THE DUNHAM HOUSE

709 SOUTH WEST STREET, KEMPTON, INDIANA 46049

317-491-3757

www.thedunhamhouse.com

© 2012 The Dunham House. All rights reserved.

D U N H A M F A M I L Y H I S -

President Barack Obama has deep

roots in Indiana. The Dunham

family has played the most

significant role in his life.

His mother, Ann Dunham and his

grandparents, Stanley and Madelyn

Dunham who raised him, were from

Kansas. However, if you go back

just a few years, you will find

that four generations of President

Obama’s forefathers were

from Indiana.

Other families are a part of the

President's genealogy. These

include families by the name of

Goodnight, Stroup, and

Kearney. Today hundreds of the

President's ancestors have been

discovered in Indiana.

INDIANA ROOTS

THE DUNHAM LINE

The Dunham line consisted of, Jacob Dunham came to Tipton County, Indiana in the

1840’s. He is President Obama’s fourth great grandfather. Jacob Dunham died on

July 20, 1865 and is laid to rest in Indiana soil at The Kempton Cemetery in Kempton,

Indiana. His son, Jacob Mackey Dunham, is President Obama’s third great grandfather.

He married Louise Eliza Stroup in Tipton County, Indiana on July 21, 1853. They had a

son, Jacob William Dunham, whom was President Obama’s second great grandfather

born on February 7, 1863 in Kempton, Indiana. He later left Indiana for Kansas and

passed away on August 13, 1930. Thus President Obama’s family continued to live

in Kansas.

Today, there still remains the property his forefathers owned. It was passed onto a

family member by the name of William Riley Dunham. Ironically or by fate, Mr. Dunham

served the Democratic Party for several years and represented Hamilton and Tipton

County in the Indiana General House of Assembly. The home, which he built, still

stands on the original Dunham land.

D U N H A M F A M I L Y H I S T O R Y

The Native American tribe as the Miami owed vast sums of land throughout the Midwest, as far back as the 1700s. The Dunham House sits on the former Miami reserve which was the last piece of land the Miami owned until 1844.

Me-she-kin-o-quam or Chief Little Turtle was war chief of the Miami.

Chief Little Turtle inflicted the worst defeat ever suffered by the US Army by a Native America tribe. His victory at Fort Recovery was nearly three times larger than Custer’s last stand.

The city of Kokomo was named after a more recent chief of the Miami.

JACOB AND CATHERINE DUNHAM In 1849, Jacob and Catherine Dunham, President Obama’s fourth great-grandparents, purchased 120 acres on a US land grant (see above). The land was passed down within the family for 120 years. The Dunham House still sits on that original land today.

The land was purchased for $250 on a five year note with no interest. Zachery Taylor was President of the US at the time of the land grant. Riley Dunham, who built the house, added nearly 2000 acres over time from the land grant that was handed down to him.

THE LAND BEFORE THE DUNHAM HOUSE

T H E D U N H A M H O U S E — T H E B E G I N N I N G

May 3, 2008, changed my life in a

most profound way when Senator

Barack Obama, his wife, Michelle

and their daughters, Malia and

Sasha visited his ancestral home,

the Dunham House.

Without knowing the history of the

home when I purchased it, I found it

in deplorable condition and set a

course to restore this great

American farmhouse. Little did I

know the family history that would

lead to a part of the future First

Family’s history. The Dunham

Family is President Obama’s

mother side, Stanley Ann Dunham,

who was born in Kansas as well as

her father.

However, before them, many

generations have lived, were born,

married and have been laid to rest

here in the rich soil of Tipton

County, Indiana.

THE DAY IT STARTED

T H E D U N H A M H O U S E — T H E B E G I N N I N G

RENOVATIONS CONTINUE TODAY

Today the house is still undergoing restoration as many people are visiting and

discussing the importance to future generations. I sometimes have to remind some

people that it may not be the history they prefer but it doesn’t make it any less

important. After all, if it is your family history you would think it would be very important.

Someday when I am much older and my hands are no longer able to do what they do

now, I want to look at them and know that they helped discover, protect, and preserve a

piece of Presidential history and I didn’t let it slip through my fingers.

