Little is known about the Dunning’s (my paternal familial lineage) prior to their arrival in the United States in the mid 19thcentury. Our family has yet to do extensive research about the genealogy. However, what we do know is that our family originated from several parts of what is known the United Kingdom, came to the United States, and first settled in southern Indiana. They bought a small farm with a large farmhouse without electricity or running water. The family remained on this farm until the outbreak of World War II. During this time, my grandfather and his 8 brothers were subsequently drafted into the military and deployed to various parts of the world. Following the war, my grandfather moved from Indiana to Dayton, OH to begin a career in the growing auto industry where he would eventually meet my grandmother and established our immediately family in Ohio.
The Valero’s (my maternal familial lineage) are newer to the United States having only immigrated here less than 100 years ago from Italy. Much like my paternal grandfather, my maternal grandfather came to the United States, specifically the Midwest, to take advantage of the growing manufacturing industry.
While very different regarding culture and family structure, both sides of my family are very similar in the sense that they both came to the United States for the vast amount of opportunity that was present in this country. Simultaneously, while they remembered where they came from it was very important for them to assimilate into their new home once they came here and have great pride in being American.