My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Greene County, Illinois published by Donnelley, Gassette & Loyd in 1879.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

* * * *

DUNFORD, JAMES, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 5. P.O. Carrollton. James Dunford is a gentleman of Celtic origin, born in the County of Limerick, Ireland, in 1828; he was the second of a family of fifteen children. The head of the family, Patrick Dunford, married in Ireland Miss Mary Fitzgerald, who was the mother of the fifteen children mentioned above. James remained a resident of Ireland until his twenty-fifth year, when he crossed the Father of Waters for America. Landing in the City of New York November 26, 1853, almost penniless, but possessed of the natural ability of his race, he looked about him for the means of a livelihood. From the great Metropolitan city he made his way to Kentucky, where he became employed for a short time on the Big Sandy Railroad; thence to Virginia, where he entered the employ of a railroad company there; in 1856, he located in Calhoun and Greene Counties; two years later, while a resident of Chicago, he was united in marriage to Miss Hannah White, by whom he has eight children, six girls and two sons. After his marriage he rented property for a number of years, when he purchased the property now owned by him, consisting of 250 acres, in township 10, range 12. Thus, by industry, the emigrant of long years ago has acquired a competence. Like nearly all of his race, his generosity and kindness of heart is unbounded.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 744 biographies included in The History of Greene County, Illinois published in 1879.  View the complete description here: The History of Greene County, Illinois

View additional Greene County, Illinois family biographies here: Greene County, Illinois Biographies

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.