The birth dates for Christian and his children as posted in priorfamily histories, could not possibly be correct due to transactionsbetween father and sons who would have been 2, 7, and 13 years old.The Official Roster of Revolutionary Soldiers lists only the first 5children as comprising his family but 6 children were heirs.
Residences and events in Christian's life:
A Catalogue of Early Pennsylvania and Other Firearms and Edged Weaponsa t "Restless Oaks' contains:
HUNTING KNIFE. L. 10”
Staghorn handle. This is of similar design, as, though of much laterdate, than the scalping knives used by such Eighteenth Centuryfrontiersmen as Covenhoven, the Groves, Van Campen, Van Gundy andothers. Mounted in pewter.
Lancaster Co, PA
4/30/1760 A Philip Erps of Heidelberg, Lancaster Co, PA, yeoman,applied for 300 acres of land on the east side of Buffalo Creek on theWest Branch of the Susquehanna, including an improvement.....for 16pounds paid by Christian "VanGonty."
1763 Earl Twp, Lancaster Co, PA was the first year his name appearedon the tax assessor's list as Christ Condy, inmate (inmate = tenant).
1769 That year his was listed as Christian Gundey and taxed for 30acres.
1769 From the Annals of Buffalo Valley, PA: "The John Ewing surveywas made on the 3d of March, extending from the east line of theofficers ' survey, down Turtle creek, to the Gundy farm."
1770 Christian Gunty was again taxed for 30 acres, 12 improved.
1771 The last year his name appeared on the taxt assessor's list inthat county. He was recorded as Christian Ganndey along with brotherJohn Gundey.
1773 Northumberland Co, PA. Christian probably had not moved butwhen a new county was carved from Lancaster Co, he found himselfresiding in the new one.
1773 Again from the Annals: "Christian Van Gundy recommended forlicense. He kept a tavern at the Strohecker landing, his housestanding on ( Ludwig) Derr's land. Its remains were removed byexcavation for the railroad in 1854."
Strohecker's Landing was just south of the present day Lewisburg onthe Susquehanna River. Later, Chrisitan was involved in a 7 yearcourt battle with Derr over this land, the result being Christian, hissons, and son-in-law, George May, had to pay a fine of 40 pounds.Christian also operated a grist mill and saw mill on the River.
1/8/1774 Buffalo Twp, Northumberland Co, PA. Christian bought 60acres from Christian Evay for 50 pounds, 30 of which was paid as adown payment, the rest at 10 pound/year.
8/1774 Again from the Annals: "To August term one hundred and fortysuits were brought. There was also an ejectment brought by ChristianVan Gundy vs. Ludwig Derr for the site of Lewisburg."
The following inquiry was received from Strohecker researchers: "I amresearching my family line of Strohecker in PA I am trying to locatesome information on the ferry the Van Gundy Family operated south ofLewisburg. I was told by Bucknell College that the ferry was sold tothe Strohecker Family, yet no year was offered." That was probablyChristian , since he ran the mill, providing folks on the other sideof the river a way to bring their grain and lumber to the mill forprocessing.
Christian and several of his brothers and sons were involved in Courtof Pleas suits in this county at one time or another.
1775 Christian was taxed for 10 acres and 2 horses.
1776 Another article in the Annals:
It is singular, after a careful search of contemporary documents, Ican find no allusion to the treaty, said to have been held at FortAugusta, at the time this incident occurred. It appears bycontemporary evidence , that the Indians cut down their corn, andmoved off their families and effects, on the 1st of July. Two SenecaIndians came to the Great Island, (just below Lock Haven,) the daybefore, and the whole party moved off suddenly, to join the SixNations in the war. That is the last we know of them as residents ofthe West Branch valley, and our troubles w ith them then began.
In a letter, dated Paxton, August 27, 1776, John Harris says:
"The Indians, to the northward, southward, and westward, are for waragainst us, as I am informed by a letter from Northumberland county,by their post, two days ago. The Susquehanna Indians are only forpeace with us. About twenty Indians, (enemies,) men, women, andchildren, have been many days past at Sunbury, and make said report."In all probability this was the party that stopped at Derr'strading-house, and the date of the
incident, therefore, August, 1776.
Christian Van Gundy (father of Captain Jacob Gundy, who is myauthority,) often related the incident. He said, his father,Christian Van Gundy, senior, lived between John Strohecker's and thelate Jacob Spidler's, and kept the ferry there. He thought he wasabout thirteen years old at the time; but it appears, by histombstone, that he was born about the 1st of March, 1766, and ifthirteen, it would throw the date beyond that of the
death of Captain John Brady, (11th April, 1779.) He could, therefore,have been only ten years of age. To resume his story: he said he sawthe Indians come up the river, until they
arrived opposite where they lived. They stopped, carried some thingsa shore, and left the women there, then crossed over to Derr'strading-house. He asked his father for permission to go up to see theIndians. He said he saw Derr knock in the head of a whisky barrel,and give the Indians tin-cups to drink with. They drank and danced,and showed how t hey scalped by gestures. Most of them got beastlydrunk; but one would not drink any. He
then saw Brady approach, and kick over the barrel, which put an end tothe frolic. He said they would seize each other by the hair, and gothrough the form of scalping, tearing off the scalp with the teeth.(Derr's house stood by the cherry tree in the present garden, and thebarrel was just in front. So John Brown, senior, said, who owned themill property many years.)
R. B. McCabe, Esquire, of Blairsville, Indiana county, (whitherWi lliam P. Brady removed,) published, some forty years ago, in theBlairsville Record, some sketches of the life of Captain Samuel Brady,written upon the dictation of one of the Brady family, (so the lateJasper E. Brady informed me,) in which this incident is alluded to. Hesays Captai n John Brady lived on the West Branch, opposite the siteof Lewisburg, on the place owned by
Honorable George Kremer's heirs. Derr bad a small mill on the run thatempties into the river below the town, where he supplied the Indianswith powder, lead, rum, &c. Brady discovered that the Indians werelikely to be tampered with by the British, and proposed making atreaty with the Seneca and Muncy tribes, who were up the West Branch,and were at variance with the Delawares, who were on the North Branch.Captain Brady
and two others were selected by the people at Fort Augusta to go afterthe Senecas and Muncys. The Indians met them in a very friendlymanner, and promised to attend at Fort Augusta on the day appointed.
They came down about one hundred strong, and dressed in warcostume. The people at the Fort were too poor to give them anythingof value, and they did not succeed in making a treaty. They left thefort, however, in a good humor, and taking their canoes, proceededhomeward.
Late in the day, Brady thought of Derr's trading-house, andmounting a small mare he had, crossed the North Branch, rode home withall speed. He saw the canoes of the Indians on the bank of the river,near Derr's, and, when near enough, saw the squaws working the canoesover to his side of the river, and when they landed they made for thethickets o f sumac which grew on his land. They were conveying therifles, tomahawks, and
knives into the thickets, and hiding them. Brady jumped into a canoeand crossed to Derr's trading-house, where he found the Indians drunk,and a barrel of rum standing on end before Derr's door, with the headout. He instantly overset it and spilled the rum, saying to Derr, "MyGo d, Ludwig, what have you done?" Derr replied, "Dey dells me yougif um no dreet down on de fort,so I dinks as I give um one here, alshe go home in bease." One
of the Indians told Brady he would one day rue the spilling of thatbarrel; and Brady, being well acquainted with the Indian character,was constantly on his guard for several years.
"George Derr had built another mill where Joseph W. Shriner's now is.In repairing it, some years ago, Mr. Shriner found an old stone, withdate of 1778 carved upon it, no doubt the date of Gundy's mill, a fewrods above it."
11/1/1778 Apparently in preparation for setting up housekeeping, sons(too young), Jacob and Christian, Jr, bought the following items fromtheir father for 60 pounds:
"One wagon with the horses & horse tackels & other appurtenancesthereto belonging & also two cows four Haffers & two calfs and eightSheep, six hogs Plow Harrow one iron Kittle two Stoves two beds &bedSteeds & other household goods one Pair of Mill Stones Bolten Clothmill irons of both saw Mill and Griss Mill"
He also deeded land to both of them on this same date.
A memorial gravestone says he was a pioneer of Lewisburg, Penn.Wikiped ia says: "Lewisburg was founded in 1784 by LudwigDerr.....Much has been considered regarding 'how' the name changedfrom Derrstown to Lewisburg. The most likely truth is that Derr'sfirst name "Ludwig" translated into English as "Louis" but, being ofGerman descent, it was spelled " Lewis". Later, after Derr's death,the traditional germanic "burg" was appended to his first name tocreate Lewisburg."
In the Annals of Buffalo Valley is:
1788 - In August, Christian Van Gundy, William Irvine, John Thompson,D avid Watson, and Andrew Billmyer reported that they had laid out theroad, beginning at Derrstown, on the West Branch; thence to themeeting-house, in Buffalo; thence to Thompson's mill, on Buffalocreek; thence to the east side of George Rote's lane, where itintersects the road leading from Davidson's ferry to the narrows;distance, nine and a half miles. (Thompson's mill became Rockey's in1789.) This is the road leading past the late Francis Wilson's, (byold Billmyer place,) to Mifflin burg.
1813 - George Derr had built another mill where Joseph W. Shriner'snow is. In repairing it, some years ago, Mr. Shriner found an oldstone, with date of 1778 carved upon it,
no doubt the date of Gundy's mill, a few rods above it.
4/15/1779 He bought 300 acres from Philip Erbs/Erps, for anunspecified amount.
From Genealogical Accounty of Ancestors in America of Joseph Campbell& wife:
"In May, 1779, a marauding party, consisting of fifteen to seventeenIndians, killed John Sample and his wife and drove off SergeantChristian Van Gundy, Sr., and his men, who had come to rescue them.Colonel Kelly, who was in command of the Northumberland Militia,pursued seven of the I ndians, taking with him his dog, which had beentrained to follow an Indian trail and would immediately drop uponapproaching one. The Colonel separated from his party and made adetour. As he proceeded rapidly through the woods he fell into a holemade by an uprooted tree. Glancing about, much to his astonishment, hesaw five Indians sitting like turkeys o n the trunk. He made a holethrough the root and leveled his rifle; simultaneously there was acrack of the rifles of his men from the opposite side. Four of theIndians were killed ; the fifth, after a vigorous chase, escaped."
Another version of the story says:
"Christian, the most famous member of the family in the county, servedin the Rev War as a Sergeant under Col. John Kelley in thePennsylvania Milita of Northumberland Co, PA. In May 1779 his groupattempted to rescue John Sample and his wife from Indians but weredriven off. The account was recorded in Linn's Annals of BuffaloValley 1755-1855:
'By 1779 many people had left the (Buffalo) valley and the Indianswere murdering at every opportunity. Col. Kelly and his Militia wereout to try and check a marauding party of 15 to 17 Indians, who killedseveral settlers. Christian Van Gundy, Sr. went with a party of 6 mento rescue an old couple, who lived near Ramsay's schoolhouse in WhiteDeer. After they got there Vangundy had slabs put up against the doorand water carried upon the loft.
After dark an Indian came around, barking like a dog, but they paid noattention and slept until 3:00 a.m. when Vangundy got up and started afire. The Indians then surrounded the house and tried to beat in thedoor with a log. Those inside fired and saw two wounded Indianscarried off by their fellows. Another one came behind the house andset it on fire. Vangundy mounted the loft, knocked off some of theroof and put out the fire; but while doing this was struck on the legby a spent ball, which marked him for some time.
