Cleo Duke was born to Irish-born Lewis Duke, Jr. and Francis K (Coghill) Duke; Fannie's grandparents were pioneer settlers of Illinois. Cleo* was the youngest of nine children. His older siblings were: Clyde O. (b. May 18, 1862, Mary Kezia "Mollie" (b. June 4, 1864), George L. (b. March 15, 1867), Grace C. (b. January 17, 1869), Benjamin K. (b. October 23, 1870), Anna (b. July 8, 1872), Victor L. (b. Febuary 11,1874), and Blanche M. (b. September 24, 1876).
Cleo's parents retired from farming and moved to Monmouth, Warren County, Illinois, where he finished high school. Cleo married Bertha Chandler on 19 October 1907 in Jackson County Missouri and they moved to San Bernardino county. His parents joined them, but their earthly journey together was short; Bertha died in December of 1912; his father died the following year. Cleo lived with his mother until she died in 1924, and he followed in 1928 leaving no children.
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*There is some confusion regarding his middle name. He registered for, the WWI draft as "Cleo Cameron Duke" and signed his name thusly; however, when he married Bertha Chandler, his marriage certificate had "Cleo Claudius Duke", so perhaps he changed it.
The following is a cute little newspaper article regarding his marriage to Bertha:
October 20, 1907 - Kansas City Star newspaper, Jackson Co, MO
THEY WERE SO VERY BASHFUL.
Professor and Student Didn't Want
to Be Seen Getting Married.
Cleo Claudius Duke, a young professor, & Bertha Chandler, a student in Monmouth college, Monmouth, Ill, came to Kansas City yesterday and were married in the courthouse by Judge George J. Dodd. The young couple, for the groom is but 26, and the bride 20, tried to keep the conclusion of their romance a secret and insisted that everyone, including the marriage license clerk, leave the recorder's office during the ceremony.
"These bashful people," mused Fred Chambers, chief deputy recorder, while he waited outside the door, "remind me of a bride who made us all move out one day last month to allow her to change her dress. She had purchased a new gown to be married in and brought it with her in a suit case. Even the groom had to get out of the office while she put it on. And when she stood up to have the judge pronounce the ceremony the basting threads, which she had forgotten to pick out of the skirt, showed quite plainly."
Cleo's parents retired from farming and moved to Monmouth, Warren County, Illinois, where he finished high school. Cleo married Bertha Chandler on 19 October 1907 in Jackson County Missouri and they moved to San Bernardino county. His parents joined them, but their earthly journey together was short; Bertha died in December of 1912; his father died the following year. Cleo lived with his mother until she died in 1924, and he followed in 1928 leaving no children.
------------------------------------------
*There is some confusion regarding his middle name. He registered for, the WWI draft as "Cleo Cameron Duke" and signed his name thusly; however, when he married Bertha Chandler, his marriage certificate had "Cleo Claudius Duke", so perhaps he changed it.
The following is a cute little newspaper article regarding his marriage to Bertha:
October 20, 1907 - Kansas City Star newspaper, Jackson Co, MO
THEY WERE SO VERY BASHFUL.
Professor and Student Didn't Want
to Be Seen Getting Married.
Cleo Claudius Duke, a young professor, & Bertha Chandler, a student in Monmouth college, Monmouth, Ill, came to Kansas City yesterday and were married in the courthouse by Judge George J. Dodd. The young couple, for the groom is but 26, and the bride 20, tried to keep the conclusion of their romance a secret and insisted that everyone, including the marriage license clerk, leave the recorder's office during the ceremony.
"These bashful people," mused Fred Chambers, chief deputy recorder, while he waited outside the door, "remind me of a bride who made us all move out one day last month to allow her to change her dress. She had purchased a new gown to be married in and brought it with her in a suit case. Even the groom had to get out of the office while she put it on. And when she stood up to have the judge pronounce the ceremony the basting threads, which she had forgotten to pick out of the skirt, showed quite plainly."
