Uncrowned Community Builders

Lydia Ann (Taylor) Dunjee was born March 13, 1846 and would have been 83 years old when she died. Lydia and her husband are buried in Fairlawn Cemetery in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She and her family, born freemen, were of the Old Dominion, Virginia. She was reared by a white family of Taylor's, for she was one of a large family of three sons and seven daughters. At the outbreak of the Civil War, she returned to her family in Winchester, Va., where she met and married John William Dungy (Dunjee). To this union were added ten children, five of which grew to manhood and womanhood, namely, Roscoe Dunjee, editor of the Black Dispatch, Oklahoma City; Ella V. Williams, wife of Alexander Williams, YWCA Executive Secretary for the Newport News shipyards; Drusilla Dunjee Houston, newspaper feature writer and author; Blanch Dunjee, devoted mother of 11 children, and Irvin Dunjee, in charge of the Russian Society Work in Harlem District, New York City.

As the wife of Rev. J.W. Dunjee, Lydia was his faithful assistant in the building of ten representative churches in large cities of the North and East. They came to Oklahoma in 1893, Rev. Dunjee having been appointed general missionary over the Baptists of Oklahoma by the American Baptist Home Missionary Society. He was the founder of most of the large churches of Oklahoma.

Lydia Dunjee was greatest in the fact that she could efface herself behind her husband's great personage. She was one of the meekest, kindest and most gentle persons and often in middle life left home to care for and help some humble neighbor in times of sickness. She was strong in the utter self-sacrifice of her life for her children. She was a representative of the perfect mother.

All the years of her life she was a true Christian, devoted to God and always loyal to her church. Even during the last years of her life, although frail and weak, she attended church services, never wishing to miss a Sunday, and always eager to hear the word of God. She always gave generously for the support of the church, and for several years all of her own personal savings were put into the church, not one cent being held out for any luxury.

She was ever dutiful in the performance of all her religious activities, glad and happy to do what she could to further the cause of God's kingdom upon the earth. This obituary was written by Harriet A. Jacobson on December 13, 1928.

Numerous letters from across the country were sent to the Black Dispatch and the Dunjee family expressing grief over the loss of Lydia Ann Dunjee.

"Ere the books for the year 1928 were closed, the name Lydia Ann Dunjee, was called by Him who gives and takes away. Yea, Servant of God, well done, Rest from thy loved employ: The battle's fought, the victory's won. Enter thy master's joy. Her contribution to human society through her posterity cannot be computed. Had there been no Lydia Ann Dunjee there could be no Black Dispatch, there could be no history entitled, "Wonderful Ethiopians". To her, therefore, comes a peaceful slumber; that peaceful slumber that comes to those only who perform the work of Him who sent them while it is day.

Cognizant of the fact that we mortals must bow in obeisance to Him whose mandates are supreme, we prostrate ourselves before Him this day and implore His will be done.

To the family from whom this guiding star has been removed, we commend Him who is a solace in all tribulations. Turn to Him in these obscure hours and receive peace and comfort for the departed who so lived that when her summons came

To join that innumerable caravan, which

Moves to that mysterious realm,

Where each shall take his chamber in the

Silent hall of death: She went not as a

Quarry slave, scourged to his dungeon,

but, sustained and soothed by an unfaltering trust

She approached her grave as one who wraps the draperies

Of his couch about him, and lay down to pleasant dreams.

She is not dead, but sleepeth .

P.H.L. Rhone, J. Cincinnatus White, Cora L. McQuirter.