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- From Sandy Anderson:
Thomas Dunn was a builder like his father, William Dunn. He was alsoknown to be a designer and carpenter since there were no archigects inthis time period. From Virginia, he came to Tennessee and located inth fork of the Holston and French Broad rivers. Later he moved to thetown of Knoxville. There he built the Hagen peper mill, west ofKnoxville actually, in the Middlebrook Pike.
email from Sandy Anderson May 2003
5 Generation's DUNN Builders/Contractors>VA>TN; Knox Co.
ndngagrl02
(View posts)
Posted: 15 Jul 1999 12:00PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 31 May 2003 1:30AM GMT
Surnames: Dunn, Ford, Loggins, McDowell, Mohorn, Parker, Patrick, Rowland, Tallent, Talley, Wanamaker, Watson, Webb, Wilson, Wimpee
THANK YOU for the information on James C. DUNN (and family) of Knox Co., TN! I just stumbled across it and I'm so glad that I did! Since your info has assisted me so much, I have some information for YOU now! :) 5 Generations of DUNN men who were builders/contractors in the Knoxville, TN, and surrounding areas. Email me for additional family info if needed! Get ready..here we go..
Gen 1 -
William Dunn came to the United States from Bristol, England in a vessel named the "Woods" in the capacity of a cabin boy. He was about 14 yrs. old; (approx. 1765).
William Dunn settled in Virginia. For some time he operated a stage coach between Washington and Richmond. He enlisted in Captain Fairfax's(?) Virginia Company for the duration of the Revolutionary War. Captured by the British, he was given the option of serving with the British troops in this country or taking a chance on one of the British prison ships at Charleston, SC. He served with the British troops until the opportunity came to escape and rejoin his old command. He was present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, following which he was in charge of a large number of British prisoners who were sent over to Conyers (?). Later, William Dunn became a builder. (?'s mean some info unreadable)
Gen 2 - son of William DUNN (and migration to TN)
Thomas Dunn was a builder like his father, William Dunn. He was also known to be designer and carpenter since there were no architects in this time period.
From Virginia, he came to Tennessee and located in the fork of the Holston and French Broad (?) rivers. Later, he moved to the town of Knoxville. There he built the Hagen paper mill, west of Knoxville actually, in the Middlebrook Pike.
Gen 3 - son of Thomas DUNN
A home built by James C. Dunn still stands at the South west corner of West 5th Avenue and Jacksboro Street. James M. Dunn was born in this home as well as another architect by the name of Albert Baumann. The home prior to this which was occupied by the James C. Dunn family has now the Lawson McGhee Library standing upon its foundations. James C. Dunn also built a warehouse in Decatur, Alabama. The timbers used were cut around Knoxville, sawed and pressed here, then shipped by flat boats to Decatur.
In the records of his grandfather Dr. Fouche (?), Mr. W. B. Brownlow, realtor, recently found memorandum of a gift of $50.00 to James C. Dunn for "faithful service" in connection with the building of the Fouche home which was erected upon the site of Marvis (?) Mortuary. James C. Dunn also built the old 2-story brick building at the northwest corner of Gay and Union (Miller's store) which was occupied many years by a book store and printing shop owned by W.J. Ramage. When the demolition of the structure began, Mr. James M. Dunn purchased the brackets around the cornice (?) work and used them to decorate his own home at 1424 Armstrong Ave.
Gen 4 - son of James C. DUNN
James M. Dunn, son of James C. Dunn was a builder like the fathers before him. He built 5 homes in Knoxville, TN.
He learned the carpenters trade at age 14.
Upon the taking of this information (1927), James had been engaged in the contracting business for 51 years, having built some of the finest residences, business houses, and public buildings and factories in Tennessee as well as adjoining states. In 1920-21, he took his son
(Gen 5)Oscar Dunn as a business partner which creates quite a long line of family builders.
James' proudest possessions are carpenters tools which belonged to his grandfather. These include a plane and saw which are 150 years old or older.
See attached media.
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