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