David Dunbar
The writer of this sketch having been personally acquainted with this subject for forty years, takes great pleasure in this labor. The history of Adams County and of Manchester could not be written without mention of David Dunbar. From 1820, until the present time, he has been identified with the county and has been an important factor in all of its affairs since his majority, and in all that time he has been the same honest, honorable citizen and consistent Christian that we find him to-day. His name discloses the country of his ancestors, and he has the good qualities of his Scotch forbearer with all their faults and weaknesses left out.
Diogenes could have thrown away his latern in looking about for an honest man, if David Dunbar had been around. Over six feet tall, with a patriarchial beard and a commanding appearance, his person would have attracted attention everywhere.
He was born in West Union in the house just west of the old stone church where Vene Edgington now lives, on the fourth of February, 1829. when the village was but sixteen years old. The howling of the wolves in the vicinity of the new town of log houses was among his lullabies.
His father was Hamilton Dunbar, a sketch of whom is given else where, and his mother, Delilah Sparks, daughter of Salathiel Sparks, one of the pioneers of Adams County. His father was born in Winchester, Virginia, in 1782, and his mother in Pennsylvania in 1792. They were married in West Union in 1808. He was one of the nine children born between 1809 and 1827. His mother died August 14, 1828, and he was left to the care of his older sisters. He had such schooling as the period afforded and on January 28, 1825, at the age of fifteen, was left a double orphan by the death of his father of the dread pestilence, the Asiatic cholera.
In A. D. 1832, the sentiment in Adams County as to the necessity of a boy learning a trade was about the same as it was in A. D. 32, at Tarsus, when St. Paul as a boy, set out to learn tent making. Accordingly, David Dunbar, the boy of twelve, was sent to Pine Grove Furnace to learn to mould tea-kettles and hollow ware. He commenced work with Solomon Isaminger at a stipulated sum. He only remained with Isaminger but six months, but he followed the business of moulding at Pine Grove, Aetna, Union, Vesuvius, Bloom and Franklin Furnaces for four years, but he did not like the business nor the associations and he determined to leave and learn another business. As everyone rode horseback in those days, and as horses were then equivalent to a legal tender, he concluded to learn the saddlery business and begun at Aberdeen, Ohio, in February, 1837. He worked at this business at various places and under different places until he became of age in 1841 when he located at Clayton, Ohio, and set up in the saddlery business for himself. Here he held his first office, that of Constable, but achieved no particular distinction in it. At this place, he connencted himself with the Methodist Episcopal Church in February, 1842. When he removed to Manchester in 1844, he connected himself with the Methodist Episcopal Church until 1869. In that year he transferred his membership to the Methodist Protestant Church on account of its form of church government, dispensing with Bishops and giving representations in the annual conferences. He has retained his membership in the Methodist Protestant Church ever since, that body having been organized in Manchester, January 23, 1869.
In September, 1844, Mr. Dunbar entered into partnership with his brother. John, in the saddlery business at West Union, Ohio, but not liking it. on December 5, 1844, he dissolved partnership with his brother, and went to Manchester and formed a partnership with John W. Coppell, under the name of Coppell & Dunbar, in the saddlery business, which was continued until February, 1846, when the firm dissolved and our subject retired. At the same time, he formed a partnership with Major Vinson Cropper, under the name of Cropper & Dunbar, and the two built and conducted the first wharfboat ever located in Manchester. This formed a new departure in business at Manchester and made it quite a shipping point. The firm received goods for West Union, Jacksonville, Locust Grove, and as far north as Sinking Springs in Highland County. During the time this firm conducted the wharfboat, John Buchannan had the contract to furnish oats for the U. S. Army in Mexico and they did not have room to store away on the wharfboat, the many thousands of sacks of oats which he delivered to them from West Union. Smith and Davis owned and ran a packet line at that time between Portsmouth and Cincinnati. Their boats were the Ashland and Belle Aire, one up, one down each day. In low water, the same company ran the Mingo Chief and the Planet. The same firm built the Scioto and the Scioto No. 2. There was a daily packet line from Cincinnati to Portsmouth at that time, and their boats were the Alleghany, New England, Buckeye State, Cincinnati, Brilliant, Messenger, and De Witt Clinton. All of these landed regularly at Cropper & Dunbar's wharf and transacted a great deal of business. In 1849, Dunbar disposed of his interest in the wharf boat and returned to the saddlery business, which he continued until 1852, when he went into the grocery trade, which he has remained in until the present time.
It will be observed that Mr. Dunbar had a penchant for forming partnerships, but on September 12, 1848, he formed the most important partnership of his life and one that has continued to the present time. On that day he was married to Miss Nancy J. Dougherty. For over fifty years, he and his wife have trod the pathway of life side by side, hand in hand. They have shared many blessings together and have had their portion Of sorrows, among which was the loss of a bright son, at the age of seven years, in 1877.
Mr. Dunbar was an ardent and enthusiastic Whig during the existence of that party. When that party dissolved after the Presidential election of 1852, he cast his political fortunes with the Democratic part and from it he received the appointment of Postmaster at Manchester in 1855, which he continued to hold until 1866.
In 1860, Mr. Dunbar became a Republican, and in 1861 there was an election held by the patrons of the Manchester postoffice to determine who should be recommended for the appointment. Mr. Dunbar received the endorsement of a large majority of both Democrats and Republicans and he was reappointed by the Republican administration. In 1866, he refused to Johnsonize and was removed, and Wm. L. Vance appointed in his place.
Since 1860, Mr. Dunbar has remained firm in his attachment to the Republican party and has enjoyed the fullest confidence of its leaders in this State.
He has a son, John K. Dunbar, one of the foremost men of Manchester, and three daughters, Anna, the wife of Marion Crissman, who carries on one of the most extensive businesses in the county, and Misses Minnie and Emma, residing at home.
Mr. Dunbar has a delightful home on the ridge. His son John resides in the same yard to the southwest, in a new dwelling just completed, and his daughter, Mrs. Crissman, resides just across the street north in one of the most attractive homes in Manchester.
Just in all his dealings, he has acquired a competence to comfort him and sustain him in independence in his old age. A successful business man, an honest and just citizen, a consistent Christian, he has made out of this life all there is in it. Surrounded by his children and gradchildren, respected and venerated by all, he is a living epistle, read and known of all men, showing that the practice of the cardinal virtues is the reward of the righteous, a good old age, and when "Finis" is written at the close of his record by the Recording Angel, it will be one he will not be ashamed to meet on the Judgment Day and it will be one of which his children and grandchildren may be proud.
From History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900