Some descendants said he also had suffered from TB during his teenyears, which was cured by a stay in the dry climate of Texas, as wellas having a slight hearing problem.
In nearly every photo found of Robert, he looks like a southerngentleman, usually wearing a suit and tie, and always with a cigar.
He was a member of the First Christian Church of Mattoon and the MooseLodge.
Residences & events in his life:
The following articles appeared in Decatur newspapers about analtercation with serious implications to Van Gundy progeny:
8/19/1909:
LOVERS FIGHT; ONE STABBED
Robert Van Gundy in Serious Condition--Tobe Webbin Jail
Robert VanGundy, son of Mr and Mrs D W VanGundy, lies in acritica l condition at the home of Dr. Davidson as the result of aquarrel between VanGundy and Tobe Webb Wednesday night. VanGundy wasstabbed in the abdomen by Webb and his condition is now serious. Webbhas given himself up and is under $3,000 bond.
Quarrel over Woman
The two young men got into a fight in the north part of townabout midnight. The quarrel is supposed to be over a young woman.During the fight Webb drew his pocket knife and stabbed VanGundy.
VanGundy managed to make his way to the old school grounds wherethe reunion is being held and asked the night watchman, William Droke,to take him to Davidson's office. Droke, with difficulty, managed toget him to the office, where his wounds were dressed and he was laterremoved to the doctor's residence.
Webb Escapes for Time
Droke notified the sheriff, who went to Webb's house after him.Webb kept the sheriff waiting outside for a time. When the sherifffinally entered the house, Webb had escaped but later he came in andgave hmself up. He was put in jail and early this morning apreliminary hearing was held and he was released on $3,000 bail. Sam,David and Joe Miller went on his bond.
And on 8/20/1909:
BOB VAN GUNDY MAY DIE
As Result of Fight at Sullivan WednesdayNight
Robert Van Gunday, son of a prominent farmer, living nearSullivan , was cut by Tobias Webb at 11 o"clock Wednesday night andhis recovery from the injury is considered doubtful. The story toldhere is that Van Gundy and one of Wm. Randol's boys were out with acouple of Sullivan girls, one of whom was a sister of Webb. Webblooked thim up intending to take his sister home. The young menquarreled and Randol ran away. Van Gundy and Webb came to blows andthe latter used a knife slashing Van Gundy across the bowels. Theentrails protruded from the wound but Van Gundy walked ten blocks toDr. Davidson's office where his injuries were given attention. He isconsidered in critical condition. Young Webb is under $3000 bondawaiting the result.
8/23/1909:
MAN IN FIGHT BETTER
Robert Van Gundy, who was injured in a fight with Tobe WebbWednesday night, is in as fair a condition as could be expectedconsidering the seriousness of his injuries. He had a highertemperature Sunday than at any time, but it was probably due toexcitement. There is no hope of moving him to his home as yet.
8/30/1909:
Robert Van Gundy, who has been at the home of Dr. Davidson sincehe was badly cut in an altercation with Tobe Webb, the 18th, has soimproved that he was able Thursday to be taken to his parents' home,northwest of Sullivan. He is still under the care of a trained nurse.
5/16/1910 Sullivan Twp, Moultrie Co, IL. The census found newlywedsliving there, probably on one of Robert's father's farms. Robert was23 and Edna was 18. He was a general farmer.
4/1912 Morocco, Newton Co, IN, was their address when their firstchild was born.
7/9/1912 From the newspaper: "Mr and Mrs Robert Van Gundy and littlechild returned to their home in Indiana Monday noon, after a visithere with the former's parents, Mr and Mrs Daniel VanGundy."
8/28/1912 "Mr and Mrs Robert Van Gundy and little child returned totheir home in Indiana Tuesday noon, after an extended visit here withthe former's parents, Mr and Mrs Dan Van Gundy."
12/1913 Salem, Marion Co, IL. Robert's father had bought a farmthere and sent Robert to take charge of it. Their second daughter wasborn while living there.
12/1914 Moultrie Co, IL. They were back home by the time their firstson was born.
5/1915 Being a farm hand for Irving Shuman of Sullivan, Robert wassent to Zapata Co, TX, as Shuman's representative. He carried lettersof introduction and 3 checks for $50 to be used only as necessary forexpenses. His mission was to take possession of land Shuman hadbought there and begin improvements.
6/5/1917 When Robert registered for the draft, he listed Sullivan, ILas his residence. He was a self employed farmer in Fayette Co, ILwith a wife and 4 children at the time. He claimed he had grounds forexemption due to "ruptured, loss of hearing and dependent family." Hewas described as medium height, medium build, with gray eyes and lightbrown hair. The document was signed by Cash Green, County Clerk.
6/1918 Morocco, IN. It is unclear what the attraction in IN was butit must have been a farm. At any rate, they had returned in time forson, Robert, to be born there.
12/1919 Still at Morocco. Robert bought 1/2 interest in GeorgeHammond's patent on a cultivator improvement for $1. Two morechildren were also born there.
2/1920 Colfax Twp, Newton Co, IN was where the census taker found thefamily. Robert was 33, Edna was 28. The children were Agnes, 7; Laura, 6; Elmer, 5; William, 3; Robert, 1; and Joseph, 2/12. Robert wasa farmer on a general farm.
1/1925 1100 Broadway, Mattoon, Coles Co, IL, was their address whendaughter, Maxine, was born.
2/1929 1412 Moultrie, Mattoon.
4/22/1930 Still on Moultrie Ave when the census taker came around.Robert was 43 and worked at the foundry, their house was worth $3500.Edna was 38 and their children were; Laura, 16, Elmer, 15, William,14, Robert, 12, Joseph, 11, Ella, 9, Maxine, 5, June, 3, and John, 1yr, 1 mo. Also living with them were daughter Agnes, 18, and herhusband, Emmett Young, 24.
12/1930 1612 Prairie, Mattoon. Apparently Robert first rented thishouse, buying it the following year. Two more children were bornwhile living there.
12/1/1931 Robert bought 1612 Prairie (lot 9, blk 110) for $2500 fromthe Horace Clark estate.
Daughter Agnes and Emmett Young lived with Robert and Edna for years,having their first 2 children in the house on Prairie.
9/13/1932 Moultrie Co, IL. He bought property at E1/2 of SE quarter,S21, T14N, R5, E of 3rd P.M. from his father for $1300 with $1000 asdown payment, the balance at 7% for 1 year.
10/1932 Robert and Edna accepted another child into the family,taking in his first cousin, Robert Elmer Neaves, following the deathof his parents.
5/1/1933 Robert bought more property in Moultrie Co by quit claimdeed by paying $1 to his uncle, Elmer Van Gundy.
5/29/1933 Together with brother, Dewey, he bought more Moultrie Coland by quit claim deed, this time from their father for $1.
1937 The Mattoon property was in dispute due to abstractentanglements with the Clark estate settlement and Robert received acourt summons along with several attorney letters.
4/24/1940 First floor of 1612 Prairie Ave, Mattoon, Coles Co, IL.Listed in the census as R.E. Van Gundy, 52, he owned the home whichwas val ued at $2800. In his household were wife Edna, 48, andchildren: William, 23, Robert, 21, Maxine, 15, June, 13, John, 11,Pauline, 9, and Dorris, 6. Robert Sr had completed 9 years of school;Edna, 8; William, 4 years of high school; Robert, 3 years of highschool; the rest were still in school at the appropriate classes fortheir ages. Robert Sr was an iron moulder in the iron factory, hadworked 12 weeks in 1939 and earned $125 over the past 12 months.William was a clerk for American Express, worked 52 weeks in 1939 andmade $1300 in the past 12 months. Robert Jr was a laborer at thegrain elevator, worked 44 weeks in 1939, bringing home $600 in 12months. Daughter Ella and Harry Parkison lived upstairs, paying$10/month.
7/15/1940 Along with his brothers and sister, Robert paid $1 for1/256 th royalty interest in an oil/gas lease in Marion Co, IL, whichwas probably located on his father's farm. He later allowed the landto be sold but retrained the interest for the next 10 yrs. No great
fortune was ever collected from this venture.
