Re: David Dunn 1820
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In reply to:
David Dunn 1820
10/19/00
The following is about Sarah Jempson, married to David Dunn, with daughter Nancy. This was written by myself for the Lincoln County Historical Society. I just got word today that the David I wrote of is buried in Richmond, VA.-Julie
A Cherokee in Gaston County?
Sarah Jempson was born in North Carolina during July of 1836 (source: date given on 1900 Gaston Census). We know a little about Sarah and her daughter Lucy from letters written to Catherine Theresa Stowe by Ivy and Aunt May. (Lucy's daughters) Those letters tell us that Sarah was orphaned, taken in by a family, and then ran away as a teenager because she said the family was unkind to her. She supposedly ran away to Richmond, Virginia.The letters also say Sarah's mother is believed to be 1/2 Cherokee, and her father full Cherokee.
President Andrew Jackson put the pressure on people to make treaties and move the Cherokees west of the Mississippi.Some history books say people who signed the treaties did not represent the whole Cherokee nation, and over 14,000 Cherokees were forced to trek west by October of 1838. Thousands of Cherokees died along the "Trail of Tears." A Dawes historian told me that some Indians were able to stay behind by hiding in the hills for many years.
The first documentation we can find about Sarah is on her marriage certificate to David Dunn. Her name was spelled Sarah Jimason.She was married on either Oct 15th or Oct 16, 1854. (The marriage record has both dates.) We have also seen her surname spelled Jempson, Jamison, and Jimson.We have a picture of her with her name written on the back as Sarah Jimpson. We next found Sarah on the Gaston County 1860 Census, with her age, and where she was born.At that time she was married to David Dunn, and had two children, Nancy and James.
Gaston County 1860 Census,
(Note a Ewing family lives with them)
David Dunn born 1833 age 27 with Sarah Jimpson age 22
Nancy age 3
James age 1
Ann Ewing age 30
Mary Ewing age 7
Amanda Ewing age 5
Laura Ewing 8 months
Living next door to David and Sarah Dunn on the 1860 Census were:
Elizabeth Dunn age 49 head of family
Eleanor Dunn age 25 factory hand
Adaline age 21
Nancy Dunn 19
Franklin Dunn 16
Muster rolls for David Dunn in Gaston County state:
Age 28, enlisted Oct 6, 1861
Reported absent without leave Jul-Dec 1862
Returned Jan-Feb 1863
Wounded at Chancelorsville, VA May 1-4
Died in hospital at Richmond, VA of wounds or pneumonia.
Co. H., 37th Reg., NC troops Vol. 9. Pg. 571
(Chimberazoo was a big civil war hospital in Richmond.He may have died in this hospital.)
Next we find Sarah on the 1880 Gaston County Census living with her daughter Nancy Dunn, now married to Billy Long. (Yes, Nancy had a step father and husband with the same name.)
1880 Gaston County Census- Southwest Township
Billy Long age 26 (born 1854)
Nancy J. Dunn age 23 wife (born 1857)
James D. age 4 (born 1876)
William A. age 3 (born 1877)
Clarissa age: 1 month, born in Dec. (born 1880)
Sarah M. age 40, mother-in-law
Lucy M. age 12 sister-in-law (Sarah’s Daughter, Nancy’s step-sister)
The 1900 Gaston County Census, Stanley town, Riverbend twp. states:
Sarah:
? Sarah Long is living a widow
? Living with daughter Lucy Stowe and her 2 children.
? Born July 1836.
? Mother of 7, 2 living (one is Lucy).
? She can't read or write.
? Her mother and father were born in North Carolina.
? Sarah was also born in North Carolina.
? At the time of the 1900 Census she was 67, and not employed.
? Sarah was listed as Mulatto on the 1900 Gaston County Census, but white on all other Census.
***********************************************************
Lucy:
? Mother of 5, with 3 living.
