DUNLAVY, James

DUNLAVY, JOHNSON, MURRAY, STANLEY

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/18/2014 at 09:58:28

Biography ~ James Dunlavy

"Biographical and Historical Record of
Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa"
(Lewis Publishing Company (1887)), pp. 602-04:

JAMES DUNLAVY, section 15, Hamilton Township, is a native of County Donegal, Ireland, born December 2, 1812, the eldest son of GEORGE and CATHERINE (JOHNSON) DUNLAY. When he was eight years of age his parents immigrated to America, and settled in Troy, New York, where they lived six years, then moved to Rochester, but a year later to Philadelphia. Then had a family of five sons – JAMES, JOHN, LEWIS, HEANRY and GEORGE. In his youth JAME DUNLAVY learned the blacksmith’s trade, which he followed fifty years. He was married in May, 1833. To Miss LUCINDA MURRAY, a native of Delaware, daughter of ARCHIBALD and ANNA (JOHNSON) MURRAY, her father a native of Ireland, and the mother of Philadelphia. He father was a soldier in the war of 1812. In 1835 Mr. DUNLAVY moved to Mercer County, Pennsylvania, where he lived two years, and while there voted for General HARRISON. His first vote for President was cast for General Jackson. In 1840 he moved to Trumbaull County, Ohio, on the Western Reserve, and in 1844, to Galena, Illinois, where he lived until 1852, when he started overland for California, being five months on the way. He located in Sacramento, where he worked at his trade, frequently making a $25 a day. In July, 1854, he returned to New York City, by steamer, and went to Philadelphia to visit his parents, and from there to Illinois and Jackson County, where his wife and children were living. The same year he came to Iowa, and located on section 10, Hamilton Township, Decatur County, where he bought 320 acres of wild land of J. J. STANLEY, where he was living at the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion. In August, 1861, he enlisted in the defense of the old flag, in Company B, Fifth Kansas Cavalry, and was appointed regimental blacksmith. He served three years, and was discharged in August, 1864, and returned to his home. In the spring of 1865 he went o Virginia City, Montana, where he lived five months, and then returned to Omaha, where he lived six months. The then returned to Decatur County, and a short time after located on his present farm. After having been in twenty-six states and Territories and in Canada and in Mexico, he has settled in Decatur County to spend the rest of his life. He has been a hard-working, energetic man, honorable and upright in all his dealings, and now in his declining years has a comfortable home as the reward for his labor, and is in the enjoyment of hosts of friends who respect and honor him for his genial manner and many noble characteristics. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. Before the war he was a Democrat in political faith, but since that time has affiliated with the Republican party. To him and his wife have been born seven children – GEORGE, ANN ELIZIBETH, RUFUS, WILLIAM, JOHN, CHRISTOPHER and CATHERINE. Three sons were soldiers in the war of the Rebellion, and two gave their lives for their county. GEORGE was a member of the First California Infantry, and died in New Mexico, aged about thirty years. RUFUS and WILLIAM were members of the Third Iowa Cavalry. The former died from the effects of disease contracted in the army, and the latter is now living in Butler County, Kansas. ANN ELIZIBETH is deceased; JOHN lives in Hamilton Township; CHRISTOPHER in Fremont County, Iowa, and CATHERINE in Maryville, Missouri.

Transcribed by Sara LeFleur, Decatur County Historial Society Musuem, January of 2014