JAMES ARCHER
DUNKUM
James Archer Dunkum, b June 26, 1858 in Farmville, Virginia, d September
7, 1931 in Marlin, Falls County, Texas and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin
- came to Falls County in 1884, where he began a career of educating the young
people of Falls County. He began his teaching career in Union Academy at
Stranger, where he met his future wife, Martha Ann Garrett.
On May 10, 1888 at Stranger, Falls County, Texas, James Archer Dunkum was
married to Martha Ann Garrett, b August 29, 1864 at Stranger, d June 12, 1940 in
Marlin and buried in Calvary Cemetery - a daughter of Robert Jasper and Mary
("Mollie" Smith) Garrett, and granddaughter of Thomas McKissick Garrett and his
first wife, Margaret Minerva (Reed) Garrett, and Ephraim and Edith (Smith)
Smith. Martha Ann (called "Mattie") had also taught in the Stranger School. Mr.
Dunkum's students had dubbed him "Professor," and he later left the teaching
staff at Stranger and joined the teaching faculty in Marlin, where he and his
bride then made their home.
James Archer Dunkum received his education
at Hampden - Sydney College in Virginia - graduating cum laud in 1883. In 1894,
he became the first Marlin Public School Superintendent; and in 1901, after fire
destroyed the old school building, he was instrumental in having the large brick
school built on the corners of Capps and Carter Streets - the building which
later became the Elementary School of Marlin. While serving many years as a
member of the School Board of Trustees, James Archer Dunkum turned to banking as
his second career, being first in charge of a private bank. In 1909, he helped
to organize The First State Bank of Marlin, and this bank continues to occupy a
prominent place in Falls County Banking circles.
The Dunkums were active members of First Presbyterian Church of Marlin,
and he was serving as Treasurer and Chairman of the Board at the time of his
death. He and Martha Ann were the parents of two children:
Willis Garrett Dunkum, b October 16, 1889, d April 9, 1945 in Marlin,
Texas and buried there in Calvary Cemetery - married August 25, 1917 to Edith
Elwood Roberts, b November 14, 1891 in Llano, Texas, d October 3, 1965 and
buried by her husband in Calvary Cemetery - a daughter of Daniel Frank and Ida
(Knowles) Roberts of Dripping Springs, Texas. Willis engaged in ranching and
banking activities during his life, and resided in the lovely multi-story built by his parents. The family were members of First Presby- terian Church of
Marlin, and had two children: Doris Jean Dunkum, b April 21, 1921, who married
William Edwin Kirkpatrick and had Edith Jean Kirkpatrick and Susan Kirkpatrick;
and Willis Garrett Dunkum, Jr. (called "Bill"), b September 2, 1924 who married
Barbara Lea Reed and had Willis Garrett Dunkum III (called "Gary"), Robert Frank
Dunkum, Mary Ann Dunkum, and Carol Lea Dunkum.
Mary Louise Dunkum, b March 5, 1892, died and was buried in Calvary
Cemetery in Marlin - was a schoolteacher for many years. On September 29, 1945
in Abilene, Texas, she married Stanley Irwin Russell, b December 26, 1901 in
Dallas, Texas - a son of John Franklin and Elizabeth Myrtle (Robertson) Russell.
They had no children.
Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing the biographies of
these Falls County Families to this Web page.
"Families of Falls County", Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical
Commission, page 123 column 1 and 2 and page 124 column 1.
Member of Falls County Historical Commission.
