Orange

DUSTIN, John K. Jr.

Men of Vermont: Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters & Sons of 
Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro: Transcript Publishing Company, 1894, pp 7-8 of 
20 unnumbered leaves

John K. DUSTIN, of Gloucester [Essex County], Massachusetts, was born 01 
January 1843 in West Topsham [Orange County, Vermont], son of John K. and 
Angeline (HEATH) DUSTIN. He is a descendant in the sixth generation of 
Thomas and Hannah (EMERSON) DUSTIN, noted in the early colonial history for 
their exploits with the Indians at the time of the Haverhill [Essex County, 
Massachusetts] massacre in 1697. Mr. DUSTIN's father, who was a native of 
Topsham [Orange County, Vermont], went to Quincy [Norfold County], 
Massachusetts, at the age of twenty-one and learned the trade of stone 
cutter. His mother, who was a Topsham girl, also resided in Quincy a while, 
and when Mr. DUSTIN had laid by enough money to buy a farm he married, 
returned to West Topsham and there remained a number of years, but he finally 
gave up farming and returned to Massachusetts. At the age of thirteen, 
shortly after his mother's death, John K. DUSTIN, Jr., had an opportunity to 
go to Wisconsin, where he lived for a year with an uncle who was engaged in 
business. The business depression of 1857 brought failure to the uncle, and 
young DUSTIN returned to Massachusetts and entered school. About this time 
his father located in Gloucester, engaging in the stone cutting business, and 
there the family has since resided.

When the war of the Rebellion broke out [April 1861], Mr. [John K.] DUSTIN, 
Jr., was eighteen years old, and stirred by the general patriotic impulse, he 
enlisted in Company C, Twenty-third Massachusetts Volunteers, one of the 
regiments raised by Senator Henry WILSON, and went to the front in November 
1861. At Annapolis the command was mustered into the United States service 
and from there joined the Burnside expedition, being engaged in the hottest 
of the battle at Roanoak Island 08 February 1862, and also taking an 
important part in the battle of New Berne. Mr. DUSTIN was with the regiment 
during its stay in North Carolina and when it joined the expedition sent for 
the first attack on Charleston. The fleet rendezvoused at St. Helena Island 
and was in North Edisto River at the time of the attack on the forts in 
Charleston harbor by the iron clads. A rebel raid on Beaufort called the 
transports back to Port Royal from which place the regiment was hurriedly 
sent back to New Berne and Little Washington to relieve General FOSTER. In 
the fall of 1863 Mr. DUSTIN was taken ill and went to the hospital, and when 
partially recovered was detailed as chief clerk of the hospital, where he 
remained until the expiration of his term of service, 04 October 1864.

Returning to Gloucester in broken health, and seeing the necessity for indoor 
work, Mr. DUSTIN secured a position in the office of John Pew & Son, 
producers and wholesale dealers in fish and salt, the leading firm in the 
business. Here he has continued as employee and partner until the present 
time. The business of the firm was founded by the late John PEW in 1849, and 
has been uniformly prosperous. Mr. John PEW died in 1891, and the firm is 
now composed of the sons, Charles H. PEW and John J. PEW, and John K. DUSTIN, 
Jr. Mr. DUSTIN has always been recognized as a temperance man in principle 
and practice, though not of the Prohibition party. A Republican in 
politics, he cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln in his second term. The 
only public office held by Mr. DUSTIN was that of clerk of common council in 
1874 and 1875. He has been frequently mentioned, however, and at various 
times urged to other offices from the Mayoralty down but the absorbing nature 
of the large business of the firm has caused him to uniformly decline any 
public position.

On 17 December 1868 he [John K. DUSTIN, Jr.] was married to [Miss?] Lucy Low 
DAVIS of Gloucester. They have had nine children, five of whom are living, 
four girls and one boy. The oldest was graduated at Smith College the 
present year. One is now in his junior year at Amherst, and one at Smith in 
her sophomore year. Mr. DUSTIN has been a member of the Trinity 
Congregational church since 1872 and active in all its work; has been member 
of the parish committee; treasurer of the church and member of the standing 
committee. He is also a trustee of the Addison Gilbert Hospital Corporation, 
and of the Gilbert Home for aged and indigent persons; treasurer of the 
Gloucester Fish Drying Company, and of the Atlantic Wharf Company; director 
of the Gloucester Net and Twine Company, the Gloucester Safe Deposit and 
Trust Company, and the Fishermen's Institute, and vice president of the 
Gloucester Board of Trade.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly