the dunn journal june 1998
DESCRIPTION
Family HistoryTRANSCRIPT
•
THE DUNN dOURNAL..JuNE 1998 VOL 1 ISSUE
tile Dunn JournalPublished whenever, it'ssole purpose is to foster asense of family, our historyand traditions...
Editor
Todd Dunn
Assistant Editor
Tommy Dunn
Correspondents
Janice Walsh, MarieWilcox, Tommy Dunn
Consultants
Howard Dunn, TeresaDecoteau, Lawrence Dunn,
Earl Dunn
Historical Consultant
Peggy Auger
Publisher
Tom Dunn
RR1 Box 2415
East Hardwick, VT 05836[802]472-6840
e-mail:
150 YEj{RS IN ~MERICj{
Part 2 [ of a bunch]
by tom dunn
It might be fun to link together people to places (environment) and see if wecan get a flavor for what their life might have been like ... to do this we'llneed to review History 101 (yuk)
The names and ages of individuals are confirmed in the Vermont census overthe decades. The Irasburg, VT census of 1850 shows: James Dunn at age27, a laborer; Ellen, age 19; and Mary, age 1, all born in Ireland living inIrasburg. The population for Irasburg is 1034. (Newport is only 748!)
This is interesting. The folklore of the family is that James Dunn settled inNewport. The reality is that he settled in Irasburg.(Those Irishman will doanything for a joke) If the source for the 1850 Census is accurate ... and thatwas easily checked out...Earl Dunn did it!
Irasburg was chartered in 1781 to Ira Allen and 69 associates comprisingsome 23,000 acres. A shrewd businessman, Ira soon acquired conveyances[made an offer they couldn't refuse!]from his associates and original allegedproprietors and in 1789 owned the entire town except for public rights. (Ira,the benevolent scoundrel... must have been a Democrat) When Ira married(Jerusha Enos) and in accordance with the custom of the time, the marriagesettlement given to her by Ira was the entire township !(Ira was also adiplomat!)
Settlers held their land under leases and it wasn't until 1814 that propertiesbegan to be sold and deeds effected. Nearly all of the land in thenortheastern part of the town remained under lease; the general area of thesettlement of James and Ellen in 1849-1850. As an aside there still exists inVermont today hugh land grants. Dartmouth College, I believe, still "owns"massive amounts of land that is still leased annually and dues paid to thecollege, by the present "owners". (Up until recently exempt from propertytaxes because .... Dartmouth is a school... get it?) I think old Dean Davis, aRepublican stuck his finger in that leaking hole ...
Important in all of this is the fact that Ira had a widespread reputation as abenevolent a;nd honest landowner.(Still a democrat though ...sort of aClintonesque White Water ambiance here?)
[Note: Ira ended up broke, dead ... and buried in a pauper's cemetery inPhiladelphia. So much for his Democratic ideals ... the real scandal and
the Dunn JDumal
cover-up is that here is erected a huge monumentin the Irasburg Cemetery leading the public tobelieve he , as ... bo..., Starr would raise hell withthis one!!! [Good for another 40 mil...]
Is it a stretch to peculate that a poor or at bestmeager of means Iri hman could come to Vermont,arrange a lease from the Allen's of Irasburg andestablish a home tead? This may have been a simpleand expedient way to establish a foothold in theNew World. (See? Isn't history fun?)
(While in the mood to abandon caution and sort ofwing it .... submitting to the urge to wildly fantasizeand speculate beyond reason, lets stretch this out toits fullest. .. )
Why did this Irishman arrive in New York in thelate Fall of 1848, travel directly to northeasternVermont and matter of factly establish his roots.How can this be? This question has interested mefor years. (Yeah, who would ever want to settlein Irasburg for Gods sake?)
Pat Logan ... Every year for the past 55 years Irecall somebody when discussing our Historymention Pat Logan. Who was Pat Logan and howdid he fit into our history? [Hang on ... there's thatword again]
Pat Logan was assuredly a neighbor of JameslEllenDunn. He lived just up the hill and across thevalley from the Dunn homestead on Road 34, afarmer with 96 acres of land.(Darn, we're good!)My father often told me of the friendship Jim andPat enjoyed and this was confirmed in conversa-tions with Howard and Teresa. (And you knowwhat happens when two Irish friends get to-gether!!) Pat had children and one of them wasalso named Pat, born about the time of Tim andDan Dunn. I do recall my grandfather Dunnspeaking often of stories relating to his friendship(hic) with the junior Pat Logan.
