Descendants of Richard Dunn of South Carolina

Generation #1

Richard Dunn, Sr. of South Carolina

Richard Dunn was born in South Carolina in about 1760. Richard married an unknown spouse in about 1785, probably in South Carolina.

The first record found is for a "Ricardo Dun" in the 1792 Census for the Santa Catalina District of Spanish Mississippi. And, the Santa Catalina District lands are now a part of Adams and Franklin counties in the state of Mississippi. If this is our Richard Dunn, the Dunn Family was part of a larger migration pattern from the Pee Dee Region of South Carolina to the Natchez area of Mississippi:

From the Pee Dee River Valley to Cole's Creek and Curtis Landing

The pioneers to the new "Natchez Country" would leave the Pee Dee River area of SC/NC and travel about 200 miles using pack-horses to the Holston River in northeastern Tennessee. They traveled via the South Carolina State Road (North) on the Warriors Path.   They continued on the Catawba Trail to the Wilderness Road Fort near Kingsport, Tennessee. . . .

At the Wilderness Road Fort they secured/built flat boats. The flat boats were sturdy with one end enclosed for protection from the elements. The flat boat had to be designed to allow for the women, children, food, bedding and household items. They had to transport a milk cow, chickens, horses, hunting dogs and farm implements. Once aboard the flat boats they followed the Holston River to the Tennessee River which they entered near Knoxville, TN. . . .

Indian attacks were a frequent occurrence. The pioneers always had to be prepared. The women often steered the boats while the men fought the Indians. Following the Tennessee River they reached the Ohio River near Paducah, KY. . . .

At Cairo, IL the flat boats embarked on the "mercy" of the mighty Mississippi River for the rest of the journey to the "Natchez Country". . .South of Rodney one group of pioneers steered the flat boats into Boyd's Creek (now Cole's  Creek) for the 15 mile trip to Curtis Landing on the South Fork of Cole's Creek. Other pioneers continued on to Natchez or Wilkinson County steering their flat boats up St. Catherine's Creek, the Homochitto River or Buffalo River. . .These pioneers had made a trip of approximately 1400 miles by flat boat on water. . . .

Upon arrival it was necessary to fell trees and build log houses quickly. Fields needed to be cleared and cultivated. The survival for the first year was dependent on the family's ability to fish and hunt. Squirrel, deer, ducks, and wild turkey were the family's fresh meat. . .One of the pioneer families who had a British land grant in Jefferson County included James Cole who arrived October, 1772 with the paperwork finalized in 1776. Richard Curtis. . .arrived in 1780.

    Early Southwest Mississippi Territory, GenWeb Site, No date <http://www.rootsweb.com/~msjeffer/trails.htm> 8 July 2007.

In 1798, Spain ceded control of the Natchez colony , and the new Mississippi Territory was established. Effectively, this new territory included all lands west of the Creek Nation (now Alabama & Georgia) to the Mississippi River and from Tennessee south to Florida. The first record for Richard and family in the new territory is the 1810 Franklin Co MS Tax List. Later, Richard would be found in the 1820 Adams Co MS Census.

Richard and his wife died sometime after 1820 in Adams Co MS.

• Born c. 1760 in South Carolina

• Married c. 1785 in South Carolina to an unknown spouse

• Migrated before 1792 to Natchez, Spanish Mississippi

• 1792 Spanish Census for Heads of Households

• 1798 Spanish control ceded to US/ Mississippi Territory created

• 1799 Adams Co MS created

• 1809 Franklin formed from Adams, Amite, & Wilkinson counties

• 1810 Tax List Mississippi: Franklin County

• 1818 Adams Co MS Tax List: Richard Dunn

• 1820 Adams Co MS Census

• Richard died after 1820 Adams Co MS

    Children

    1. Cpt. Richard Dunn b. 1786 in South Carolina

    2. Stephen Dunn

• Born c. 1788 in South Carolina

• Migrated before 1792 with family to Spanish Mississippi

• 1798 Spanish control ceded to US/ Mississippi Territory created

• 1799 Adams Co MS created

• 1816 Adams Co MS Census: Stephen Dunn

• Died in Mississippi

    3. Roger Dunn

• Born c. 1790 in South Carolina

• Migrated before 1792 with family to Spanish Mississippi

• 1798 Spanish control ceded to US/ Mississippi Territory created

• 1799 Adams Co MS created

• 1802 Wilkinson Co split fro Adams Co MS

• 1809 Amite Co split from Wilkinson Co MS

• 3/22/1816 Amite Co MS "Settlers on Public Lands": Roger Dunn

• Died in Mississippi

    4. Robert L. Dunn

• Born c. 1802 Adams Co Miss. Ter.

• 1799 Adams Co MS created

• Married 11/24/1827 in Wilkinson Co MS to Margaret Lanehart b. c. 1807

• Died after 11/1827 in Mississippi

Generation #2