John Dunn Jr. facts for kids

John Dunn Jr. was born on January 21, 1830, and passed away on February 6, 1892. He was the son of John Dunn Sr., who was a well-known flour miller.

In 1852, John Dunn Jr. joined his father's flour milling business. This meant he became a partner in the company that turned grain into flour. He worked there for ten years.

A New Path: Missionary Work

In 1862, John Dunn Jr. decided to leave the family business. He chose to become a Wesleyan missionary in Fiji. A missionary is someone who travels to teach about their religious beliefs.

However, he faced a challenge. In 1864, he had to return home because of a serious eye problem called ophthalmia. This made it difficult for him to continue his work.

In January 1865, a church meeting in Sydney decided that he could no longer use the title "Reverend." This decision was made because of his health issues, even though he didn't want to leave his missionary role. Many people also signed a petition to keep him in his church circuit, but he was still removed. Later, he continued to serve his community as a lay preacher for the Primitive Methodist Church. A lay preacher is someone who gives sermons but is not officially ordained as a minister.

Leading the Family Business

When his father retired in May 1889, John Dunn Jr. took over as the head of the family company. After he passed away, his sons Frederick Williams Dunn (1863–1946), Alfred Calvert Dunn (1867–1957), and Eustace Alexandria Andrew Dunn (1869–1928) managed the business.

Family Life

John Dunn Jr. married Elizabeth Williams (1835–1928) on July 25, 1855. Elizabeth was the sister of his father's second wife. They were married at the home of John Williams in North Adelaide, South Australia.

John and Elizabeth had fourteen children together. One of their notable children was Hedley Allen Dunn (1865–1942). Hedley became an architect and designed important buildings, such as the former Adelaide Stock Exchange building, which was built in 1901.