Edmund Francis Dunne facts for kids

Edmund Francis Dunne (born July 30, 1835 – died October 4, 1904) was an important American politician and judge. He was known for serving as the chief justice of the Supreme Court in Arizona Territory. Earlier in his career, he worked in the California State Legislature. He also helped write the constitution for Nevada. Later in life, he focused on building a town in Florida called San Antonio, Florida.

Early Life and Education

Edmund Francis Dunne was born on July 30, 1835, in Little Falls, New York. He was the oldest of five children. His parents were John and Eleanor O'Dunne. His family had Irish roots. When he was one year old, his family moved to Ohio. His father was a successful businessman who helped Irish immigrants settle there. We don't know much about Dunne's early schooling. However, he knew a lot about history and religion. He could also speak several languages, which shows he had a very good education.

In 1852, Dunne and his father went to California to look for gold. After a few years, they brought the rest of their family to live with them on a farm. Around this time, Dunne studied law in San Francisco. In 1852, he also worked to start a Catholic community in Mexico.

A Career in Law and Politics

When he was young, Dunne was part of the Douglas Democrat political group. But when the American Civil War started, he joined the Unionist Party. In 1862, he was chosen to represent Sonoma County, California in the California State Legislature. After his term ended in 1863, Dunne moved to Humboldt County, Nevada Territory.

A year later, Dunne was part of the group that wrote Nevada's constitution. After Nevada became a state, he was elected as a district court judge. He served in this role in 1865 and 1866. After being a judge, Dunne started his own law practice in Washington D.C.. His firm helped American citizens with legal issues against the Republic of Mexico.

During this time, Dunne traveled to Europe many times. He married Josephine Cecelia Warner in Paris on October 30, 1872. They had five children together. One of his sons, Eugene O'Dunne, became a respected judge in Maryland. Another son, Brian Boru Dunne, became a well-known writer. Josephine died in 1883. Their children were then cared for by Dunne's sister, Mother Mary Amadeus Dunne. She was a leader at an Ursuline convent in Toledo, Ohio. She later became an important missionary to Native American people in Montana and Alaska. Dunne's two surviving daughters also joined the Ursuline Order. They worked in missions and schools.

Life in Arizona Territory

Senator William Morris Stewart suggested Dunne to become the Chief Justice of the Arizona Territorial Supreme Court. This was based on advice from Arizona Governor Anson P. K. Safford. Governor Safford likely knew Dunne from their time in Humboldt County. President Ulysses S. Grant officially nominated Dunne on March 6, 1874. The Senate approved him on March 20.

Dunne and his family arrived in Tucson in late June. In his free time, he traveled around the territory with Governor Safford. He is also credited with planting Arizona's first orange orchard in late 1874.

As a judge, Dunne was highly respected. His legal decisions were seen as clear, well-reasoned, and strong. For example, he ruled that a debtor could favor one creditor over others before declaring bankruptcy. He also decided that a middleman could keep extra money if they sold a mining claim for more than the seller had agreed to.

Dunne was removed from his judge position for reasons other than his legal skills. He was a very strong Catholic. He believed that the church should be in charge of all education in the Territory. He spoke about this publicly in February 1875. He continued to write about it in newspapers. Some of his articles even got attention on the East Coast. He even suggested that Catholics should stop paying taxes that supported public schools. Because of all this commotion, President Grant decided to remove Dunne in December 1875. Dunne stayed on the bench until his court session ended in January 1876.

Building a New Town in Florida

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, established in 1883 in San Antonio, FL.

After being removed from his judge role, Dunne stayed in Tucson for a while. He opened a private law practice there. The next year, he lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 1878, he moved to Utah and worked as a lawyer for a mining company. Dunne received a special honor from the Pope in 1876. He was made a Count by Pope Leo XIII in 1884.

Dunne gave a speech at Notre Dame in 1880. He was living in Chicago when he got involved in a big land deal in Florida. In 1881, Hamilton Disston bought a large part of Florida. As payment for his help, Dunne received 100,000 acres (400 km²) of land in 1882. This land was west of Dade City, Florida, near Lake Jovita. Dunne named the lake after St. Jovita. He used this land to start a Catholic community called San Antonio, Florida. He worked hard to build the town until he left in 1889.

Before leaving, Dunne gave his home and the land around Lake Jovita to Benedictine monks. This led to the creation of Saint Leo College and St. Leo Abbey. San Antonio grew and did well until a very cold winter in 1894–95. This "Great Freeze" destroyed the local citrus groves. In 1976, the town placed a marker to honor Dunne's work in starting the community. Today, San Antonio has about 1,300 residents.

Later Years and Passing

After leaving San Antonio, Dunne practiced law with his son Eugene in Jacksonville, FL. Their law firm was called Dunne and O'Dunne. In his later years, Dunne became a well-known Catholic writer and speaker. He spent his last two years battling an illness. He passed away at St. Agnes Sanitarium in Baltimore, Maryland, on October 4, 1904. News reports said he also suffered from paralysis. He was buried in Baltimore's New Cathedral Cemetery.