History of Detroit, a chronicle of its progress, its industries, its institutions, and the people of the fair City of the straits, / by Paul Leake ... [Vol. 3]

HISTORY OF DETROIT

963

were born. Harriet, the elder, became Mrs. Samuel Coomlbs, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and the mother of a son named Duncan Shafer;
lie was born on the 15th of November, 1907, and is Mrs. Duncan's only
great-grandson. IIis father, Samuel Coonbs, is now deceased. The
second daughter of Leslie Duncan, named Jessie, married Homan Hallet, of Los Angeles. He holds large mining interests in Old Mexico,
but the present revolution in that land has resulted in the family residing temporarily in Detroit. Mr. Leslie Duncan's own death occurred
in 1888, nineteen years before the birth of his only male descendant.
The Duncan family is nobly represented by Mrs. Duncan, who lives
to enjoy an old age that is beautiful and rich in the truest sense of the
word. Not only is her nobility of character and mind of an enviable
degree, but she also enjoys a material prosperity of gratifying quality.
For forty-five years or more she occupied the fine residence property
which hler husband had bought and which is located at the corner of
Woodward avenue and Winder street. This homestead, where Henry
Duncan died on the 17th of March, 1865, his widow finally sold, purchasing her present and spacious modern residence, at 39 Woodward
Terrace. There she still resides, interested in the life about her and in
the activities of her descendants, but ever keepng alive the memory of
her husband, whose service to his community and country, like his deep
integrity of character, are commemorated in this brief tribute.
JOHN HENRY NEARY, M. D. One of the young men whose career in
the medical profession has brought him early distinction and success
is Dr. John Henry Neary, whose office and residence are at 654 Grandy
avenue. He has spent most of his life in Detroit, having graduated
from the local colleges and professional schools, and after a thorough
preparatory experience entered upon the practice of his profession.
Dr. Neary, who was born at Adrian, Michigan, January 14, 1876,
is a member of a family which have been identified with this state for
three quarters of a century. His grandfather, Patrick Neary, a native
of Ireland, came to America about 1835, and was married at Monroe,
Michigan, to Bridget Rider, who was also a native of the Emerald Isle.
Patrick Neary was a very active and enterprising man. He had a contract for building one mile of the old Erie canal out of Toledo. With
the discovery of gold on the Pacific coast he became a California fortyniner, and remained in the west until 1862.
Dr. Neary's parents were William E. and Mary E. (Fallen) Neary.
The father was born in Adrian, in 1844, and the mother was born in
Ireland, in 1846, a daughter of Michael Fallen, and her death occurred in
1908. The family moved from Adrian to Detroit in 1887, and here the
son obtained his education in the public schools, from which he entered
the Jesuit College, now the Detroit University. He also attended a
business school for a time, but on finally determining upon a career of
medicine he entered the Michigan College of Medicine and Surgery at
Detroit in 1896 and was graduated with the degree of M. D. For some
time he was connected with the U. S. Marine Hospital in this city, and
then began the general practice, with two offices, one at the corner of
Park and High streets, which he discontinued in 1901, and the other at
his present location at 654 Grandy avenue.
Dr. Neary made a very creditable record as Detroit city physician
during the years of 1903-04-05. He is a member of the Wayne County
and the Michigan State Medical Societies and the American Medical
Association, and among his associates is known as a man of advanced
ideas and progressive both in theory and practice. With a few other
physicians in 1912, he began the erection of what is known as the Samari