Husband Capt. William Dunshee 1
Born: 20 Aug 1820 - Allegheny Co, PA 1
Christened:
Died: 5 Mar 1905 1
Buried:
Father: Andrew T. Dunshee ( -1871) 2
Mother: Margaret Short ( - ) 3
Marriage:
Wife Mary Ann Adams 1
Born: Abt 1830 - Liverpool, England
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Benjamin Adams ( - ) 1
Mother:
Children
1 M William Adams Dunshee 4
Born: 24 Apr 1850 - Mifflin Twp, Allegheny Co, PA 1
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Josephine Trees ( - ) 4
Marr: 7 Jan 1899 2
General Notes: Husband - Capt. William Dunshee
Until about 1875 he was engaged in running and shipping coal to all the lower ports between Pittsburgh and New Orleans. He then retired from the coal business, but continued until within several years of his decease to operate the Marine ways adjacent to McKeesport, Pennsylvania. In early days coal was loaded in boats and floated, by the use of sweeps and steering oars, to the several markets along the Ohio and Monongahela rivers. Late in the eighteen-fifties this method of transportation gave way to steamboats or towboats, as they were commonly called, and Captain Dunshee was one of the first advocates of the change. He was interested in the first steamboat built to transport coal "below," known as the "Erie," and in ten years the change was so complete that a floating coal-boat "below" was a rarity. He became interested in several tow-boats in his day, notably the "Robinson," the "Forman," the "Isaac Hammett," and the "Victor Wilson." The Isaac Hammett and Victor Wilson were called the "twins," and had been built alike in all respects with the view of hitching both boats to the same large tow, believing that in this way it could be better and more safely handled while conveying it down the river. It was not so great a success as was anticipated, and as it was found that better results could be obtained by leaving each of the towboats independent, this course was therefore adopted. During the early part of the civil war both boats were taken into the service of the United States government as dispatch boats and for towing mortar boats on the Mississippi river and other rivers tributary thereto. The two boats, "Hammett" and "Wilson" continued in the service until the close of the war, under command of Commodore David Dixon Porter. They were several times under fire from the enemy, but escaped without being disabled. On several occasions they carried General Grant to and from points on the river. The "Wilson," during the Red river expedition, was under command of Captain Dunshee for a short time as a relief for the regular captain, Daniel Pollard. In 1856 Captain Dunshee built the first marine ways in the Monongahela river, near McKeesport. They were used for "docking boats" until the property was sold to the National Tube Works Company, when they were moved "across" the river and again erected and operated until about 1895, at which time Captain Dunshee retired from active work.
In politics he was first a Whig and later a Republican.