Fayette County PA Archives Biographies.....Dunn, Justus June 8, 1817 - ????
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Marta Burns marta43@juno.com September 20, 2024, 6:46 pm

Source: Gresham and Wiley, 1889: Biographical & Portrait Cyclopedia, Fayette Co, PA, page 500
Author: John H. Gresham & Samuel T. Wiley

    Justus Dunn, an ex-county treasurer of Fayette county and a prominent
businessman of Georges township, was born in Erie city, Erie county,
Penna, June 8, 1817, and is a son of Simeon Dunn and Martha Lewis Dunn.
    His grandfather, Justus Dunn, emigrated in 1797 from New Brunswick, New
Jersey, to Crawford county, Penna.  His grandmother was a sister of Sir
Francis Drake, the great navigator.  He was a slave holder and raised a
family of six sons and two daughters.
    One of the daughters, Rachel Dunn, lived to be one hundred years of age.
    His father, Simeon Dunn, was a native of New Jersey and died in Erie,
Penna.  He was a dispatch carrier in the War of 1812, and was the first to
carry the news of Perry's victory to Buffalo.  He married Miss Martha
Lewis.  They had seven children.
    Justus Dunn was educated in the subscription schools of Erie.  His first
employment was in a brickyard.  He next went to Iowa and Illinois and
worked as a common laborer.  In 1844 he came to Georges township where he
cut cordwood at twenty five cents per cord, and in a few years by hard
labor acquired enough to purchase his present farm of 175 acres.  In 1864
he began dealing in stock and has continued in that business until the
present time.
    He was married to Miss Mary Ann Zearley, who was born February 12, 1825,
and is a daughter of Samuel Zearley and Sarah Griffith Zearley.  Mr and
Mrs Dunn have eleven children: Elizabeth C Dunn, born June 18, 1854, wife
of Solomon Johnson, stock dealer; Martha L Dunn, born February 23, 1857,
married Moses Hustead of near Uniontown; Sarah J Dunn, September 4, 1858,
wife of D R Anderson, merchant, Dunbar; Annie E Dunn, November 3, 1860;
Emma L Dunn, August 15, 1862, wife of John Davis; Mary E Dunn, June 27,
1864, married Jefferson Smiley; Alice E Dunn, born November 27, 1866,
wife of Frank Sangston; Charles J Dunn, March 14, 1869, married Amy Kyle
and lives at Smithfield; Helen K Dunn, January 4, 1872; George J Dunn,
November 29, 1874; and John R Dunn, born November 18, 1877.
    At one time Mr Dunn was the largest shipper of cattle in western
Pennsylvania and engaged extensively in the huckstering business.  He is a
democrat and in 1875 was appointed treasurer of Fayette county to serve
out two and one half years of the unexpired term of Mr McDonald, deceased.  
    The Dunn family has been noted for its longevity.  Oliver Dunn, an uncle
at ninety four years of age, traveled six hundred miles to get married,
and died aged ninety eight years.  For hospitality and generosity, Mr Dunn
has been noted; is just in all his dealings and no man has a fairer
character among his neighbors for honesty and integrity that Justus Dunn.

Additional Comments:
Originally submitted 2000.

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