Byron Dunlap

Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Peoria County, 1902
Transcribed by John Melton

DUNLAP, BYRON W.; Farmer; born at Sandy Creek, Oswego County, New York, June 13, 1832. His great-grandparents were William Dunlap, born April 9, 1753, died in 1817, and Eleanor (Delong) Dunlap. His grandparents were Smith Dunlap, born in 1783, and died March 3, 1856, and Eleanor (Lane) Dunlap, born December 17, 1781, died March 25, 1858, both natives of Montgomery County, New York. His father, Alva Dunlap, also a native of Montgomery County, was born October 16, 1804, and died January 2, 1889; he married Mary Knight, born September 10, 1806 at Uxbridge, Connecticut, died April 2, 1881, the daughter of Jesse and Anna (Dean) Knight. Smith Dunlap was Justice of the Peace for many years. Alvah Dunlap was one of the most prominent men in his township, and held the offices of Supervisor, Assessor, County Commissioner and Deputy County Surveyor. He owned eight hundred and forty acres of land. Byron W. Dunlap was educated in the common school, and remained with this father, Alva, until he was twenty-seven years of age; when he engaged in farming for himself. He raised his first crop of corn in 1865, and has followed agricultural pursuits all his life. He now has a farm of two hundred and eighty acres, on which he has a fine residence. The farm on which he lives is the original place owned by his father, and on which is father built his house in 1837. It was a frame house, built of oak and black walnut and was the first frame house erected in the township. The lumber was sawed at Hale’s Mill, at what is now Pottstown. Mr. Dunlap married Anna J. Todhunter in Chicago, in April, 1860. There are three children: John A., born July 6, 1861, at home; Alma Lee, born April, 1863, at home; and Mabel C., born in 1877, wife of Charles Holmes and lives in Dunlap. Mrs. Dunlap was born in November, 1835, at Rushville, Schuyler County, Illinois, the daughter of John and Mary (Lee) Todhunter. Mr. Todhunter came from England and lived several years in Philadelphia and other Eastern cities before he came to Rushville in 1832; he was a carpenter, and died in 1888. The wife and daughters of Mr. Dunlap are members of the Presbyterian Church. His political creed is Republican, his first Presidential vote was cast for Fremont. Mr. Dunlap is a descendent of one of the oldest and honored families of Peoria County.

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