Frank Myers Was the Recipient of a Purple Heart
For Being Wounded During Combat in World War II
Background
Franklin Leonard Myers is the great grandson of Michael and Bridget Grace Dunn. According to a “Cousin Calculator” I found online, that makes him my generation’s 2nd Cousin 1 x removed. “1 x removed” refers to the fact that an extra generation separates my generation from our GG grandfather Michael Dunn as compared to Frank.
Frank is cousin Carla Myers Busby’s father, and in writing about him Carla told me, “…he lives in Wichita, Kansas. He is a retired plumber, having operated his own business for several years.”
As noted previously in this blog, I was able to connect with this branch of our family after posting an inquiry on a genealogy message board - which led to my becoming acquainted with a very helpful gal by the name of Kate. I was looking for information about Michael and Bridget Grace Dunn, and Kate knew of someone else who was also looking for them. That person was Carla, and Kate linked us up.
It turned out that Carla is my generation's long-lost second cousin, also 1 x removed, and she has been working on her family history for many years. She provided most of the information on this page.
Peter L Dunn and Leo Peter Dunn
Peter L Dunn was the eldest son of Michael and Bridget Dunn and was Carla’s great grandfather. Early in my dialogue with her I related to Carla the story of my search for my generation’s grandfather, Eugene Michael Dunn. I also told her that he seemed to have disappeared after abandoning his wife, Hazel Nolan Dunn, and two small children, William Edward (Bill) and Rita Jane Dunn, sometime after Rita was born in 1928. In response, I received the following from her:
"Hey Pat!
We must be related!
My grandfather, Leo Peter Dunn, also abandoned his wife and 2 small sons in 1924. My father had no use for the man, and Dad always said, 'I wouldn't recognize him if I saw him and I sure wouldn't walk across the street to shake his hand.'
My grandmother, Ruth Irene Dunn, remarried and my father took his stepfather's last name. I never met the Dunn side of the family, I heard bits and pieces growing up and I should mention that what information I did hear was not flattering.
During a visit with a Great-Aunt, she showed me a picture of my grandfather, a wedding certificate and an excerpt from my grandmother's diary. That started my search, from just those few items.
I was told my grandfather died in a car wreck in Colorado during WWII. I spent at least 10 years looking for that man! Surfing the Web one evening, I came across his name in the California Death Index. Thru an 'Act of Genealogical Kindness' I received a copy of his Death Certificate. He died of TB in Los Angeles, in 1942.
He claimed no family, and no family claimed him. Instead of a simple burial, his body was used for medical research.
Over the past 5 years, information about him has trickled in. I've discovered he was a 'Con Man.' He married one woman, told her he had never been married, never had children and his parents were dead. Then he stole her car, sold it and disappeared. The general family consensus is - being used for medical research, he may possibly have contributed something positive - finally...."
♦♦♦
The story above about Leo Dunn is included on this page because it explains something that would otherwise be confusing in understanding Frank Myers’ story. Although Carla’s father Frank was born a Dunn, his name became Myers - and her maiden name was Myers, although she’s also a Dunn via her biological ancestry.
The relevance of all this will become apparent when you read the essay below about Frank Myers and his experiences during World War II, which Carla sent in response to my request for info about family members who have served in the military.
She proudly sent photos and the essay, and in sending them she said, “My father, Franklin L. (Dunn) Myers, served during WWII. He was in the Army, serving under General George Patton. Franklin L. (Dunn) Myers is the grandson of Peter L. Dunn, [and is] the great grandson of Michael and Bridget Grace Dunn.”
She also said, “A few years ago my son, Brian, did a special report on his Grandfather's military service. I am including it with a few pictures of my father during that time. In earlier conversations with you, you expressed a great interest in family lore. Please indulge a proud daughter and mother with her collection of memories!”
I asked Carla for permission to share the story about her father’s name change from Dunn to Myers, and she said, “Yes, you have my permission to [tell] the Dunn/Myers family information. It has been confusing to say the least, hopefully this will help explain our situation.”
She added, “I recently spoke with my father, Frank, and explained that I have been in contact with the Dunn Family. He is very interested and somewhat amazed by it all. He recently turned 86 and is in very frail health. I have been keeping him abreast of our progress on the research and he made the comment, ‘After 84 years, sounds like they might be pretty nice after all.’ I have to totally agree!”
♦♦♦
About the Essay
Included below is what may be the most profoundly valuable story I’ve encountered so far in the process of assembling our Family History.
It’s the essay written by Frank Myers' grandson, Brian, as a school assignment. It's about a member of our family who was awarded a Purple Heart after being wounded in combat during World War II. He was also one of the soldiers involved in the liberation of prisoners in Nazi Germany, including those in the infamous Buchenwald concentration camp.
Thank you, Carla, for your willingness to share this story; I am incredibly grateful to learn about your dad - and the contributions he made to our freedom from Hitler's tyranny. Without his efforts - and those of the many others who served - who knows how many more millions of people would have been exterminated by the Nazis? It boggles my mind to contemplate what might have occurred if the U.S. had not won that horrible war.
♦♦♦
Serving In Patton's Third Army
My Grandfather’s Memories
By Brian Busby
For the past several weeks, our American History class has been studying World War II. We have read our textbooks [and] watched “Schindler’s List”, but the most interesting has been the personal accounts by several Veterans who visited our class.
I chose to do my writing project on my grandfather’s personal experiences during this time. My grandfather can tell a story about every person he has met, he’s a very talkative guy, but when it comes to WWII, he doesn’t say much about his experiences, more often than not, when asked about them, he will reply “I’ve tried to forget all that.”
After the events of September 11, [2001] there was a slight chance that I could be drafted. I realized that I was near the same age as my grandfather when he was drafted in 1941. Approximately 60 years later, I could face what he had endured. Just knowing what little I did, I wanted to know more, I wanted him to share with me. My parents over the years had pieced together information about Grandpa’s military service. With their notes, stories, online research and a very long phone conversation with my grandfather, I learned more than I could ever imagine.
