father's full name - Ray Myron Duncan; mother's full name - Ida May McCoy; white male, employed by Franks Tanning Co., Redwood City, Cal. Signed E. O. Duncan. Copy in file.
In a conversation 18 Sep 2008 with Barbara Fridlund, she remembered that she had been told that when Ray inherited $3,000 when his father died, he invested it in the ranch at Citrus South Tule. Bessie wasn't happy about that, but he did it anyway. Later, he did lose the ranch. Everett had a casual relationship with Elsie, his half sister. She was raised by her mother's family and he didn't have a chance to get to know Elsie until later. Elsie was living in Porterville at the time of Everett and Bessie's 50th anniversary and was at the party.
Porterville Recorder Thursday, August 21, 1975, has this obituary,which included a photo.
"Everett Duncan, Area Native, Dies At Age 75
A life long resident of this area, Everett O. Duncan, 75, died Wednesday in Sierra View District hospital following a long illness.
Mr. Duncan was born in Success valley, a son of Ray and Ida McCoy Duncan; and a grandson of O.P.H. [sic] and Matilda Swanson Duncan. His grandfather came to Tulare county on foot from the Midwest when he was 16 and his grandmother, with her family, by oxen and covered wagon, also from the Midwest.
As a young girl his grandmother is credited with saving the area from an Indian massacre. Through her friendship with the Indian children she learned of plans to kill the white settlers of this area. She ran home and told the news to older people and thus enabled the settlers of this section to escape the Tulare County Indian War which followed in 1885 [sic].
Everett attended school in Success Valley and on April 24, 1920, married Bessie Violet Brown at the home of his aunt, Nancy Swanson, in Visalia. They established their home here and in 1970 celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.
He retired six months prior to his 74th birthday as a field man for the Nelson Concrete Pipe company, where had [sic] worked for 25 years, starting with the installation of irrigation pipe. It was while he was digging a ditch about six miles south of Bakersfield that he dug up some osage orange wood, suitable for making knife handles, a later hobby.
Mr. Duncan's varied career also included 18 years with the county road department and he often recalled while thus engaged that he struck the first plough for building Grevilla Avenue (now Plano street) in 1918.
Other work included making redwood fence posts, earning as much as $100 a day and making 1,000 posts in a day's time. He also punched cows, broke horses, worked in a magnasite mine and Horseman's magnasite grinding mill at Success. He freighted and sledded magnasite from the mines in the South Tule area.
Mr. Duncan also packed tourists out of Camp Nelson, farmed, raising oranges and vegetables in the Strathmore area, operated machinery and bucked sacks in Frazier Valley, worked in the bark fields at Weoat in the Coast Range mountains, and as a bark peeler and split timberman in Northern and Central California.
In the midst of this varied career he hit upon the idea of making knives from old saw blades, knowing full well their durability. On his first knife he worked with Eber Birchfield of rural Porterville. Although he made more than 2,000 knives, with both wood and horn handles, he never made them for sale, saying, "If you go into it for business, it takes all the fun out of it, I do it for the fun of it."
Survivors include his widow, Bessie, of Porterville; three daughters, Leora Hostetter of Lindsay and Barbara Fridlund and Patricia Neal, both of Porterville; and seven grandchildren, Nancy, Craig, Elaine and Jill Fridlund, and Debbie Neal, all of Porterville, Sharon Probasco of Lindsay, and Gary Landers of Bakersfield; and two great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the family plot in the Home of Peace cemetery, under the direction of the Myers chapel.
The family prefers remembrances be in the form of memorial books, in his name, on the early history of this area to the Porterville City library."
Events
| Birth | 12 Feb 1900 | Success Valley, Tulare Co., California |  | ||
| Census | 1 Jun 1900 | Tule River Twp., Tulare Co., California | |||
| Census | 15 Apr 1910 | Tule River Twp., Tulare Co., California | |||
| Military | 12 Sep 1918 | WWI Draft Reg Card; Everett Olliver Duncan, born Feb. 12, 1900, Res. - Tulare Co., California | |||
| Marriage | 24 Apr 1920 | Visalia, Tulare Co., California - Bessie Violet BROWN | | ||
| Court Records | 31 Aug 1929 | Signed and filed petition for Probate as Executor of his father's estate. - Tulare Co., California | |||
| Census | 1 Apr 1930 | Strathmore Twp., Tulare Co., California | |||
| Census | 1 Apr 1940 | Porterville, Tulare Co., California | |||
| Residence | 1941 | Everett O. (Bessie), , res. 1531 Sunnyside. - Porterville, Tulare Co., California | | ||
| Property | 1 Sep 1943 | Agreement for Sale - Porterville, Tulare Co., California | | ||
| Residence | 1944 | Everett (Bessie), rancher, res. 1531 Sunnyside. - Porterville, Tulare Co., California | | ||
| Soc Sec No | 23 Oct 1946 | Application for Social Security Account Number, copy in file. | |||
| Death | 20 Aug 1975 | Porterville, Tulare Co., California | | ||
| Obituary | 21 Aug 1975 | Porterville Recorder page 16. - Porterville, Tulare Co., California | |||
| Burial | 22 Aug 1975 | Home of Peace Cemetery, Porterville, Tulare Co., California | | ||
| Reference No | 808 |
Families
| Spouse | Bessie Violet BROWN (1900 - 1985) |
| Child | Violet Leora DUNCAN (1921 - 1984) |
| Child | Living |
| Child | Patricia Ann DUNCAN (1932 - 2015) |
| Father | Ray Myron DUNCAN (1873 - 1929) |
| Mother | Ida May MCCOY (1881 - 1947) |
| Sibling | Inez Leora DUNCAN (1898 - 1920) |
Endnotes
1. World War I Draft Registration Card.
2. Affidavit.
3. Application for Social Security Number.
4. Duncan/Brown Marriage Certificate, Bk 6 Pg 459, Certificate No. 148.
5. City/County Directory.
6. Land Record - Original.
7. City/County Directory.
8. Tulare County Death Records, #5400.
9. Funeral memorial leaflet.