Will for William Dunn, spouse of Margaret Hershey (Death: 11 Jan 1852)

FHL Film #580596

Application No. 186
Exemplification Letters of Administration
to Margaret Dunn
Re: William A. Dunn
Late of Bertie, Yeoman, deceased

Exemplification of Letters of Administration of the personal Estate and Effects of William Dunn late of the Township of Bertie in the County of Welland, Yeoman, deceased, and which said grant of Administrations is on the words following that is to say:
Court of Probate
Province of Canada
Toronto to Wils(?)
By Secker Brough, Esquire, Official Principal office Court of Probate in and for that part of the Province of Canada, formerly constituting Upper Canada. Ye
Whereas Margaret Dunn of the Township of Bertie in the United Counties of Lincoln and Welland in the Province of Canada, Widow. By petitions to His Excellency the Right Honorable James Earl of Elgin and Kincardine Governor Gneral of the Province of Canada and Judge of the Court of Probate in and for that part of the said Province formerly constituting Upper Canada, did set forth that William Dunn late of the Township of Bertie aforesaid yeoman deceased, departed this life on or about the Eleventh day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and fifty two possessed of Goods Rights Credits or Chattels in that part of the Province of Canada formerly constituting Upper Canada: that the Said deceased died intestate leaving petitioner his wiow him surviving; of Petitioner therefore prayed that Letters of Administration of all and singular the Goods, Rights, Credits, and Chatte;s wjocj were pf the said William Dunn, deceased at the time of his death or lawfully accruing thereafter in that part of the Province of Canada formerly consituting Upper Canada might be granted unto her on giving the Security required by law.
Wherefore Administration of all deed singular, the goods, rights, credits and chattels which were of the said William Dunn deceased at the time of his death or lawfully accruing thereafter in that part of the Province of Canada formerly constituting Upper Canada is hereby granted unto the said Margaret Dunn, she having given Bond into the Registry of the siad Court of Probate and makde oath well and faithfully to administer the same according to law and to make or cause to be made a full and perfect inventory thereof the same to be ixhibited into the Registry of the said Court of Probate on or before the last Monday in September next ensuring the date here of and also to render a just and full account of her said administrations unto the said Court when thereunto lawfully required.
Given under my hand and the seal of the said Court of Probate at Toronto aforesaid this Twenty Thrid day of February in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight hundred and fifty two. Signed: Secker Brough, Official Principal

Office of the Surrogate Clerk
I Charles Fitzgibbons the Surrogate Clerk do hereby certify that the foregoing paper writing is an exemplification of the Letters of Administration to the Estate and Effect of the therein named William Dunn deceased and that the Bond given pursuant to the statute is now deposited in the Court of Chancery for Upper Canada “pursuant to the provisions of the Surrogate Court Act of 1858.”
--Charles Fitzgibbons

In the Court of Probate, Margaret Dunn of the Township of Bertie in the United Counties of Lincoln and Wlland in the Province of Canada, Widow, of William Dunn late of the same place, Yeoman, deceased, maketh oath and saith that the said William Dun departed this life on or about the Eleventh day of January in the year of our Lord one Thousand Eight hundred and fifty Two intestate and that no will or Testamentary paper was found amongst the effects of the said deceased to the best of this deponents knowledge infomration and belief. Sworn before me at Niagara in the United Counties of Lincoln and Welland this 16th day of Feby 1852. Signed: Margared Dunn

In the Court of Probate, Margared Dunn of the Township of Bertie in the United Counties of Lincoln and Welland in the Province of Canada, Widow, Administratirx of all and singular the goods, rights, credits, and chattels of William Dunn late of the same place, Yeoman, deceased, maketh oath and saith that the property of the said deceased devolving at his death is of the value of about seven hundred and fifty pounds of lawful money of Canada to the best of this deponents knowledge information and belief. Signed: Margaret Dunn
Sworn before one at Niagara in the United Counties of Lincoln and Welland this Sixteenth day of February, 1852.

