This home sits at the intersection of Cunningham and Dunn Family roads in the Tower Hill area, Kinston, NC and Dunn Cemetery sits in a field next to the home. Tombstone Photos.

Steven Hill, a Loftin descendant, found the following information about the house and writes: "Leonard Loftin left money by his will to buy a home for Benoni Loftin. The place that was bought near Kingston, N.C. is still called Jericho, now 1936, and is owned by Mr. Robert B. Dunn and the estate of Francis Clyde Dunn, both Loftin descendants [and grandsons of Walter and Cynthia Loftin Dunn] the property never having left the possession of the family. The present house at Jericho is on the opposite side of the branch from the site of the house originally built for Benoni Loftin, and was the home of Walter Dunn, Jr., who married Cynthia Loftin, seven times great granddaughter of Benoni. Mrs W. M. (Gertrude Bagby) Creasy was born in this house which was built in 1756 by Elkanah Loftin, son of Benoni." Loftin Genealogy compiled in the 1930s by Ms. Gertrude Creasy found at Heritage place in Lenoir Community College Kinston, NC.

Walter Jr. was the son of Walter Sr. and wife Sarah Patrick who lived in Craven County before moving to Lenoir County sometime before 1780. Walter Jr. married Cynthia Loftin Nov. 10, 1818, daughter of Shadrack and Sarah Loftin, when she was 14 years old. A family story is that soon after their marriage, someone came to visit them and saw her playing in a tree with her dolls.

26 Jan 1936 - Newspaper Clipping (no newspaper name) - Disciples Honor Memory Founders of Local Church - Has stood through 83 years - Descendants of Christian Pioneers here are called to stand in Service.
The 83rd anniversary of the establishment of the church in Kinston was celebrated by the congregation of the Gordon Street Church of Christ Sunday morning. "Family Day" was the center of the service. The family pew idea was restored for the time being and the members of the various families sat together. There were nine members who took part in the organization of the first church of the Disciples in Kinston on January 21, 1843. They were Jacob Parrott, Sr., Robert Bond, Walter Dunn Sr., John A. Parrott, Cynthia Dunn, Patsy Dudley, Elizabeth Bond, Lany Jones and Persie Parrott. Following their roll call and a tribute to them, Dr. Abram Cory, pastor, asked all in the congregation Sunday morning who were descended from any of them to stand. A goodly number stood in all parts of the house.

1850 Lenoir Counnty, NC Census
Walter Dunn, 62 m - Farmer - Real Estate $10,340
Cynthia, 46
John Q., 27 - Farmer
William, 18 - Farmer
Cynthia, 16
Tresa, 13
Rachel, 11
Malissa, 4
Hannah Potts, 30
Samuel Rountree, 22 - Farmer
Martha A. Rountree, 20 f

Walter Dunn Jr., May 15, 1788-Dec 26, 1850

January 8, 1851 - Carolina Republican New Bern - In Lenoir County at the residence of John H. Coward on the 26th of last month, Walter Dunn, Sr. in the 63d year of his age.

Walter Dunn Estate Papers

At the time of his death, Walter had the two following tracts of land known by the name of the home place together with the Lewis C Desmond and Elizabeth Desmond land, bounded as follows:

Beginning at a black oak, Henry Tull's corner of the William Lovick land, also a corner of the Henry Blackland and runs North 60 East to the Wooten's Branch, then down the various courses of the same, to Jericho swamp, then down the meanders of the said swamp to the Daniel Desmond land, then with the line of that land South 28 East to the Poplar Branch, then up the various courses of the said branch to the William Croom land then with the Croom line South 79 West to a lightwood knol, a corner of the Croom land and home tract, then South 5 West to Henry Tull's corner of the lands bought of W B Rhem & wife, then a small branch, then down the meanders of the same to Rudy branch, then down Rudy branch to an oak, Shadrack Loftin's corner, then with Loftin's line to John C Washington's corner in a small branch, then down the courses of said small branch to Jericho, then up the meanders of Jericho to Henry Tull's corner of the Lovick land, then with his line to the beginning; containing by estimation seven hundred acres, more or less.

American Advocate Kinston July 10, 1856 - Notice
The Subscriber offers a tract of land lying just 3 miles from Kinston on the north side of Neuse River on the road leading from Kinston to Pugh's bridge containing 250 acres, 130 of which is cleared and in a high state of cultivation. Said land is better known as a part of the celebrated Tower Hill plantation formerly owned by Walter Dunn, deceased. There is about 15 acres of land drained, deaded and under fence, which when cleared, will produce from 8 to 15 bbls of corn per acre. Now is the time to call and examine as the present crop on the land will itself speak for the fertility of it.
Ed. H. Chadwick
Kinston July 9, 1856

Walter Dunn Jr. Bible

Walter Dunn Jr. Estate Papers

Walter Dunn Jr. Deeds

Cynthia Loftin Dunn

Cynthia Loftin Dunn

Cynthia Loftin vs. G. K. Bagby

Cynthia Loftin Dunn Sketch

Shadrack Loftin Bible - father of Cynthia Dunn