The deceased had suffered from that debilitating lung disease for 4 years before his death. John Duncan was born 4 May 1827. He married Mary Janet Davidson at Beechworth, Victoria in 1855. She was born March 1837 in London and arrived in Geelong, Victoria, on 20 November 1852. Together, they produced a family of 13 children. The 5 girls and 8 boys were: Annie born 1856; John born 1858; Margaret born 1859; Mary born 1861; William born 1862; Archibald born 1864; Hugh born 1865; David born 1867; Alexander born 1869; Robert George born 1871; Andrew born 1872; Janet born 1875; Jessie born 1877.
The children's father died 28 December 1905 at Ballarat, their mother on 19 June 1914 in Perth. She is buried in Karrakatta Cemetery. Alexander is buried in Plot 35 of the Presbyterian portion of the Kookynie Cemetery.