Folklore also says that Jim worked for Pat atvarious times during those very early years, loggingto earn money and that Pat and Jim would oftenswap labor over the years. It is also related thatPat had arrived in Newport a few years before Jim.Is it possible that they knew each other in Ireland,had some correspondence and Jim's direct route to
ewport was in fact intended?[ a stretch or what?]
Pat Logan is buried in St Mary's Cemetery inewport, his children were born there (not in the
cemetery, dummy!) so it won't be too difficult toinvestigate some of this. 1 ow may be the time torein in and talk about what we do know ... [Whew,thought he'd never stop!]
ow the Census of 1860 clearly indicates Jamesand Ellen and their 6 children are living in
ewport. Folklore does not ever suggest a moveduring these years. The story is that Dunn Hill[rudely re-named Poginey Hill on current maps..likely 911 stuff ... 911 gave everyone permission tohave a street/road named after them ...or a favoritepet] was first and lastly their homestead. So whathappened? (Went to bed one night in Irasburg,woke up the next morning in Newport! ... party orwhat?!)
This bears further investigation but land annexa-tions, transfers between townships by the Statelegislature was occurring regularly as communitiesbegan to sort themselves out (And the benevolentDemocrats began benevolating) and it may havebeen that this eastern corner of Irasburg whichbordered Newport was in fact effected by legisla-tion.
In 1816, November 16 [now get it right Tom]. .. OnNovember 16, 1816 a small part of Coventry andof Salem was annexed to this territory and thename of the town changed from Duncansboroughto Newport. The portion annexed from Salemincluded the land of the present Village ofNewport. (Went to bed one night in Duncansbor-ough ..... you know what I mean right?)
Next month I will continue this history lesson [yuk]and we will explore more of the details in theon-going saga of the Dunn Family History!! [See?isn't history fun already?]
LEST WE FORGET146 years ago ... John F Dunn was born on 5 June1852 in Newport, Vermont, the third child born toJameslEllen Croake Dunn. John married MaggieCrawford of Newport. In the late 1800's Johnventured to California. An entrepreneur of sortswith a zest for traveling. John and Maggie are to
page 2
the Dunn Joumal
have 4 children, most notable for us is GertrudeBelle. One of her descendants, Perdita "Didi"France Bush is our West Coast contact and hasprovided very important information about Johnand Maggie; otherwise so very difficult toresearch.{John F./James C/Thomas #IJ Note: Ihave taken on the responsibility to e-mail herregularly ..just to insure she hasn't fallen into theocean out there ...can't afford to lose this younglady!!
128 years ago...Edmond Dunn was born on June23, 1870, the 12th child born to JameslEllen Dunn.Edmond died shortly after birth and we have nofurther information about him. [Edmond/JamesC/Thomas # IJ127 years ago..Joseph N Dunn was born on 4June 1871, in Newport, Vermont the 6th child bornto ThomaslEsther Shippee Dunn. The StansteadJournal listed place/date of death [cause unknown]as 21 July 1907 at Graniteville, P.Q. on LakeviewFarm, owned by P.B. Dunn [We think this isPatrick Dunn] The records of St Mary's CatholicChurch in Newport, Vermont report the Baptism ofJoseph:
"The 29th day of September [1880], I, JMichaud the natural child born 22August of Thomas Dunn and Esther Shippee, giventhe name Joseph [Nathan*], godparents C. Rushloand Sara __ ."[Joseph N/Thomas/Thomas # IJ126 years ago... on June 22, 1872 Herbert G.Dunn was born, first child of Thomas H/ViolindaLathe Dunn. Herbert was 24 when he marriedNellie Mitchell and had been married 23 years whenshe died in 1919. In 1928, 9 years later, he marriesDella Bliss Christie. Herbert was 58 when he died,having been married only two years to Della.[Della later married Ulysses Bailey] [Herbert, Tho-mas H/James C/Thomas #IJ We would like moreinformation about this family!!
