Key Facts

Snapshot:	soldier in the Second Creek War; owned a slave
Parents:	unknown
Born:	circa 1808 South Carolina
Died:	allegedly 29 January 1871, although the source is questionable location unknown
Buried:	unknown

120Peter E. Dunkin was born circa 1808 in South Carolina.1-3 His parents are unknown,* as are other details of his early life, including when and how he moved to Georgia.

He married 121Edith Reid on 17 February 1831 in Carroll County, Georgia.4

120Peter's and 121Edith Reid's marriage record. Full page.4

In July 1834 he bought 40 acres in what was then Forsyth County, Georgia. However, the deed describes 120Peter as being from Coweta County.5 It's doubtful 120Peter ever actually lived on the property, and he sold it 18 months later.6

During the Second Creek War of 1836-1837, 120Peter was a private in Greer's company, Wood's batallion, 3rd brigade, Georgia militia infantry.7 However, I have no other details about his service.

The 1840 census shows that he had three children, one slave, and was living in Carroll County, Georgia.8

1840: 120Peter's family in militia district 649 (map), Carroll County, Georgia. Full page.8

1840: 120Peter's slave. Full page.8

The 1850 census shows his growing family in Coweta County.2 120Peter's farm was surveyed for the agriculture schedule: 1, 2;9 template.

1850: 120Peter's family in Coweta County, Georgia. Full page.2

By 1860 they'd returned to Carroll County.3 Again, his farm was in the agriculture schedule: 1, 2;10 template.

1860: 120Peter's family in Carroll County, Georgia. Full page.3

The American Civil War began the following year. During the war, many of Georgia’s soldiers were sent to fight in more vital locations, e.g. to defend Richmond, Virginia, the Confederate capital. As a result, few soldiers were available to defend Georgia, and slaves were becoming less obedient and more likely to attempt escape. Governor Joseph Brown, worried about the state’s predicament, had the state legislature order a special census to list all white males age 16-60 not already in Confederate service, along with militarily significant facts like whether the men owned any guns or horses. This census would help the state government allocate its few home guard soldiers more efficiently. This census is formally called the 1864 Census for Re-organizing the Georgia Militia but is sometimes nicknamed the Joe Brown census. 120Peter is listed as a resident of militia district 682 (map), Carroll County, Georgia, and shows that he didn't own a gun or horse.1

Details are lacking, but his wife 121Edith presumably died sometime during the war. 120Peter re-married to Lucinda Puckett on 23 October 1864.11

1864: 120Peter's second marriage, to Lucinda Puckett. Full page.11

In 1867 the U.S. Congress passed several Reconstruction Acts. These Acts divided the former Confederacy into several military occupation zones, which were ruled by Union military commanders. The Acts also directed the commanding officers to register Southerners who wanted to vote in upcoming elections. One registration requirement was to swear an oath of loyalty to the United States; the obvious intent was to disfranchise any lingering Confederate resistance. 120Peter swore his oath on 8 July 1867 as a resident of militia district 682 in Carroll County.12

120Peter's Reconstruction-era voter registration oath.12

A family Bible alleged to have belonged to John Young, who was the husband of 120Peter's daughter Elizabeth, records that 120Peter died on 29 January 1871. However, the Bible's publication date and provenance is unknown, so this record should be viewed with some suspicion.13

120Peter's death recorded in a family Bible. Full page.13

Footnote:

*	Some allege that his father was Peter Duncan, who was born circa 1775 and who lived most of his life in Edgefield County, South Carolina, but I have found no compelling evidence to prove so.

Sources Cited:

1: 1864 Census for Re-Organizing the Georgia Militia. Militia district 682 and 729, Carroll County, Georgia. Page 2, line 81, P. E. Duncan. Georgia Virtual Vault, <https://vault.georgiaarchives.org/digital/collection/1864/id/711>, accessed 14 May 2021.

2: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Coweta County, Georgia. Page 292B, dwelling 133, family 133, Peter E. Duncan household. NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 66. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-65XX-K7?i=19&cc=1401638&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMZY2-XNM>, accessed 25 April 2021.

3: 1860 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Carroll County, Georgia. Page 15, dwelling 95, family 95, Peter E. Duncan household. NARA microfilm publication M653, roll 113. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBG-4MV?i=14&cc=1473181&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMZMH-RNZ>, accessed 25 April 2021.

4: Carroll County, Georgia. Marriage book C (1827-1866), page 9, marriage of Peter E. Dunkin and Edith Reid, dated 17 February 1831. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89XF-K998-G?i=45&cc=1927197&cat=234437>, accessed 25 April 2021.

5: Forsyth County, Georgia. Deed book J, pages 379-380, deed from Archibald Benton to Peter E. Duncan dated 9 July 1834. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4R-2QXR?i=495&cat=243215>, accessed 14 May 2021.

6: Forsyth County, Georgia. Deed book J, page 381, deed from Peter E. Duncan to Elias Duncan dated 25 December 1835. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4R-2QPD?i=496&cat=243215>, accessed 14 May 2021.

7: Index to compiled service records of volunteer soldiers who served during Indian wars and disturbances, 1815-1858 (NARA microfilm series M629), roll for surnames Dr-E (roll 11), card for Private Peter E. Dunkin of Greer's Company, Wood's Battalion, 3rd Brigade, Georgia Militia Infantry in the Creek War. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89Z5-29RK?i=576&cat=98003>, accessed 14 May 2021.

8: 1840 U.S. Federal Census. Militia district 649, Carroll County, Georgia. Page 57, Peter E. Dunkin household. NARA microfilm publication M704, roll 38. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYY2-3MVW?i=4&cc=1786457&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXHBZ-3QB> and <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YY2-SYSL?i=5&cc=1786457>, accessed 25 April 2021.

9: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Agriculture Schedule). Coweta County, Georgia. Pages 5-6, entry 20, Peter E. Dunkin farm. NARA microfilm publication T1137, roll 1. The NARA provides a helpful template.

10: 1860 U.S. Federal Census (Agriculture Schedule). Carroll County, Georgia. Pages 21 and 22, line 28, Peter Duncan farm. NARA microfilm publication T1137, roll 4. The NARA provides a helpful template.

11: Carroll County, Georgia. Marriage book C (1827-1866), page 564, marriage of Peter E. Duncan and Lucinda E. Puckett, dated 23 October 1864. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9XF-K9S2-W?i=324&cc=1927197&cat=234437>, accessed 13 May 2021.

12: Georgia's 1867-1868 Voter Registration Oath Books. Volume 224 (Carroll County Book B), page 205, entry 65, Peter E. Dunkin. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, Returns of Qualified Voters and Reconstruction Oath Books, 1867-1869"). Although I copied the image from Ancestry.com, the corresponding microfilm at the Georgia Archives is microfilm 296/72.

13: Photo of a page from a family Bible alleged to have belonged to John Young, added by Ancestry.com user bekahleigh on 8 February 2009 to a family tree titled "The Young Duncan Family Tree." As of this writing (in 2021), I can no longer find the family tree in question on Ancestry.com, nor the image. You can see an un-altered copy of the image here.