Sources & Information:
Item 1.1880 United States Census Household Record <familysearch.org> as of December 11, 2003.
Census Place, Bloomington, McLean, Illinois. Here is found Jefferson Dunn, wife Julia Dunn,
son's W. Ellis Dunn, George B. Dunn, Walter C. Dunn and daughter Nettie Dunn.

Item 2.1880 United States Census Individual Record, Jefferson Dunn. Birth 1840, birthplace Illinois,
Age 40, Occupation Phy. Surgeon, Marital Status married, Race white, Head of Household
Jefferson Dunn, Father's birthplace Virginia, Mother's Birthplace Ohio.

Item 3.From, Robert Ellis Dunn <bobdunnartist@@earthlink.net> e-mail of December 12, 2003.
"When Jefferson enlists in the Civil War in 1861, he is 21 years of age, living in Greenfield,
IL., and he gives his occupation as a farmer, however, he may have been interested in a medical career and he may have begun some training with his father. Back in 1824. Jefferson's Grand-parents had moved from Winchester, Virginia, because they did not support slavery. They were strong Methodist and felt they could not remain in Virginia. They moved to Ohio, and eventually to Farmington, IL. When Lincoln was debating the slavery issue with Douglas in 1858, the Dunn family may have been in crowds. Certainly this was a subject of family conversation. In 1861, President Lincoln calls for his Illinois boys to volunteer for the militia."

"According to a General Affidavit filed with the Civil War Pension Fund, Jefferson Dunn enlisted in Company "D" of the Illinois 32nd Regiment. On or about the 10th day of September at Camp Butler, IL., he contracted a violent cold from exposure at the Camp. This resulted in inflammation of the throat and rheumatism. Over several months his symptons were violent and distressing, but eventually assumed a chronic form."

"September 16 1865, the Illinois 32nd Infantry was mustered out, with Captain Dunn serving as Assistant Adjutant Gen. for purposes of dissolving the Regiment. Jefferson returned to Greenfield, and his parents home."

A Biographical Sketch of Dr. Dunn gives the following:
"Dr. Jefferson Dunn began his study of medicine in 1861 with his Father, Dr. W. A. Dunn of
Greenfield, IL. In 1867, after serving in the Civil War, he attended the Halnemann Medical
College of Chicago, IL."

(A book entitled, "The Making and Remaking of Hahnemann Medical College", by Naomi Rogers, page 34 says: "School year was short, around four months, and students were expected to spend the rest of the year gaining clinical experience by working with their medical preceptor, or, although this was less openly acknowledged, by practicing medicine themselves." The book also says that the school sought after Civil War veterans. On page 44, it says, "College catalogues in the 1850's had claimed that homeopathy was in fact more scientific than orthodox medicine."

Documents from the National Archives, Pension File, indicate that Jefferson Dunn lived in Greenfield, IL., from the fall of 1865 to the spring of 1867. Greenfield is not far from St. Louis, MO., where Jefferson also studied medicine. This same file includes a letter from Dr. J. A. Wakeman stating that he has known Jefferson Dunn since the spring of 1867.

The Biographical sketch continues: "In the Spring of 1867, Jefferson Dunn began practice with Dr. J. A. Wakeman, of Centralia, IL. In 1869 he graduated with honors from the Homoepathic Medical College in St. Louis, MO. Returning to Centralia he continued his medical practice until 1874 when he re-located in Bloomington, IL. He was a member of the McLean County Homoepathic medical Society. His Uncle Dr. McCann Dunn practiced medicine for thirty years in the McClean County area." The Sketch is quite complimentary about Dr. Jeff Dunn's care of his patients and his position in the community. Copies of the Biographical sketch and another newspaper article after Jeff's death are in the family file.