- REV. ELSTON M. DUNN, pastor of the Seventh Day Baptist Church
of Milton, Wis., was
- born in Plainfield, N.J., on the 9th day of September, 1832,
and is a son of William and Hannah M. (MARSH) DUNN. Their family
numbered seven children, five sons and two daughters, four of
whom are yet living. Elston M. was the first in order of birth;
Edward L., the second, is now deceased; Alexander M., who resides
in New York City, is a salesman in a large wholesale house; Margaret
became the wife of John H. CUTHBERT, but is now deceased; Mulford
M., residing in Boston, Mass., is engaged in the manufacture
of agricultural implements; Agnes W., wife of Mr. Harry PARKS,
is a teacher of elocution in the Art Conservatory of Chicago;
William H., who makes his home in New York City, is a salesman
for the house of Brokaw Bros., dealers in clothing.
- Our subject spent the larger part of his boyhood days in
his native State, and received his educa-
- tion there and at the Academy at De Ruyter, N.Y., and at
Alfred University, N.Y., and finally in Union College of Schenectady,
N.Y., from which institution he should have graduated in the
class of 1857. Owing to illness, Mr. DUNN was obliged to leave
college before he had completed his senior year, but received
the degree of A.M. from the college afterwards. Not being able
to enter the theological seminary at that time, as he had purposed
to do, and advised by his physician not to continue his studies,
he entered upon mercantile pursuits. In 1861 he was appointed
postmaster of his native city, which position he held for eight
years; also was U. S. deputy collector of internal revenue for
ten years, which position he resigned and entered the Baptist
Theological Seminary of Chicago, where he completed the course
in two years. In July, 1876, while still in the seminary, he
was called to supply the pulpit of the Seventh Day Baptist Church
of Milton; was soon after called to the pastorate of the church,
and was ordained a minister of the gospel. From that time he
has remained in charge of the church at Milton, covering a period
for almost thirteen consecutive years. He has also occupied
the position of professor of Greek and mental and moral philosophy
for three years in Milton College, and is at present a member
of its board of trustees.
- Rev. Mr. DUNN has preached a great deal during his long and
only pastorate at Milton, for the
- various first-day churches in Janesville, Ft. Atkinson, and
in all the neighboring villages, and is at the present time supplying
two Congregational churches in the county.
- In 1857 Mr. DUNN was united in marriage with Miss Helen E.
CLARKE, a daughter of Ephraim
- and Angeline L. CLARKE, the former deceased and the latter
a resident of Walworth County, Wis. Three children have been
born of the union of this worthy couple. Clara D., the eldest
is the wife of J. Nelson HUMPHREY, professor of Latin in the
Normal School at Whitewater, Wis., and to them has been born
one child, Heywood Cuthbert; Alexander C., who is residing in
Minneapolis, is city agent of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis
& Omaha Railroad, having served in that position for two
years; Jennie, the youngest of the family is still with her parents.
The two older children are graduates of the college at Milton,
and Miss Jennie expects to complete the course in June, 1890.
Mr. DUNN is a worthy and valued citizen of Rock County, where
he has made many friends and is well and favorably known throughout
the county. He is greatly beloved by his church, with whom he
has been for so many years, and his work has been greatly blessed
of God in the conversion of souls and the edification of the
church.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 727-728.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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