Our lineage continues with John. History records said he was apromine nt and well known citizen. By the standards of the day, Johnand his f amily definitely lived a comfortable life.
Residences and events:
3/15/1855 Scott Co, IL. He bought several pieces of land at Naplesat a uction.
Local relatives still in the county in the 1990s said he owned a larget ract of land of at least 300 acres.
6/15/1860 Naples P.O., Scott Co, IL. At census time, John reportedhi s occupation as farmer and his property value at $6000/1000. Hewas 31 y ears of age while wife Sarah A was 28. They had 3 children:James D, 5 , Laura J, 2, and Daniel, 6 mo. Living with them as a 30year old Jose ph Schulter, farm laborer. Henry Vannier was next doorand John's fath er was in the same township.
10/11/1869 John and Sarah donated land near Naples to be used for asc hool with the provision that the property reverted back to them ifthe s chool ever vacated the premises. Also in the deed wereinstructions to s chool trustees to build a "good substantial Board
fence around said ground."
7/27/1870 Scott Co, IL. The census recorded his name as Vangandawith p roperty totaling $8670/1980. His occupation was farmer at age40. Liv ing with him were Sarah, 28 (should be 38), James, 13, Laura,12, Danie l, 10, Carrie, 8, Elmer, 5, and Charles, 5 mo. (Where wasJohn?) Henr y Vannier was still next door.
11/13/1873 For $50 John sold all the downed and/or dead standingtimbe r on a 2 acre plot to a Marshall Smith.
1873 Macon Co, IL, Milam Twp, near Decatur. In preparation formoving e ast with his siblings, John bought 238 1/2 acres in S31 T15NR3E, the s ame section as brother-in-law, Ellery Merris. However,John and his fa mily did not move there for another couple of years.
1/18/1875 Scott Co, IL, was still their address when they sold 289acr es to Herman Vannier. They probably moved to Macon Co either thepast f all or the following spring. The Vannier family passed thissame land t o descendants of John's brother, Adam, whose latergenerations still ow ned it in 1996.
4/1878 Milam Twp, Macon Co, IL. John was elected County Supervisor,r e-elected in 1879. He was a farmer along with his politicalinterests.
8/1878 He and C Merris were elected delegates for an upcoming countyG reenback convention in Maroa, IL.
4/15/1880 He was elected Milam township supervisor.
6/12-14/1880 Same residence. That census taker recorded differentage s for the children than other records, making the line-updifferent. I t said John was a 50 year old farmer, wife Sarah A was47, and the chil dren were: James D, 23; Daniel W, 20; Laura J, 18;Ida C, 16; Elmer H, 1 4; and John F, 7.
9/20/1880 "A convention was held at the court house on Saturday whichc laimed to represent the temperance element of the portion of thecounty . The object was to place in nomination a county ticket....Theconvent ion was not called by authority of the prohibitionorganization of the c ounty, but originated with a few person who aredissatisfied with the n ominations of other parties." John wasnominated for "greenback" candi date for Sheriff.
4/25/1881 John was present at a meeting of the agricultural board andl isted as a member.
7/7/1881 On that date he took his seat as Milam township Supervisoron t he Macon county Board of Supervisors, according to minutes oftheir mee ting.
6/1883 He was appointed by the Macon county board to be chairman ofth e Town Accounts committee.
His name appeared several more times in county board proceedings whicht he newspaper published.
4/21/1887 Milam Twp, Macon Co, IL. John was assessed a total of$216. 53 for 758.38 acres there in several different plots. Son DW,brother- in-law EM Merris, and nephew Asa Merris were also on thatlist. Two ye ars later his name was on the list of those owning over300 acres in th e same township. John owned 760 acres and hisresidence was Macon.
4/12/1888 John (of Milam Twp) was elected among the Decatur delegatesa s a "Dry delegate" at the upcoming May Prohibition Convention.
1/24/1889 John W Van Gundy was selected from Milam township to serveo n a committee trying to get the state fair to be held in Maconcounty.
7/16/1890 Under the heading of Prohibition Convenstion and subheadingo f Senatorial Convention, the paper said: "Macon presented the nameof A . Quesenberry for senator and Logan presented John Van Gundy,ex-super visor and an influential farmer of Milam township, forrepresentative, b oth of whom were unanimously nominated."
8/20/1890 In a county report in the paper was: "John Van Gundy madet he only temperance speech of the day. The question of a tentcampaign c alled hm out. He thought it might be a good thing, if therural distri cts were not neglected."