Surrogate Court,
Upper Canada
County of Welland
Victoria by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Defender of the Faith,
Write this Sheriff of the County of Welland or unto the Apparitor of the said Court.
We strictly asjoin and command yhou that you presentptorily cite or cause to be cited Margaret Harris (formerly Margaret Dunn) the Administratrix of all and singular and personal estate and effects, rights, and credits of William A. Dunn late of this Township of Bertie in the County of Welland, Yeoman, deceased, to be and appear in her own propes person before Our Judge of Our said Surrogate Court at his Chambers at the Village of Welland in the County of Welland aforesaid on Saturday this Seventh day of May AD 1864 at eh hour of ten of the clock in this June and to bring in with her and deposit in the siad Court at the said time and place, this original Letter of Administration granted to her of the said personal estate and effects, rights and credits of the said Intestate: and also bring in with her and ___ the same unto this said Court at theis time and place aforesaid a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular this good, chattels, personal estate, and effects of this said deceased which have come unto her hands paper and knowledge and then and thereby to render unto the said Court a just and true account of her administration of this said estate and affects.
And you will cause the said Margaret Harris to take notice that she will be at this said time and place called upon to she cause why the said Letters of Administration of this said personal Estate and effects rights and credits of the said deceased shall not be cancelled and why William H. Dunn of the said Twonship of Bertie being a person having an interest in the Goods of the said deceased shall not be appointed Administrator of the said Estate in her place and stead. And also then and there to shew cause why the Bond or Bonds given by her and her sureties as such Administrators shall not be assigned to this said William H. Dunn for the benefit of the estate of the said William A. Dunn deceased. And further to do, perform, observe and keep all such orders, decrees, matters and things as shall then and thereto or whenever this said matter shall come on to be heard, be made and given in this premises by our said Judge.
__ Harvey Williams Price, Esquire, Judge of our Said Court. 21 April 1864

Children and Grandchildren of Simeon Dunn (b. 1774) and Sally Bath

1) Highlights of what we know about the children and grandchildren of Simeon Dunn b. 1774 and Sally Bath.

A. Mary Dunn b. 1800
--Assumed birth 10 Oct 1800, (Williamsburg or Wiliamstown, Hermitage, Groveland, Sparta), Ontario (later Livingston), New York Other than Simeon A. Dunn's records, does anyone have any other documentation for this date or place? An alternate birth place for Mary that shows up in the IGI and Hosmer biographis is "Black Rock, New York." Has anyone been able to identify any documents that place the family in this area?

--Mary seems to be one of the very earliest relatives to have that moved from New York to Michigan. The Dibean collection gives their marriage as Wayne, Michigan. Does anyone know how to find a source from this collection or have another source document for this marriage in 1819? My question is how did Mary get to Michigan and with whom? Did she go there with the Hosmers in 1818? Did she travel there alone? With someone? Did she take some of younger brothers (Simeon, James, Francis, etc. with her? Does anyone have any thoughts or documentation on this? The wiki.familysearch on Michigan history mentions that 1818-1832 settlement in Michigan was encouraged by improvements in transportation, including the establishment of steamship operation on the Great Lakes from Buffalo to Detroit in 1818, and the completion of the Erie Canal to Buffalo in 1825. The Chicago Road linking Detroit to Chicago was completed in 1832.

--The rest of Mary's life in the Huron, Wayne, Michigan area seems well documented (census, land, probate, etc). If you need any of this documentation, just let us know.

B. Francis Gustin Dunn b. 1802. (Male/Female)
--First, does anyone have a definitive source labeling this person as male or female? I think most of us believe he was a male. The temple work has been done as a male and a female. Simeon A. Dunn did his endowment as a male, and then sealed himself to "him" as a female. Any thoughts?

Francis Gustin Dunn/ Male/ Birth: 1802 , Ontario, New York/ Death: 1821/ Endowment: 23 Nov 1877 SGEOR/ Relative Proxy: Simeon Adams Dunn/ Source: Film #170542/ Page 372/ Ref. #6283

Frances Gustin Dunn/ Female/ Birth: 1802 , Ontario, New York/ Sealing to Spouse: 19 Dec 1877 SGEOR , Simeon Adams Dunn/ Marriage: Spouse: Simeon Adams Dunn, Sealing to Spouse: 19 Dec 1877, Saint George, Washington, Utah/ Source: Film #170596, Page # , Ref #289[Problem, endowment lists this person as a male]

--Assumed birthdate for Francis of 1802, (Williamsburgh or Williamstown, Hermitage, Groveland), Ontario (later Livingston), New York. Other than Simeon A. Dunn's records, does anyone have any other documentation for this date or place?

--Death date for Francis, I have seen 1820 and 1826. Where was he at the time, does anyone know? Did he go with Mary to Michigan? Did he go with William to Canada? Did he go somewhere else? The first time I see a death date show up is in the 1923 temple sealing to parents, does anyone have an earlier source?

C. Simeon Adams Dunn, b. 1803
--Same issues on assumed birthdate for Simeon Dunn of 7 Aug 1803, (Williamsburgh or Williamstown, Hermitage, Groveland), Ontario (later Livingston), New York. Other than Simeon A. Dunn's records, does anyone have any other documentation for this date or place?

