Biography of Hon. Hugh A. Dunn - Raleigh Co. WV The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume II, pg. 635-636 HON. HUGH A. DUNN. Since 1900 Hon. Hugh A. Dunn has been a member of the Beckley bar, and during this long period of time had made steady advancement, being accounted today one of the leading members of the Raleigh County legal profession. He is likewise a prominent and influential member of the republican party, and has on numerous occasions rendered efficient public service, hav- ing been the incumbent of various offices, both appointive and elective. He is a native son of West Virginia, born on a farm at Peterstown, Monroe County, April 12, 1872, a son of James Patterson and Sarah A. (Workman) Dunn. Both the Workman and Dunn families are old and honored ones in Monroe County, of English and Irish descent. James Patterson Dunn was born in Monroe County, in 1832, and in young manhood adopted farm- ing, in which he was engaged until enlisting for service in the Union Army during the war between the states. He again engaged in agricultural pursuits after the close of his military service, and continued therein until his death in 1917, when he was accounted one of the well-to- do men of his community. He was an active republican in politics, was a deacon in the Baptist Church for years and was president of the Board of Education in his district for two terms. Mrs. Dunn died at the age of seventy-two years, in 1915. They were the parents of five children: John P., a farmer, stockraiser and merchant of Princeton, Mercer County, West Virginia; Mary E., the widow of J. C. Lucas, of Peterstown, Monroe County, died May 7, 1922; James W., who is engaged in farming in the vicinity of Snyder, Oklahoma; Robert E. Lee, formerly an engineer on the Norfolk & Western Railroad, later a locomotive en- gineer in the Southwest, whence he went to Cuba, finally be- came an engineer in Panama, on the Panama Railroad, where he lost his life on his second trip across the Isthmus, on July 23, 1906; and Hugh A. Hugh A. Dunn attended the free schools of Monroe County, and at Athens pursued a course at the Concord Normal. He began to teach school at the age of eighteen years, and for ten or twelve terms continued as a teacher, in the meantime being married the first time. While teaching he had applied himself to the study of law, and in 1897 entered the University of West Virginia, where he took the law course and was graduated in 1899, with his degree of LL. B. In the following year he located for practice at Beckley, where he has since made rapid strides in his profession and attracted a large and representative clientele. In 1909 he formed a law partnership with John M. Ander- son, an association which continued until 1921, when Mr. Anderson was elevated to the bench of the Criminal Court. >From 1901 until 1905 Mr. Dunn was United States com- missioner, and in 1906 was elected mayor of Beckley. In 1907, during President Roosevelt's administration, he was appointed assistant United States attorney of the Treasury Department, with headquarters at New York City, where he remained for nearly a year. In 1909 he became prosecuting attorney of Raleigh County, a position in which he served until 1913, and again served as mayor of the City of Beckley, in 1914 and 1915. His entire public service has been characterized by capable and conscientious performance of duty and high ideals of the responsibilities of public servants. A republican in politics, he has been active in party work, and has served as chairman of the county committee and attended state and county conven- tions. His fraternal affiliations include membership in the Masons, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. On December 24, 1893, Mr. Dunn was united in marriage with Miss Virginia Gertrude Basham, daughter of John L. Basham, of Peterstown, West Virginia, and she died two years and three months later, leaving one son, Oakley Waiteman Dunn, who is now in the employ of the Gulf Smokeless Coal Company at Tams, Raleigh County, West Virginia. In March, 1918, he volunteered for service in the United States Army, and was assigned to the air service and trained at Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas. He was at Newport News, ready for embarkation for overseas duty, when the news of the signing of the armistice was flashed to this country. On January 3, 1913, Hugh A. Dunn was nnited in marriage with Mrs. Mollie (Bailey) Trump, daughter of George Bailey, of Beckley, and widow of Robert Trump. By her former mar- riage Mrs. Dunn has one son, Robert S. Trump, now with the Raleigh County Bank at Beckley, West Virginia, who in April, 1919, enlisted in the United States Navy and served until honorably discharged in 1921. Mr. and Mrs. Dunn have one daughter, Eula Edna, born in 1914, who is attending school. Submitted by Valerie Crook **************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. ****************************************************************