He was a farmer and also worked in several jobs with the NorthernCross ( future Wabash) railroad, everything from engineer to running arail hot el.
There must have been some kind disagreement which caused Adam'ssibling s to move away, severing all contact. Adam's branch knewnothing of an y other relatives, and were quite surprised to learn oftheir existence w hen discovered in 1993.
Adam's line diminished, passing all the original Van Gundy property toM ary Van Gundy Muckler of Tennessee, her nephew, Eric Van Gundyfarming t he land for her. At this time, Mary's children, Eric, andhis brother a re the last of the line.
Residences & events in Adam's life:
6/22/1860 T15 R13, PO Exeter, Scott Co, IL. According to the censusf armer Adam Vangundy had property = $3500/680. Adam was 29 thatyear a nd Sarah was 28. They had four children: George, 8, Hiram, 7,Margare t, 3, and Ada, 5 mo. Living with them were John Troll, 22,born German y, and Esther Oliver, 16, born MD, both withoutoccupations or assetts.
7/27/1870 Still at Exeter. Listed as Adam Vanganda, his property hadg rown to $7000/1650. He was a 38 year old farmer, Sarah was 37 andthe h ousehold included children: George, 17; William, 16; Maggie,13; and A da, 10, boarders: Nicholas Powers, 38, coal miner; BarneyMeirs, 21, f arm laborer; and Joseph Asby, 23, railroad baggagemaster. This resid ence may have been the rail hotel he operated.
6/10/1880 Same address. All the kids, except George, were still atho me. Listed were farmer Adam Vangundy, 49, Sarah, 48, Hiram, 26,Maggie , 23, Ada, 20, 9 yr old, Lorenzo Rist, who may have beenSarah's nephew , and Newton Jones, 20, servant/laborer.
4/28/1883 The following item appeared in a Decatur, IL newspaper:
"The Strohm shop is filled with numerous beautiful monuments made toor der for parties in various parts of the state. Shipments will bemade t his week to the following named places:
A. VanGundy, a four-ton monument, Bluffs"
12/17/1883 Bluffs was organized as a town and Adam was electedpreside nt of the first board of officers.
1900 Adam was one of three Justices of the Peace in town.
6/1/1900 Blutts, Scott Co,IL. At census time he was a 69 year oldwid ower and living with daughter Margaret and John Tewksbury. Hisoccupat ion was land lord.
From the Western News-Democrat (Valentine, Neb):
THE RUSH FOR GOLD
From the Times, Bluffs, Ill
"The rush of gold seekers to the Klondike brings thrillingmemorie s to the 'forty-niners' still alive, of the time when theygirdled the c ontinent or faced terrors of the great American deserton the journey t o the land of gold. These pioneers tell someexperiences which should b e heeded by gold seekers of today.Constant exposure and faulty diet k illed large numbers, while nearlyall the survivors were afflicted with d isease, many of them withrheumatism. Such a sufferer was Adam Vangund y, who now resides atBluffs, Ill, where he has been justice of the pea ce and was the firstpresident of the board of trustees. In a recent i nterview, he said:
'I had been a sufferer of rheumatism for a number of years andthe p ain at times was very intense. I tried all the proprietarymedicines I c ould think or hear of, but received no relief.
I finally placed my case with several physicians and doctoredwith t hem for some time, but they failed to do my any good. Finally,with my h opes of relief nearly exhausted I read an article regardingDr. William s' Pink Pills for Pale People, which induced me to trythem. I was anx ious to get rid of the terrible disease and boughttwo boxes of the pil ls. I began using them about March 1897. AfterI had taken two boxes I w as completely cured, and the pain has neverreturned. I think it is th e best medicine I have ever taken, and amwilling at any time to sign m y name to any testimony setting forthits great merit.'
(Signed) Adam Vangundy
Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 29th day of September,A.D . 1897.
Franklin C. Funk, Notary Public"
His testimony was also included in a Pink Pill ad in The Ferris Wheelt hat stated in the heading:
"Modern Science Recognizes
Rheumatism
as a Disease of the Blood
There is a popular idea that this disease is caused by exposureto c old, and that some localities are infected with it more thanothers. S uch conditions frequently promote the development of thedisease, but f rom the fact that this ailment runs in certainfamilies, it is shown to b e hereditary, and consequently a disease ofthe blood."
Adam's testimony from above was cited next.
From Bluffs; Yesterday and Today, 1871-1971:
Sidewalks Float Away in Flood on 1899
Citizens in the west part of Bluffs were removed from their homes onho rseback May 29, 1899, when a torrential rain and hail storm,lasting se veral hours, flooded town and washed awy the woodensidewalks and outdo or privies.
All highway and railway bridges east of Bluffs were washed out, 1000fe et of Wabash track at Neelyville was taken out and part of thetrussel l eading to the X'alley City bridge was washed away.
The iron bridge at Van Gundy's, McCaleb's, Scheussler's, the localbrid ge and all wooden bridges were swept away and it was impossibleto get o ut of Bluffs.
His 3 column obituary said:
LIFE'S WORK OVER
Brief Biographical Sketch of a Well Known, and Highly RespectedCharact er of Scott County
"This ends the career of one of Scott county's oldest and mostinf luential citizens.
Adam Van Gundy was born and reared on the same farm he owned atth e time of his death, being also the farm that was the home of hisfathe r, David Van gundy, one mile east of Bluffs.
When a boy he tended the mill his father owned, and which waserec ted on the old home place, it being the only mill at that timebetween Q uincy and Springfield, people driving and bringing theirwheat as far a s 60 miles to have it ground.
He saw the first rails laid of the present Wabash railroad anddur ing 1865 and 1866 he conducted a hotel at Naples, the termus ofthe roa d. He, for a number of years was conductor on the line thatruns from S pringfield to Meredosia. He had spoken to his friends somany times of b oth serious and humerous incidents occuring during histime as conducto r. Bluffs station at that time being at the crossingeast of town and c alled the Van Gundy station.
Twenty-five years ago this fall the Hotel Olive, now known as theW abash Dining Station, was erected by him and for about 3 years hewas p roprietor, making many warm friends who are yet here and mournhis depa rture."
" He was a very public spirited citizen and always willing to dohi s duty as far as was within him. When the town of Bluffs wasorganized h e was made president of the village and from that timeheld office of s ime kind almost constantly, being Squire for manyyears before his deat h. He was a staunch democrat and a very radicaltemperance man, severa l of his writings on temperance being found inhis writing case after h is death. He always disliked to have anyoneoppose him on the liquor q uestion as he was so strong an advocate forthe right, and if necessary w ould fight for his principles.
He was a man of warm impulse and generous heart and any one thatw as really needy was never turned from his door empty handed. He wasa g reat lover of children both of his own immediate family andoutside of t he family children were a great delight to his heart.
His last illness started just one week before his demise, and wasc aused by a complication of kidney and bladder trouble. During hislast i llness he was called upon by his pastor Rev. W.H. Lewis, and tohim he e xpressed himself that he knew he was going to die but he waswilling to g o as he was ready for the great journey. He wasunconsious the last th ree days and when the time came for him to passaway, a peaceful expres sion came over his face and he was no more,death taking away the care w orn expression that was caused by hisintense suffering."
The funeral was held at the home of eldest daughter, MargaretTewksbury a t 2 PM. "The many flowers tendered were very beautifuland showed in w hat esteem he was held by his many friends andrelatives"
Pallbearers were grandsons, Roy and Charles Van Gundy, Harry andAlbert V annier, Leonard Black, and Thomas Burrus.
Adam and Sarah are buried a few rows higher up the bluff from hisparen ts and share a large stone.
