Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/388

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

married Dollie Davis ; George, died in the Confederate service during the civil war ; Frances, married Oliver P. Jones ; Laura Fulton, married Granville Philip Parks, as above mentioned; Lucie Ann, married John Tompkins; Mary Jane, married William Noell; Katherine Ellen, married William Alexander Mathews ; Sophia Amanda, mar- ried John Norfolk.

James Gaston Dimsmore. James Gaston Dunsmore, the distinguished educator of Staunton, Virginia, wliose name has been associated longer than that of almost any other with the teaching of business methods in the United States, the founder of the Dunsmore Business College, Inc., is of Scotch origin. The first form of the name is stated to have been "Dinsmoor," after which appear the variations, Dinsmore, Dinsmuir, Dunsmore, and yet another vari- ation, sometimes found in Scotland, Dun- mure.

The Dunsmore family history, in so far as it is known, dates back to about 1600 Rev. Dr. John W. Dinsmore, D. D., of Bloomington, Illinois, gives as the probable origin of the patronymic : 'T have no doubt but that the original ancestor wrote (if he could writej 'Dunsemoor' (dunse, a little hill, and moor, heathj. He probably lived on, or by, a little hill at the edge of the heath or moor." The first known man to whom reference can now be made lived in the south of Scotland, near the river Tweed, bore the name Dinsmoor, and was known as the Laird of Achenmead. His youngest son, John Dinsmoor, born about 1650, be- came the ancestor of the family settled in the parish of Ballywattick, Ballymoney, county Antrim, Ireland, from whom all the American families of Dinsmore and Duns- more are descended. This original Irish settler lived to the great age of ninety-nine. Fie gained high standing in his community as a man of good morals, strong sense and a pious life. A description of the coat-of- arms, written by Robert Dinsmore, of Bally- wattick, on August 12, 1794, to his kinsman, is given as follows : "A farm laid down on a plate, of a green color, with three wheat sheaves set upright in the centre, of a yellow color,'' all emblematical of husbandry and agriculture.

John (2) Dinsmoor, son of John (i) Dins- moor, was born in Ballywattick, Ireland, about 1671, and in 1723, accompanied by his

family, came to this country. After going through long hardships, being taken pris- oner by the Indians, and having numerous adventures, he located in the Scottish settle- ment of Londonderry, New Hampshire, being acquainted with many of the settlers there. Being a stonemason, he built for himself a stone house in that part of the town which is now known as Windham.

Robert Dinsmoor, son of John (2) Dins- moor, was born in Ireland in 1692, married Margaret Orr in Ireland, and with his wife and lour children came to New Hampshire in 1730. He was prominent in the affairs of the town in which he located, and filled \ arious public positions. He died October 14, 1751, and his wife died June 2, 1752.

James Dunsmore, probably related to the above ancestry, was a native of Ireland, and settled at Sinks Grove, Alonroe county, Vir- ginia, in the earlier years of 1700. He mar- ried and was the father of three sons : James, Joseph, William.

James (2) Dunsmore, son of James (i) Dunsmore, was married twice, and of the first marriage there was one child, who died in infancy. His second wife, Margaret (Reed) Dunsmore, bore him seven children: Elizabeth, John, Margaret, Hannah, George ^Vashington, Andrew Lewis, Mary Ann. The sons were all farmers, and the daugh- ters all became farmers' wives, and the en- tire family connection settled in the imme- diate neighborhood where James (i) Duns- more located.

George Washington Dunsmore, son of James (2) Dunsmore. was a prominent farmer, and held for many years the offices of justice of the peace and county super- visor. He married Amanda Melvina Crews, and they were the parents of two children : James Gaston, and Mary Martha, who be- came the wife of James W. Ellis, of Wolf Creek, West Virginia, and of this marriage there were two children : Lula Elner and Mabel. Mrs. Ellis died in 1892.

James Gaston Dunsmore, son of George Washington Dunsmore, was born October 22, 1848, at Sinks Grove, Monroe county, Virginia, now West Virginia. His child- hood was spent on his father's farm, where he performed the work of a farmer's boy be- tween the times given to education. This was obtained at the Rocky Point Academy of his native town, where he employed his time to such advantage that at the age of sixteen he was given a position as assistant