121 years ago...on 16 June 1877 Josiah J Dunnwas born in Coventry, Vermont, the second childof JohnlMaggie Crawford Dunn. He died on 15November 1898 in Piru, California. We have apicture of him in military uniform and suspect hewas killed in the Spanish-American War. He wasonly 21 at death.{Josiah/John/James C/Thomas # IJ
113 years ago...on 21 June 1885 Lot J Dunn andClara Dion were married in Newport, Vermont.Lot was the 4th born [21 Jul 1854] to JameslEllenDunn. According to the Christa obit in theStanstead [Quebec]Gazette Lot was a fireman.Clara was born in 1858 in Island Pond, Vermont.In fact, little is known about Lot and Clara. Ifanyone has~ information about this family,please alert us!! [Lot/James C/Thomas # IJ113 years ago...on 27 June 1885 Kate Dunnmarried Samuel Standish in Newport, Vermont.Kate was the second child born to ThomaslEstherShippee Dunn. Samuel was from St Johnsbury,Vermont. We have no further information aboutthis couple.{Kate/Thomas/Thomas # IJ107 years ago... 18 June 1891 Burleigh HiramDunn was born, second son/last child born toSim/Nellie Winslow Dunn. He married HildrethWaldo in 1914 Birth certificate of Charles [theyoungest] indicates there were 6 children born ofthis marriage, 4 living on 10/1930. Burleigh was anauto mechanic living in West Burke, Vt. whenCharles was born.He lived out his life aroundCharleston, N H. dying in May of 1977.{Burleigh/Simion/James C/Thomas # IJ106 years ago...on 21 June 1892, George B Dunnwas born, oldest child of FranklElva Young Dunn.He married Agnes Ainsboro on 9 Mar 1914 andthey had 6 children. Their youngest, Ellen DunnBeaudoin lives in Burlington, Vermont. Georgedied at age 54 and was a RFD Mail Carrier for theU.S. Post office. He had been married for 32 years[GeorgeB/FrankB/Thomas H/James C/Thomas # IJ104 years ago... on 14 June 1894 Christie S Dunnwas born in Derby, Vermont She was the third andlast known child of Lot/Clara Dion Dunn. The birthof this child was noted in the Stanstead, QuebecGazette. We have no other information about her.[Christie/Lot/James C/Thomas # IJ102 years ago...on 30 June 1896 Richard FrederickDunn was born, the 3rd child of Richard/CoraChurch Dunn. He married Daisy Mable Prentice onJan. 29, 1914. Richard and Daisy had 10 children.He died in the family car on the way home from abingo game Oct. 9, 1948 of a heart attack. Two ofRichards descendants, Jane Marie Dunn and Ronald
page 3
the Dunn loumal
Dunn have provided important and extensiveresearch on this lineage. [Richard F/RichardlThomaslIhomas # 1}
BENCIIMARK£1 June ...Robert Frazier ushers us in this month ..Robert celebrates 31 years here. Robert is the sonof JohnlPat Dunn Frazier, grandson of Alice FieldDunn and the late Arah Dunn.{Robert Frazier/PattyDunn/Arah E/Daniel M/James C/Thomas # 1}
Shawn McCaffrey has his day as well. Shawn is26, son of Pat/Raylene Sherburne McCaffrey,grandson of GeorgelBertha Hudson Sherbur-ne'[Shawn Mc Cafjrey/Raylene Sherburne/BerthaHudsonlMattie Dunn/Adam/James C/Thomas # 1}
3 June ...Charlton Dunn will fire up 31 candles[sounds like a song], appropriate since he was bornin Washington, D.C. Charlton is a son of EarlDunn and Gisela Eitner Dunn, grandson of LloydDunn and Dorothy Parmelee.[Charlton/Earl/LloydiErnest/Thomas H/James C/Thomas # 1}
5 June ..Jeszenia Savoie, 1 year old!! Ab ..what apretty name ..daughter of Crystal Savoie, grand-daughter of RobertN alerie Dunn Savoie and greatgrand-daughter of Lawrence/Audrey MosherDunn.Check this tree out![Jeszenia Savoie/CrystalSavoielValerie Dunn/Lawrence /DanieIM/James C/Thomas #1} 7th Generation!
Aubrie Dunn is seven!!! A daughter of Dr.David/Noreen Demick Dunn, and grand-daughterof Arnold Dunn and the late Clair Lewis Dunn. [Au-brie/David/ArnoldiLloyd/Ernest/Thomas H/JamesC/Thomas #1} Yikes! 8 generations ...
Edward Gionest might salud! on his 32nd. Edwardis a son of RaymondlHazel Dunn Gionest, grandsonof Richard F/Daisy Prentice Dunn .[EdwardGionest/Hazel Dunn/Richard F/RichardiThomas/Thomas #1}
Roland Dunn was born on this date 69 years ago.Roland is a son of EdwardlEva Racine Dunn andgrandson of Adam/Chloe Coolbeth Dunn. We havelittle or no information about him. Please write ifyou know of him! ![RolandiEdward/Adam/JamesC/Thomas # 1}
Helen M Dunn was also born on this date 59 years
ago, daughter of EdwardlEsther Turner Dunn ,grand-daughter of Adam/Chloe Coolbeth Dunn[Helen/EdwardiAdam/JamesC/Thomas #1} Wouldalso love to hear about her!!
6 June ..Scott Hagar hits quarter of a century!!Scott is a son of ArthurlBarbara Rule Hagar,grandson of Richard/Ruth Dunn Rule. [ScottHagar/Barbara RulelRuth Dunn/Harry Dunn/Ri-chard Dunn/Thomas Dunn/Thomas # I}
Cameron Dunn hit the big 40 ...two years ago!!~ameron and wife Kathy and daughter Tiffany liveIn Tennessee. Cameron is a son of Lawrence/Audrey Mosher Dunn. [Camerson/Lawrence/Dan-iel M/James C/Thomas #1}
7 June ..lsabel Ayuso will be 4!! She will have afine day ...Daughter of Jose/Deborah Dunn Ayuso-Mateos and grand-daughter of AldenlElizabethFoster Dunn'[Isabel Ayuso/Deborah Dunn/Alden/Lloyd/Ernest/Thomas H/James C/Thomas # 1}
9 June ...Vivian Dunn Horne will celebrate.[Justreturned from Arizona?] Vivian is married toLawrence Horne and is a daughter of Vernard/LoisBradley Dunn. Vivian and I have been playingtelephone tag but we will connect some day. [Dunnsare so stub ...persistent! YVivianlV ernardiBernardiSimion/James C/Thomas # 1}
Scott Manning is 45 and loves every minute of it!!Scott is a son of Madelean Dunn and AllenManning, Jr. and lives in Northfield, Vermont{Scott ManninglMadelean Dunn/Herman/Adam/James C/Thomas # 1}
Tammy Dunn ...this is your day ...and take advantageof it!! Tammy is a daughter of Lawrence/AudreyMosher Dunn. [Tammy Jo/Lmvrence/Daniel M/James C/Thomas # 1}
10 June ..Keane Latulippe is a strong 6!! Son ofKeithlKathi Osgood Latulippe and grandson ofWayland/Melba Dunn Osgood. Ben and Jerry's isthe order of this day ...{Keane Latulippe/KathiOsgoodIMelba Dunn/Daniel M/James C/Thomas#1}
Robert Parson will kick back and enjoy the coolone. He is married to Terry Vorce and they have atleast 1 child. He is a son of Stanley/Virginia DunnParson. [Robert Parson/Virginia Dunn/Richard
page 4
I
FIRichard/ThomaslThomas =1}
Spencer Indemaur will whoop it up for his 8thbirthday. Spencer is a son of James/Mary OsgoodIndemaur.And Gram Osgood will spring for twobirthday presents. {Spencer Indemaur/Mmy Os-goodlMelba Dunn/Daniel M/James C/Thomas # 1}
13 June ...Geisle Riendeau Sherburne will have anice Saturday. Husband Ronald will do the barbe-cue bit ...just for her! Ronald is a son of George/Bertha Hudson Sherburne. [Ronald Sherburne/Bertha Hudson!Mattie Dunn/Adam/James C/Tho-mas #1]
Stephen Dunn might just share a pint withfolks!! Stephen is a son of Dennis/Jackie MedlockDunn, grandson of Rudolph/Shirley WebbDunn. [Stephen/Dennis/RudolphlW alter/Andrew/Thomas/Thomas # 1]
14 June ..James D Walsh will honor this day andhis wife Janice will bake the cake!! Jim is marriedto Janice Dunn, daughter of Morris Dunn and thelate Ruth Griggs Dunn.{Janice/Morris/Daniel M/James C/Thomas # 1]
Christopher Rule is 17 and he won't waste it!!Chris is a son of Richard/Susan Chamberlain Rule,grandson of RichardlRuth Dunn Rule. [ChristopherRule/ Richard Rule/ Ruth Dunn/Harry /Richard/Thomas/Thomas # 1]
Fred Mispel is due for fishing on this day. Fred ismarried to Barbara and she will clean the fish!!Barb is a daughter of RichardlRuth Dunn Rule-[Barbara Rule/Ruth Dunn/Harry/Richard/Thomas/Thomas #1]
Cary Dunn hits 28 big ones ...Cary is a son ofWayland/Carol Buxton Dunn, grandson of Law-rence/ Audrey Mosher Dunn [CarylWayland/Lawrence/Daniel M/James C/Thomas #J}
15 June 1998...Denise Madelle Dunn will becatered by her husband Gail all day...all day10ng!!Gail is a son of Lawrence/Audrey MosherDunn. [Gail/Lawrence/Daniel M/James C/Thomas#1]
Richard A Dunn might just go fishing too! Richardis a son of Harry/Betty Bennett Dunn, Jr., grandsonof Harry/Alta Lawrence Dunn.{Richard/Harry Jr/
HarT) Richard/Thomas/Thomas #I]
