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Note: «b»Adam Dunn«/b». Like many others, resident within the boundaries of Clinton County, who started in life with naught but an abundance of determination and a strong and healthy constitution, and who have succeeded through their own energy, economy and perseverance, we classify the gentleman whose name stands at the head of this notice. He is at present retired from active labor and enjoying the accumulations of a laborious past in peace and quiet, on his fine place on section 14, Clinton Township. Adam was born seven miles from Belfast, Ireland in 1817, and is a son of Michael and Nancy (Chapman) Dunn, natives of Ireland. Michael Dunn was engaged in the jobbing business in his native land and became the father of eleven children, six of whom are living at this writing: John married Ellen J. Crawshaw; Alexander was united in marriage with Susan Crawshaw; Catherine became the wife of Alexander McCone; Adam is the subject of this notice; Sarah was united in marriage with Thomas McChone, and James married Ann Alvin, and all of these children are residents of this county. Both parents died in their native land. Adam Dunn lived with the old folks until thirteen years of age, when he and his sister Dorothea emigrated to this country, in company with their brother William, who had previously been here, and passed three years in this country, and was at that time visiting his native home. Our subject, on arrival in the United States, located in the town of Riga, Monroe Co., N. Y., where he engaged working for a farmer for his board and clothes, and was with him for two years, receiving for his last year's services the sum of $6. He then worked for another farmer in the same county about six years, when with a partner he took contracts for the building of stone walls. In 1837 Mr. Dunn went to Milwaukee and purchased eighty acres of land north of that city. He then returned East and occupied his time in farming until 1839, when he came to this county and located at Clinton. Subsequently he moved onto a farm adjoining the one on which he is at present residing. He sold his first farm and bought 150 acres, upon which he now lives, and also forty acres of timberland on Beaver Island. Mr. Dunn, when he first came here, put up with all the inconveniences incident to early settlement of a new country, and lived in the customary log house until 1853. He then erected a commodious stone residence on his present farm, and commenced the breaking of his prairie land, setting out trees and otherwise improving it. In addition to his home farm he has purchased for his son a 160-acre place, and also another of the same acreage for one of his daughters. He has given to each of his three children property or its equivalent amounting to $8,000. Adam Dunn was married April 5, 1845 to Miss Elizabeth Crawshaw, the daughter of Richard and Ann Crawshaw, natives of England. Her parents came to this country and first located in Genesee County, N. Y.; then in 1838, removed to the Territory of Iowa, and settled in this county, where they lived until their death. They had seven children, only three of whom are living - Alice, Susan, and Elizabeth. Mr. And Mrs. Dunn have had six children, and the following yet survive: William, the husband of Phoebe Kirkham; Alice, the wife of Rueben Huntoon, who has two children - Walter and Fayette; Elizabeth Dunn, the single daughter, resides at home. Mr. Dunn has given each of his children a good education, and in this, the sunset of life, he is enabled to look back on his past with pride, for he remembers of never doing his fellow-man a wrong. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics he votes the Democratic ticket. [Portrait & Biographical Album of Clinton County, Iowa] <=====> «b»Another Phase of Farm Life«/b» 'Quit when you have enough' was the advice given younger men by the late W. W. Dunn, whose father Adam Dunn came to America in his teens and worked near Syracuse, N. Y. for $10 a month and found. He and 'Jim' Strahan heard about the land to be acquired in the new territory of Iowa and decided to get some. They saved their money and did not intend to spend on stage fare at a dollar a day. They would walk into Iowa and they did, across the uncharted Middle West to Albany, Ill., thence by boat to Camanche, Queen City of the territory. Adam Dunn bought land and built a home, a cabin to be sure, on the present site of Clinton. That land was not healthful. He had ague; there was no whiskey to be had, that was the sole remedy, so what did he do? He turned around and walked right back to York state. Once there the young Adam, remembering the green fields of Iowa came back again but this time by boat. He stayed and soon a stone house replaced the cabin. Again there was ague but they knew what to do. Get all the work done before the 'shakes' begin. He persevered. He saved. In the winter he would go to the Galena lead mines and work for a dollar a day without board but not for long as the workers found it dangerous because of lead poisoning from the fumes. It was best to stay on the farm and put up with less, as for instance, salt. The only way to get salt was when the boats brought it up the river. When word came that a boat had docked at Albany and had salt aboard men of the community rowed across the river and bought salt in sacks. So eager were they for the taste that they immediately took some and ate it. Did it taste good to the craving tongues! [Clinton County, Iowa History] <=====> «b»ADAM DUNN«/b», farmer, Sec 14; P. O. Clinton; is a native of county Antrim, near Belfast, Ireland, and emigrated to America when only 14 years of age. He lived in Monroe co., N. Y., until the fall of 1839, when he and his brother came to Iowa, to Clinton County, and bought a claim. The following summer, he returned to New York State, and came out here again in the fall; the next summer, it being very sickly, he again went to York State, and remained two and a half years; then came back to this county and located where he now lives, near Clinton. He is one of the early settlers of this county; there are few here now that were hear when he came. He had nothing when he began life; by industry and good management, he now owns 500 acres of good land. He married Elizabeth Crawshaw, a native of England, in 1845; she came to America with her parents when only 7 years of age; they have three children -- William, who is married and living in this county; Alice Ann, who married Ruben Huntoon, of Evanston, Ill., and lives in this county; Elizabeth Frances, at home.
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