DUNWOODY, William - 1890 Bio (1811-1903)

DUNWOODY, REAHM, GROODRICH, MURPHY, RUCKEL

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 8/4/2007 at 16:59:22

Portrait and Biographical Album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties, Iowa, Printed 1890 by Lake City Publishing Co., Chicago
Pages 266-267

William DUNWOODY, retired, one of the early settlers of Fairfield, claims Pennsylvania as the State of his nativity. He was born in Somerset County, on the 1st of March, 1811, and is a son of Robert and Susanna (REAHM) DUNWOODY. Little is known concerning the early history of the family except that the father was of Scotch-Irish (sic) descent, and the mother a descendant of German ancestry. Robert DUNWOODY made farming his chief occupation through life, but was a great admirer of and always kept on hand a number of fine horses. His marriage was celebrated in the Keystone State, but about 1817, he left the East and removed with his family to Ohio, settling near Coshocton, whence he afterward removed to Columbus. In the Buckeye State he was engaged in running freight wagons, hauling freight from Cincinnati and other cities to Philadelphia. He lived to the age of sixty years and his widow afterward became the wife of Austin GROODRICH, with whom she came to Iowa about 1846. They settled in Van Buren County, where the death of Mrs. GROODRICH occurred when some seventy years of age. By her first marriage she had six children but our subject, who was the fourth in order of birth, is the only one known to be living. She also had six children by her second marriage.

William DUNWOODY's early life was not surrounded with many advantages. The educational privileges afforded him were such as the common schools provided, and he was permitted to attend little after attaining the age of nine years. At that time his mother and step-father removed to a farm and he remained at home assisting in the cultivation of the land until twenty-two years of age, when he went to Columbus to learn the tinner's trade. Previously he had acquired a practical knowledge of tinner's tools in his step-father's shop and after two years spent in Columbus his employer informed him that he was master of the business. His proficiency enabled him easily to obtain positions and he worked at the business in Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, Chillicothe, Mo., and other cities.

One of the most important events in the life of Mr. DUNWOODY occurred in Delaware, Delaware County, Ohio, where on the 21st of May, 1837, he led to the marriage altar Miss Sarah MURPHY, who was born in Zanesville, Ohio, April 10, 1815, and is a daughter of Patrick and Amelia (RUCKEL) MURPHY. Her parents were both natives of Limerick, Ireland, where they married. Two children were born to them in that country and about 1812 they emigrated with their family to America, locating in Pennsylvania. Their deaths occurred in the same year in Columbus, Ohio, the husband being about fifty years of age, and his wife forty-six. In their family were eight children.

In May, 1849, Mr. and Mrs. DUNWOODY became residents of Fairfield, then a mere hamlet. In those days they used grease lamps instead of electricity, and many other adjuncts of pioneer life were found in their home. Mr. DUNWOODY established a bus line and successfully engaged in that business for some years, but at length misfortune overtook him and he lost almost everything he had. In his political sentiments he was formerly a Whig and cast his first Presidential vote for Henry Clay, but since the rise of the Republican party he has identified himself with that organization. For nearly forty years he has been connected with the Odd Fellows society, and he and his wife have been faithful members of the Episcopal Church through almost their entire ives.

To this worthy couple were born seven children, but four of the number died in childhood. William P., the eldest of the surviving ones, was educated in Griswold College, of Davenport, subsequently held a position in the Treasury Department at Washington, D.C., and later was graduated from the law school of Washington. He was with the great Jay Cook at the time of the failure of that gentleman; was a member of the National Board of Health, and is now connected with the Equitable Life Insurance Company of New York City; Capt. H. H. C., the next younger, was graduated from the Millitary (sic) School of West Point in 1866, and is employed in the United States Signal Service office at Washington, and is a member of the regular army. Rising steadily step by step, he was at length promoted to the rank of Captain in June, 1889; Francis M., the youngest child, completed his education in Washington, D.C., and for eight years has been employed in the revenue service.

Mr. and Mrs. DUNWOODY cannot boast of great wealth amassed, but of their children they have reason to be proud. They have toiled and deprived themselves of comforts in order to give their boys the best possible opportunities, and in return their sons show the greatest consideration for their loved parents, leaving nothing undone that will add to their comfort.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.