16 June ...will un-lax this day in sunny/coolFlorida!! David and wife Carol have two childrenthat will help him do this ..David is a son of the lateCharles Decoteau and Teresa Dunn Decoteau-[David Decoteau/Teresa Dunn/Daniel M/JamesC/Thomas #I]
19 June ..Joseph Weinberg celebrates! Joe ismarried to Susan, daughter of AldenlElizabethFoster Dunn. They have a son Dylan. [Susan/Alden/Lloyd/Ernest/ThomasH/James C/Thomas #I]
Wayland "Ozzie" Osgood is 21 ! ! [Don't wewish!! !]Then maybe not..Wayland is married toMelba Dunn Osgood and they have 5 children[Melba/Daniel M/James C/Thomas # I}
Deborah Dunn Ayuso joins the party today.Deborah is a daughter of AldenlElizabeth FosterDunn and married to Jose Ayuso-Mateos.{Deborah/Alden/Lloyd/Ernest/Thomas H/Thomas #I]
20 June ...Gordon finally joins the ranks of TomDunn,James Dunn!! 59 big ones!!!! Gorden is ason of CarmilLena Dunn Benoit and is married toDenise Pouliot Dunn.[Gordon Benoit/Lena Dunn!DanielM/James C/Thomas #1]
21 June ...Gail Dunn hits the half-century mark ..andDenise who celebrated earlier will serve as hostessfor this day ...and this day only!!Gail is a son ofLawrence/Audrey Mosher Dunn.
22 June ..Anne Walsh will be [watch out, tom]Annis married to David Bulk and they have twochildren. Ann is a daughter of James/Janice DunnWalsh. [Ann Walsh/Janice DunnIMorrislDaniel MIJames C/Thomas # 1]
24 June ...Rose Willette, married to William Mal-colm celebrate her day. Dad and the kids will seeto it.. Rose is a daughter of ClarencelRose DunnWillette. [Rose Willette/RoseDunn/Daisy/RichardF/Richard/Thomas/Thomas #I]
28 June ..Lori Hawes is 25 today ...married toJeremy Savoie and they have two children. Jeremyis a son of RobertN alerie Dunn Savoie. [JeremySavoielValerie Dunn/Lawrence/Daniel M/James C/Thomas #1}
Hilda K Dunn Flanders should be honored on thispage 5
the Dunn Jouma!
day. Hilda is married to Phil Flanders and theyhave 3 children. Hilda is a daughter of Harry/AltaLawrence Dunn. [Hilda/Harry/Richard/Thomas/Thomas #1}
30 June ...Connie Clowery deserves a pleasant dayon this date. Connie is a daughter of Donald/AnneLangevin Clowery, grand-daughter of Amedee/Mary Ella Dunn Langevin. [Connie Clowery/AnneLangevin/Mary Ella Dunn/Michael/Thomas # 1}
MILESTONES4 June ..KeithlKathi Osgood Latulippe celebrate 15years of marriage today. They have 5 children andlive in Connecticut. Have a happy! 
Pat is the son of RonlDiane
PROFILEAKXH E DUNN
1905-1962
Arah was born on Dunn Hill, now called PogineyRoad, in Newport, Vermont, the first born ofDanlLinda Whipple Dunn. The name Arah isbiblical. Arahs' father Daniel was a devotedCatholic and devoted to the Lord and throughouthis life when the demands of life lessened Danwould read the Bible, a practice he found helpful.Dan found this name in the Bible ...would beinteresting to find the scripture and the references itcontained.
27 May 1998•.•While the boys are planning forbabies and marriages, Ron and his wife Diane, areplanning a Caribbean cruise out of Miami for their25th Wedding Anniversary this fall. Congratuala-tions!! Is there a connection here? heh,heh ...
29 May 1998...0ne of the great pleasures I getfrom this Family History project are the familymembers I get to meet. Last Tuesday I spentalmost 3/4 of an hour on the phone with DurwoodDunn ..and what a gentle, thoughtful man he is!![Durwood/Vernard/Bernard/Simion/JamesC/Tho-mas # 1] Durwood and his family are very excitedabout his History. He and his wife live in Florida,come to Maine each summer and with luck may beat our re-union in August. I have yet to connectwith his brother Bernard and his sister Vivian butwill real soon. Durwood's daughter Eileen and Ihave chatted at least twice. We have known verylittle of Sim's lineage but that is all changing now! !
