Salem Pioneer Cemetery ~ William Rice Dunbar ~ part of the Marion County Pioneer Cemeteries of Oregon
William Rice Dunbar
LAST NAME: Dunbar FIRST NAME: William MIDDLE NAME: Rice NICKNAME: 
MAIDEN NAME:  AKA 1:  AKA 2:  AKA 3: 
TITLE: Mr. GENDER: M MILITARY: 
BORN: 1839 DIED: Mar 1903 BURIED: 1 Apr 1903
ETHNICITY:   OCCUPATION:  Registrar of the United States land office in Vancouver, Washington
BIRTH PLACE:  
DEATH PLACE: Vancouver, Clark Co., Washington
NOTES: 
IOOF- William Dunbar, male, buried April 1, 1903, age 60, d. in Washington, was an old citizen of Salem.
MARRIAGE - "William R. Dunbar & Eliza Ann Small, m 21 Mar 1861; Neill Johnson, M. G. Wit: King Hibbard & Matthew H Small #512 pg 60".
1860 Census of Silverton shows Rice Dunbar's family with a son, W. R. age 21.
MARRIAGE - "William R. Dunbar, over 21 & Susie Dudley, over 18, m 9 Jul 1879 at house of L. J. Witcomb; L. J. Minister, M. G., Wit: Laura E. Witcomb & Grace L. Crandall. Aff: Seth R. Hammer #2312 pg 594".
1800 WA CENSUS - W. R. Dunbar, age 41, b. Illinois, occupation farming, is enumerated with Susan, wife, age 26, b. Oregon, William C. Dunbar, son, age 16, b. Oregon, occupation farming.
OBITUARY: 
PIONEER OF OLD MARION.
Wm. Rice Dunbar Passes Away at Vancouver Sunday; Honored Soldier, Orator, and Statesman is No More. Funeral Here Tomorrow.
The many old-time friends of William R. Dunbar, residing in this county, as well as a host of those scattered over the Northwest coast, will be pained to learn of his death, at Vancouver, Wash. On Sunday last. Mr. Dunbar was a pioneer of Marion county, having moved here with his parents from Illinois in 1846 and settled in Waldo Hills, near Silverton. He was born April 7, 1839, and the greater part of his life was spent in this, the state of his adoption. He received a common school education and for a number of years taught the district school of his neighborhood. On the breaking out of the Civil War he was the first to enlist in Co. A. First Oregon Infantry, and was mustered out as second lieutenant in 1866. He afterwards entered the service of the U.S. Indian Department and filled important positions on both the Siletz and Warm Springs Reservations. For several years he was the Grand Worthy Chief Templar and Grand Lecturer of the Good Templars organization and as such visited almost every city, town and hamlet within the borders of our state. He represented Marion county in the Legislative Assembly of 1870. He moved to Goldendale, Wash., in 1879, and there held the offices of Clerk of the District Court and Probate Judge, as well as United States Commissioner. In 1898 he was appointed Register of the United States Land Office and was reappointed a few weeks since for his second term. He was prominent in the G.A.R. , having been Grand Master and Grand Representative in the I.O.O.F. for the jurisdiction of Washington. He was warmly attached to his fraternal connections and will be greatly missed from the ranks of each. He stood high in the esteem of his fellowmen as one whose honesty, integrity and probity of character was beyond reproach. Genial in his disposition, considerate of the feelings of those with whom he came in contact, faithful and conscientious in the discharge of his public duties, in the death the Government loses a competent and courteous official, the state an honored citizen, and his friends and acquaintances one in every way worthy of their confidence and esteem.
Funeral services will be held at his home in Vancouver today, participated in by his fraternal lodges. His body will be brought to Salem for burial in the Odd Fellows cemetery, arriving here on the Portland train at 11 o’clock tomorrow (Wednesday) and will be at once taken to the cemetery for burial. Rev. P. S. Knight will officiate at the grave. His friends and brother members of the I.O.O.F., the A.O.U.W., and comrades of the G.A.R. are cordially invited to attend the services.
Oregon Statesman 31 March 1903 8:3
INSCRIPTION: 

Sacred to the Memory of
William R. Dunbar
1839 - 1903

(shares marker with wife, Susannah)
SOURCES: 
LR
LD
IOOF Register of Burials
1860 Census of Silverton, Marion Co., Oregon, pg. 334, #2791
Marion Co., Oregon Marriage Records, 1849-71, Vol I, pg 31
Marion Co., Oregon Marriage Records, 1874-79, Vol III, pg 50
1880 WA CENSUS (Klickitat Co., Goldendale Pct., sheet 346A)
DAR pg 42
S&H pg 22
CONTACTS: 
LOT: 448 SPACE: 1 NW S½ LONGITUDE:  LATITUDE: 
IMAGES: