Biographical Sketch of Della B. (Smith) Corum Johnson County, Missouri,
Warrensburg Township

>From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell,
Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918.

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Mrs. Della B. (Smith) Corum, one of Johnson county's highly esteemed
daughters, is a member of one of the prominent families in this section
of Missouri.  She was born in 1872 in Johnson county, the daughter of
H. Strong and Mary (Dunkley) Smith.  H. Strong Smith was born in Ohio
in 1837, the son of A. Smith, with whom he came to Missouri in the 
early forties and they settled near Palmyra.  A. Smith died in 1901 at
Sweetsprings, Missouri, having attained the age of 99 years, 10 months.
In 1867, H. Strong Smith came to Brownville, which later became known
as Sweetsprings, and there engaged in farming, in which vocation he has
been employed all his life.  Mr. Smith is now residing in Sweetsprings.
Mary (Dunkley) Smith was the only child of Dr. B. F. Dunkley, in whose
honor the city of Dunksburg was named.  Dr. B. F. Dunkley was one of
Senator Francis M. Cockrell's most highly prized and respected friends.
He was born in England, February 26, 1809, of the best lineage, and ed-
ucated in Washington, D. C., and came to Warrensburg in 1848.  Doctor
Dunkley settled on section 1, township 47.  He was engaged in the prac-
tice of medicine in Johnson county for more than 40 years.  Malarial
fever was the scourge in July and August and September, and the doctor
used oxen on his farm that he might have his horses to ride to see his
patients.  He had two horses and each day he rode one, visiting his
patients on one side of the creek one day and the patients on the other
side the next day.  Doctor Dunkley was known as a very wealthy man in
his day, being the owner of 1,000 acres of valuable land in Johnson 
county.  He was united in marriage with Mrs. Jane Porter in 1845 and to
them was born one child, a daughter, Mary, who was reared to maturity
in Johnson county and became the wife of H. Strong Smith and the mother
of Della B. (Smith) Corum, the subject of this review.  Doctor Dunkleys
death occurred in Warrensburg in 1890 and his loss was long and keenly
felt in Johnson county.  The Dunkley home was one of the first in that
part of the county surrounding Dunksburg.  Della B. (Smith) Corum 
attended Central College and after leaving college was united in marr-
iage with Jack Corum, of Knob Noster, Missouri.  To Mr. and Mrs. Jack
Corum was born one child, a son, Dallas D., who is the proprietor of 
the "Edgewood Stock Farm," which is located three and a half miles 
northwest of Warrensburg.  Mrs. Corum is at present residing with her
father, H. Strong Smith, and her sister, Myrtle, in Sweetsprings, Mo.
The Cockrell family has long esteemed and admired Mrs. Corum and she 
was their guest for one winter, about five years past.  She is a lady
of countless admirable qualities.

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