10/17/1890 "The 'county conference' which is variously known as thefa rmers and the workingmen, and is really made up of members of thosetwo c lasses, met yesterday in the grand jury room." UnderRepresentative wa s W. S. Smith, democrat, and John Van Gundy,prohibitionist.
3/24/1894 John was nominated for Macon Twp collector on theDemocratic , Populist and Prohibition Ticket.
1/20/1894 The newspaper published deeds recorded in Decatur: "MiltonT rotter to John VanGundy, a 40-foot lot on N Water street;consideration $ 4,500.
1/27/1894 In the news again: "John VanGundy has been buying a brandn ew housekeeping outfit."
1357 N Water St, Decatur, IL. Upon retirement, he moved to the city.T he county history later said he "has since lived a retired life saveth at he has some financial interests and is now the vice president ofthe M acon County Telephone Company."
In the 5/2/1895 Decatur Weekly Republican newspaper is the following:
"Elijah Walker has returned from the Storm Lake, Iowa, farming secion,a ccompanied by John VanGundy of Decatur....Mr. Walker is the owner of32 0 acres of land near Storm Lake....Mr. Walker will make severaltrips t o Iowa in the interest of farmers of this section, whocontemplate maki ng investments in the west."
3/23/1897 Moultrie Co, IL. John bought county property by warrantyde ed from son, DW and Laura B, at S22 T14 R5. Perhaps he intended tomov e nearer the children but never did. It was probably the sameland DW g ot back by warranty deed for $1 on 8/7/1905, about the timeJohn died, b eing located at the same S22 T14 R5.
12/2/1897 From the record of the annual business meeting of theCitize n's Mutual Telephone company: "W. P. Shade and John Van gundywere ele cted directors to serve for the next two years. Mr. Shadesucceeds him self and Mr. Van Gundy succeeds Dr. J. G. Harvey. Mr.Van gundy is a m an of long years of active business experience and isa man who has acc umulated a small fortune by his busniess sagacity.He has been in the g rain business for a good many years and moved toDecatur from Macon abo ut three years ago."
1899 Decatur, IL. When the telephone company was reorganized, Johnwa s again appointed vice president.
6/2/1900 N Water St, Decatur, Macon Co, IL. The census recorded Johna t age 70, married 46 years to Sarah A, 68, who had birthed 9children b ut only 5 still survived. His occupation is illegible.
The travels and events of the family were recorded in the newpapers:
6/24/1902 "John Van Gundy and wife of Decatur visited their sons,John a nd Elmer, a few days last week."
1/13/1903 John was in Macon visiting his sons.
6/12/1903 "John Van Gundy of Decatur visited his sons J. F. and E. E.T uesday." (The purpose of the trip was probably to see Freddy andClara 's new baby that was born on the 6th.)
1/29/1904 "John Van Gundy and wife of Decatur, are visiting their sonJ ohn F. Van Gundy and family."
He and D B Folrath were owners of the first Rambler cars in Macon Co.
Until at least 1952, there was a Merris-Van Gundy reunion held inDecat ur, IL, at Fairview Park on the 3rd Sunday of August for hisdescendant s and those of sister, Nancy Merris.
Sons, Elmer and John, were named co-administrators of John's estate inh is will.
Presented to the Probate Court at the July term of 1905-:
"The undersigned Petitioners Elmer H and John F VanGundyrespectfu lly represents to your Honor that the attached instrument ofwriting pu rports to be the Last Will and Testament of John VanGundydeceased. Th at the said deceased departed this life at Macon MaconCounty Illinois o n or about the second day of July A.D. 1905.....leftat the time of his d eath, the following named heirs-at-law andlegatees to-wit:
James L Van Gundy Son Decatur, Ill
Laura J McCaleb Daughter Macon, Ill
Daniel W Van Gundy Son Sullivan, Ill
Elmer H Van Gundy Son Macon, Ill
John F Van Gundy Son Macon, Ill
Your Petitioner further asks that the said Last Will andTestament o f John VanGundy be admitted to Probate. Signed Elmer HVanGundy and Joh n F VanGundy"
The Decatur Herald reported on 8/11/1905 that "The will of the lateJoh n Van Gundy was to have come up for probate in the County CourtThursda y but the hearing was continued until Aug 24."
The following items were presented to the Court in the Augutst term of1 905 -
Testimony on the heirship of John VanGundy, deceased -
"....leaving heirs surviving.... James D VanGundy, Laura J McCaleb,Dan iel N Van Gundy, Elmer H VanGundy, and John F Van Gundy....as hisonly c hildren and heirs-at-law. That said John VanGundy, deceased,left no w idow heir surviving."
