Robert James Dunn (1830 - 1919)

Born 9 Jul 1830 in Gilford, County Down, Ireland

Husband of Sarah (Hawthorn) Dunn — married 24 Dec 1851 in Gilford, Tullylish, County Down, Ireland

Descendants

Died 14 Feb 1919 at age 88 in Harrisville, Queensland, Australia

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Biography

Robert was born in 1830 and is the son of George Dunn and Elizabeth (Allen) Dunn.

He married Sarah (Hawthorn) Dunn on December 24, 1851 in Tullylish, Gilford, Ireland^[1]

Marriage notice: The Belfast Newsletter, Monday Morning, December 29, 1851 - December 24, in the Presbyterian Church, Gilford, by the Rev. James H???, Mr Robert Dunn, to Miss Sarah Hawthorn, both of Gilford.^[2]

Robert (24) and Sarah (24) and their young daughter Margaret (1) immigrated to Australia on board the 'Wacouta' arriving in Australia on January 2, 1855. Robert was a farm labourer and both could read. Sarah is the daughter of Hugh and Elizabeth Hawthorn. They had no relations in the colony when they immigrated.^[3]

QLD BDM Records Of Daughter Margaret

Margaret Smith Event date: 15/06/1940 Event type: Death registration Registration details: 1940/C/1733 Mother: Sarah Hawthorn Father/parent: Robert Dunn

QLD BDM Records

Robert Dunn Event date: 14/02/1919 Event type: Death registration Date of birth: /07/1830 Registration details: 1919/C/393 Mother: Elizabeth Allen Father/parent: George Dunn

Burial

Robert Dunn, Sr Birth : 1830 Death : 14 Feb 1919 (aged 88–89), Queensland, Australia, Burial : Harrisville Cemetery, Harrisville, Scenic Rim Region, Queensland, Australia Memorial ID : 140874413 Aged 88 years https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/140874413/robert-dunn

Obituary

Obituary: The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939) Sat 1 Mar 1919 - MR ROBERT DUNN. Mr. Robert Dunn, one of the oldest and best-known pioneers of the Fassifern district, and the founder of the town of Harrisville died last Friday, at the residence of the youngest daughter, Mrs W. J. Burnett. He was born at Guilford, County Down, on July 9, 1839, and arrived in Sydney on January 2, 1855 by the ship Warcosta. He came straight to Queensland and lived in the Logan district for 13 months. He then moved to the Fassifern district, purchased the area of land on which Harrisville now stands, and had been resident there ever since. In the sixties, when cotton was a profitable crop, the late Mr. Dunn had much land under cotton, and sold it to Messrs. J. and G. Harris, who had a cotton gin where the Commercial Bank now stands. The town was named after Mr. Harris, and the name was given to it by Mrs. Luke Smith, one of Mr. Dunn's daughters. Mr. Dunn was a foundation member of the Harrisville School of Arts, and was an elder of the Churchbank Presbyterian Church for 50 years. Though not essentially a public man, he always lent his aid to any movement which made for the advancement of the district. The deceased had a singularly strong constitution and led an active life till a few months ago. His wife and one daughter (the wife of Rev. J. S. Pollock) predeceased him. He is survived by one son (Mr. Robert Dunn), four daughters (Mrs. W. J. Burnett, Mrs. Walter Brown, Mrs. Luke Smith, and Mrs. J. Greig, of Ipswich), and 34 grandchildren, many of the latter being on active service abroad. On Saturday, when the body was interred, all local cricket fixtures were postponed, and the cortege was an unusually long one. The last rites of the Church were performed at the graveside by Revs. W. A. Brown and J. Egerton Jacob. On Sunday at the church services special reference was made to the life of the deceased.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ FHL Film Number 101323, Reference ID p567, In6 - Ancestry.com. Ireland, Select Marriages, 1619-1898 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.
2. ↑ Linen Hall Library; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Periodicals & Newspapers, Irish & Reference
3. ↑ State Records Authority of New South Wales; Kingswood New South Wales, Australia; Persons on bounty ships to Sydney, Newcastle, and Moreton Bay (Board's Immigrant Lists); Series: 5317; Reel: 2472
4. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/22370133

• Name confirmed from daughter's QLD Death Registration details: 1940/C/1733
• QLD Death Registration details: 1919/C/393
• Burial : https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/140874413/robert-dunn