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Abner Dunham was for many years prominent in
financial circles in Delaware county and his death, which occurred December 30,
1910, was a distinct loss to the community. He was born in Laporte, Indiana,
August 20, 1841, a son of Ferdinand and Angeline (McCullom) Dunham, who brought
their family to Delaware county in 1855 and settled on a farm east of
Manchester, which the father cultivated for many years. Later he removed to the
city of Manchester, where his death occurred. The Dunham family traces its
ancestry to Deacon John Dunham, who came to America on the Mayflower and was one
of that worthy band of pilgrims whose courage and devotion to truth as they saw
it bore such splendid fruit in this country. Still farther back the family is of
mixed English and Welsh extraction. Abner Dunham, the grandfather of our
subject, was a lieutenant colonel in the One Hundred and Twelfth New York
Infantry during the War of 1812.
The subject of this review was reared to agricultural
pursuits and was a student in the Doggett private school when he enlisted on the
24th of September, 1861, in Company E. Twelfth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, for
service in the Civil war. On the 25th of November, 1861, he was mustered into
the United States service as corporal of that company and remained with his
regiment until hostilities ceased, being mustered out on the 20th of January,
1866. He was endowed with an unusual degree of patriotism and love of country.
During his term of service his thoughts were continually upon the idea, "The
Union must and shall be preserved.'" He participated in the campaign against
Fort Henry and in the capture of Fort Donelson, Tennessee, during the month of
February, 1862. At the battle of Shiloh he was taken prisoner and sent to
Montgomery. Alabama, later to Macon, Georgia, and Richmond, Virginia, where he
was confined in Libby prison until exchanged on the 1st of December, 1862. His
regiment was reorganized in January, 1863, and was assigned to General Grant's
army before Vicksburg in April of that year. They were stationed in the rear of
Vicksburg and participated in the engagement at Jackson. They were connected
with the siege of Vicksburg until the 22d of June and were then transferred to
Bear Creek to watch General Johnson. Later they went on the Brownsville
expedition and were in action at the mouth of White river, Arkansas; the
campaign against Price; and the battle of Nashville. Mr. Dunham with his command
also participated in the siege and capture of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely,
resulting in the surrender of Mobile. His regiment was in Montgomery, Alabama,
when the announcement was made that the Confederate army had surrendered. For a
few months in the latter part of 1865 he was assistant acting quartermaster of
the Blue Mountain district of Alabama. He had been promoted to sergeant of his
company on the 5th of January, 1864, and was commissioned first lieutenant April
20, 1865. At the close of the war he returned to his home in Delaware county and
engaged in farming for many years.
On the 15th of September, 1869, Mr. Dunham was united
in marriage with Miss Sophronia E. Boynton, who was born December 3, 1845, in Jo
Daviess county, Illinois. Her parents, Noah and Lucinda (Vinton) Boynton, were
natives of Vermont but after their marriage resided in Canada for a time and
then removed to Jo Daviess county, Illinois. To Mr. and Mrs. Dunham were born
five children, namely: Florence, who died at the age of sixteen years; Edith, at
home; Elva, the wife of Dr. H. C. Parsons of Watertown, South Dakota; Ralph A.,
an attorney of Clark, South Dakota; and Daisy, the wife of Dr. P. G. Ingersoll
of Dunlap, Iowa.
Mr. Dunham was a prominent representative of the
republican party and was called upon to fill a number of county offices, serving
as sheriff from 1866 to 1870 and as county recorder from 1894 to 1903. His
religious affiliation was with the Congregational church. He was a prominent
member of the Grand Army of the Republic and was especially active in the
affairs of W. A. Morse Post, No. 190, serving as its commander several times. He
was also a companion in the Iowa Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal
Legion and belonged to the Modern Woodmen of America. He was essentially a home
man, however, and found his greatest joy in his domestic life, which nearly
approached the ideal. He took a great interest in local affairs and was highly
respected by all who knew him. Those who were admitted to the close circle of
his friendship held him in the warmest regard as they found him a man of the
highest integrity and of unswerving loyalty. He had also a keen sense of civic
responsibility and whether in office or as a private citizen invariably sought
the greatest good of the community. |
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