JOSEPH DUNNE, a real-estate owner of El Paso, who in the control of his property interests has also proved a factor in the development and growth of the city, was born in Chicago, Illinois, his parents being Patrick C. and Bridget M. (Talty) Dunne, both of whom are deceased. The father, who was one of the pioneers of El Paso, was born near Cloneslee, Queen’s county, Ireland, on the 17th of March, 1838, and when a young lad was brought by his parents to America, the family home being established in Chicago. As the years passed and Patrick C. Dunne attained his majority he turned his attention to merchandising in Chicago, and for many years was thus connected with commercial pursuits, the store being located at the corner of Blue Island avenue and Twenty-second street. Subsequently he became a traveling salesman for a Chicago house and for several years was on the road. He found this line of business very congenial and covered a great deal of territory in the West and Southwest, deriving considerable pleasure from exploring commercially now districts. In this way from exploring commercially new districts. In this way he was often the pioneers in many communities, visiting many of them before the advent of railroads. It was this that brought him bout 1878 on his first trip to El Paso and he was the first traveling salesman to sell goods in this territory. He was so pleased with the embryo city and its future prospects that he decided to locate here permanently, and in 1881, the year in which the railroads were extended to El Paso, be bought his family from Chicago. In 1883 he bought a large tract of land east of the city from Captain French, built a home thereon and installed his family there. This has since been the Dunne homestead and is now included within the corporate limits of the city in the district known as East El Paso. It is to-day very valuable property, being rapidly built up, while that part of the city is growing very largely and developing along modern business lines. The selection of this place shows the wisdom and foresight of Mr. Dunne. He was a very prominent and popular man and a leader in the Democratic party. His fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, frequently called him to public office and he served as county commissioner, as treasurer, trustee and in other local positions, but it was as party and campaign manager that he was most successful. He will be perhaps remembered best as the pioneer, owner and developer of East El Paso and his name in thus inseparably connected with the history of the city.
It was in Crawfordville, Indiana, on the 14th of February, 1863, that Patrick C. Dunne was united in marriage to Miss Bridget M. Talty, who was born at Milltown, county Clare, Ireland, January 28, 1840, and died at El Paso, June 25, 19095. She was either the first or second woman to locate permanently in this city. For several years she survived her husband, who died in El Paso, December 26, 1897. They left a family of seven sons and two daughters, of whom Joseph Dunne is the youngest son. All were born in Chicago, and George Dunne lives in El Paso with his brother Joseph, as does their sister Nannie, who is now principal of the East El Paso high school. The other sister, Mrs. Kate Studman, resides at Durango, Mexico, and four of the brothers are doing well in business at Yuma, Arizona,—W. J., John, Edward and Charles.
At the time of his death Patrick C. Dunne left a large estate, consisting principally of his East El Paso holdings, most of which have been divided into town lot sub-divisions, and it is now the principal business of Joseph Dunne to handle and take care of this property. This he is to-day an extensive real-estate owner and operator, and in the development of the El Paso tract he has contributed in substantial measure to the improvement of the city and at the same time promoted and financial interests of the family. A genial manner and unfailing courtesy have rendered him popular and a large circle of friends and he was a very wide and extensive acquaintance in Western Texas.
Source: B. B. Paddock, History and Biographical Record of North and West Texas (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1906), Vol. I, pp. 450-451.