Franklin Myers was 19 when WWII broke out. A Kansas farm boy, with a young son, he was drafted and started Army Basic Training in 1941. He was stationed at several Army bases: Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where one of his duties was butchering sheep; Camp Blanding, Florida; Camp Robinson, Arkansas; Fort Rooker, Alabama; Fort Belvore, Virginia, where he attended school; Fort Benning, Georgia, where he attended a Specialist School in Mechanics.
At Fort Benning, he was assigned to Patton’s 2nd Armored Division. After undergoing training in Tanks and other armored vehicles, he was sent to Camp Shanks, New York. He shipped out from there on a troop transport, late 1942, headed for North Africa.
His voyage across the Atlantic was not very pleasant. His ship carried 300 to 400 men, all of whom were seasick most of the trip. They were heading to North Africa to join Patton’s 3rd Army Western Task Force. Off the coast of Spain/ Portugal, in the Strait of Gibraltar, the troop transport was torpedoed and destroyed. Out of the 300 to 400 men, only 80 survived. The survivors of the transport were picked up by a destroyer and taken to North Africa where they joined Patton’s troops.
Patton swept North Africa while the British Commander Montgomery swept Egypt and forced the Germans to retreat. Grandpa relates a story about being in his foxhole late at night. The French Moroccan soldiers were known for quietly sneaking into the American’s foxholes. They were American allies, so they posed no threat. They dressed all in black and they were never seen or heard until suddenly their knife was at your throat. The Moroccan soldier would whisper “Joe?” After quickly assuring them that they were GIs, the Moroccan soldier would cut themselves, drawing blood then sheath their knife, then ask for a cigarette. They would cup their hands around the burning end of the cigarette so the glow wouldn’t give away their position.
After serving 45 days in North Africa, Grandpa’s outfit headed for Sicily. He left from either Tunisia or Algiers. The Invasion of Sicily was in June 1943. Patton’s 3rd Army pushed the Germans out of Sicily. The battle lasted over 13 days.
Patton’s troops were then sent to England. For 18 months, they trained for D-Day. Grandpa was a PFC, Private First Class, with the credentials of Mechanic/ Truck Driver and Demolitionist. He spent a lot of time roaming the English countryside at this time, where he actually met General Patton during one of his little escapades.
Grandpa and a fellow soldier had “commandeered” a “Cherry picker” and had parked it underneath a Cherry tree, breaking off branches and eating the ripe cherries. Several military vehicles proceed to their location and suddenly stop. Stepping out of one of the vehicles is General Patton. He walked over to Grandpa, looked at the Cherry Picker, looked at the soldier breaking off branches and said, “Well boys, looks like you found a good use for that Cherry Picker, that’s probably the only thing that damn thing is good for!” Then, to Grandpa’s relief and great surprise, Patton said, “While you’re up there, break me off some of those damn cherries!”
On June 6, 1944, the D-Day Invasion began. Patton’s troops landed at Ingram Beach. Grandpa will not talk about D-Day. He tells of seeing things that he’d rather not talk about. After watching the movie, “Saving Private Ryan,” I think I understand his reasons not to relive his memories.
In the fall of 1944, Grandpa went to France. There he was involved with the Breakthrough at Saint-Lo. Grandpa’s tank was blown up during this time. There is a picture, published in the Stars and Stripes military newspaper, of his burning tank sitting on a hillside at sunset at Saint-Lo. Shortly thereafter, Grandpa was in a jeep that was hit by a mortar round. As he was jumping to safety, he was hit by shrapnel and wounded. [For this] He received the Purple Heart.
After recovering from his wounds, he next was involved in the Battle of the Bulge, driving the Germans out of France. He was in Belgium, Luxembourg and in March 1945, they crossed the Rhine into Germany. At this time, his outfit started coming across Concentration Camps. Patton’s 3rd Army liberated two smaller camps, then in April of 1945, they liberated Buchenwald. [Some photos of Buchenwald can be seen here.]
Grandpa speaks of the prisoners grabbing, hugging, crying and thanking him. He spoke of the horrendous physical condition of the prisoners and of the terrible smell of the camp.
Buchenwald Concentration Camp was built between 1935 and 1937. It was one of the first camps and was a model for all the others. There were “state-of-art torture” and “scientific studies” facilities, as well as the gas chambers and crematoriums. Estimates claim possibly 100,000 prisoners died there. When Patton’s troops liberated Buchenwald, they found pile of ashes, bodies stacked like cord wood, flatbed wagons full of bodies, waiting to be incinerated, and the ovens still burning bodies.
Grandpa was then stationed at Victor Red Camp outside of Berlin. He was there when V.E. Day* was declared in May 1945. He was then sent to Marseilles, France, where he boarded a ship to come home.
Grandpa was discharged in 1946. He served 5 years, most of it in combat. He speaks of serving under General George Patton, one of the most celebrated Generals in American History. Grandpa still respects Patton and was proud to be associated with him.
I’m very proud of my Grandfather. I now realize that at a very young age, in serving his country, he faced and survived quite a lot.
♦♦♦
■ *V.E. Day = Victory in Europe Day, which marked the surrender of Germany and the end of the war in Europe. However, the war continued in the Pacific theatre until August of 1945.
■ For more on General Patton, click this link.
■ For an understanding of the significance of the Purple Heart, see this site: Purple Heart
■ Here's some info about finances in the era when Frank Myers was discharged from the Army. In 1946 a gallon of milk cost 70¢, a loaf of bread cost 10¢, a new car sold for $1,400, a gallon of gas cost 16¢, and a new house sold for $12,638. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was about 177 and the average wage earner in 1946 earned $2,390 per year.
