NameEdith Duncan
Birth20 May 1898, Baltimore, MD
Death10 Nov 1984, Moriistown, NJ
FatherLouis Duncan Ph. D. (1861-1916)
MotherEdith Smith McKee (1868-1946)
Misc. Notes
Was a genealogist that corresponded with Molly Taylor. At the time (1960’s) they lived in Apt. B5, 1250 Farmington Ave., W. Hartford, CT.

Title Ancestors of our children, Wells Laflin Field III & Tabitha Field Ballard, compiled by Wells Laflin Field, Jr. & Edith Duncan Field Publisher [West Hartford, Conn.] 1966-78. This set is located in the Connecticut State Library.(http://www.cslib.org/isd.htm).

The book is also listed in the following, although no price is given: http://www.quintinpublications.com/familygenealogies_fie.html

Edith was born in Baltimore, but soon moved with her family to Pelham Manor, Plainfield, New Jersey, and Brookline, Massachusetts, before finally, settling down at 998 Prospect Avenue in Pelham Manor in 1904, which house was called "home" for many years afterward. Being the youngest of the children she was quite spoiled by the rest of the family. At a tender age when she was beginning to talk, she called sugar "hoogie," so quite naturally her father nicknamed her "Hoogiie as she was so sweet, and that is the name to which she has answered about 99% of the time throughout her life.

She was brought up in Pelham Manor where she went to private schools, when a little older she attended the Lowe-Haywood School in Stamford, Connecticut, and then the Oldfield's School in Glencoe, Maryland. Having a flair for art, she then studied in the "Art Students League" in New York City, and spent a year studying etching under Mons. Edouard Leon in Paris, France, in 1925-26. She worked with Ned King in his Studio in Greenwich Village, he was famous for his cartoons add etchings of horses. Hoogie often drew the human figures in his prints, as she was far better in drawing the human anatomy than he was. In 1926 she also had her own “Hoogie Studio” in the basement of “998” where she created many fine etchings, including Christmas cards, which she sold to her clientele. In the summer of 1928 she took a walking trip through the Bavarian Alps and into Austria.

After her marriage, she retired from the studio business but she retained her talents. Until her husband retired in 1953 she followed him wherever permissible and possible, from South Carolina to Maine in the East, and from San Diego to Napa in California. There were pleasant tours of duty ashore at Yale University, the University of Michigan,, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the Pentagon and two at the Naval Academy. She always maintained her interest In art, and whenever possible took courses in different techniques, such as landscape painting in oil, leather work, ceramics and enameling on copper.

After her husband’s retirement in 1953 they settled in Old Bennington, Vermont, having bought "The Mooringss,” the house in which he was born. It was a large house with many spacious rooms, wonderfully suited for parties and receptions. Shortly after moving in the Adult Education Department of the High School persuaded them to teach ceramics at their home, which was ideally suited for such a studio. Classes were held in the evening, 12 students once a week, but as time past this was increased to four evenings a week and some fifty students. In addition she taught enameling on copper one afternoon a week to a smaller class. They also participated in many Fairs and Exhibitions throughout Vermont. It was difficult work, packing and unpacking, and setting up displays. In most cases it involved demonstrating either in ceramics of copper enameling. In the meantime the "Catamount Studio,” grew. Equipment grew from one kiln to nine, and molds from 20 to over 500, and orders for supplies jumped from a few pieces to a gross for glazes, findings and the like, slip from a 5 gallon container to 25 of them, and clay from 25 pounds to a ton at a time. When the "Moorings" was sold in 1963, the entire contents of the studio was purchased and a large tractor trailer was sent to make the move, but even then some pieces had to be carried in their cars and station wagons.

In 1963 they removed to West Hartford, Connecticut, where they lived in an apartment for ten years. Here they commenced studying and working at genealogy and family histories. Wanting to be near their son for awhile, they purchased a small house in a new development in Carrollton, Texas, just seven miles from him. Here they lived for four years, overcoming the trials and tribulations prevalent in new construction, getting a lawn started despite Texas "gullywashers", and getting used to Texas climates. They were enjoyable years seeing Wells III and Charlotte, and thoroughly enjoying our home "The Whaleboat.” In 1977 their Texas home was sold and they moved to an apartment in Chatham Township, New Jersey, only 1-1/2 miles from their daughter Tabitha Ballard.
Spouses
Birth14 Oct 1902, Old Bennington, VT
Death16 Dec 1991, Chatham, Morris Co., NJ
MotherRuth Dunning Clark (1868-1959)
Marriage23 Nov 1928, Pelham Manor, NY
ChildrenWells Laflin (1930-)
 Tabitha (1932-)
Last Modified 24 Jun 2017Created 7 May 2020 using Reunion for Macintosh