Member Biography

Biography

Captain Aaron K. Dunkel (R6) Philadelphia County 1875-1878

Early Life: 

Captain Aaron K. Dunkel, born May 27, 1837, Oreville, Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; common school education; printer’s apprentice; engaged, newspaper business, Lancaster, Philadelphia; enlisted, Company H, 114th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, 1861-1864; one of the proprietors, Philadelphia Sunday Republic; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1875-1878; elected, Secretary of Internal Affairs, 1879-1883; married, Pauline Haynes Dunkle; died, six month battle consumption of lungs, May 31, 1888, residence, 1010 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, burial date, June 4, 1888, Odd Fellows Cemetery, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

Early Career:

Newspaper business history Lancaster County, printer, Lancasterian, journeyman, School Journey; Philadelphia, proprietor, Philadelphia Sunday Republic.

Mustered in, Private, Union Army, Civil War, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Company H, 114th Regiment, (Zouaves d' Afrique Collis Zouaves), August 12, 1861, saw action, Battle of Fredericksburg (December 12-15, 1862), Battle of Chancellorsville (April 27-May 6, 1863), prisoner of war, wounded, held at Confederate Prison, Libby, Richmond, Virginia, ten months, prisoner swap exchange, Battle of the Wilderness (May 5-7, 1864), Battle of Spottsylvania Court House (May 8-21, 1864), mustered out, surgeon’s discharge, Captain, September 22, 1864, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

On February 9, 1864, there was a successful tunnel breakout which involved digging through a rat-infested area. Over 100 Union prisoners were led their way to freedom by Colonel Thomas E. Rose. After that, led to believe he was part of a prisoner exchange swap.

Pennsylvania Politics: 

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 6th district, Philadelphia County, 1875-1878; committee assignments, Education and Military Affairs, Public Printing (Chairman). 

Nominated, Republican Candidate, Secretary of Internal Affairs, Wednesday, May 15, 1878, served under Governor Henry Martyn Hoyt, Sr., 1879-1883.

Legacy: 

In 1951, the cemetery property was acquired by the Philadelphia Housing Authority for construction of the Raymond Rosen housing project. The bodies were moved to two other cemeteries owned by the Odd Fellows - Mount Peace Cemetery in Philadelphia and Lawnview Memorial Park in Rockledge, Pennsylvania. However, in 2013, workers unearthed 28 graves and remains that were not moved and were still under the playground of the William Dick school built in 1954. Location remains a mystery. 

Cited: 

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members D". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1875) Smull, J.A.; pages 606-608; Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 601.

Regiments that fought at Gettysburg | Gettysburg (civilwartalk.com) 

LOC Image

Lancaster Daily Intelligencer • Lancaster, Pennsylvania • Thursday, May 16, 1878 • Page 3

1882-10-28, Philadelphia Weekly Times; excellent article by Frank Moran relating his experience escaping from Libby Prison through the famous tunnel.

The Semi-Weekly New Era • Lancaster, Pennsylvania • Saturday, June 02, 1888 • Page 1