Last updated 5/11/09
Showing posts with label Peter Dunn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Peter Dunn. Show all posts
4/27/09
Peter L Dunn, Son of Michael Dunn...
And Also Grand Uncle of My Generation's Father, William Edward (Bill) Dunn
As noted previously, I posted an inquiry on a genealogy message board which led to my becoming acquainted with a very helpful gal by the name of Kate. I was looking for information about Michael and Bridget Grace Dunn, and Kate knew of someone else who was also looking for them. That person was Carla Myers Busby, and Kate linked us up.
It turned out that Carla is my generation's long-lost second cousin, 1 x removed ("1 x removed" refers to the fact that there's an extra generation between our connections to Michael Dunn). Carla has been working on her family history for many years and she provided most of the information on this page.
Peter L Dunn was the eldest son of Michael and Bridget Dunn, brother of William Edward Dunn, and Carla’s great grandfather. He was also the brother of Stephen G Dunn, who owned a thriving, well-known general store in Chetopa, Kansas, where Peter lived out his final years.
I believe Peter came to the U.S. with his parents when they emigrated in 1858; however, there's no record of him being on board their ship, although there's another infant named Peter whose name is recorded. A speculation about these facts is that perhaps his biological parents died during the months-long voyage on one of what were labeled "coffin ships", and that Michael and Bridget adopted him. However, we have no documentation to support that notion. See below for more details about this possibility.
♦♦♦♦
First, Peter's obituary:
Chetopa Advance
January 8, 1920
"Peter L. Dunn, aged 64 years and for the past years a resident of Chetopa, died Sunday afternoon at his home after an illness extending over several years. Brief funeral services were held at the home Monday afternoon, conducted by the Masonic and Woodmen orders, in both of which he held membership. The remains were taken to Garfield, Wash. for burial. Mr. Dunn was born at Glossup, (sic) England, and came to this country when a child, locating at Alton, Ill. There he grew to manhood and from there he went to the State of Washington, where he lived for 20 years. He came to Chetopa about eight years ago."
♦♦♦♦
At this time we have no record of Peter's occupation, although a couple of photos Carla provided of him and his wife look like he could have been a farmer in Chetopa. Having said that, his obituary's reference to his long illness suggests the possibility that in his final years he may have been too sick to work - and became dependent upon his brother Stephen (more undocumented speculation).
Carla reported the following about this family. She said:
"I descend from Peter L. Dunn
Born: September 7, 1857 Lancashire, England
Died: January 4, 1920 Chetopa, Labette County, Kansas
Buried: Garfield, Washington
Married: December 23, 1886 Sangamon County, Illinois
Ellen Morris [Peter's wife]
Born - January 1855 Ireland?
Died: ?
Buried: Garfield, Washington
Children:
Earl S. Dunn
Born: October 26, 1887
Died: July 15, 1895 Garfield, WA.
Stewart T. Dunn
Born: January 19, 1890
Died: August 28, 1891 Garfield, WA.
Leo Peter Dunn (This is my Grandfather)
Born: October 23, 1893
Died: December 4, 1942 Los Angeles, CA
Grace Dunn
Born: October 23, 1896
Died: October 23, 1896 Garfield, WA"
♦♦♦♦
Leo Peter Dunn was the father of Franklin L Dunn, who later took his stepfather’s name and became Franklin L Myers. Frank Myers is Carla’s father, a genuine World War II war hero, including being awarded a Purple Heart and helping liberate a concentration camp. His story will appear on another page of this blog.
Here's Carla's description of her ancestral family's situation. It's a response to a message I sent her, part of which described my generation's grandfather, Eugene Michael Dunn, having abandoned his wife and two young children some time after 1928 when the youngest was born.
"Hey Pat!
We must be related!
My grandfather, Leo Peter Dunn, also abandoned his wife and 2 small sons in 1924. My father had no use for the man, and Dad always said, "I wouldn’t recognize him if I saw him and I sure wouldn't walk across the street to shake his hand."
My grandmother Ruth Irene Dunn remarried and my father took his stepfather's last name. I never met the Dunn side of the family, I heard bits and pieces growing up and I should mention that what information I did hear was not flattering.
During a visit with a Great-Aunt, she showed me a picture of my grandfather, a wedding certificate and an excerpt from my grandmother's diary. That started my search, from just those few items.
I was told my grandfather died in a car wreck in Colorado during WWII. I spent at least 10 years looking for that man! Surfing the Web one evening, I came across his name in the California Death Index. Thru an "Act of Genealogical Kindness" I received a copy of his Death Certificate. He died of TB in Los Angeles, in 1942. He claimed no family, and no family claimed him. Instead of a simple burial, his body was used for medical research.
Over the past 5 years, information about him has trickled in. I've discovered he was a "Con Man." He married one woman, told her he had never been married, never had children and his parents were dead. Then he stole her car, sold it and disappeared. The general family consensus is - being used for medical research, he may possibly have contributed something positive - finally....
Pat, do you have Ancestry.com? If not, I will be more than happy to search it for you. I did search last night on the LAUER family. Josephine's father, Caspar Lauer came from Germany. I found 3 Census records for them. Lizzie, who was listed as a witness to WED and Josephine's marriage, was probably Elizabeth Lauer, a younger sister. I also looked at several web sites for Bridget Grace, no luck.
I am sending off for my great-grandparents marriage record tomorrow. Peter L. Dunn and Ellen Morris. They were married in Sangamon County, Illinois. Hopefully that will provide info on Michael and Bridget Dunn.
I need to head to bed, my brain is officially fried!
Happy Hunting!
Carla"
♦♦♦
Does This Explain the Missing Peter Dunn in the Ship’s Records?
Kate said:
From: Kate Miller
To: Patrick Dunn
Cc: Carla Busby; Colleen Becker
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008
Subject: Responses from Rootsweb inquiry 6/20
As another tidbit. A very long shot.
