Bertha Mabel Dunham was born outside of Harriston, Ontario in 1881 to Martin Dunham and Magdalena Eby. The family relocated to Kitchener when Dunham was six years old, where she was a student at Central School. She was an active member of the community serving as president of the K-W Business and Professional Women's Club, the Kitchener-Waterloo University Women's Club and the Waterloo County Historical Society. Dunham also served as the president of the Ontario Library Association. She retired as Chief Librarian of the Kitchener Public Library in 1944, where she worked for 36 years. Over the course of her career Dunham authored several books, including The Trail of the Conestoga and Grand River.