--Where was Simeon prior to showing up in Washtenaw County, Michigan on 30 Jun 1828 to marry Adeline Rawson? Did he go to Michigan on his own? Did he know the Rawson's before moving there? Rawson's moved there from New York in 1825. Has anyone found any information about this period of his life?

--The rest of Simeon's life is pretty well documented, from Michigan to Nauvoo to Utah. Many wives, many of whom preceed him in death leaving him with a household of children. If you need histories or other information, be specific, and we will gladly share what we have.

D. William Dunn b. 1806
--Once again, assumed birth of William 4 April 1806 in (Williamsburg or Wiliamstown, Hermitage, Groveland), Ontario (later Livingston), New York. Other than Simeon A. Dunn's records, does anyone have any other documentation for this date or place? Any other family histories that talk about his life? Maureen, any family lore coming up from your side of the family?

--So, where was William Dunn between his birth and 1851. We know with certainty that by the 1851 Canadian Census he was living in Bertie, Welland, Ontario, Canada with his wife and several children. His wife, Margaret Hershey and her family were from the Bertie/Willoughby area. Our assumption is that they were married in Bertie about 1828, about the same time Simeon shows up in Michigan. His children all state they were born in Bertie in the 1851 census. But does anyone have any other sources or documentation on William between birth and 1851?

He is not shown on the 1828 Bertie Census [1828 Lincoln County (later Welland County Census, included Bertie: William Dunn not found, FHL film #1414871]. Not listed in [FHL Film #170145, Title: Land records, 1796-1840, Author: Niagara District (Upper Canada). Registrar of Deeds]. Not listed in [Title: Land records, 1796-1840/ Author: Niagara District, Upper Canada, Registrar of Deeds/ Publication: Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1958/ FHL Film #170146]. Although it is evident that Margaret is in possession of land at the time of his death and the 1857 Bertie tax assessments.

--The rest of William's life is pretty well documented (census, probate, cemetery, etc.) If you need documentation, let us know.

--The one other side note here is the Haggai Skinner family. Simeon Adams Dunn did temple work for several members of this family. Some of his histories say he was raised by a Skinner family after his parents died. The Haggai Skinner family appearantly were Loyalists. They lived in Stamford, Welland, Canada (near Bertie) and came to this area supposedly in 1785. So the question is, how did Simeon Adams Dunn come to interact with this family? Any ideas?

E. James Dunn b. 1810
--Once again, assumed birth of James 27 June 1810 in (Williamsburg or Wiliamstown, Hermitage, Groveland), Ontario (later Livingston), New York. Other than Simeon A. Dunns records, does anyone have any other documentation for this date or place?

--From this point on there is a lot of confusion about James' life. There were several James Dunn's who joined the LDS church in it's early days. In my mind, we have not defined with certainty which if any were a brother to Simeon A. Dunn--including the one who baptized him--Brother James Dunn or his brother, James Dunn. Paula has been able to eliminate some of the James Dunns as definitely not Simeon's Brother. But there are still lots of questions here. Anyone have comments? I do not have any reason to believe James Dunn married during his life time, does anyone disagree?

Well, this is a review of where we have been, looking ahead I have started to refocus on the Groveland, Livingston, New York area. These are the films I am currently looking at: 591294, 1769004, 591292, 589286, 834755. I have been in touch with Larry Turner who has been the town historian in Groveland. He said it was not unusual for families to just sort of pass through this area without really buying land or settling down. Levi Dunn, brother of Simeon Dunn b. 1774 is the only family member we have found records for in the Groveland/Sparta area.

The search goes on. I am eager to hear everyone's thoughts and perceptions. Has anyone written up a story of how the family migrated from New York to Michigan or Canada?

-Karen Rasmussen

Simeon Dunn meets Joseph Smith

The artist Glen Hopkinson has decided to produce a limited edition giclee print on canvas of "Simeon Dunn meeting Joseph." The print on canvas will measure about 22x28 and will sell for $699 and will include a beautiful museum quality oil painting frame ready to hang. The edition will not be large. It will be less than 50. I am just sharing this information. Please pass along to any other Simeon Dunn descendants you may have email addresses for. This is in no way a sales presentation, but I think there may be people who are interested even though it is a sizeable investment. A picture of the print is attached. Those interested may contact Glen Hopkinson at glenhopkinson@gmail.com. You may also see a little about the print at these links:google-Simeon Dunn Hopkinson www.glenhopkinson.com/blog/2008/10/simeon-dunn-meets-joseph.html ).
- Karen Rasmussen

Welcome to the Dunn Family Research Blog

Please post your findings and any supporting documentation on the Simeon Adams Dunn line here.