Onboard 21 May 1858 [the date of Michael & Bridget Dunn's arrival] is a Peter O'Dwyer, 6 months old, with his parents Wm (30) and Margaret (28). What if --- a huge if --- your Mike & Bridget adopted this child? Is Mgt, Bridget's sibilng? OMG -- I NEVER speculate! lol This goes against everything I believe in. But if that is your Mike/Bridget arriving, a 6-8 mo old child should have been with them.
Kate
My response to Kate:
I understand, for the fact that Peter was reportedly born in Glossop/Lancashire causes me to think he should have been recorded as being with them on the ship. To support your thesis, consider the following description of the conditions involved on the ships delivering immigrants to the new world:
"Nine vessels had left Sligo carrying tenants emigrated by Lord Palmerston from his estates, and additional passages were hooked from Liverpool, about 2,000 persons leaving in all. The first vessel to arrive, the Elira Liddell, at St. John, New Brunswick, in July, 1847, raised a storm of protest; it was alleged that she brought only widows with young children, and aged, destitute, decrepit persons, useless to the colony.
Another vessel, the Lord Ashburton , arrived at Quebec on October 30, dangerously late in the season, carrying 477 passengers, 174 of whom, Lord Palmerston's tenants, were almost naked: 87 of them had to be clothed by charity before they could, with decency, leave the ship. On the Lord Asburton 107 persons had died on the voyage of fever and dysentery; 60 were ill, and so deplorable was the condition of the crew that five passengers had to work the ship up to Grosse Isle."
Source
In another place in this essay it reports that the trip took three months and discusses the lack of food, the limited amount of water and lack of medical care aboard these ships. So, while your thoughts above are speculative, they aren't outside the realm of possibility if the baby's parents died [as a result of] the trip and M & B adopted the baby. I don't suppose there's any way to nail this down, but it's an interesting idea to contemplate, both names being Peter and the grim conditions faced by the travelers.
Another, far less interesting, possibility is that this is not the ship that our M & B traveled on, but is another M & B, for I’ve learned that there were other Irish immigrant couples with these names – five that I found in one search.
Pat
Here’s the info from the ship's records about the infant Peter O’Dwyer that led Kate to her speculation:
Name: Peter O'Dwyer
Arrival Date: 21 May 1858
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1857
Age: 6/12 [6 months old]
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Destination: United States of America
Place of Origin: Ireland
Ethnicity/Race/Nationality: Irish
Ship Name: Dr Witt Clinton
Port of Arrival: New York
Port Arrival State: New York
Port Arrival Country: United States
The above data comes from the same records that contain Michael and Bridget Drace Dunn's immigration information, and matches theirs exactly.
Last updated 5/22/09
As noted previously, I posted an inquiry on a genealogy message board which led to my becoming acquainted with a very helpful gal by the name of Kate. I was looking for information about Michael and Bridget Grace Dunn, and Kate knew of someone else who was also looking for them. That person was Carla Myers Busby, and Kate linked us up.
It turned out that Carla is my generation's long-lost second cousin, 1 x removed ("1 x removed" refers to the fact that there's an extra generation between our connections to Michael Dunn). Carla has been working on her family history for many years and she provided most of the information on this page.
Peter L Dunn was the eldest son of Michael and Bridget Dunn, brother of William Edward Dunn, and Carla’s great grandfather. He was also the brother of Stephen G Dunn, who owned a thriving, well-known general store in Chetopa, Kansas, where Peter lived out his final years.
I believe Peter came to the U.S. with his parents when they emigrated in 1858; however, there's no record of him being on board their ship, although there's another infant named Peter whose name is recorded. A speculation about these facts is that perhaps his biological parents died during the months-long voyage on one of what were labeled "coffin ships", and that Michael and Bridget adopted him. However, we have no documentation to support that notion. See below for more details about this possibility.
♦♦♦♦
First, Peter's obituary:
Chetopa Advance
January 8, 1920
"Peter L. Dunn, aged 64 years and for the past years a resident of Chetopa, died Sunday afternoon at his home after an illness extending over several years. Brief funeral services were held at the home Monday afternoon, conducted by the Masonic and Woodmen orders, in both of which he held membership. The remains were taken to Garfield, Wash. for burial. Mr. Dunn was born at Glossup, (sic) England, and came to this country when a child, locating at Alton, Ill. There he grew to manhood and from there he went to the State of Washington, where he lived for 20 years. He came to Chetopa about eight years ago."
♦♦♦♦
At this time we have no record of Peter's occupation, although a couple of photos Carla provided of him and his wife look like he could have been a farmer in Chetopa. Having said that, his obituary's reference to his long illness suggests the possibility that in his final years he may have been too sick to work - and became dependent upon his brother Stephen (more undocumented speculation).
Carla reported the following about this family. She said:
"I descend from Peter L. Dunn
Born: September 7, 1857 Lancashire, England
Died: January 4, 1920 Chetopa, Labette County, Kansas
Buried: Garfield, Washington
Married: December 23, 1886 Sangamon County, Illinois
Ellen Morris [Peter's wife]
Born - January 1855 Ireland?
Died: ?
Buried: Garfield, Washington
Children:
Earl S. Dunn
Born: October 26, 1887
Died: July 15, 1895 Garfield, WA.
Stewart T. Dunn
Born: January 19, 1890
Died: August 28, 1891 Garfield, WA.
Leo Peter Dunn (This is my Grandfather)
Born: October 23, 1893
Died: December 4, 1942 Los Angeles, CA
Grace Dunn
Born: October 23, 1896
Died: October 23, 1896 Garfield, WA"
♦♦♦♦
Leo Peter Dunn was the father of Franklin L Dunn, who later took his stepfather’s name and became Franklin L Myers. Frank Myers is Carla’s father, a genuine World War II war hero, including being awarded a Purple Heart and helping liberate a concentration camp. His story will appear on another page of this blog.
