Chester James Dunn, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Chester James Dunn
CHESTER JAMES DUNN - A factor in the financial life of Lake County, now associated with the Tolleston Bank, Chester Dunn has been a resident of this community since 1911 and has been identified with the Tolleston Bank since 1920. He was born in Muskegon, Michigan, in November, 1891, the son of Ernest G. and Leonora (Gray) Dunn. The former was a native of Devonshire, England. In 1870 he came to America and was later joined by his parents and a brother. Leonora (Gray) Dunn was born in Bean Blossom, Brown County, Indiana. Her family were old settlers in Brown County and are direct descendants of an old Colonial family that was prominent in the Revolutionary war. She is active in the Daughters of the American Revolution and other Colonial associations To Ernest G. and Leonora Dunn were born Chester James, Howard, Eunice, Mable, Marion and Dorothy.
Chester Dunn secured his education in the high schools of Michigan City, Indiana, to which place his parents had removed in 1896. He was then associated with the American Express Company of that city, and on coming to Gary in 1911 entered the service of the First National Bank as a clerk. Here he remained for five years, after which he became assistant cashier in the Gary Trust and Savings Bank. Later in the same capacity he served with the American State Bank. His first service with the Tolleston Bank was as cashier, and he has served as president since 1924. The Tolleston Bank is the oldest bank in this immediate region, having been founded before Gary proper was created.
Mr. Dunn was married to Martita Furness, who was born at Furnessville, Porter County, Indiana, the second youngest of five daughters born to her parents. Her father served two terms in the State Legislature, 1899-1902. The family was originally of Maine, and in 1850 settled in Porter County.
Mr. and Mrs. Dunn are the parents of three children: Chester, Jr., Leigh, and Bob. Mr. Dunn is a member of the K. of P., Moose, Chamber of Commerce, Commercial Club, is president of the Board of Public Works, is a member of the City Planning Council, is active in the various banking associations of state, city and county. His rise to prominence in the financial field has been gradual and substantial, and he is today one of the leading men in that line of endeavor of this community.
Source: Cannon, Thomas H., H. H. Loring, and Charles J. Robb. 1927. History of the Lake and Calumet Region of Indiana Embracing the Counties of Lake, Porter and Laporte. Volume II. Indianapolis, Indiana: Historians' Association. 827 p.
Page(s) in Source: 528-529
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook