Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872 - 1906)

Born 27 Jun 1872 in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States

Ancestors

Died 9 Feb 1906 at age 33 in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States

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Biography

Paul Dunbar is Notable.

Paul Dunbar, son of former slaves Joshua Dunbar and Matilda Burton, was born in Ohio in 1872.^[1] His parents' stormy marriage ended not long after the death of Paul's younger sister;^[2] they were divorced by 1880.^[3]

Paul Laurence Dunbar was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1890 Dunbar wrote and edited The Tattler, Dayton's first weekly African-American newspaper. It was printed by the fledgling company of his high-school acquaintances, Wilbur and Orville Wright. Dunbar was prolific during his relatively short career: his poems and essays were widely published in magazines and journals, and he published a dozen books of poetry, four books of short stories, four novels, lyrics for a highly successful Broadway musical, and a play.^[2]

In 1898, he began his tumultuous marriage to author Alice Ruth Moore.^[4] At his wife's urging, he left his job at the Library of Congress to focus on his writing. After the publication of Lyrics of Lowly Life he was able to attend Howard University^[2] through at least 1900.^[5]

Suffering from incurable tuberculosis, depression, and alcoholism brought on by doctor-prescribed whiskey consumption, Paul several times beat Alice. In a later message to Dunbar's earliest biographer, Alice said, "He came home one night in a beastly condition. I went to him to help him to bed—and he behaved as your informant said, disgracefully." In 1902, after he beat her nearly to death, she left him. The pair separated in 1902 but never divorced.^[6]

Paul Dunbar died of tuberculosis on February 9, 1906, at the age of 33;^[7] he was interred in the Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum in Dayton, Ohio.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ "Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X6Q5-YP8 : 8 March 2021), Paul Dunbar, 1872.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Wikipedia contributors, "Paul Laurence Dunbar," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paul_Laurence_Dunbar&oldid=1029463941 (accessed August 17, 2021).
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8S3-SSG : 20 February 2021), Paul Dunbar in household of Matilda Dunbar, Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district ED 156, sheet 251B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,255,051.
4. ↑ "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24ZZ-MJY : 10 February 2018), Paul Dunbar and Alice Moore, 06 Mar 1898; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,503,841.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMXB-NR1 : accessed 3 June 2021), Paul L Dunbar, Howard University Washington city, Washington, District of Columbia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 16, sheet 9B, family 141, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,158.

   Paul L Dunbar Head Male 28 Ohio

   Alice Dunbar Wife Female 25 Louisiana

6. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Alice Dunbar Nelson," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alice_Dunbar_Nelson&oldid=1034360828 (accessed August 17, 2021).
7. ↑ "Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F625-VMP : 1 March 2021), Paul L. Dunbar, 09 Feb 1906; citing Death, Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States, source ID v 5 p 68, County courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 1,030,828.
8. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVJ1-1GQJ : 13 September 2020), Paul Laurence Dunbar; Burial, Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio, United States of America, Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum; citing Find A Grave: Memorial #307.

• Wikidata: Item Q974678
• Wikipedia Paul Laurence Dunbar
• Wikipedia Alice Dunbar Nelson