Richard Duncan

Who was Richard Duncan?

Richard Duncan was a soldier, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.

He was born in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England. He came to New York state in 1755 with his father, who was a lieutenant in the British Army, and joined the army himself in 1758. After the end of the Seven Years' War, he was involved in the fur trade in the Great Lakes area until 1765 when he rejoined the army. He fought with the loyalist troops during the American Revolution. After John Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga, he went to Quebec and joined the loyalist troops there.

In 1788, he became a judge and a member of the land board in the Lunenburg District. In 1792, he became lieutenant for the county of Dundas and a member of the Legislative Council of Upper Canada. Duncan spent much of his time looking after his business interests in New York and was dropped from the council for non-attendance in 1805.

Duncan was mostly residing in New York after 1809 or 1810 and died at his father's estate near Schenectady, New York in 1819.