Here's Carla's description of her ancestral family's situation. It's a response to a message I sent her, part of which described my generation's grandfather, Eugene Michael Dunn, having abandoned his wife and two young children some time after 1928 when the youngest was born.
"Hey Pat!
We must be related!
My grandfather, Leo Peter Dunn, also abandoned his wife and 2 small sons in 1924. My father had no use for the man, and Dad always said, "I wouldn’t recognize him if I saw him and I sure wouldn't walk across the street to shake his hand."
My grandmother Ruth Irene Dunn remarried and my father took his stepfather's last name. I never met the Dunn side of the family, I heard bits and pieces growing up and I should mention that what information I did hear was not flattering.
During a visit with a Great-Aunt, she showed me a picture of my grandfather, a wedding certificate and an excerpt from my grandmother's diary. That started my search, from just those few items.
I was told my grandfather died in a car wreck in Colorado during WWII. I spent at least 10 years looking for that man! Surfing the Web one evening, I came across his name in the California Death Index. Thru an "Act of Genealogical Kindness" I received a copy of his Death Certificate. He died of TB in Los Angeles, in 1942. He claimed no family, and no family claimed him. Instead of a simple burial, his body was used for medical research.
Over the past 5 years, information about him has trickled in. I've discovered he was a "Con Man." He married one woman, told her he had never been married, never had children and his parents were dead. Then he stole her car, sold it and disappeared. The general family consensus is - being used for medical research, he may possibly have contributed something positive - finally....
Pat, do you have Ancestry.com? If not, I will be more than happy to search it for you. I did search last night on the LAUER family. Josephine's father, Caspar Lauer came from Germany. I found 3 Census records for them. Lizzie, who was listed as a witness to WED and Josephine's marriage, was probably Elizabeth Lauer, a younger sister. I also looked at several web sites for Bridget Grace, no luck.
I am sending off for my great-grandparents marriage record tomorrow. Peter L. Dunn and Ellen Morris. They were married in Sangamon County, Illinois. Hopefully that will provide info on Michael and Bridget Dunn.
I need to head to bed, my brain is officially fried!
Happy Hunting!
Carla"
♦♦♦
Does This Explain the Missing Peter Dunn in the Ship’s Records?
Kate said:
From: Kate Miller
To: Patrick Dunn
Cc: Carla Busby; Colleen Becker
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008
Subject: Responses from Rootsweb inquiry 6/20
As another tidbit. A very long shot.
Onboard 21 May 1858 [the date of Michael & Bridget Dunn's arrival] is a Peter O'Dwyer, 6 months old, with his parents Wm (30) and Margaret (28). What if --- a huge if --- your Mike & Bridget adopted this child? Is Mgt, Bridget's sibilng? OMG -- I NEVER speculate! lol This goes against everything I believe in. But if that is your Mike/Bridget arriving, a 6-8 mo old child should have been with them.
Kate
My response to Kate:
I understand, for the fact that Peter was reportedly born in Glossop/Lancashire causes me to think he should have been recorded as being with them on the ship. To support your thesis, consider the following description of the conditions involved on the ships delivering immigrants to the new world:
"Nine vessels had left Sligo carrying tenants emigrated by Lord Palmerston from his estates, and additional passages were hooked from Liverpool, about 2,000 persons leaving in all. The first vessel to arrive, the Elira Liddell, at St. John, New Brunswick, in July, 1847, raised a storm of protest; it was alleged that she brought only widows with young children, and aged, destitute, decrepit persons, useless to the colony.
Another vessel, the Lord Ashburton , arrived at Quebec on October 30, dangerously late in the season, carrying 477 passengers, 174 of whom, Lord Palmerston's tenants, were almost naked: 87 of them had to be clothed by charity before they could, with decency, leave the ship. On the Lord Asburton 107 persons had died on the voyage of fever and dysentery; 60 were ill, and so deplorable was the condition of the crew that five passengers had to work the ship up to Grosse Isle."
Source
In another place in this essay it reports that the trip took three months and discusses the lack of food, the limited amount of water and lack of medical care aboard these ships. So, while your thoughts above are speculative, they aren't outside the realm of possibility if the baby's parents died [as a result of] the trip and M & B adopted the baby. I don't suppose there's any way to nail this down, but it's an interesting idea to contemplate, both names being Peter and the grim conditions faced by the travelers.
Another, far less interesting, possibility is that this is not the ship that our M & B traveled on, but is another M & B, for I’ve learned that there were other Irish immigrant couples with these names – five that I found in one search.
Pat
Here’s the info from the ship's records about the infant Peter O’Dwyer that led Kate to her speculation:
Name: Peter O'Dwyer
Arrival Date: 21 May 1858
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1857
Age: 6/12 [6 months old]
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Destination: United States of America
Place of Origin: Ireland
Ethnicity/Race/Nationality: Irish
Ship Name: Dr Witt Clinton
Port of Arrival: New York
Port Arrival State: New York
Port Arrival Country: United States
The above data comes from the same records that contain Michael and Bridget Drace Dunn's immigration information, and matches theirs exactly.
Last updated 5/22/09
4/20/09
Michael Dunn / Ireland
Michael Dunn, Great Grandfather of William E. Dunn
Various records tell us that Michael Dunn was born in Ireland, and his and Bridget Grace's marriage record tell us they were married in Glossop, Derbyshire, England in 1853. Although we haven't found any record of when they went from Ireland to England, it's very likely that it was during the late 1840s during the time of the potato blight and famine in Ireland.
◄ This list shows a record of a Michael Dunn in County Limerick in what could have been the appropriate time period.
Although we don't know for sure that he's the one, it's interesting to speculate that the man on this list is the member of our family who emigrated to the United States.
▲ (Click on list to enlarge it.)
Various records tell us that Michael Dunn was born in Ireland, and his and Bridget Grace's marriage record tell us they were married in Glossop, Derbyshire, England in 1853. Although we haven't found any record of when they went from Ireland to England, it's very likely that it was during the late 1840s during the time of the potato blight and famine in Ireland.