Also about two weeks ago, Gen and I wentscouting up in N. Troy, Vermont and discoveredthat one of Mel Dunn's daughters', Lois, was justdown the road. We stopped for a few minutes,introduced ourselves and chatted for a while. Loisand her husband Merrill Guyette live on RiverRoad, in N Troy. A friendly good natured ladywith a great sense of humor! !
3 May 1998...Kaliana, daughter of Tammy Dunn,grand-daughter of Lawrence and Audrey (Mosher]Dunn made her First Communion at the SacredHeart Church in Southbridge, Mass. The familycelegrated this day at the home of Tammy Dunnwhere the family gathered to join Kaliana on herspecial day!! God Bless6 May 1998 What a wonderful day for JeszeniaLee Savoie, daughter of Crystal Lee Savoie!Jeszenia was Baptized on April 26th, 1998 at theChurch of St. Annes of Sturbridge, Mass. Jesze-nia's Godparents Jeremy Savoie and wife LoriSavoie, Monique and Michelle Chapdelaine wereproud to open their hearts to become a veryimportant part of her life. God Bless6 May 1998•..We would like to announce thatJames Dunn and his wife Debra are opening theirhearts to another baby girl. More information willbe released in next months issue. Congratulationsto Jim and Debra! !15 May 1998...Maria Rodriguez of Methuen,Mass. is announcing the engagement of herdaughter, Lisa, to Matthew C Auger, son ofRaymond and Peggy Auger of Lawrence, Mass.Lisa graduated from ST. Mary's High School,Lawrence, Mass., and Salem State College, Salem,Mass., with a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting.She is an accountant with the Lawrence ?SavingsBank. Matthew graduated from Lawrence HighSchool and he is employed with Moulton Irrigationof Andover, Mass. A September 1998 wedding isplanned.27 May 1998...Ronald/Karen Steever Dunn areexpecting their first child, a daughter, to be bornanyday now. We will have the details next monthsfor sure. Ronald is the son of RonlDianeChouinard Dunn who contributes so much to theDunn Journal.
the Dunn Joumal
Thanks to Brandy, her daughters Shawnie, Beckie, May 15, 1999.and Bonnie; daughters of Mitch and Maxine. Also Chouinard Dunn.Thanks to Audrey and Lawrence, Tammy, and herdaughters Jenastina, Kaliana, Jauzalina. This wasthe 3rd term that he has won election!!! Congratu-lations! !
27 May 1998...Patrick is planning his wedding for He was educated at the Brown school at the foot
page 7
REPORT OF TROY HOSE COMPANY
The company has attended five fires during the pastyear, the "Preston Shac", Brault Market, QuincyWilly home and two chimney fires.
The Shac and Brault Market fires were difficult tohandle due to smoke and the warning being givenseveral minutes after the fire started. The Willy fireoccurred in zero weather with a strong wind andmade it the hardest fire to fight the company hasthus far experienced.
We held no public entertainments during the past,due to the fact that we were not allowed any sugarby the rationing board. We did, however, hold twocard parties for the firemen and families, whichwere possible only by each furnishing her or hersugar for the refreshments.
The company traded trucks, then sold the smallFord, Model A, and purchased a trailer for $15.00.Upon this trailer we mounted our two 35 gallonchemical tanks; also a supply of soda and acid withthe 100 feet of hose that we already had. We havegood rubber on this trailer and believe it is the firstin the state of its type. It is regularly used with ourStudebaker for out-of-the-village calls, but could beused with any car that has a rear bumper. Thistrailer loaded can be handled by four men in mostany place which makes it useful for fighting forestfires or any fire where there is a limited supply of
the Dunn Journal
He had 8 years of While living in Troy and possibly as a result of thefire that destroyed his familys' farm he served as avolunteer fireman and took the job very seriouslyand with great interest, often fondly speaking ofthose years. About 1941/1942 the Town Hall inTroy [Burt Wursthorn's Hall] burned and Arah wascalled to duty. It was a large building and a fiercefire. He was burned a fair amount about the neckand chest area. His son Thomas, a young 2 yearsof age recalls that experience quite vividly.
He was in fact Chief of the Troy Hose Company in1942/1943, inheriting this from his brother-in-lawReg Squires who had moved to East Hardwick ,Vermont, [O.C. Armstrong was Sec'y and Treas.]The following is from the Troy Town Report of1942 Interesting reading and sheds some light onthe times.
of Dunn Hill on Rte. 100.education.
