Coming up on June 7 is the 100th anniversary of the tragic death of a little 4-year-old boy, Donald Richardson Dungey (1917-1922). Donald was the son of Emery/Emory (it’s spelled both ways in various records) & Marguerite (Richardson) Dungey who lived at 114 N. Eaton St. near the Kalamazoo River.
The family was part of our local African-American community. Donald’s father Emery (1896-1976) was a native of Cassopolis, Michigan, and after moving here, worked at the Albion Malleable Iron Company. Donald’s mother Marguerite (1891-1923) was part of the prominent Richardson family clan here, the daughter of William & Luella (Washington) Richardson.
On June 7, 1922, Donald’s 2-year-old sister Donna (1920-1953) fell into the nearby Kalamazoo River just west of the N. Eaton St. bridge, along what today is the Washington St. Park. Donald jumped in to save his sister, but sank. Two other children who were also present also jumped in to save the two, and were also in danger of drowning. Two adults from nearby houses then arrived on the scene, and everyone was saved except Donald, who drowned.
Across the street upstream was the Albion Gas-Light Company on N. Eaton St., which produced manufactured gas in the years before natural gas became available locally. It turned out that polluted tar sludge from the gas company had been deposited into the River and flowed downstream, contributing to young Dungey’s death. The Albion Evening Recorder reported: “The search for the body of Donald was started at once. A number of men waded the river below the scene of the tragedy while others secured boats and canoes. The body was finally located by Frank Sanders, local young man. He dove and recovered the remains with difficulty, owing to the fact that the body was held to the bottom of the river by a quantity of tar from the gas works, which is located just upstream on the north side of the river.”
Numerous relatives and friends attended the funeral of young Donald, which was held at the A.M.E. church. Rev. Simpson of Battle Creek, and Rev. Hurd assisted in the service.
From our Historical Notebook this week we present a photograph of the tombstone of Donald Dungey in Block 86, Lot 3, Grave 4 in Riverside Cemetery. The inscription reads, “Donald Dungey 1917-1922. Gave his life in the Kazoo River and saved his baby sister Donna.”
The following year, Donald’s mother Marguerite unfortunately passed away and was interred next to him. Emery and his daughter Donna subsequently moved to the Lansing area. Donna died there 1953 is interred in Block 128, Grave 2 in Riverside Cemetery in Albion. Emery subsequently married a woman named Mildred. Emery passed away in DeWitt in Clinton County in 1976, with burial site unknown.
