Frank Kershner Dunn was born in Mount Gilead, Ohio on November 13, 1854. Frank’s father, Andrew Kershner worked as a lawyer in Ohio. Frank received his education at Kenyon College in Ohio. In 1873, Frank graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, and decided to follow in his father’s footsteps by attending law school. Frank would later follow in his father’s footsteps not only to the bar, but also to the bench, as Andre Kershner also had served as a judge on the court of common pleas.
Dunn graduated. from Harvard Law School in 1875. The same year he graduated from Harvard, Dunn was admitted to the bar in Ohio. At this time, Dunn moved back to Mount Gilead, Ohio and went into legal practice with his father. After three years of partnership with his father, Dunn moved to Charleston, Illinois where he would remain for most of his life.
In Charleston, Dunn started his own practice and was readily accepted into the community. In 1897, Dunn was elected to the Circuit Bench. Dunn only served one term on the Circuit Bench and after its expiration, he returned to his private practice of law. His time away from the bench was short lived. In 1907 he was elected to the Supreme Court after the death of Judge Wilkin. Dunn, was re-elected in 1915, and again in 1924. Judge Dunn resigned from the bench in 1933 at the age of 79.
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Sources:
- Ed. John M. Palmer. The Bench and Bar of Illinois: Historical and Reminiscent. Volume II. Lewis Publishing Company: Chicago, 1899.
- “Frank K. Dunn.” Illinois Supreme Court Justice Archives.
