The Duncan family emigrated from Glasgow, Scotland, and settled in New York, New Orleans, and Mississippi in the nineteenth century. William Henry McRaven is a descendant of the Duncan family.

This collection contains copies of scattered Duncan family papers and photographs covering the period from 1840 to 1869 and a 1959 Duncan family history. Life in Jackson, Mississippi, during Reconstruction is well documented in the diary of John Duncan. Mississippi politicians Jefferson Davis, John Anthony Quitman, and Robert Walker are mentioned in various letters (series 4). The unpublished Duncan family history was compiled by William Henry McRaven (series 5).

1. Diary. 1868. 1 item.

   Carbon typescript of an 1868 diary of John Duncan of Jackson, Mississippi, which was edited by William Henry McRaven. His editorial introduction states that "Daily comments on the weather and many entries of unimportance have been omitted. The purpose of this is to give some information which might be of interest to relatives."

2. Correspondence. 1840. 21 items.

   Photocopies of letters written by Alexander Duncan and his family of New York to Duncan family members in Grenada, Mississippi, in 1840. A carbon typescript provides genealogical information on principal correspondents.

3. Correspondence. 1854-1855. 2 items.

   Photocopies of letters written by Louisa Duncan McRaven to her husband, J. W. McRaven, of Clinton, Mississippi, in 1854 and 1855.

4. Correspondence. 1849-1869. 7 items.

   Carbon typescripts of correspondence (1849; 1857; 1869) and papers (1859; 1864-1865) of John Duncan.

5. Family History. 1959. 1 item.

   Carbon typescript (171 pages; indexed) entitled "Duncan Family of Glasgow, New York, New Orleans, Mississippi," [and] compiled by William Henry McRaven.

6. Photographs. n.d. 2 items.

   Black-and-white copy prints of images of Mary McFarlane Duncan (1779-1863).