William Hall Dukes was born 21 Sep 1832 in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, the oldest son of Robert S. and Eliza (Hall) Dukes.

Robert S. Dukes was born in Abingdon, Washington County, Virginia. His father died when he was young, and his mother remarried to Neal Nelson, a shoemaker. Robert S. "Sher'od" Dukes learned the trade, as did his brother, James. When he was grown, Sher'od Dukes migrated to Greene County, Tennessee with some brothers and sisters. He married Eliza Hall in Greene County Tennessee 9 Sep 1830, By 1832, the family had settled in Memphis, Tennessee where at least three of their four Tennessee-born children were born, and later settled in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, where five more children were born.

Robert S. Dukes and his son, William Hall Dukes, went to California in 1850, hearing stories of the gold being found there. However, Eliza Hall Dukes became ill, causing their return to Independence, Missouri. Eliza died between 1849 and the 1850 U.S. Census. In September, 1850, the two once again went to California, traveling over the Fort Hall route to California. Sher'od Dukes became ill at Bidwell Bar and returned home to Missouri, beginning a period of separation and estrangement from his son which would last nearly thirty years.

William Hall Dukes mined for a time at Bidwell Bar in Butte County, lost his earnings and then went to Placer County and then with his savings came to Contra Costa county, where he purchased land at Pleasant Hill, District of Martinez. There, he built his home. He later worked at carpentry and cabinet making at Pacheco.

He married 15 Aug 1865 at Pacheco, California, Lucy S. Kinzer, the widow of David Boss, who had died in 1864. Lucy was born 19 Dec 1843 in either Randolph or Jackson County, Missouri, the daughter of George and Ann Mary (Yates) Kinzer.

Their children, all born at Pleasant Hill, were:

Sherard Leonidas Dukes born 11 Jun 1866, died 8 Feb 1849 at Pleasant Hill. He married Ida Alene Symonds 27 Feb 1894 at Martinez, California. Ida was born 26 Jan 1872 at Petaluma, Sonoma County, California, and was the daughter of Charles Wesley and Elizabeth (Pracy) Symonds. Ida Symonds Dukes died 3 Jan 1955 at Martinez. They had four children. Some descendant surnames: Mellerup, Wood, Kutz.

Lenora Hall Dukes, born 20 May 1868, died 20 Mar 1898. She married William Beverly Holliday 20 Aug 1890 at Lafayette, California. He was born 24 Apr 1860 in Contra Costa County, and died 24 Apr 1948 in Contra Costa County, California. They had four children. Descendant surnames Pracy, Weaver, Honegger.

Jesse Elizabeth Dukes, born 6 Dec 1871, died 17 Jun 1947. She married George Thomas Griffin. He was born about 1863 and died in 1958. They had four children. One daughter married a Phillips. The other three children were sons.

Isadella G. "Della" Dukes, born 22 Feb 1870, died 18 Dec 1951. She married Clarence Lee Court. They had three sons and one daughter.

May Louisa Dukes, born 9 Nov 1873, died 29 Dec 1951. She married Charles L. Hall. They had a son and an adopted daughter who married a Belon.

A descendant, Myra Holliday Honneger, remembers: "Grandpa's ranch was almost a self-sufficient compound. I well remember the buildings - a large house and enclosed garden - the two mulberry trees and the locust and back of the house two immense old fig trees. Just out from the back door was a small building built into the bank where milk and vegetables and butter and long shelves of canned fruit were stored. It was always cool in there no matter what the weather. Then the closed in tankhouse and windmill. That was the 'wash house.' There was the big boiler that sat on the rocks, with a fire underneath to boil the ranch clothes. Then along the creek were buildings of all sorts. Room to house the buggies and harness - a quite complete blacksmith shop where I was allowed to pump the bellows when they were sharpening plow shears or repairing broken farm tools. Next was the corn bin where I could enter after taking off my shoes and stockings. It was for cattle feed and must be kept clean. It was a wonderful feeling to walk barefooted on that great bin of shelled corn. Beyond that were the pigpens, the big barn and corral and last on the circle the chicken yard and roosts and the toilet. A few more steps and we were back in the house. There was another building that we were never allowed to enter. Two rooms, I believe, where hired help stayed.

"(Theirs) was the only farm house that I remember that had no parlor - it was lived in. It was a large room with a fireplace and ran the width of the house. Off of that room were 3 or 4 bedrooms. On the other side was a very large kitchen. In one end was a wooden sink and running cold water - the wood-burning range with its large woodbox. I cannot recall cupboards or pantry, but they had to have them. Then in the center of the room was the large dining table that could seat at least 12 nicely. It was always set - all the condiments (oil, vinegar, jam, hot peppers, sauce, salt, pepper, etc.) that seemed so necessary. After each meal the dishes were washed, dried, and the table set for the next meal - then 2 people would lift a great mosquito netting and settle it down over it all. In the far end of the room was the sewing machine and a cot on which grandpa could take his midday nap."

In August 1882, Lenora Hall Dukes wrote from California to her uncle, Andrew Jackson Dukes in Mansfield, Tarrant County, Texas, where William Hall Dukes' father was then living. She had somehow learned of their whereabouts and this broke the silence of thirty years between William Hall Dukes and the rest of his family. By the end of October, Robert S. Dukes had boarded a train to California to visit with his son and family. He subsequently returned to Texas to collect his belongings, intending to move to California to spend the rest of his days.

In July 1884, Robert S. Dukes again boarded a train to California, but as the train was northbound from Los Angeles on July 12, Dukes, overcome by heat, stepped off the moving train, dying a short time later. His California family erected a fine stone at his grave in Alhambra Cemetery at Martinez, California.

Lucy Stoeman Kinzer Dukes died 23 Oct 1916 at Pleasant Hill, Contra Costa County, California. William Hall Dukes died 28 Jan 1917. His obituary says in part, "Another of the pioneers of the Golden West...one of the hardy men who did his bit in laying the foundation of this great western commonwealth passed on to his reward...when (he) breathed his last at the family home..."

Most of the descendants of William Hall Dukes and Lucy Stoeman Kinzer remained in the Contra Costa County area of California to marry and raise families.