1940-1942 Rockford, IL. Robert moved the family there afterobtaining a job in a foundry. While at work he was involved in anaccident in which he and a co-worker inhaled toxic fumes while workingin a closed room. The other man died and Robert was in the hospital
for a week, his health never fully rebounding. As a result of notbeing able to return to work, they moved back to Mattoon
10/4/1940 Son, Robert Elmer (Elmer Henry), who was serving in the AirForce at the time, picked up the payments on 1612 Prairie for hisparents, including 3 back payments.
1941 It seems that as soon as one child left, another married andmoved in. Son Bill and his wife had their first son while living inthe house on Prairie.
3/9/1942 Mattoon, IL. After 5 years of legal battles, they finallyreceived a clear deed to 1612 Prairie.
9/5/1942 Cooks Mills, N Okaw Twp, Coles Co, IL. He traded theirMattoon property for William and Sarah Floyd's 14 acre farm in Sec 10.They were still living there at reunion time in 1943.
1943 Rt. 1, Humboldt, IL, was their address when they received warration books. At that time Robert was still listed as a foundryworker.
1/30/1945 Mattoon, IL. He paid $4200 to Mrs. Helen Owens for 1100Broadway (lot 12, blk 122), the same residence they had lived in some20 years before, and refinanced the Moultrie Co property at the sametime.
10/30/1946 He was billed for a 2 day stay at Memorial MethodistHospital in Mattoon, complete with 2 sets of x-rays, 2 lab tests,medicine, plus room and board at $5/day, for a total of $36.60. Whilethe patient' s name was not specified, Robert's name was the only oneon the bill. He paid it in 2 installments within 4 months followingdischarge.
3/1948 Robert retired from Brown Shoe Co as a "moulder," theoriginal date of employment is unknown but it must have been after1943 when he was still a foundry worker.
5/9/1950 & 5/15/1952 He refinanced the Mattoon property.
Daughter, Dorisgene, holds some precious memories:
"When Joe and I were first dating, he knew Dad 'kinda liked a littlenip' now and then, so one night when he came to pick me up, he askedDad if he wanted a 'little drink,' returning with a fifth of FourRoses. Dad poured iced tea glasses about half full for himself andJoe, picked up his glass and said "Here's to ya!" He downed his drinkand the sweat popped out, then he asked Joe, "Aren't you going todrink yours?" Joe took a sip, then handed his glass to Dad whofinished it too! Joe responded with, 'I thought you had hearttrouble!'
I remember all the work parties we used to have at home...the kidsdoing the painting, fixing up, and cleaning while Mom did the cooking.I didn't realize until later that she had the hardest job.
In her later years, Mom was quite a traveler. Once she took a bustrip seated next to a gentleman who said to her, "You're a realattractive woman till you get to your feet! Why do you wear those oldladies' shoes?" The shoes went to the Goodwill box as soon as she gothome.
Being part of a big family has been a blessing. We have had manyhappy and many sad times but being together got us through them all,the reunions, the holiday dinners, the pinochle parties, and even thefunerals. One time when we were burying a 'loved one' and money wasscarce, June went to the bargain basement at the funeral home andbought a red casket for $200. There were few complaints about it."
Other children told about Robert's clothing problems as a result ofbeing the father of several sons. As the boys grew into his size, hehad trouble keeping clean clothes in his drawers, so every year whenhe received new socks for Christmas, he immediately put them into thesafe so he could, at least, be the first to wear them.
Despite all the moves and any hardships associated with such a largefamily, they were always a closely knit goup, always remaining loyaland supportive to parents and siblings, passing those traits to thenext generations.
Children declared this as the actual birth date even though his birthc ertificate read May 27, 1887, the error being discovered when heapplie d for Social Security benefits. The 1900 census also recordedhis birt hdate as 4/1887.
His death occurred at 6:10 PM, the result of a heart attack. Some oft he children believed his heart problems were the result of a workaccid ent at the foundry. He had bought his fishing license only 2months pr ior. On one anniversary of his death, he was remembered inhis wife's d iary: "Bob been gone 5 lonely long years."
A wake was held at home from Wednesday until the funeral the next daya t 2 PM which was conducted by Rev Mont Massey at the First ChristianCh urch of Mattoon. Expenses paid by the family consisted of $600 tothe P eers Funeral home and $25 for flowers.
