Dunham, Oscar J., 1847-1922

DUNHAM, FINCH, MESSINGER

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 2/20/2017 at 20:08:13

From the Rock Valley Bee, June 9, 1922:

DEATH OF O. J. DUNHAM

The remains of O. J. Dunham, whose death was briefly mentioned in last week's Bee, were brought to Rock Valley from Chicago last Thursday and were taken to Valley View Cemetery for short funeral services and burial. Mr. Dunham died suddenly from heart failure at his home in Chicago where he had lived for the past three years.

The subject of this sketch was born at Schoolcraft, Mich. He had attained the age of seventy-six years. He came to Sioux County in 1869, and homesteaded near the present site of Boyden where he lived for several years amidst the hardships and privations of pioneer life. Later he moved to Rock Valley and built the first hotel here. He lived here about twenty years, then went to Doon for a few years, and later moved to Ames, Iowa, where he resided for about fifteen years, moving from Ames to Chicago where he spent the last three years of his life.

Mr. Dunham was united in marriage to Addie L. Finch who still survives her husband, together with six children: Mrs. Bess McDonald, Washington, D.C.; Mrs. Madge Van Alkenburg, Pipestone, Minn.; Fred Dunham, Worthington, Minn.; Mrs. Florence Hurst, Chicago; Miss June Dunham, New York City, and Bert Dunham, Philadelphia, Pa.

Besides his wife and children and other relatives he leaves a brother and two sisters: G. A. Dunham, Shell Lake, Wisconsin, Bertha Enright, Mitchell, S.D., and Nellie Dunham, Rock Valley.

Among the relatives and friends from a distance who attended the funeral were G. A. Dunham, a brother from Shell Lake, Wis.; Mr. and Mrs. Merle Stone, of Hawarden; Mrs. Stone is a niece of Mr. Dunham; Mrs. A. G. Van Alkenburg, a daughter of the deceased of Pipestone, Minn.; Mrs. C. A. Hoppock, a niece, and her daughter, Irene, of Mt. Vernon, S.D.; Fred Dunham, a son, of Worthington, Minn.; Mrs. A. G. Enright, sister and two children of Mitchell, SD.; and Mr. Wyatt, an old-time friend, of Worthington, Minn. Mr. Wyatt at one time lived in this vicinity in early days.

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The Sioux County Cemetery Index has Dunham, O. J., b. 9 Feb 1847, d. 28 May 1922, Father, ss Addie L., Valley View Cem Rock Valley IA.

The Cook County, Illinois Deaths Index 1878-1922 has Oscar J. Dunham, born 8 Feb 1847 in Michigan; died 28 May 1922 in Chicago; buried Rock Valley, Iowa; occupation, retired real estate; father Geo A Dunham, born Ohio; mother Nancy Messinger, born Ohio; spouse Addie J. Dunham.