William Peter Dunsmore, Thomas Dunsmore & Mary "Polly" Carr Dunsmore

 

This photo was donated to this compiler by A. Payne Hewitt who indicated that it is circa 1903.

 

William "Pete" Dunsmore was the son of Thomas and Mary "Polly Carr Dunsmore.  He was the husband of Barbara Ann Curry Dunsmore. 
He appears on the 1870 Census at Monroe, 2nd Creek, 17y, mulatto, with his father, Thomas Dunsman (Peter Dunsman).  In 1874 he was the informant for the marriage of James Nickell and Eliza Susan Dunsmore.  In 1874 he married Barbara Ann Curry in Monroe.  He was 25, b. in Monroe, she was 20, b. in Monroe.  They were married at S.P. Hamilton's in Monroe.  The officiant was Rev. Samuel R. Houston (who also married members of my family who lived in this area in Monroe - see his book and diary).  He appears on the 1880 census in Monroe, 2nd Creek, mulatto, 30, b. 1850, works on farm with Barbara (26).  He is enumerated as William P. Dunsmore.  In 1885 he was the informant for the marriage of Lucy Jane Dunsmore and Lewis Nickell which took place on 12/30/1885.  He appears on the 1900 census in Monroe, 2nd Creek as a Black Male, 50y, b. 12/1849, farmer, married x 21 years to Barbara (46), with his son William C. (5) and his father Thomas (83) and his mother Polly (73).  He appears on the 1910 census, Monroe, 2nd Creek, with his wife Barbara and his son William and his mother Mary (88).  He appears on the 1920 Census, Monroe, 70y, with his wife Barbara (67). 

Thomas Dunsmore was the husband of Mary "Polly" Carr Dunsmore.  On the 1870 Census, MC, 2nd Creek he is 48y, a farm hand, with his wife Mary (37), and with his children Eliza (19), Peter (17), Margrett (12), Sarah (7), Lucy (4) & Agnes (2).  In this census they are enumerated as Dunsman.  In 1874 his daughter Eliza was married to James Nickell at his house.  In the 1880 census he is 60y  and is with Polly (54), Ida (9), Lewis (10), and Franklin (10).  In 1881 he is the father of the bride, Sally Dunsmore who married Cephalus "Fall" Moore (7/3/1881) in Monroe.  In 1889 he was the informant for the marriage of Albert Payne (my greatgrandmother Elizabeth's brother) and Ida Bell Dunsmore.  That marriage took place on 10/15/1889.  In 1892 he signed a permission slip for his son, John Lewis Dunsmore, to marry Lydia Erskine on 2/18/1892.  He appears in the 1900 census at age 83, living with his son William (Pete).  By this time he had been married to Mary "Polly" for 56 years. 
Note:  Polly seems to be the nickname for Mary - or at least seems to have been in this area.  He died on Jan/19/1910 and is buried in the Sinks Grove Cemetery (Mt. Zion/Neff Orchard Road Cem).  He is listed as the father of the decedent, John Lewis Dunsmore, who died in Greenbrier in 1945, WVDC # 10213. 

Mary "Polly" Carr Dunsmore was the daughter of Lemora/Lemoris Carr.  She died on 11/4/1921 of old age at Monroe, 2nd Creek.  She is buried at the "colored grave yard" - so Sinks Grove Cem.  Her son, Pete, was the informant for her death.