◄ This list shows a record of a Michael Dunn in County Limerick in what could have been the appropriate time period.
Although we don't know for sure that he's the one, it's interesting to speculate that the man on this list is the member of our family who emigrated to the United States.
▲ (Click on list to enlarge it.)
◄ This map shows the proximity of Ireland to England, where Michael Dunn and Bridget Grace were married. Their ship departed from Liverpool when they emigrated to the United States. (Click on map to enlarge it.)
◄ All Saints church cathedral, Glossop, Derbyshire, England, where Michael Dunn and Bridget Grace were married
◄ Michael Dunn and Bridget Grace's marriage certificate (Click on it to enlarge it.)
Michael Dunn’s age is recorded differently in various documents, but he appears to have been born between 1830 and 1835. He is recorded in his U.S. immigration record and U.S. censuses as being born in Ireland. Before coming to the U.S. he first emigrated to England, probably with his father, Pierce Dunn - and possibly other family members - in the mid-1800s. This was no doubt because of the famine and literal starvation in Ireland resulting from the potato blight there.
He married Bridget Grace (Grace being her surname, not a middle name) who is also recorded in the same documents as being born in Ireland. Their wedding certificate shows the following about their marriage:
Name, Age, Occupation, “Condition”, Father
Michael Dunn, 22, Labourer, Bachelor, Pierce Dunn, Farmer
Bridget Grace, 25, Washerwoman, Spinster, William Grace, Labourer
Date and location:
30 July, 1853, All Saints [Catholic] Church] Glossop, England
County: Derby and Chester
Registration District: Hayfield
Witnesses: Richard Griffiths and Patrick Murphy
Michael and Bridget each signed with a mark, an “x”, and were obviously illiterate.
Trivia: All Saints was built in 1836 by Bernard Edward, twelfth Duke of Norfolk and grandfather of Lord Edward, and was the first Catholic church in the area.
♦♦♦
A Description of Glossop (from an 1835 Directory)
"Glossop, Derbyshire
Glossop is a village and township, in the populous and extensive parish of its name, in the hundred of High Peak; 184 miles from London. 50 N.N.W. from Derby, 25 N.W. from Sheffield, and 13 S.E. from Manchester. This village, which is one of great manufacturing consequence, is situate[d] on a rising bank, springing from one of the deepest valleys in the Peak. The country around is very pleasing, and many of the views may be considered romantic: plantations abound in the home scenery, and the lands in the low grounds are fertile; but the mountainous parts are less productive."
For more info about the village of Glossop and Derbyshire county, visit these sites: Glossop town profile and Slideshow of old Derbyshire photos as well as Glossop photos.
Regarding Bridget's occupation of washerwoman, consider this description of that work in the 1800s.
“Today we can do our washing effortlessly with the help of washing machines and suitable detergents. No longer is it necessary to soap, beat and wring the washing, using washing board and tub at home or in a public wash-house or at a running stream. The normal thing in those days was for a washerwoman to go to a river or creek, kneel down on the bank and wash clothes on a fairly smooth stone.
This custom still prevailed in the early 19th century amongst women who did such work for a living. They used to drive their horse-drawn wagons…loaded with sacks of washed linen heaped high. They passed from house to house to off-load the clean linen, all carefully marked with needle and thread. They then departed reloaded with more washing to be done on the banks of the…rivers. It was a back-breaking task.”
Washerwomen were at the low end of the social scale, and I’ve learned that in the U.S., during the 19th century this work was assigned to slaves in the old south.
From humble beginnings such as this, this illiterate couple emigrated to the U.S. and raised a family that included their son, my generation’s great grandfather, William Edward Dunn (WED) after whom my father was named. WED became a highly respected officer in one of America’s pioneering railroad companies and at one point, as a superintendent with the railroad, had almost 700 men working for him.
Michael and Bridget also had a grandson, WED’s son, John Henry Dunn, who rose to become president of a sprawling Chicago-based publicly-held lumber company in the early 1900s; it’s a genuine “rags-to-riches” story for those generations of our family.
How lucky we are that Michael and Bridget made the sacrifices required to get here! If they hadn't, we wouldn't be here!
♦♦♦
Michael and Bridget’s Immigration Records
In 1858 Michael and Bridget emigrated to the U.S. from Lancashire, England, a county near Derbyshire. The passenger list of the ship "Dr. Witt Clinton", departure – Liverpool, arrival - May 21, 1858, New York, shows "Michael Dunn age 30 - farmer" and "Bridget Dunn age 25 - wife."
They presumably brought their eldest son, Peter Dunn, with them, but there isn't any record of him on board. However, records for him state that he was born in Lancashire, England, September 7, 1857, before they emigrated.
New York Passenger List Info about Michael Dunn
Name: Michael Dunn
Arrival Date: 21 May 1858
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1828
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Destination: United States of America
Place of Origin: Ireland
Ethnicity/Race/Nationality: Irish
Ship Name: Dr Witt Clinton
Port of Arrival: New York
Port Arrival State: New York
Port Arrival Country: United States
Source
New York Passenger List Info about Bridget Dunn
Name: Bridget Dunn
Arrival Date: 21 May 1858
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1833
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Destination: United States of America
Place of Origin: Ireland
Ethnicity/Race/Nationality: Irish
Ship Name: Dr Witt Clinton
Port of Arrival: New York
Port Arrival State: New York
Port Arrival Country: United States
Source
♦♦♦
From New York to Illinois
During the 1800s thousands of impoverished Irish families made the long journey by ship to British North America and the United States. As I cover in more detail elsewhere in this blog, these people were leaving a land that had become beset with poverty, lack of opportunity, and literal starvation in the streets. In North America they hoped to find land, work, and political and religious freedoms.
