George Earl Dunham was a local newspaper editor and civic-minded citizen. He was born in Clayville in 1859, and was best known as editor and publisher of the Utica Daily Press. He also taught at the Whitesboro Seminary, and later taught Americanization classes to immigrants. He received national recognition for a popular book on the subject. He married his wife, Helen, during the late nineteenth century. Mr. Dunham was instrumental in the establishment of the Utica Chamber of Commerce and became its first president in 1898. Upon his death, he designated his father’s estate to be used as a public library. In 1927, Dunham Public Library was chartered and incorporated as a free public library serving the Union Free School District of Whitesboro. In 1937, Dunham Public Library was rechartered as a public library serving the geographical area of the Whitesboro Central School District, a service area encompassing Deerfield, Marcy, Schuyler, Whitesboro and Yorkville.