Arthur E.: born 1884 -washer in cotton mill
George: born mar 1885 –worked in the cotton mill
Violetta: (listed as “May”) –born 1889 –worked as cotton spinner in cotton mill.Age 11.
Ella Florence had died. (Know from letters)
Sarah did not go west to Oklahoma with the Cherokees or stay with the Eastern North Carolina Cherokees.She was taken in by a family as a child, ran away as a teenager and later married a white man, David Dunn.David Dunn died in the Civil war, in Richmond Virginia, from wounds or pneumonia at the battle of Chancelorsville. We don’t know anything more about David, and continue to search for information about him.Letters to Catherine Theresa Stowe stated that Sarah married Billie or Jim Long and had two children, Lucy and Emmit.By 1900, she was again a widow, and kept her “Long” married name the remainder of her days. During her days as a widow, she lived with her children.
I have checked DAWES records and she is not registered with the Cherokees.I know she couldn’t have registered with the Eastern Cherokee Indians because she was on the Gaston County Census during that Cherokee registration.Sadly, Cherokees were given land in exchange for giving up their Indian form of government and Indian traditions. (Dawes records state this) Sarah never tried to prove her Cherokee lineage by applying for either Dawes or Eastern Cherokee band.She also never applied for a civil war pension. We know from family letters and a death Certificate that Sarah died in 1905.
Sarah’s daughter Lucy Matilda Long married Jasper Theodore Stowe in 1883, as a teenager. She divorced him after having three children with him. Arthur was born 1884, George 8 Mar 1885, and Ella born 30 Nov 1886, and died 1891. Voiletta May was born 3 Mar 1889. Next Lucy married Will Harper. Lucy’s daughters weren’t sure about the marriage date. We believe Everitt was Will Harper’s son. In 1912, Lucy Matilda Long married F.M. Dulin. (Sometimes we see his name written Floyd Dulin.)Lucy’s son Everitt was 5 when she married F.M. Dulin. Floyd and Ivy were Lucy and FM Dulins’ children.
The sources for the information about Lucy’s children are: The Stowe Family Research book by: Rachel Hannah Hoke, census, Lucy’s obituary, Lucy’s death certificate and family letters from Catherine Theresa Stowe, from George, and from Violetta. (“Aunt May”)
Lucy’s Death Certificate: (Grandma June Sanetra has copy)
Born July 9, 1868.
Died of pneumonia 29 Mar 1937 age 69.
Buried at Hickory Grove Baptist Church, in Hickory Grove NC.
Residence: Robert's Mill
Name: Lucy M. Long
Widow of FM Dulin (3rd marriage)
Date of birth: 9 Jul 1868
Death date: 29 Mar 1937
Cause of death: pneumonia
Occupation: housewife
Birthplace: Gaston Co.
Parents: Billy Long father, Sarah Jimason mother
Informant: Mrs. Ivy Furr (Lucy's daughter)
Ivy's address: Robert's Mill
5 children and 26 grandchildren survived Lucy.
1. Arthur Stowe of Roanoke Rapids, NC
2. George Stowe of Illinois
3. Floyd Dulin of Kannapolis
4. May (Violet May) Paysour of Belmont, NC
5. Mrs. Ivy Furr.)
The enclosed picture of Sarah was given to us from Aunt Celesta, George B. Stowe's daughter.
My lineage is as follows:
My great- grandpa George Beverly (or Belvy) Stowe’s parents were: Lucy Long and Jasper Theodore (“Dora”) Stowe,
Jasper Theodore Stowe’s parents were: Green Stowe and Margaret Elmina Jenkins
Margaret Elmina Jenkins parents wereTilman Jenkins and Margaret Clemmer.
Green Stowe’s mother is Delphia Stowe. (No father is given.Green Stowe kept his mother’s maiden name. Delphia never married.)
If you have any further information or questions for me you may contact me at:
Julie Marie Cabitto
9325 Brock Rd.
Spotsylvania, VA 22553
[email protected]