Pennsylvania Volunteers
in the Spanish-American War

1898-1899

PA Spanish-American War

Biography of a PA soldier, Duncan Sinclair

Duncan (2), son of Duncan (1) and Elizabeth (Ross) Sinclair, was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, 1874. He was educated in the public schools of Philadelphia, where he grew to manhood. He learned the trade of plumber in Philadelphia and worked there until 1901, when he came to Fayette county, Pennsylvania, settling at Brownsville, where he established and conducts a very large successful plumbing business. He is a Republican in politics and for several years has served on the school board of Brownsville township, now being president of the board.

He enlisted in Company E, First Regiment United States Volunteers, as engineer in June, 1898, discharged January 25, 1899; served in Porto Rico, Spanish-American war, having a good record. The St. Clair School of Brownsville, was named after Mr. Sinclair. In religious faith he is a Methodist Episcopal.

He married, September 24, 1902, Louisa Virginia, born in Brownsville, Pennsylvania, July 14, 1866, daughter of Jacob and Mary (Kern) Sawyer. Jacob Sawyer came from Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, to Fayette county where he resided over fifty years, dying in 1910, aged ninety years. Mary Kern, his wife, was born at Fort Kern farm near Morgantown, West Virginia. Her great-grandfather, Michael Kern, came from Holland, bringing it is said a keg of gold with which he purchased a large tract of land and erected flouring mills, be being a miller by trade. She died in 1909, aged seventy-nine years. Children of Duncan (2) Sinclair : Duncan (3), born June 30, 1903; Robert Louis, November 22, 1904; George Michael Kern, December 16, 1908.