Cheatham County TN Archives Biographies.....Duke, Philip H. 1874 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tn/tnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com November 13, 2005, 10:00 pm Author: Will T. Hale PHILIP H. DUKE, an able lawyer of Ashland City, Tennessee, is a native of Tennessee and is of that type of citizen which recognizes the responsibility to himself and to his state for the most useful and worthy endeavor. He made careful educatonal preparation, both liberal and technical, for one of the most difficult of professions and in the decade or more of his legal practice he has endeavored with no mean degree of success to realize his own high ideals of a useful life, being now recognized as one of the foremost members of the Cheatham county bar. Born August 12, 1874, in Cheatham county, Tennessee, he is a son of John M. Duke and Henrietta (Gupton) Duke, the former of whom was born in Robertson county, this state, in. 1835, while the latter was born in Cheatham county in 1850 and passed away there in 1886. While young John M. Duke accompanied his parents from Robertson county to Cheatham county, but in 1856 went to Texas, in which state he remained until 1865. He served four years in defense of the Southern cause during the Civil war, first as second lieutenant of a company of Texas rangers in the command of Col. W. P. Lane, and then later as second lieutenant of S. J. Richardson's company, also of the Texas troops. At the close of the war he returned to Cheatham county, Tennessee and entered the mercantile business at the village of Henrietta, where he continued in that line until 1882, when he removed to Ashland City and engaged in the hardware and undertaking business. He has now been identified with that business thirty years, has been successful and is one of the best known and respected business men of Cheatham county. In political views he is a Democrat and in religious faith and church membership both he and his wife were identified with the Methodist Episcopal denomination. The latter was a daughter of Robert Gupton, a native of Cheatham county and a son of Abner Gupton, who came to Cheatham county in 1808 from North Carolina. Abner Gupton, who was the owner of a body of 7,000 acres of land in this section and held over 300 slaves, was one of the wealthiest men of this county. His estate was in litigation in the courts of this state from 1858 to 1877. The Gupton family was originally of Irish lineage. Five children were born to John M. and Henrietta (Gupton) Duke and of this family but two are now living: Philip H., of this review, and John T., now associated in business with his father. Philip H. Duke received his earlier education in the public schools of Cheatham county and later continued his literary studies in the Peabody Normal College and the University of Nashville, from which latter institution he was graduated as a Bachelor of Arts. He then entered Cumberland University to prepare for his chosen profession and was graduated from its law department in 1900. Beginning the practice of law at Ashland City, he was associated with R. S. Turner until the latter's death in 1909, since when he has conducted his professional labors alone. Admitted to practice before all the courts, he has enjoyed a very successful and remunerative business and is now attorney for the Tennessee Central Railway Company. Politically he is a Democrat and at one time was a candidate for the office of district attorney general. He has been superintendent of public instruction in Cheatham county since 1899, and in a. business way is a director of the Cheatham County Bank. Fraternally he is affiliated with: the blue lodge and chapter of the Masonic order, with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. In church membership he is identified with the Methodist Episcopal denomination, while Mrs. Duke is a member of the Missionary Baptist church. The latter was Miss Victoria Chambers, of Huntington, West Virginia, prior to her marriage to Mr. Duke in 1909. They have two children, Allan J. and Edna R. Additional Comments: From: A history of Tennessee and Tennesseans : the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities by Will T. Hale Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1913 File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/tn/cheatham/bios/duke310nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/tnfiles/ File size: 4.6 Kb