Cleo Duke was born to Irish-born Lewis Duke, Jr. and Francis K (Coghill) Duke; Fannie's grandparents were pioneer settlers of Illinois. Cleo* was the youngest of nine children. His older siblings were: Clyde O. (b. May 18, 1862, Mary Kezia "Mollie" (b. June 4, 1864), George L. (b. March 15, 1867), Grace C. (b. January 17, 1869), Benjamin K. (b. October 23, 1870), Anna (b. July 8, 1872), Victor L. (b. Febuary 11,1874), and Blanche M. (b. September 24, 1876).
Cleo's parents retired from farming and moved to Monmouth, Warren County, Illinois, where he finished high school. Cleo married Bertha Chandler on 19 October 1907 in Jackson County Missouri and they moved to San Bernardino county. His parents joined them, but their earthly journey together was short; Bertha died in December of 1912; his father died the following year. Cleo lived with his mother until she died in 1924, and he followed in 1928 leaving no children.
------------------------------------------
*There is some confusion regarding his middle name. He registered for, the WWI draft as "Cleo Cameron Duke" and signed his name thusly; however, when he married Bertha Chandler, his marriage certificate had "Cleo Claudius Duke", so perhaps he changed it.
The following is a cute little newspaper article regarding his marriage to Bertha:
October 20, 1907 - Kansas City Star newspaper, Jackson Co, MO
THEY WERE SO VERY BASHFUL.
Professor and Student Didn't Want
to Be Seen Getting Married.
Cleo Claudius Duke, a young professor, & Bertha Chandler, a student in Monmouth college, Monmouth, Ill, came to Kansas City yesterday and were married in the courthouse by Judge George J. Dodd. The young couple, for the groom is but 26, and the bride 20, tried to keep the conclusion of their romance a secret and insisted that everyone, including the marriage license clerk, leave the recorder's office during the ceremony.
"These bashful people," mused Fred Chambers, chief deputy recorder, while he waited outside the door, "remind me of a bride who made us all move out one day last month to allow her to change her dress. She had purchased a new gown to be married in and brought it with her in a suit case. Even the groom had to get out of the office while she put it on. And when she stood up to have the judge pronounce the ceremony the basting threads, which she had forgotten to pick out of the skirt, showed quite plainly."
Cleo's parents retired from farming and moved to Monmouth, Warren County, Illinois, where he finished high school. Cleo married Bertha Chandler on 19 October 1907 in Jackson County Missouri and they moved to San Bernardino county. His parents joined them, but their earthly journey together was short; Bertha died in December of 1912; his father died the following year. Cleo lived with his mother until she died in 1924, and he followed in 1928 leaving no children.
------------------------------------------
*There is some confusion regarding his middle name. He registered for, the WWI draft as "Cleo Cameron Duke" and signed his name thusly; however, when he married Bertha Chandler, his marriage certificate had "Cleo Claudius Duke", so perhaps he changed it.
The following is a cute little newspaper article regarding his marriage to Bertha:
October 20, 1907 - Kansas City Star newspaper, Jackson Co, MO
THEY WERE SO VERY BASHFUL.
Professor and Student Didn't Want
to Be Seen Getting Married.
Cleo Claudius Duke, a young professor, & Bertha Chandler, a student in Monmouth college, Monmouth, Ill, came to Kansas City yesterday and were married in the courthouse by Judge George J. Dodd. The young couple, for the groom is but 26, and the bride 20, tried to keep the conclusion of their romance a secret and insisted that everyone, including the marriage license clerk, leave the recorder's office during the ceremony.
"These bashful people," mused Fred Chambers, chief deputy recorder, while he waited outside the door, "remind me of a bride who made us all move out one day last month to allow her to change her dress. She had purchased a new gown to be married in and brought it with her in a suit case. Even the groom had to get out of the office while she put it on. And when she stood up to have the judge pronounce the ceremony the basting threads, which she had forgotten to pick out of the skirt, showed quite plainly."
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