Elmer Scipio Dundy (1830 – 1896) was a Nebraskan judge best known as the namesake of Dundy County, Nebraska. He was born in Trumbull County, Ohio on March 5, 1830. He passed the bar and set up practice in both Clearfield, Pennsylvania and Falls City, Nebraska from 1853 to 1858, and from 1862 to 1863. He was a member of the Nebraska Territorial Council from 1858 to 1862.
His son Elmer Scipio Dundy better known as Elmer “Skip” Dundy was born in Omaha in 1862. Elmer Skip Dundy grew up to become a promoter on Coney Island, due to in part the stories told by Buffalo Bill Cody who was a familiar visitor in the Dundy home.
From 1863 to 1867 the elder Dundy served on the Territorial Supreme Court. When Nebraska became a state on April 4, 1868, he was nominated by President Andrew Johnson to a new seat as a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 9, 1868. In April, 1879 Judge Dundy ruled that Standing Bear and other Ponca were "people" and thus could not be ordered to a reservation against their will. The U.S. Government countered that the ruling only applied to Standing Bear. It was not until 1924 that Native Americans were considered citizens of the United States with the passing of the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924.[1]
He served until October 28, 1896 when he died in Omaha, Nebraska.