Rev. Joseph Wood Duun was the older brother of immigration colony leader Rev. Ballard Smith Dunn. He was born in Ohio to Simeon Dunn and Hannah Wood in 1822. He attended Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio from about 1847 to 1850-1851. He married Elizabeth Kemble Vinton on December 8, 1851. She was the daughter of Thomas Vinton and Elizabeth Kemble Oliver and also a student at Marietta College.
After their marriage, the couple relocated to Chapel, Texas, USA where he engaged in teaching. Shortly thereafter he professed his faith and was ordained in the Protestant Episcopal church. He was very successful and was responsible for the startup of several new churches.
During this tie period, he and Elizabeth would have two children, a girl, possibly named Connie, born about 1852, they then a son, named Freman - born in 1854. In 1869, the family of four sailed to Brazil. They were recruited by his brother, Ballard. There is a record of them traveling with the Thatcher family, sailing into the port of Iguape, probably from Rio de Janeiro.
The Thatchers were also from the same locality in Ohio that the Dunns were from. and the families were known to each other. Joseph and Ballard's youngest brother, Simeon R. Dunn was married to, Elizabeth, Thatcher, the sister of Andrew Thatcher, the head of the Thatcher family. It does not appear that Simeon and Elizabeth went to Brazil. Andrew Thatcher was married to Hannah Maglin Dunn who was probably a cousin or other close relative to Joseph and Ballard. The records are unclear as to what the relationship could be. We do know that the Dunn and Thatcher families share a lot of the same given names.
During their relatively short stay in Brazil, about six years - they returned to the United States in 1876, On this return trip, only three named family members are listed, implying that the daughter had stayed behind (She would have been about twenty-five years old in 1876. She possibly could have married or died during their stay. It is unclear what Joseph did when in Brazil, whether he was a preacher or a teacher.
After their return to the United States, settling in Texas, the son, Freman became a teacher. He had contracted consumption and would pass away in April of 1880. Unfortunately, Joseph had also contracted the disease and passed away at his sister's home in Maryland a few months later in July. His wife, Elizabeth, would live until 1893, passing away in New Orleans.
Joseph Wood Dunn
1822–1880
BIRTH ABT 1822 • Ohio
DEATH 9 JULY 1880 • Baltimore County, Maryland, USA
Married 8 Dec 1851 • Marietta, Washington, Ohio, USA
Elizabeth Kemble Vinton
1822–1893
BIRTH 15 NOV 1822 • Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
DEATH 28 OCT 1893 • New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, USA
This small newspaper entry has J. Wood Dunn traveled with Andrew Thatcher to Brazil with their wives, children, and a slave. This entry says J. Wood was traveling with 3 children. Later records from a return to the US have only one child listed.
MANIFEST REFLECTING ONY THREE FAMILY MEMBERS SAILING FROM SANTOS TO NEW ORLEANS, USA
JOSEPH, ELIZABETH AND FREMAN
Christian Witness and Church Advocate
1853-07-15 2
Christian Witness and_Church Advocate 1854-02-03 2
Children:
1.
Connie? Dunn
1852–1880
BIRTH ABT 1852 • USA
Unknown
2.
Freman W Dunn
1854–1880
BIRTH ABT 1854 • Missouri, USA
DEATH APR 1880 • Orange County, Texas, USA
Freman returned to the United States from Brazil with his parents in 1876. He was a school teacher and looks to have never married. He died in 1880 from consumption at the age of 26
