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biography
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Dunlap, John, was for many years a well-known business man of Pittsburg .
Born in the north of Ireland in 1818, he came of Scotch ancestry. In 1826 he was brought by his widowed mother to Paterson, N.J., where he received his
schooling, and served a regular apprenticeship to the tinning trade. While an apprentice he kept the books of the firm for which he worked. Having finished
his apprenticeship, he came to Pittsburg in 1837, where he worked for a time for old Mr. Scaife. Later he began business for himself on a small scale at the
corner of Market Street and Second Avenue, where his sons still carry on the business. After the great fire of 1845, in which he was burned out, he bought
the land, and made a new start, after which business gradually increased until he became one of the largest importers of block tin and plate tin in Pittsburg,
and the leading man in the city in the tinning business. After a time he built the large building now occupied by his sons. At the time of his death, which occurred
June 6, 1893, he was a director of the Tradesmen's National Bank and of the Artisans' Insurance Company. At one time he was a partner of William P. Townsend in the
wire works at New Brighton . He left a large amount of real estate. This included over twenty acres in the Fourteenth Ward on Robinson Street, on which, after buying,
he erected a fine brick residence about thirty years ago; also some twenty acres in Allegheny, which has not been subdivided. In politics he was a Republican. He was
a generous supporter of the Presbyterian church and of various philanthropic institutions. Fond of literature, he acquired in the course of his life a large and well-selected library.
On August 15, 1850, Mr. Dunlap was united in marriage with Miss Mary Duncan, daughter of Hugh and Rachel (Glass) Duncan. Mr. Duncan, who was born in this country of
Scotch-Irish parentage, died in 1870, aged seventy years. His wife, who still survives, possesses all her mental faculties at the age of almost eighty-nine years.
Mrs. Dunlap, who resides in the house built by her husband, was born at Poland, the former home of President McKinley. Her brother married a sister of the President.
She has five children living, namely: Emma D., who is now Mrs. N. P. Reed; Ella, who is the wife of James B. Stevenson; William A. and John H., who are continuing the
business begun by their father; and Anna, who resides with her mother. Mrs. Dunlap is a devoted member of the Presbyterian church.
Biographical review: containing life sketches of leading citizens of Pittsburg and the vicinity, Pennsylvania. Boston: Biographical Review Pub. Co., 1897, Author: Anonymous.
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