Somewhere down the line we are all related, one big family. It is my belief that if we

remember that, we may resolve our issues, move forward, and leave for future

generations a reminder of what is really important...family.

Shawn Christopher Clements

The Dunham House Owner

November 15, 2011

M E S S A G E F R O M T H E C U R R E N T D U N H A M H O U S E O W N E R

FIRST PIONEER SETTLERS

They were the first pioneer settlers to

purchase the 120 acres from the

government in 1849, when Zachary

Taylor was President, which was

formerly the Miami Indian reserve.

Who would have guess that the first

African American President would

have had such deep roots in such a

small farming community? But that is

the American family story, it is what

makes us, us. It is truly what make’s

everyone's history so unique yet ties

us all together, not only as Americans but human beings. A sense of family, its history,

its journey, and how it affects us and future generations.

Shawn Clements, owner of The Dunham House with

then Senator Barack Obama.

Mr. Clements is not only a Historian

but a Historical Preservationist.

There has been a significant

amount of work completed to date.

The goal is to restore the Dunham

House back to the original state

from the 1880s.

THE GOAL

T H E D U N H A M H O U S E — T H E B E G I N N I N G M E S S A G E F R O M T H E C U R R E N T D U N H A M H O U S E O W N E R

For more before and after pictures, go to

www.thedunhamhouse.com/beforeafter.html

T H E H O U S E R E N O V A T I O N

http://www.thedunhamhouse.com/beforeafter.html

The Dunham House has been

mentioned in many local, national,

and international publications.

All of the publications feature

The Dunham House and the

Obama family history.

NEWS FEATURES

T H E D U N H A M H O U S E — T H E B E G I N N I N G M E S S A G E F R O M T H E C U R R E N T D U N H A M H O U S E O W N E R T H E H O U S E R E N O V A T I O N

For full articles, go to

www.thedunhamhouse.com/guide.html

T H E D U N H A M H O U S E I N T H E N E W S

The Dunham House is

committed to social and

environmental responsibility.

The Dunham House

continues to work with

corporations, organizations,

and individuals to do their

part in bringing awareness to

the green movement.

The Dunham House encourages

local involvement in the PPG Porter

Paint program. Their bucket

recycling program and their

eco-friendly paint line are two of

many programs that are actively

going on in the area.

BOOKS IN HAND

The Dunham House has provided

over 1200 books to individuals at

homeless shelters, local children,

and our soldiers.

TROOP DRIVE

In December of 2011, The Dunham

House raised over 800 pounds

of needed items for our men and

women in uniform. Items were

delivered to the USO of Indiana

who forwarded them onto

our troops.

T H E D U N H A M M E S S A G E F R O M T H E T H E H O U S E R E N O V A -T H E D U N H A M H O U S E W H A T E L S E H A P P E N S

RECYCLING WITH

LOCAL PROGRAMS

For more

Information...

For pictures of past events, go to http://www.facebook.com/thedunhamhouse

For future events, go to http://www.thedunhamhouse.com/events.html

THE COMMUNITY GARDEN

The Dunham House Community Garden project, Seed to

Feed, will grow an acre of produce. All food goes to charities

in need. Since 2010, the Dunham House has given 4705

pounds of produce to organizations including The Julian

Center and Kokomo Rescue Mission.

OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL FACTS

The Dunham House has:

Recycled 4540 pounds of materials since 2010.

Planted 16 trees and bushes.

A corn burning stove that is capable of burning corn, wood pellets, and

cherry pits. It heats the 1,000 square foot media room.

All of the house lighting is either dimmer switch controlled or uses high

efficient bulbs.

ANNUAL EASTER HOP HUNT AND ROLL

The Dunham House Easter Hop Hunt and Roll was started in 2010

and is open to all. This free event is patterned after the White

House event and features the traditional wooden egg roll. Major

sponsors both local and national have provided many prizes for

the event. Hundreds of children enjoy educational material as

prizes as well as bikes, toys, gift cards, electronics, and, of

course, candy. The Dunham House volunteers also give their time

to help the Julian Center children with their Easter.

http://www.facebook.com/thedunhamhousehttp://www.thedunhamhouse.com/events.html

L E T T E R S F R O M T H E C O M M U N I T Y