Biographical Sketch of A. J. Dunham, Johnson County, Missouri
Chilhowee Township 

>From "The History of Johnson County, Missouri," 
Kansas City Historical Co. 1881

A. J. DUNHAM,
postoffice Chilhowee. Of the business men of southwestern Johnson county,
no one deserves a more praiseworthy notice than the subject of this
sketch, A. J. Dunham. He is the son of Ira Dunham, a native of Warren
county, Kentucky. The grandfather, Jonathan Dunham, was a soldier in the
war of 1812. A. J. was born in Warren county, Kentucky January 3, 1831. He
passed his early years on a farm in his native county. His advantages for
an education were limited. In the fall of 1846 Mr. Dunham’s father moved
with his family, to Polk county, Mo., where he remained for two years.
Then, in the fall of 1848, he moved to Johnson county, settling in the
southwestern part of the county. In the summer of 1847 Mr. D. was hired
out, and received twenty dollars for four months service. At another time
he hired to a farmer in Henry county for 106 days to make rails, and
received fifty cents per day for his labor. After that Mr. D. generally
hired to work on a farm during the summer for from eight to ten dollars
per month, and in the winter season he would go to Fayette county and
engage in breaking hemp. About the year 1860 Mr. Dunham began business for
himself, and in the fall of 1861 he bought 100 head of cattle, drove them
to Jefferson City and sold them to an agent for the government. In the
fall of 1862 and 1863 he bought and furnished Salmon & Owens, of Clinton,
about 3,000 head of hogs.
This was Mr. Dunham’s real start in business; he has been an extensive
buyer and shipper ever since, shipping perhaps more hogs than any one man
in western Missouri. He has also been extensively engaged in the buying
and feeding of cattle. These cattle he generally shipped to the eastern
markets. April 15, 1851, Mr. Dunham was married to Miss Julia A. Jenoways,
a daughter of Peter F. Jenoways, and a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. From
this union there were ten children, eight of whom are now living, viz:
Jasper E., Theodore S., Elizabeth G., Perry O., Sarreptia A., Irena E.,
Ida M., and Windfield W.  Mr. Dunham owns a fine farm of 600 acres in
Johnson county, well improved and under a high state of cultivation; he
also owns a farm of 300 acres in Henry county. Mr. D. with his brother
Scott, has interests in Silver mines in Bates county. They are sanguine
these mines are rich in silver, and they are preparing to engage
extensively in the mining business. The history of Mr. Dunham’s life
affords another instance of what energy, when rightly directed, will do;
he began his life without a dollar; today he stands foremost among Johnson
county ’s influential business men.

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