John Dunn

Teenage Bushranger:  The Story of John Dunn Who Rode with Ben Hall and John Gilbert in 1864-65 and Was Hung at the Age of 19  By Kerry Medway.

"Through the influence of his grandfather, Dunn was invited to join Ben Hall and John Gilbert's bushranging gang. His father chased after him for two days to try and rescue him. Dunn's wild adventure went horribly wrong. He shot a policeman and later when caught, was charged with murder and hung at Darlinghurst Goal."

John Dunn (14 December 1846 – 19 March 1866)

John Dunn was born near Yass, NSW. His parents, Michael and Margaret Dunn, nee Kelly, were both convicts and John was the first of their nine children.

Dunn joined Ben Hall's gang in 1864 robbing coaches, stations, inns, and stores. Two years later he was captured, tried and hung for being an outlaw and murderer.  In January 1865, Dunn had shot dead Constable Samuel Nelson in the robbery of Kimberley's Inn near Goulburn. This was the crime for which he was hanged at Darlinghurst Gaol. He was 19 years of age and both Hall and Gilbert were dead.

John Dunn was buried in the Devonshire Street cemetery. The  headstone, erected by Dunn's Godmother, read: "Memory of John Dunn, who died March 19th, 1866. Aged 19 years. May he rest in peace. Amen. He has gone to his grave but we must not deplore him though sorrow and darkness encompass his tomb - the Saviour has passed through its portals before him and the light of his love was the lamp through his doom".

The reward for the capture of the Ben Hall, John Gilbert and John Dunn had been substantial sum of 1,000 pounds each.