Source: A History of Crawford
County, Iowa Vol II, S.J. CLarke Publishing Co, Chicago, IL 1911 p. 98
S. C. Dunham, who has devoted his attention to general agricultural pursuits
throughout his entire business career, is now one of the substantial and representative
farmers of East Boyer township. His birth occurred in Clinton Co, Iowa on
the 25th day of May, 1851, his parents being John A. and Celinda (Richardson)
Dunham. The father, a native of Fulton county, Illinois, was a son of Cornelius
Dunham. The other children of that marriage were Louisa, Cornelius and Sophronia.
For his second wife Cornelius chose Mr. Margaret Miller ne้ Scott by whom
had had five children: Margaret, who is a resident of Dunlap, Iowa; Samuel
S. and Flora, who are deceased; and Martha and Z.T., both living in Dunlap,
Iowa. Mrs. Margaret Miller was the widow of Samuel Miller, by whom she had
four children: James, deceased; Elizabeth, a resident of Rapid City, S. Dakota;
Mary Jane and George, both of whom are deceased. On leaving his native county,
John A. Dunham, the father of S.C. Dunham, removed to Jackson county, Iowa,
where he married in 1848. Three years later in 1851, he took up his abode
in Clinton county, while subsequently he went to Black Hawk county, locating
on the present (?) of Cedar Falls. In 1854 he came to Crawford county, licating
near Dunham's Grove, where he passed away the same year. He was the father
of three children: Alice, deceased; S.C. of this review; and Mrs. Elsie Brink
who makes her home in Nebraska. In 1856 Mrs. Celinda Dunham gave her hand
in marriage to Tracy Chapman, by whom she had nine children as follows: Lois,
deceased; Mrs. Phoebe Mason, a resident of Vail, Iowa; Mrs. Hulda Martin,
living in Omaha, Nebraska; Harlow H., farming in East Boyer township; Rhoda
of Vail; Tracy, farmer in East Boyer township; Delia, deceased; and Mrs. Salinda
North, who makes her home in Milford township; and one who died in infancy.
The mother of these children was called to her final rest on May 27, 1897.
S.C.Dunham obtained his education in a log schoolhouse at Dunlap, Iowa, and
remained under the parental roof until 19 years of age. At that time he started
out as an agriculturalist on his own account and the work of the fields has
claimed his attention almost continuously since. With the exception of 7 years
spent in Nebraska and a period of six years in Monona county, Iowa, he has
always made his home in Crawford county.At the present time he operates a
tract of 180 acres in East Boyer township - the site of the old homestead
where Cornelius Dunham and Franklin Prentiss, the original settlers of this
county, located in 1849. Mr. Dunham owns a farm of 80 acres in Minnesota and
is widely recognized as a prosperous and esteemed citizen. He possesses considerable
mechanical skill and has invented, among other things, a hay loader which
has proved a very useful device, about 25 of them now being utilized in Crawford
county.
When 23 years of age, Mr. Dunham was joined in marriage to Mary J. Miller,
by whom he had ten children as follows: Mrs. Kate Christie of Dunlap, Iowa;
John A., a resident of Los Angeles, California; Mrs. Lois Rowe of Missouri
Valey, Iowa; Mrs. Gussie Christie of Dunlap; Mrs. Edith Crampton of Hayes
township, Crawford county; Bessie, deceased; Tracy, living in Oroville, California;
Mrs. Fanny Sowder, Chadron, Nebraska; and Jessie and Jennie, twins. Mrs. Dunham
is a Republican in politics and has held a number of township offices, discharging
his public duties in a most prompt and capable manner. His interests are thorougly
identified with those of Crawford county and at all times he is ready to lend
his aid and cooperation to any movement calculated to benefit this section
of the county or advance its wonderful development.
Between 1912 and 1916, Sylvester Craig and his family moved to the San Joaquim
Valley in California. It may be that he followed some relatives there. His
eldest daughter's brother-in-law moved to California about 1911. The youngest
daughter, Jennie, married while they were in all living in near Hanford, Kings
Co, CA. Her children were all born in the San Joaquim Valley. Sylvester Craig
Dunham died in 1929 and is buried at Grangeville Cemetary in Armona, Kings
Co, CA.
Dunham - Miller
