John Dunning Jr. was born on December 18, 1900 in South Carolina to John Miles Dunning (1880-1950). Vivian Mae Parish Dunning was born Vivian Parish on October 21, 1908 in Princeton, MN. When describing how she got into sword swallowing, Vivian Dunning said, "I came from Princeton, Minnesota. I got sick of farm life. One night I went to a dance in the town hall. There was a carnival In town. I met the sword swallower. He asked me to join the show. So I joined the show, first as an illusion girl, and then I married him. I thought working on a carnival show would be a pleasant way to see the world." Her husband, sword swallower John Dunning Jr, also doubled as the Iron Eyelid Man with hooks in his eyelids (he once dragged a car through Main Street using his eyelids). Dunning took Vivian under his wing, and taught her to swallow swords.
Together the couple performed with many circuses and sideshows from the 1920s to 1949, including
A.J. Budd's Shows,
Famous Circus Side Show,
Harry Lewiston's Traveling Museum,
Harry Lewiston's Big Circus Sideshow,
Harry Lewiston's World's Fair Freaks,
Bessie Bessette's Side Show,
Palace of Oddities,
Conklin and Garret Shows,
William Glick Shows,
Canadian National Exposition,
Johnny J. Jones Cranival/Exposition,
Jones Greater Shows,
Hennies Bros.' Shows,
Dodson Imperial Shows, and Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Contributor: Dan Meyer
Together the couple performed with many circuses and sideshows from the 1920s to 1949, including
A.J. Budd's Shows,
Famous Circus Side Show,
Harry Lewiston's Traveling Museum,
Harry Lewiston's Big Circus Sideshow,
Harry Lewiston's World's Fair Freaks,
Bessie Bessette's Side Show,
Palace of Oddities,
Conklin and Garret Shows,
William Glick Shows,
Canadian National Exposition,
Johnny J. Jones Cranival/Exposition,
Jones Greater Shows,
Hennies Bros.' Shows,
Dodson Imperial Shows, and Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Contributor: Dan Meyer
John Dunning Jr. was born on December 18, 1900 in South Carolina to John Miles Dunning (1880-1950). Vivian Mae Parish Dunning was born Vivian Parish on October 21, 1908 in Princeton, MN. When describing how she got into sword swallowing, Vivian Dunning said, "I came from Princeton, Minnesota. I got sick of farm life. One night I went to a dance in the town hall. There was a carnival In town. I met the sword swallower. He asked me to join the show. So I joined the show, first as an illusion girl, and then I married him. I thought working on a carnival show would be a pleasant way to see the world." Her husband, sword swallower John Dunning Jr, also doubled as the Iron Eyelid Man with hooks in his eyelids (he once dragged a car through Main Street using his eyelids). Dunning took Vivian under his wing, and taught her to swallow swords.
Together the couple performed with many circuses and sideshows from the 1920s to 1949, including
A.J. Budd's Shows,
Famous Circus Side Show,
Harry Lewiston's Traveling Museum,
Harry Lewiston's Big Circus Sideshow,
Harry Lewiston's World's Fair Freaks,
Bessie Bessette's Side Show,
Palace of Oddities,
Conklin and Garret Shows,
William Glick Shows,
Canadian National Exposition,
Johnny J. Jones Cranival/Exposition,
Jones Greater Shows,
Hennies Bros.' Shows,
Dodson Imperial Shows, and Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Contributor: Dan Meyer
Together the couple performed with many circuses and sideshows from the 1920s to 1949, including
A.J. Budd's Shows,
Famous Circus Side Show,
Harry Lewiston's Traveling Museum,
Harry Lewiston's Big Circus Sideshow,
Harry Lewiston's World's Fair Freaks,
Bessie Bessette's Side Show,
Palace of Oddities,
Conklin and Garret Shows,
William Glick Shows,
Canadian National Exposition,
Johnny J. Jones Cranival/Exposition,
Jones Greater Shows,
Hennies Bros.' Shows,
Dodson Imperial Shows, and Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Contributor: Dan Meyer
Gravesite Details
Husband Of Vivian Mae Parish Dunning
Family Members
Parents
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