He stayed with the family on the farm until about1930 when it appears he joined the CivilianConversation Corps. His employment with theCorp was as a Census Taker and for monthstraveled around the County working at that job. Healso worked seasons as a logger, living in thecamps during winter months until his marriage in1935. I have several pictures taken of he andMorris in camps of northern Vermont. Yet whileoff the farm, during critical times of haying, icecutting and the like he made himself available.
Arah didn't cotton to farming though was veryinterested in the dairy industry. I think this wasquite evident amongst all the Dunn boys except forHoward who remained on the farm beyond hisyouth.
There were other ways to make money as well.During the late 1920's and early 1930's andProhibition, bootlegging was often a lucrativebusiness. Arah was running liquor fairly frequentlyfrom Highwater and Mansonville, Quebec orDerby/Stanstead area into the States; often intoNewport, N Troy and occasionally through Lowellinto Chittenden county. Fairly frequently seemed tomean two or three runs per week for a period oftime. DanlLinda never knew about this businessbut would curse his reluctance to get up and dochores in the mornings. Never apprehended by theauthorities I do recall his mentioning some highspeed escapes. It held a certain romantic nostalgiafor Arah and on those rare occasions when hecould be lured into telling of the ''good old days"he certainly expressed as much.
Arah married Alice Vivian Fields on 7 October1935 in Lowell, Vermont. In the next seven yearsthey were to have 7 children. Six of these childrendied, 3 at birth, most of diseases or medicalconditions that would be successfully treatedtoday. Alice was also at risk and I'm sure herpossible death weighed heavily for him. The onlysurviving child was yours truly. Needless to say,this had a devastating effect on Arah and Alice. Ihave always thought he never really reconciledthese deaths.
page 8
I
During WWII (1941) he was drafted, sent toManchester N.H. for his physical but deferred fromservice given his age of 36, and his dependants. Itwas an anxious time for this family as it was formany families of the day.
Arah worked primarily in the Dairy industrybeginning in 1938 at United Farmers in Troy Vt, ,moving his family to Newport in 1943 where heworked at Butterfields Tap & Die for less than 1year. He then moved to Barton, Vt. and workedfor Hoods for a year. Reg Squires, his brother-in-law, was plant manager for United Farmers in E.Hardwick and hired him away from Hoods.
Soon after the move to East Hardwick theyadopted their daughter and my sister Patty in 1945.She was to become, as Mom explained it "Thepride and joy " of their life. Shortly after this theypurchased their first home in East Hardwick livingthere until his death in 1962.
Arah weighed/tested milk until the Creamery closedunder the Whiting Milk company in 1957. From1957 until his first hospitilization in the fall of 1958he worked at the Ethan Allen furniture plant inOrleans. (Tom has a chair and a rocker made inpart by his Dad while there).
In the fall of 1958 Arah was operated on forstomach ulcers. What the doctors discovered wascancer, widespread. They removed most of hisstomach. The prognosis was poor: 3 to 6 monthsto live... if he survived recovery. His children werecalled home, Patty from Kansas, Tom from themilitary on emergency leave. He was neverinformed of his cancer and his family was instructednot to tell him thinking it would only aggravate hiscondition. [The word cancer was never uttered byany of our family.] Immediately after discharge, hishealth insurer canceled his coverage. [Arah was tobe hospitalized some 35 times in the next 4 years.The medical costs were staggering. Mom lost herhome to the debtors She would eventually have hisaccounts paid in full by 1975!]
After his surgery Arah was physically unable towork daily. He started a Rawleigh route in thearea and also sold Knapp shoes. A naturalsalesman he really loved this work. However, hisalcoholism was progressing rapidly and his' health
page 9
Arahs diary of 1939 is interesting. He was layed offfrom the Creamery in the fall of 1938 until aboutMarch of 1939. By todays standards (1997) hewould have been considered unemployed but hardlythe case. He literally worked 7 days a week.There were chores (milkings) he did for localfarmers who needed help in exchange for milk,cream and butter if wages not possible, sandingroads for the local village, cutting ice for his fatherand other farmers, haying, plowing fields, buildingfence, cutting logs, cutting firewood, shovelingsnow, slaughtering pigs, boiling /gathering sap;thelist goes on ..but rarely a day without work. Therewere days when he worked 3 different jobs", therewas no public assistance. He cut his own firewood,raised his hogs, had chickens, a garden for potatoesand walked to all of his work sites. One getstuckered out just reading about his days!
