L. B. Dunham(1806-1892)

DUNHAM, STEWART, VON SCHRADER, SLOANE

Posted By: Anne Hermann (email)
Date: 5/12/2008 at 00:07:21

Jackson Sentinel
January 7, 1892

DUNHAM, - At his home on Prospect street, this city, at 4 p.m. Friday, Jan, 1, 1892, of pneumonia. L. B. Dunham, aged 85 yrs., 2 mos., 16 das. This is the passing away of one of Maquoketa’s most eminent citizens, a man of letters and an able financier, a gentleman of the old school whose acquaintance and friendship was prized by all who possessed it. The Jackson County History gives his biography as follows:

Among the best business men and successful bankers of Eastern Iowa, is Lewis Brigham Dunham, a native of Connecticut. He was born on Oct. 16, 1806, his parents being Lewis Dunham, merchant, and Mary Brigham; his maternal grandfather was in the Revolutionary army; the Dunhams were from England, and the Brighams from Massachusetts; Lewis spent his earlier years in procuring an education, preparing for college at Monson, Mass., under the instruction of Rev. Simeon Cotton; was graduated from Union College in 1829; he read law at Utica, N. Y., with Judge Beardsley; traveled through most of the States of the Union and Canada, and was admitted to the bar in Brookfield, Jefferson Co., Penn., in 1836; Mr. Dunham practiced at Brookfield, the county seat, twelve years prospecting; returning to Pennsylvania, he practiced in Jefferson Co., until the spring of 1856, when he returned to the West, this time crossing the Mississippi river and settling at Maquoketa, Iowa; here, in company with O. Von Schrader, he started a private bank, which was subsequently merged into the State Bank of Iowa, and still later into the First National Bank of Maquoketa. In 1872, Mr. Dunham sold his interest in this institution and started a bank of his own, the Exchange Bank of Maquoketa of which he was vice President, D. M. Hubbell, President, and his son. L. H. Dunham, Cashier; it is a prosperous institution. While a resident of Pennsylvania, in 1842 and 1843 Mr. Dunham was a member of the State Legislature, representing Jefferson, Warren and McKean Cos.; he was in the Senate of Iowa in the sessions of 1868 and 1870, he being on the Committees on Banking and Constitutional Amendments. He is a thoroughly practical business man, and his mature judgment and solid common sense made him a highly serviceable member of the Iowa General Assembly. Mr. Dunham was reared in the Jeffersonian school of politics; was a Jackson boy a Van Buren man, casting his first Presidential vote in 1836, and never voting any but the Democratic ticket. He has a third wife; was first married in 1831, to Miss Mary Stewart, of Hartford, Conn., she dying in 1842. His second wife was Miss Theckla Von Schrader, of Clearfield, Penn., married in 1844, and died in 1846. His present wife was Mrs. Mary B. Sloane, of Wooster, Ohio; they were married in 1856. Mr. Dunham has two sons now living, both by his first wife, both married, and both first-class business men. Frederic Stewart, the elder, of Monticello, Iowa, and Lewis Hamilton, as has already been intimated, is a banker. Mr. Dunham has been a generous encourager of the railroads which connect Maquoketa with the metropolitan cities of the Northwest; lends a prompt and liberal hand in local enterprises generally, and takes great pride in the growth; and prosperity of his adopted home.

The funeral occurred from the house yesterday forenoon, Rev. Geo. A. Whitney, pastor of St. Mark’s church, assisted by Rev. T. S. Oadams, of the Congregational church, officiating. There was a large concourse of relatives and sympathizing friends present to pay their last respects to the deceased, whose remains were laid to rest in Mt. Hope cemetery.