Robert Dunkinson (b. 1755 - d. 1826)
MSA SC 5496-050700
War of 1812 Claimant, St. Mary's County, Maryland, 1828
Biography:
Robert Dunkinson was born about 1755. Dunkinson was a member of the St. Mary's County Militia in 1794. He first married Mary Jones Burns of St. Mary's County, who was the widow of Dennis Burns. Mary had one daughter, Ann Burns Bennett, from her previous marriage. Mary Dunkinson died in 1802, leaving Robert Dunkinson a widower. He later remarried Ann Smith, and together they had five children: Robert W., John, William, Caroline, and Jane.
As early as 1790, Dunkinson owned at least fifteen slaves. In 1804, Dunkinson was assessed for twenty-six slaves. At least three of those slaves, Ambrose, George, and Sarah, came from a bequest to his first wife, Mary Jones Dunkinson, through her mother's last will and testament. During the War of 1812, two of Dunkinson's slaves, Jacob Hall and Abraham, escaped from his property in St. Mary's County. Abraham escaped with Josiah Biscoe and Thomas Biscoe, the slaves of Mordecai Jones. This particular group of slaves fled to the British ship Dragon. Dunkinson also acted as a deponent in the cases filed by his neighbors for the reparations to which they felt entitled for the loss of their slaves.
Robert Dunkinson's wife Ann, died May 23, 1823 in St. Mary's County, and was buried at the St. Inigoes Church Yard Cemetery. Robert Dunkinson died in 1826 in St. Mary's County. At his death, Dunkinson owned thirty-five slaves, who were divided amongst his children. His eldest son, Robert W. Dunkinson, was bequeathed his plantation Lanksfords and eleven negroes: Frank, Jack, Charles, Jerry, Sall, Tener, Henney, Nancy, Abraham, Dina, and Ann. Robert W. died by 1833 and only had one of the eleven slaves listed in his inventory of only three slaves. Langford was passed on to his widow, who eventually remarried and sold the property to his siblings, William H. Dunkinson and Jane Dunkinson Gough. Another son, John, received two negroes, Bill and Job. Dunkinson left eight negroes to his son William, including Stace, Terry, Jess, John, George, Joseph, Nicholas, and Sexious. He also left slaves to his two daughters, Caroline and Jane. Caroline, the wife of Thomas Gough, received five slaves: Moses, Walter, Lucy, Maria, and Tresa. His other daughter Jane received twelve slaves, Arnold, Sam, Tom, Isaac, Michael, Basil, Nace, Betsey, Elinor, Rose, Jane, and Mary.
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