Marion – Dunbar Saga #11

Marion Dunbar, 11th child, 8th son of Lewis and Polly (Powers) Dunbar was born April 17, 1840 and died at age 53 years 3 months and one day old, having been married four times and fathering nine children. Born near Colfax, he died in a tragic accident. A lover (and dealer) of race horses, Marion (known by his nickname “Minn” to anyone who knew him well) had been in to Colfax, doing business and enjoying (perhaps a bit too much) his day with friends. On the way home, his racer, Dandy, went out of control and on a dangerous turn, Dandy sped ahead while Minn fell out, crashed onto the road, his neck broken by the fall. Some of the newspaper accounts say he died instantly while another noted that he was picked up by a passerby insensible and died in a few minutes. Probably never know, but it is a fact that there were many tragedies tallied in this family, this being one.

Minn’s first wife was Elizabeth Smith Bowers married 28 March 1858 in MoCo and she died (another tragedy) two years later 4 April 1860 having been ill six days with typhoid fever. She had gotten to enjoy her only child, Martha Jane but a few short months. Martha married (19 July 1881) William Bowers from Darlington. They spent the first part of their lives in the Darlington area but the last 35 years in Indianapolis. He served as a master mechanic in an auto factory. Don’t believe they had children, Martha passed Feb 26, 1946 and was a member of the East 10th Street Methodist Church. He passed in 1950 and they have a small stone in Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis.

Minn’s first son was John William “Jack” Dunbar with his second wife Amanda M. Stook (married MoCo 27 Jan 1861). Jack’s first wife was Ida Blacker (Clinton Co 8 April 1886) and they had but one son, John Marion born 14 years afterwards. Sadly, a double tragedy concerning John Marion “Babe” Dunbar. He and his wife and a couple of friends were in a horrific automobile accident. The other three were killed or passed not long thereafter. He was hurt and suffered for the rest of his time, finally wounding himself in the head with a rifle and passing away in April 1952, at the young age of 51. Bless you Babe!

At almost 70 years old, Jack married Josephine Clouser, age 27. She would birth him some pretty great children (Richard, Judy, Mary Jo and Regina, all so very talented) but they were left orphans as he passed away 18 Feb 1952 and Josephine in July of that same year. These children have been some of the top Dunbar family gurus, Dick belonging to and attending various Scottish Highland activities and Mary Jo, having researched for years, hosts the Dunbar Family Group Facebook page. Following in his father’s footsteps, Jack loved speed and the buggies, only this time the buggies were automobiles. On the Boone County, Indiana GenWeb page a nice article about Jack noted that, “It is safe to say that no man in Clinton County is more of an automobile expert than JW Dunbar, proprietor of the popular Dunbar garage in Colfax.” The article went on to say he was one of the best in the state and a true pioneer in the business, turning back each machine he fixed in perfect shape and timely done. He was early on a merchandiser in Wright County, Iowa, returning to Indiana where he farmed then found his true calling. Pretty darn good for only having finished 6th grade. His late years when everyone else was retired, Jack and his wife Josephine ran “Dunbar Park,” a camping type area on Sugar Creek about three miles west of Thorntown. There were cabins, a dance hall, fishing boats to rent – just a super get-away as did many from Indianapolis. Jack passed away 18 Feb 1952 at age 89 and is buried in Plainview Cemetery.

Jack’s older sister, Mary Elizabeth was born here in MoCo in November 1861 and died in Fayette Co, Ohio, age 90. She married Arthur Harley when she was 16 and they raised a large family (Veasey; John Marion; Albert C; Robert Franklin; Betty Jane; Nellie; James Cecil and Catherine). About half these children were born in Clinton County and the other half in Ohio and most lived to be in their 70s to 90s, most buried at Washington Court House, Ohio.

Another tragedy appeared in this family when Minn’s son, 21-year-old Charles took his own life. This was due to a disappointing love affair. He spent a day with a gal in Lafayette and came home on the train, firing shots above the heads of quite a few at the station. Of course, then it hit him what he had done, thus to avoid trouble he went to Lafayette, bought a ticket to relatives in Iowa. Recognizing him, the conductor talked Charley out of doing that saying, “Go home and straighten up your life young man.” He went home but, sadly, you know the outcome.

Frank Dunbar was born in Washington County, Iowa on a few year hiatus of the Dunbars there (15 Aug 1868 other sources say 1869) to Marion and his wife, Amanda Stook. He was a farm laborer, servant, and farm owner on census records, marrying quite late in life to Laura Little who was 34 years old herself. No children. He passed away in Culver Hospital 7 Jan 1942 (of a stroke and heart troubles, both common in the Dunbar family) and she passed 13 and a half years later at the MoCo Poor Farm. Both buried in Bowers Cemetery.

Then, there were two daughters born in Iowa — Anna C. and Zoroda. Anna married Robert Frank Gray 3 Sept 1884. Anna Catherine was very pretty (FindAGrave has a photo) born in Brighton 3 June 1867 and lived to be 89 years old, passing in Oct 1956 in Los Angeles County, California and buried there. Her mother, Amanda passed away when Anna was four and is buried in Dallner Cemetery in Jefferson County, Iowa. Anna and her husband, Franks Gray (1857-1918) had two children, Blanche Rowena and Hazel May. Zoroda who was called “Bella” is the daughter (two full brothers, Robert and Martin) of Marion’s third wife, Mary Margaret Boyd whom he married quickly at the death of Amanda – married in Osceola, Clarke County, Iowa 2 March 1871) buried in Crown Hill, Indianapolis, passing away at age 51. Bella married Charles Graff and they were parents of two really far apart kiddos (Lawrence b 1892 and Lois Beulah b 1913).

Son Robert M. was born 24 March 1872 in Brighton, married Mollie Caldwell 24 Jan 1895 in Clinton County IN and they were married for 45 years (no children as far as I know) at his death 12 June 1940. He farmed and was active in Potato Creek Church and Masonic Lodge. Buried Greenlawn, Darlington.

The last and 9th child of Marion’s was born on the 1st day of 1877 and passed away in Darlington 25 July 1944 aged 67. Martin Burtis Dunbar is buried in Greenlawn Cemetery in Darlington, back home again near many of his ancestors. Martin received his Majorship in the US Army in August of 1930, post retirement in 1928. He first served in the Spanish American War (Co C, 158th Ind Inf) enlisting June 21, 1898. He was trained at the US War College in Washington DC. Upon retirement, he returned home to enjoy life. He and wife Ida had one daughter, Madge who married Charles Schoen and had at least a son, Hugh.

Thanks to Mary Jo, we have a great photo of Marion. Believe one of Minn Dunbar’s obituaries summed him up – “he was a very popular man and was known far and near as a jolly, whole souled fellow, (often) thoughtless of what he did but with a heart full of kindness for all!” Hope he was indeed!

Karen Zach is the editor of Montgomery Memories, our monthly magazine all about Montgomery County. Her column, Around the County, appears each Thursday in The Paper of Montgomery County. You can reach her at [email protected].