William McCulloch Dunn1

b. 9 January 1839, d. 10 October 1928
William M. Dunn circa 1905
photo courtesy Carolyn Ryburn
FatherJohn Dunn1,2 b. 1 Mar 1795, d. 22 Aug 1845
MotherMary McCulloch1,2 b. 12 Jun 1805, d. 17 Mar 1891
Birth9 Jan 1839 William McCulloch Dunn was born on 9 Jan 1839 in Washington County, Virginia.2,3 
Military1861  In 1861 William enlisted for service in the Confederate Army. He served for 4 years in the 36th Virginia Infantry and was commissioned captain, quartermaster and paymaster. When the war ended he was acting quartermaster of a brigade.4 
  Following the war William returned home and taught school for one term.4 
Migration1866 In 1866, perhaps wanting to put his quartermaster skills to use, William left Virginia and traveled by train and stage to Harrison County, Missouri, (a town of just a few hundred people) where he became a partner in the dry goods firm of H.M. Cuddy. William then bought a share in the firm of Munson and McGeorge. In 1869 William's brother Robert Dunn joined him in Bethany at which time Mr. McGeorge sold out to Robert. The firm was then known as William M. Dunn and brother.5,4 
Marriage7 Apr 1870 He married Desdemonia Monson on 7 Apr 1870.1 
Widowed24 Feb 1874  "Des" as she was known, died Feb. 24, 1874. An infant son appears to have died the following day. 
  William's surving son, Victor, was enumerated living with Thomas and Catherine Monson (Desdemonia's parents) in Harrison County in 1880.6 
  By 1880 William and Robert's nephew, William Franklin ("Frank") Cuddy had also moved to Bethany and joined the family business. In 1901 the store became known as Cuddy & Dunn. William's son William Victor Dunn worked in the store before moving to Kansas City.4,7 
Cens-190025 Jun 1900  At the turn of the century William was enumerated on the census for the town of Bethany. He was 62 years old and listed his occupation as "capitalist". Living with him was a 29 year old nephew, John Cuddy who worked as a clerk in the store.8 
  John Cuddy was the youngest son of William's sister Mary Jane and her husband David Cuddy, who still lived in Virginia. John Cuddy, along with William's nephew Horace Dunn, would eventually run the family business. By 1921 William's modest dry goods store had grown into a 2 story family run department store selling everything from groceries to clothing.9,10 
  And Bethany wasn't the only community in Harrison County purchasing its wares at Dunn owned stores. William and Robert Dunn (sons of William's brother Theophilus) operated a dry goods business in the town of Gilman. Shortly after 1900 Theophilus migrated from Virginia to Gilman with his two other children. 
Death10 Oct 1928 William died of cancer on 10 Oct 1928 at Bethany, Harrison County, Missouri, at age 89.2 
Burial He was probably buried at Miriam Cemetery in Harrison County although a monument also exists for he and Des at Monson Cemetery.11,12,13,14 

Related Links and Images:

Monument to William and "Des" at Monson Cemetery15
Dunn monument at Miriam Cemetery; also individual markers for William and Des16
Find Harrison County on the Missouri map (also accessible via the Misc. Locations link in the menu bar at the top of any page).

Family

Desdemonia Monson b. 4 Mar 1852, d. 24 Feb 1874
Children
  • William Victor Dunn1 (4 Sep 1871 - 12 Mar 1907)
  • Infant son Dunn17 (24 Feb 1874 - 25 Feb 1874)
Last Edited19 Jul 2011

