Erie County (PA) Genealogy
Family Histories & Biographies
Captain John B. Dunlap
The biography below was found on your web master's hard drive as a scanned image. It is believed to be from Nelson's History of Erie County. The short biography has been transcribed and is posted below.
Captain John B. Dunlap, harbor master of the port of Erie, was born in Erie,
The family consisted of seven children: George (deceased), Jane (deceased), John B., Thomas J., Helen (Mrs. Jonas Bowers, of Erie), Frank (deceased), and Alliene V. (deceased, who was the wife of C. H. Harvey, D.P.S., of Erie).
Capt. John Dunlap, son of James Dunlap, was educated in the public schools of Erie and the Erie Academy. He also attended the private school of Miss Mary Coover, who afterward became the wife of Hon. Michael C. Kerr, ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives. When a mere lad he ran away from home and for some time drove a team on the Erie canal, later becoming captain of a canal boat. In 1848 he shipped on the revenue cutter Erie, then commanded by Capt. Daniel Dobbins. After a year the Erie went out of commission and he remained for one year aboard its successor, the Ingram. He then entered the merchant service with Captain Thomas Perrin, and continued three years. He was promoted to mate on board the schooner Sea Gill, owned by Andrew Scott and commanded by Captain P. Murphy, and remained a year. His father having, in company with Mr. George J. Morton, purchased the schooner Armada, he acted as captain of her until 1861.
He was appointed
acting ensign by Captain Carter, commander of the man-of-war
In 1876 Captain Dunlap had charge of
the raising of the famous flag-ship
Lawrence, and taking her to the Centennial at Philadelphia. The captain was married
This page was last updated on Sunday, December 2, 2007 .
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