The Bond of Executor signed the same day -
"Know all men by These Presents, That we....Elmer H VanGundy,John F V anGundy, Daniel W VanGundy, and Robert H Woodcock....of theCounty of M acon and State of Illinois, are held and firmly bound untothe People o f the State of Ilinois, in the penal sum of thrity twothousand Dollars ...(essentially, if the Executors fulfill all dutiesas required by law , the obligation of the bond money to be void)"
Another paper -
"The undersigned would respectfully represent that all of theheir s and Legatees of the said John VanGundy deceased are of legalage, tha t the personal property of said estate other than the notesconsists of a g rain elevator at Macon Illinois, an Automobile, asmall amount of House hold goods and some waring apparel of thedeceased.
Your petitioner would further reproesent that said estate isabund antly solvent, that there is ample funds in the hands of yourpetitione rs to meet any and all claims against said estate, andbelieving it wil l be to the best interests of said estate to sell theaforesiad effects a t private sale so far as possible at not less thanthe price fixed by t he appraisors, and the remainder be distributedin kind among the legat ees.....
Signed Elmer H Vangundy a nd John F Van Gundy, Executors
Dated 28th day of August 1905" (Petition granted by O. W.Smith, J udge of Macon Co)
The inventory of real estate included city lots worth $2000 -
Lot one (1) in B Dills Sub
Lot two (2) in the SE 1/4 of NE 1/2 of Sec 10 T16N R2E
The Final Report - dated Nov 1st 1905 -
Amount received:
Cash on hand = $22,168.57
Notes owed the estate = $13,952.41 including
J. D. VanGundy , 450.00
Laura J McCaleb, 60.75
Govt bonds, 4800.00
Expenses paid:
Administration and Taxes = $2200.64
Funeral Expenses = 289.50
Special Bequests = 7300 to
Elmer H VanGundy - 2500
John F VanGundy - 2500
Daniel W VanGundy - 2300
Partial Distribution - 22,500 to
Laura McCaleb - 4500
Elmer H VanGundy - 4500
John F VanGundy - 4500
James D VanGundy - 4500
Daniel W VanGundy - 4500
Balance due heirs = 947.59
Each of the above received an additional $189.52
Years later the estate comes into dispute with the following presentedt o the county court in the December term of 1914 -
"Your petitioner Florence L VanGundy, by John C Lee, herattorney, r espectfully repoesents unto the court that she is eighteenyears of age , and is the daughter of James D VanGundy and thegranddaughter of John V anGundy, the oatter departed this life inMacon County, Illinois, on th e 2d day of July, 1905......
Your petitioner further shows to the court that her saidgrandfath er John VanGundy died testate, leaving his last will andtestament and t wo codicils thereto, all of which are on file in theoffice of the Coun ty Clerk of Macon County, Illinois; that there wasalso filed with the C lerk of said Court and probated in thisHonorable court a certain deed, w hich wa by the court adjudged to bea part of and should be incorporate d in the last will and testamentof the said John VanGundy, deceased; t hat by the terms and provisionsof said deed, it is provided, among oth er things that after the deathof the grantee named in said deed, or hi s survivor, that the premisesor real estate mentioned should be sold a nd the proceeds dividedbetween the children and grandchildren of the g rantee; and yourpetitioner shows to the court that she is one of the p ersons referredto in said instrument, as a child of the grantee.
Your petitioner further shows to the court that on the 17th dayof J uly, 1905, a petition was filed in the office of the Clerk ofthis cour t, wherein it was prayed, among other things, that said lastwill and t estament be admitted to probate; that pursuant to saidpetition and the l aw of the State of Illinois, in such cases made andprovided, a copy th ereof was mailed to certain of the personsmentioned in said last will a nd testament, but no copy thereof wasmailed to your petitioner, nor to y our petitioner's brother, CharlesVanGundy, both of whom are children o f the grantee mentioned in saiddeed so incorporated into the will of t he said John VanGundy,deceased.
Your petitioner further shows to the court that she did notappear a nd was not notified to appear, at the hearing of saidpetition by the c ourt, and the will, two codicils and deedhereinabove referred to were r pobated by the County Court of MaconCounty,m Illinois, sitting in prob ate, without having acquiredjuridsiction over the person of your petit ioner and her said brother,Charles VanGundy, all of which your petitio ner is ready to prove bythe records of this court and by witnesses hea rd upon the hearing ofthis petition.
The premises considered, your petitioner prays that the certainor der of probate, recorded in Probate Record 6, Pages 102-104, may bevac ated and seta aside by order of this Honorable court; and thatyour Hon or may set said cause for a re-hearing, and that notice maybe given as p rovided by law, upon all the parties mentioned in saidwill, codicile a nd deed, whom your petitioner shows to the court areall of the parties o n whom and to whom notice should be given toproperly probate said will ; and that your petitioner may have suchother and further relief in th e premises, etc."
This resulted in reopening the will and starting over.
The will was readmitted to probate in the January term of 1915, namingt he following heirs-at-law:
Elmer H VanGundy Son Decatur, Ill
John F Van Gundy Son 947 Cedar Av, LongBeac h, Calif
Mrs. Laura J McCaleb Daughter R.R. No 6, Decatur, Ill
Daniel W.Van Gundy Son Sullivan, Ill
James D Van Gundy Son Jennings, LA
Charles E Van Gundy Grandson Jennings, LA
Florence L Van Gundy Granddaughter Jennings, LA
Unknown adult dev-
isees of John Van
Gundy, deceased Unknown Residence unknown
Unknonw minor dev-
isees of John Van
Gundy, deceased Unknown Residence unknown
To all whom it may concern,
Elmer Van Gundy since
the death of John Van Gundy,
appointed conservator for
Daniel W. Van Gundy
and now acting conservator Decatur, Ill
"The Petition for Letters Testamentary;
In the matter of the estate of John Van Gundy (deceased), to the Hon JH M cCoy, Judge of said court:
The Petiton of the undersigned, Elmer H Van Gundy respectfullyrep resents that John Van Gundy, late of the county aforesaid,departed thi s life at Macon Illinois on or about the 2nd day of JulyA.D. 1905, lea ving at the time of his death a Last Will andTestament; Probate of sai d Will and proof thereof having been made,together with proof od death , and the names of heirs-at-law andlegatees; all of which having been d uly entered of record on the 2ndday of Feb A.D. 1915.
Your petitioner further represents that the said deceased left att he time of his death an estate consisting of money in bank and otherpe rsonal property, besides real estate, all of which has beenadministere d (unreadable) heretofore. being estimated to be worthabout one hundre d thousand Dollars. Said Last Will and Testamenhaving named John F Va n Gundy and Elmer H Van Gundy as Executorsthereof, who are present, re ady and willing to accept and undertakethe said office and trust so co nfided to them.
THEREFORE, May it please your Honor to grant Letters Testamentaryt o John F Van Gundy and Elmer H Van Gundy who is ready and willing tota ke the oath prescribed by the atatue, and enter into bond in suchsum a nd with such securities as my be approved by your Honor. S igned Elmer H Van Gundy
Dated Feb 5 1915"
To the County Court to the August term of 1915 -
In the matter of the Estate of John VanGundy, deceased
John F. VanGundy and Elmer H VanGundy being each duly sworn upont heir oath, according to law, depose and say, as follows:
That their father, John VanGundy, was a resident of Macon County,I llinois, many years before his death; that prior to his death he hadbe en a resident in the country near the village of Macon, butsubsequentl y and up to the time of his death, he made his home inDecatur Illinois , but died at Macon, Illinois, on the 2d of July,1905; that he was mar ried but once and survived his wife whoprececeased him; that as the is sue of said marriage there were bornto them eight children, of whom tw o died in infancy, another, adaughter, died after she had grown to wom anhood, but had not married;that the said John VanGundy was survived b y five children as his onlyheirs-at-law, Daniel W VanGundy, John F Van Gundy, Elmer H VanGundy,James D Vangundy and Laura J McCaleb, all of w hom are now living;that Daniel W VanGundy lives near Sullivan, Illinoi s; that James DVan Gundy lives at Decatur, Illinois; that Laura J McCa leb lives inthe country about three miles South of Decatur; that John F V anGundylives at Macon, Illinois and that Elmer H VanGundy resides at Decatur, Illinois; and further affiants say not.
Notice was published in the Decatur Review on two consecutiveSaturdays o f 1916 to all heirs named above that the final report ofthe estate was f iled on Sept 15 and on Sept 30 the executors willappear and ask to be r eleased from all further duties.
It boiled down to a petition from James D VanGundy against the estatef or $3451.89 "for improvements on farm, material and labor, saidpremise s being the same occupied by James D. VanGundy since 1902."
Cemetery records have the name as Van Grundy. The grave site islocate d in Lot 3 Blk 12 where son, Elmer, and his wife, Ida, areburied besid e John and Sarah.