The largest influx of Irish settlers in the U.S. occurred as a result of Ireland’s great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. However, in that era they were treated as the lowest strata of society after they arrived here. Life was not easy for these immigrants. As a matter of fact, it's reported that signs saying "No Irish Need Apply" were common, presumably in places where jobs were otherwise available.
Although the majority of immigrants who survived the long sea passage in what were labeled “coffin ships” did obtain the freedoms they sought, it was not without much perseverance and hard work. In the mid-1800s the work available was generally low-paying and physically taxing construction or factory work.
English negative stereotypes concerning the Irish (covered in detail elsewhere in this blog), although less frequent and vehement here in the U.S., were nonetheless present in what was supposed to be the land of freedom, liberty, and equality for all.
Anti-Catholic Prejudice in That Era
Protestant "Nativist" prejudice against Irish Catholics in the U.S. reached a peak in the mid-1850s with the Know Nothing Movement, which tried to oust Catholics from public office. Much of the opposition, such as riots in 1844 in Philadelphia, came from Protestants.
In rural areas in the 1830s riots broke out among rival labor teams from different parts of Ireland, and between Irish and "native" American work teams competing for construction jobs. More on this subject can be found here.
♦♦♦
“Migration to Illinois during the 1830s was largely from New York and New England via the National Road or the Erie Canal, both of which went westward to the Great Lakes. In the 1840s that migration continued, and large numbers of German and Irish also began to arrive. While many soon moved on to land opening up farther west, many remained in Illinois.”
Source: The Family Tree Resource Book for Genealogists
Although they didn’t arrive in the U.S. until 1858, Michael and Bridget appear to have been part of the migration described above, for they ultimately settled in Illinois.
Why did Irish immigrants gravitate to Illinois? I found a site about people with Irish roots in Illinois, and one part of the site deals with that question. Because it specifically states that no text may be copied, I won't reproduce it here. However, Here's a link to it.
♦♦♦
The 1860 census records the following:
Michal Dunn 29 (note incorrect spelling), farmer, b. 1831, b. IRE
Township 6 Range 9, Madison County, Illinois
Post Office: Upper Alton
Bridget 29, b. 1831, b. IRE
Peter, 6, b, 1856, b. ENG
Wm, 2, b. 1858, b. ENG
However, other records show Peter as born in 1857, and William was actually born in Illinois, not England. Also included in the household are three Furlongs, males ages 21, 18 and 15, whom I suspect to have been boarders and/or hired hands.
The 1870 census records the following:
Mike Dunn, 35, farmer, born IRE [Since this census is 10 years later than the previous one, either this age or the previous one must be incorrect.]
Macoupin County, Illinois, Township 9 Range 6, Post Office: Clyde
Bridget Dunn 30, keeping house, b. Ireland
Peter Dunn age 16, works on farm, born - England
William Dunn, age 11, born - Illinois
John Dunn, age 9, born - Illinois
Thomas Dunn, age 7, born - Illinois
Stephen Dunn, age 5, born - Illinois
The 1880 census records the following information:
Name, Relation, Marital Status, Gender, Race, Age, Birthplace,
Occupation,Father’s Birthplace, Mother’s Birthplace
Bridget DUNN, Self, W, Female, W, 48, IRE, Keeping House, IRE, IRE
Peter DUNN, Son, S, Male, W, 25, ENG, Farm Hand, ENG, IRE
William DUNN, Son, S, Male, W, 20, IL RR Hand, IRE, IRE
John DUNN, Son, S, Male, W, 17, IL, RR Hand, IRE, IRE
Stephen DUNN, Son, S, Male, W, 13, IL, IRE, IRE
■ It’s unclear why Peter’s father’s birthplace is recorded in this census as England while previous censuses show him being born in Ireland. That appears to be an error on the part of the census taker.
■ Note that Bridget is now widowed, meaning that Michael died after the 1870 census in which he was recorded as being 35 (and probably should have been shown as 40) and this census, where I believe he'd have been 50. Depending upon which age is correct, he died between ages 45 and 50.
■ Thomas no longer appears in this census. This leads me to surmise that he also died at a young age, since he’d have been just 17 in 1880 - and his older brothers are still living at home. According to this census, also included in this household were three non-related males, whom I believe to have been either boarders or hired hands.
■ At this time we have no record of what Peter's occupation became, although a couple of photos of him and his wife look like he could have been a farmer while living in Kansas, where his brother Stephen also lived. Information about Peter's family is on another page of this blog.
■ Stephen worked on the railroad when he was a young man. He remained single and moved around a lot, finally settling in Chetopa, Kansas. His obituary, dated October 1, 1925, states that he was survived only by nieces and nephews - his parents and brothers all having preceded him in death.
■ Stephen became the proprietor of a thriving and widely-known general store in Chetopa and William continued his career with the pioneering railroad industry. John we, so far, have learned nothing about. Stephen's and William’s stories are covered on other pages of this blog
■ Some time after this 1880 census the widowed Bridget moved in with her bachelor son, Stephen, known as S.G. Dunn, and remained there until her death, sometime after 1880.
Last updated 3/25/2010
In 1858 Michael and Bridget emigrated to the U.S. from Lancashire, England, a county near Derbyshire. The passenger list of the ship "Dr. Witt Clinton", departure – Liverpool, arrival - May 21, 1858, New York, shows "Michael Dunn age 30 - farmer" and "Bridget Dunn age 25 - wife."
They presumably brought their eldest son, Peter Dunn, with them, but there isn't any record of him on board. However, records for him state that he was born in Lancashire, England, September 7, 1857, before they emigrated.