Citations

  1. [S87] "Dunn Family Reunion Booklet," compiled for the 3rd Dunn Family Reunion, 7 Aug. 1988 by Eva Dunn Counts, Knoxville, TN, p. 17. Family group sheet for John F. Dunn and Mary McCullock.
  2. [S1513] "Missouri Death Certificates, 1910-1955", index with selected images, Missouri Digital Heritage (http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/deathcertificates : viewed 5 May 2010), William McCullock Dunn certificate 3_357 (digital image); personal data contributed by Stewart Dunn of Bethany, MO.
  3. [S2521] George Wanamaker, History of Harrison Co., Missouri, digitized images, Internet Archive (http://archive.org : accessed Oct. 2010), page 330; biographical article abt William McCulloch Dunn.
  4. [S2521] George Wanamaker, History of Harrison Co., Missouri, digitized images, Internet Archive (http://archive.org : accessed Oct. 2010), page 331; biographical article abt William McCulloch Dunn.
  5. [S87] "Dunn Family Reunion Booklet," compiled for the 3rd Dunn Family Reunion, 7 Aug. 1988 by Eva Dunn Counts, Knoxville, TN, p. 21. Family group sheet for Robert Henry Dunn and Clara Blackburn.
  6. [S2516] Thomas Monson household, 1880 U.S. cens., Harrison Co., MO, pop. sched., Bethany township, ED 300, page 1 (p. 154 stamped), dwelling 9, family 12, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Oct. 2010. Household includes: Thomas Monson, 61, farmer, b. KY; Catherine, 56, wife, b. KY; Thomas, 16, son, b. MO; George, 15, son, b. MO; Victor Dunn, 9, grandson, b. MO.
  7. [S2521] George Wanamaker, History of Harrison Co., Missouri, digitized images, Internet Archive (http://archive.org : accessed Oct. 2010), page 324; biographical sketch of J.H. Cuddy.
  8. [S2499] William Dunn household, 1900 U.S. cens., Harrison Co., Missouri, pop. sched., Bethany, ED 94, sheet 21B, dwelling 499, family 305, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Oct. 2010. Household includes: William Dunn, 62, wid, b. May 1838, b. VA, capitalist; John Cuddy, nephew, 29, sgl, b. Jul 1870, clerk in dry goods store.
  9. [S2521] George Wanamaker, History of Harrison Co., Missouri, digitized images, Internet Archive (http://archive.org : accessed Oct. 2010), page 325; biographical sketch of J.H. Cuddy.
  10. [S2521] George Wanamaker, History of Harrison Co., Missouri, digitized images, Internet Archive (http://archive.org : accessed Oct. 2010), page 325; biographical sketch of H.W. Dunn.
  11. [S1513] "Missouri Death Certificates, 1910-1955", index with selected images, Missouri Digital Heritage (http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/deathcertificates : viewed 5 May 2010), William McCullock Dunn certificate 3_357 (digital image); personal data contributed by Stewart Dunn of Bethany, MO; burial to be at Miriam Cemetery.
  12. [S1777] Find A Grave Website (http://www.findagrave.com/index.html : accessed Oct. 2010. William M. Dunn entry, Miriam Cemetery, Harrison Co., MO (no photo of headstone)).
  13. [S1777] Find A Grave Website (http://www.findagrave.com/index.html : accessed Oct. 2010. William M. Dunn entry, Monson Cemetery, Harrison Co., MO (entry includes photo of Dunn monument)).
  14. [S87] "Dunn Family Reunion Booklet," compiled for the 3rd Dunn Family Reunion, 7 Aug. 1988 by Eva Dunn Counts, Knoxville, TN, p. 17. Family group sheet for John F. Dunn and Mary McCullock (reports William and Desdemonia are buried at Miriam Cemetery).
  15. [S1376] Photo courtesy Tim Hill.
  16. [S1376] Photos courtesy of the Harrison Co., MO USGenweb site and Phil Stewart.
  17. [S2519] "Harrison County Cemetery Records", database, USGenWeb: Missouri, Harrison County (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~moharris/hccem.html : accessed Oct. 2010), Infant Son Dunn entry, Miriam/IOOF Cemetery, Bethany, Part 3. Stone reported to state: b. Feb. 25, 1874, d. Feb. 25, 1874, s/o W.M. & Des Dunn (link to photo page broken).