The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 610
	
CAPTAIN ROBERT DUNN.

Captain Robert Dunn was a valued and highly esteemed citizen of Parker Bottom.
For many years he was closely associated with the development of the county and
many tangible evidences of his devotion to the public good can be cited. A
native of Scotland, he was born in Adrie on the 27th of November, 1837, and
acquired his education in the land of hills and heather. He came to the United
States in 1855, when a youth of eighteen years, and afterward entered the United
States army, doing duty in Mexico and at Yuma, Arizona, on the Texas border. He
became captain of Company H, of the Heavy Artillery, and at the time of the
Civil war also served as a captain of infantry troops. He was on active duty
throughout the entire period of hostilities between the north and the south and
at the battle of Gettysburg was severely wounded in the right shoulder and lost
several fingers. He carried three bullets in his body throughout the remainder
of his life.

In 1865, following the close of his military service as a defender of the Union
cause, he was united in marriage to Annie M. Curry, a native of Pennsylvania and
a daughter of James and Maria (Coffee) Curry, their marriage being celebrated in
Kentucky. They afterward located in Carthage, Missouri, where they lived for ten
years. In the fall of 1876 they arrived in the Yakima valley, making the trip by
wagon across the plains and over the mountains to the northwest. They were among
the first settlers in this section of the state and while en route they joined a
train of Black Hill miners and on one occasion the party turned back on account
of an Indian scare, but Captain Dunn continued on his way in safety, while those
who turned back were massacred. On reaching his destination he secured a
homestead of one hundred and sixty acres on the Parker bottoms and later he
obtained a three hundred and twenty acre timber culture claim and also a desert
claim four miles below. He also purchased large amounts of land during the
period of his residence in this section of the state and he contributed in
substantial measure to the development and upbuilding of the district. He was
the promoter of the Konnewock ditch, the present site of the Sunnyside canal,
the original, however, being a small ditch. He closely studied everything
relative to the welfare and development of the region and his co-operation and
aid were always given to plans and measures for the public good.

To Captain and Mrs. Dunn were born eight children. The eldest is Mrs. Daul A.
McDonald, of the Yakima Valley, who has five children. Belle, the second of the
family, is deceased. Anna is the wife of W. F. Morgan, of Nob Hill, and they
have three children. Mrs. Charles McAllister resides in Wasco, Oregon, and has
two children. Mrs. C. A. Peters is living in Yakima and has six children. Mrs.
D. C. McKee is connected with ranching interests in the Yakima Valley and has
two children. A. Duncan is the next in the family. George Robert, who was born
March 22, 1881, is engaged in ranching with his brother, A. Duncan upon the home
place. He attended Pullman College and on the 21st of October, 1915, was married
to Olive E. Bettinger, a native of Seattle and a daughter of Mary and Peter
Bettinger. They have two children, Paul C. and Elizabeth. George R. Dunn is a
member of Yakima Lodge, No. 318, B. P. O. E., also of the Masonic fraternity,
being identified with the lodge at Wapato, while in Tacoma he has attained the
thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite and is also a member of Afifi Temple
of the Mystic Shrine. His political allegiance is given to the republican party.
He is now a successful young rancher, conducting the home farm in connection
with his brother. He has followed in his father's footsteps in regard to
Masonry.

Captain Dunn was a worthy exemplar of the craft and was one of the first masters
of Yakima Lodge, No. 24, F. & A. M., at Yakima City. He also had membership in
the Royal Arch Chapter and was connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of
Elks. He passed away May 21, 1908, and his death was the occasion of deep
regret, for he was highly esteemed by all who knew him. He and his wife attended
the Presbyterian church, and he gave his political allegiance to the republican
party. In 1889 he was appointed postmaster of Yakima and filled that office for
four years, or until 1893. He also represented his district in the state
legislature for one term and in every connection proved himself a faithful and
loyal citizen, interested in all that had to do with the progress and welfare of
his section of the state or with the advancement of the commonwealth. His ideals
of life were high and he carefully shaped his course in accordance therewith.
The opportunities of the northwest made strong appeal to him and he put forth
every effort to use these to the best possible advantage, so that his labors
constituted an important element in the growth and development of the district
in which he lived.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.