Elbridge Gerry Dunn (1812 - 1900)

Born 14 Oct 1812 in Mount Vernon, Kennebec, Maine, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Louisa M (Brackett) Dunn — married 1846 in Mount Vernon, Civil, Kennebec, Maine, USA

Descendants

Died 25 Sep 1900 at age 87 in Lancaster, Saint John, St. John, New Brunswick, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Gregory Dunn [send private message]

Biography

In Fredericton, New Brunswick, in 1831; in Fort Fairfield, Maine in 1839; later in Ashland, and from 1867 till death in Saint John, New Brunswick. Elbridge remained at home until he was 19 years old when he went to Frederickton as a carpenter. In 1839 he constructed the fort at Fort Fairfield and used the money thus obtained to lay the base of one of the most extensive timberland holdings in the State of Maine. His great-grandson, George "Pete" Sawyer still resides in the house built by Elbridge and for forty-one years managed the Dunn estate from the ancestral abode. (This was written in 1988)

From Wiggins' Aroostook, page 70; Soon after this (c1840) Mr. Elbridge G. Dunn and Mr. John S. Gilman, both from Mt. Vernon, came to Ashland and engaged in lumbering and farming. Mr. Dunn afterwards settled upon the Dalton farm on the west side of the Aroostook River, where he made a very fine farm and built a handsome residence, which his son E. G. Dunn, Jr. now occupies. Mr. Dunn became wealthy in the business of lumbering and the purchase of timber lands, and in 1870 removed to St. John, where he has since been extensively engaged in the manufacture of lumber.

ibid., p. 73; Mr. E. R. McKay came to Ashland in 1852 and has been in the employ of the Dunns ever since. He carried on their large farm for thirteen years and scaled in the woods during the winter season. He has been chairman of the board of selectmen for may years. Mr McKay built the large two-story building on the corner opposite the hotel and uses the upper story for a residence. The lower story is occupied as a lumber supply by Dunn Bros. This firm is largely engaged in lumbering and cut from eight to twelve million yearly on Aroostook waters. Mr. George B. Dunn, the senior member of the firm, occupied the homestead for some time after his father moved to St., John...Mr. E. G. Dunn, Jr. is now occupant of the estate and is making extensive improvements upon the farm and buildings.

From Ava Harriet Chadbourne, Maine Place Names, p. 281, Titles of land recognized by the commissioners in their report of 1844 were those of ... Elbridge G. Dunn (in Ashland)

From Philip T. Coolidge, History of Maine Woods (Bangor, 1963); The Dunn lands are managed by George C. Sawyer at Ashland (p. 616). George B. Dunn and estate of E.G. Dunn among the principal land owners in Aroostook County. (p. 574)

Elbridge died in 1900.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ "Canada, New Brunswick, Saint John, Saint John Burial Permits, 1889-1919," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WK-L5WL : accessed 30 January 2022), Elbridge Gerry Dunn, 25 Sep 1900; citing Lancaster, Saint John, St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, Fredericton; FHL microfilm 1,412,534.

See also:

• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDHT-XCP : 18 February 2021), Elbridge G Dunn, 1860.
• "Canada Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MV67-9G7 : 2 March 2021), Elbridge G. Dunn, Lancaster, Saint John, St. John, New Brunswick, Canada; from "1881 Canadian Census." Database with images. Ancestry. (www.ancestry.com : 2008); citing Elbridge G. Dunn, citing Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Michael Dunn for starting this profile.