Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/449

 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY 423 The Dunn Family IN the annals of South Australian commercial history no name's stand forth more honorably than those of Messrs. John Dunn, sen., John Dunn, jun., and 1 V. Dunn, h'ifty- si.x years ago the senior member of this family establishc^d, in a (juiet valley among the hills, a modest enterprise which was destined to be the nucleus of an important local industry. Out of that small be- ginning at Hay Valley, near Mount Barker, grew a large business. The founder of this .South Australian house, John Dunn, .sen., was born in the parish of Bondleicxh, Devon, on February 13, 1802, He was one of a family of nine sons and two daughters, and his father was a small farmer. Owing to the limited opportunities afforded to those of his class at that period, the lad had but few schooldays. At the age of 10 years (three years before Waterloo) John Dunn became a farm servant, earning a salary of 6d. a week, or £ 6s. per year. Even at this early period the lad was interested in milling pursuits. He watched the corn garnered in the fields and ground into flour by the jirimitive machinery in use in his native place. Upon the first opportunity he gained employment about a rtourmill, and, after seven years, he became manager of a small steam mill at Bideford, Devon, at a wage of 15s. per week. Being thrifty and industrious, John Dunn gradually improved his position with his opportunities, and in 1831 he married. Five years later he owned a flourmill, subsequently adding farming to this pursuit. With his training in farmwork the young man, then in his prime, was admirably adapted for colonising work. In May, 1840, he and his family sailed for the infant Province of South Australia in the ship Lysandcr. Three brothers had preceded him thither : Charles founded the Charleston district, and died at the age of 86 ; and George and Thomas farmed in the Onkaparinga district. A fourth brother, William, followed in 1841. and a sister, the Hammer (if Co., Photc MR. JOHN DUNN, SEN.