ARAH E. DUNN. Captain. O.c. ARIvfSTRONG. Sec'y and Treas.
Our equipment is the same as last year which canbe found listed in last year's report.
The only needs we have that could benefit ourability to fight fire would be 100 feet of small hosefor chemicals which would benefit for out-of-the-village fire protection. There is also a real needof a hydrant placed near the creamery to make theirprotection there in A-I condition. The need is veryprominent in winter especially as you can not gocross-lots from the Tetreault hydrant with a truckand 1000 feet of hose.
We appreciate very much the whistle which UnitedFarmers have installed for the protection of thevillage in case of fire or air raids. We wish toexpress further our thanks to former Chief R.Squires who originated the idea and made it themost efficient whistle we have had.
We wish to thank the people of the town for theirsupport and assistance at fires and express ourappreciation for the cooperation of all townofficials and last, but by no means least the other10 members of our company who make up the firefighting force of the village of Troy.
the Dunn loumal~
water. The removal of the chemical tanks from thetruck to the trailer makes the truck load lighter andless wear on tires.
)
His sad eyes looking fro
A nothing-ness.
But in his heart
Hope •.a glow!
tom dunn/l Iun 1998
SATURDAY, 15 AUGUST
The Dunn Family Re-union will be held at thehome of Lawrence and Audrey Dunn in CharI-ton, Mass. I will publish maps and directionshow to "get there from here" next month.Lawrence has instructed me to say that peopledo not need to bring food...they are going tofeed the masses .. [What he doesn't know is thatall 1214 in the tree are coming!!!!] Thispromises to be an exciting reunion as I antici-pate several of our relatives we have recentlymade acquaintance with are hoping to be withus. We will be showing otT our family historystutT and it will be a great opportunity toexchange pictures. It will be a great Day!!
the Dunn loumal-love ...a hug was to be avoided at all costs!..Fiercelyindependant ...a slave to his addiction ..a democrat/unionist yet mistrusted government... and the listsgo on ...
The last words said to his son "Take care of yourmother" only hint at his private sense but thedetermined look in his eye said volumes.
Arah is buried in the Catholic Cemetery in Lowell,near his children and surrounded by his friends heknew as a young man.
A conversation with Teresa in the winter of 1998disclosed that perhaps a year or so before Arahdied he had visited his mother Linda in Brattleboro.After he had left and returned to Hardwick, Lindashared with Teresa that she thought Arah was notgoing to survive his illness. Arah didn't survive.After Arah's death she never once uttered his namethe rest of her own life.... silently suffering .....
A lonely Irishman
Boards a ship
deteriorated finding it difficult to work. Alice,who had been employed at the E. HardwickLockers since the closing of the Creamery, literallysupported them during these years. Tom and Pattysupported their own financial needs by working onfarms or in Patty's case doing other labors. Weweren't "high off the hog" but we got by!!
Until 1957 and the escalation of his alcoholism,(coincidental with the closing of the creamery),Arah enjoyed a reputation as "one helluva worker "and never had difficulty finding employment. Ex-tremely bright, very quick with math, a sharp senseof humor and an equally acerbic tongue he could beones best friend or a worthy adversary.
Arah Dunn died in October of 1962, at 57 years ofage, from alcoholism, i.e. cancer of the stomachand cirrhosis of the liver. That his alcoholism wasexacerbated by the losses of so many children isunderstandable. However, the alcoholism waspresent prior to his marriage. There is no .alcoholism in his family either with his parents orsiblings. However amongst his fathers siblingsthere is alot of alcoholism. Again, this is a medicalcondition that. had he lived a few years longerwould have been successfully treated.
How do you lose 6 children and still go on? Whenthe going gets tough, the tough get going!! Unableto experience his grief/despair he simply bore downand worked harder.. suffering the indignities andmisfortunes silently ... and prayed alot... silently.
A devout Catholic who rarely missed Mass. Hisbible and his rosary were his weapons against whatmust have been over-whelming grief.brief glimpsesonly evident during his pilgrimages to the graves ofhis children in Lowell. These visits were usuallyprivate but I recall occasions when I was withhim...and witnessed the pain. ..it was profound!
I recall a few Christmas eves, with the temperaturewell below zero; the rest of the family stayinghome he walked the 4 miles to Hardwick to attendMass: There was another demonstration/expressionof his faith. While severely alcoholic I never sawhim drink on Sunday always a strange habit none ofus really understood. But Arah was a contradiction.
Fiercely loyal to his family... never uttered the word
page 10