New York Passenger List Info about Michael Dunn
Name: Michael Dunn
Arrival Date: 21 May 1858
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1828
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Destination: United States of America
Place of Origin: Ireland
Ethnicity/Race/Nationality: Irish
Ship Name: Dr Witt Clinton
Port of Arrival: New York
Port Arrival State: New York
Port Arrival Country: United States
Source
New York Passenger List Info about Bridget Dunn
Name: Bridget Dunn
Arrival Date: 21 May 1858
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1833
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Destination: United States of America
Place of Origin: Ireland
Ethnicity/Race/Nationality: Irish
Ship Name: Dr Witt Clinton
Port of Arrival: New York
Port Arrival State: New York
Port Arrival Country: United States
Source
♦♦♦
From New York to Illinois
During the 1800s thousands of impoverished Irish families made the long journey by ship to British North America and the United States. As I cover in more detail elsewhere in this blog, these people were leaving a land that had become beset with poverty, lack of opportunity, and literal starvation in the streets. In North America they hoped to find land, work, and political and religious freedoms.
The largest influx of Irish settlers in the U.S. occurred as a result of Ireland’s great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. However, in that era they were treated as the lowest strata of society after they arrived here. Life was not easy for these immigrants. As a matter of fact, it's reported that signs saying "No Irish Need Apply" were common, presumably in places where jobs were otherwise available.
Although the majority of immigrants who survived the long sea passage in what were labeled “coffin ships” did obtain the freedoms they sought, it was not without much perseverance and hard work. In the mid-1800s the work available was generally low-paying and physically taxing construction or factory work.
English negative stereotypes concerning the Irish (covered in detail elsewhere in this blog), although less frequent and vehement here in the U.S., were nonetheless present in what was supposed to be the land of freedom, liberty, and equality for all.
Anti-Catholic Prejudice in That Era
Protestant "Nativist" prejudice against Irish Catholics in the U.S. reached a peak in the mid-1850s with the Know Nothing Movement, which tried to oust Catholics from public office. Much of the opposition, such as riots in 1844 in Philadelphia, came from Protestants.
In rural areas in the 1830s riots broke out among rival labor teams from different parts of Ireland, and between Irish and "native" American work teams competing for construction jobs. More on this subject can be found here.
♦♦♦
“Migration to Illinois during the 1830s was largely from New York and New England via the National Road or the Erie Canal, both of which went westward to the Great Lakes. In the 1840s that migration continued, and large numbers of German and Irish also began to arrive. While many soon moved on to land opening up farther west, many remained in Illinois.”
Source: The Family Tree Resource Book for Genealogists
Although they didn’t arrive in the U.S. until 1858, Michael and Bridget appear to have been part of the migration described above, for they ultimately settled in Illinois.
Why did Irish immigrants gravitate to Illinois? I found a site about people with Irish roots in Illinois, and one part of the site deals with that question. Because it specifically states that no text may be copied, I won't reproduce it here. However, Here's a link to it.
♦♦♦
The 1860 census records the following:
Michal Dunn 29 (note incorrect spelling), farmer, b. 1831, b. IRE
Township 6 Range 9, Madison County, Illinois
Post Office: Upper Alton
Bridget 29, b. 1831, b. IRE
Peter, 6, b, 1856, b. ENG
Wm, 2, b. 1858, b. ENG
However, other records show Peter as born in 1857, and William was actually born in Illinois, not England. Also included in the household are three Furlongs, males ages 21, 18 and 15, whom I suspect to have been boarders and/or hired hands.
The 1870 census records the following:
Mike Dunn, 35, farmer, born IRE [Since this census is 10 years later than the previous one, either this age or the previous one must be incorrect.]
Macoupin County, Illinois, Township 9 Range 6, Post Office: Clyde
Bridget Dunn 30, keeping house, b. Ireland
Peter Dunn age 16, works on farm, born - England
William Dunn, age 11, born - Illinois
John Dunn, age 9, born - Illinois
Thomas Dunn, age 7, born - Illinois
Stephen Dunn, age 5, born - Illinois
The 1880 census records the following information:
Name, Relation, Marital Status, Gender, Race, Age, Birthplace,
Occupation,Father’s Birthplace, Mother’s Birthplace
Bridget DUNN, Self, W, Female, W, 48, IRE, Keeping House, IRE, IRE
Peter DUNN, Son, S, Male, W, 25, ENG, Farm Hand, ENG, IRE
William DUNN, Son, S, Male, W, 20, IL RR Hand, IRE, IRE
John DUNN, Son, S, Male, W, 17, IL, RR Hand, IRE, IRE
Stephen DUNN, Son, S, Male, W, 13, IL, IRE, IRE
■ It’s unclear why Peter’s father’s birthplace is recorded in this census as England while previous censuses show him being born in Ireland. That appears to be an error on the part of the census taker.
■ Note that Bridget is now widowed, meaning that Michael died after the 1870 census in which he was recorded as being 35 (and probably should have been shown as 40) and this census, where I believe he'd have been 50. Depending upon which age is correct, he died between ages 45 and 50.
■ Thomas no longer appears in this census. This leads me to surmise that he also died at a young age, since he’d have been just 17 in 1880 - and his older brothers are still living at home. According to this census, also included in this household were three non-related males, whom I believe to have been either boarders or hired hands.
■ At this time we have no record of what Peter's occupation became, although a couple of photos of him and his wife look like he could have been a farmer while living in Kansas, where his brother Stephen also lived. Information about Peter's family is on another page of this blog.
■ Stephen worked on the railroad when he was a young man. He remained single and moved around a lot, finally settling in Chetopa, Kansas. His obituary, dated October 1, 1925, states that he was survived only by nieces and nephews - his parents and brothers all having preceded him in death.
■ Stephen became the proprietor of a thriving and widely-known general store in Chetopa and William continued his career with the pioneering railroad industry. John we, so far, have learned nothing about. Stephen's and William’s stories are covered on other pages of this blog
■ Some time after this 1880 census the widowed Bridget moved in with her bachelor son, Stephen, known as S.G. Dunn, and remained there until her death, sometime after 1880.
Last updated 3/25/2010
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