Garnett Duncan

Biography

Garnett Duncan spent much of his career in public service, first representing Kentucky in the U.S. House of Representatives in the years before the Civil War and then lending his legal talents to the state’s courts. He approached each issue with a farmer’s practicality, keeping close touch with the agrarian communities of his home region.

Throughout his life he was a steady presence in civic affairs, encouraging improvements to transportation and education while making time to mentor younger lawyers. His grave at Cave Hill Cemetery honors a jurist and legislator who sought harmony at a time when the nation’s unity was being tested.