At daylight, they took a vote and four of the six voted they shouldtry to leave the place. Opening the door they found a dead IndianChief. Vangundy took the chief's rifle and Van Dyke his powder horn.Suddenly, the other Indians came with loud yells to attack and the
whites separated. Vangundy elected to drop into a ravine with his twoguns and tried to get the old people to go with him; but they refusedand followed the younger men. Vangundy said he soon heard shots,which no doubt killed the old couple, who were found dead and scalpedlater. He never expected to get out alive, but determined that with
his two guns he could at least account for two of the savages. Hemade a circuit of seven miles and came out at Derr's Mill. By thetime Col. Kelly had reached the area with the second detachment of hisMilitia they at once set out to persue this band of Indians andarrange a plan of alarm and defense for the few settlers, who remainedin the valley."
And again: "1st November, 1872, I visited William Allison, ofPotter's Mills, Centre county, confined to his house by a paralyticstroke, (he died on 11th February, 1877, aged eighty-five,) who toldme that his father, Archibald Allison, was one of the party that hadgone to bring the Samples off. He related the story substantially asI have given it, as related to me by Captain Jacob Gundy. He addedsome particulars: that after they got there, they heard the peculiargobble of wild turkeys, and Gundy said he would go out and shoot one.
Vandyke said: "You'll catch turkey, if you go out there." (Surmisinga common trick of the Indians to imitate turkey calls; two soldiers atPotter's Fort were enticed out in that way and killed.) That the manwounded through the thumb cried and howled so they had to threaten himto keep him quiet. That they drew the old chief inside the house andscalped him, and divided his accouterments. His father got the stringof wampum, which was about the house for a long time. On leaving thehouse, the two wounded men, with the old people, were placed in thecenter. They had left the house about sixty rods in the rear, whenthe Indians sallied out from behind the barn, about thirty in number,according to Mr . Allison's account. Gundy and party held a hurriedconsultation and agreed to separate, Gundy taking the left, with theold people, the rest of the party the right. Allison concealed one ofthe wounded men under a log, and the Indians crossed it withoutdiscovering him. In the race, Allison lost his moccasins, and when hearrived at the fort, (as the rendezvous was called, on John
Lesher's place, formerly Billmyer's,) his feet were bleeding so thathe could have been tracked by the blood. Archibald Allison was thenonly eighteen years of age.' "
1781 The Annals again cited: "To November term we have thecommencement of a series of suits between Ludwig Derr and ChristianVan Gundy, which, after many years, ended in the pecuniary ruin of thelatter. It was brought to November term, lessee of Christian Van
Gundy vs. Thomas Troublesome, lessee of Ludwig Derr, with notice toChristian Hettrick, tenant in possession. It astonishes a lawyer ofthe present how our predecessors managed to keep cases so long incourt. Van Gundy's application had not the shadow of chance againstDerr's title; yet the contest went on for years, until Van Gundy'smoney gave
out. This suit was for the present site of Lewisburg."
1782 "During this year, a boy sent to Van Gundy's mill (now J. W.Shriner's, near Lewisburg,) was shot from his horse. This occurred onthe Meixell place, a short distance above Francis Wilson's. He wasonly fourteen years of age, and his name has not been preserved, butthe spot, a marsh by the present road, was haunted, people said, byhis
ghost riding a white horse."
1786 "At May sessions, C. Van Gundy was bound over for forcibleentry, &c., renewing the old controversy with George Derr, Ludwig'sson."
1788 "In August, Christian Van Gundy, William Irvine, John Thompson,David Watson, and Andrew Billmyer reported that they had laid out theroad, beginning at Derrstown, on the West Branch; thence to themeeting-house, in Buffalo; thence to Thompson's mill, on Buffalocreek; thence to the east side of George Rote's lane, where itintersects the road leading from Davidson's ferry to the narrows;distance, nine and a half miles. (Thompson's mill became Rockey's in1789.) This is the road leading past the late Francis Wilson's, (byold Billmyer place,) to Mifflinburg. "
"The road from Sunbury to Buffalo and Penn's valley is marked asintersecting the last mentioned road, some distance from the river,and crossing Limestone run, opposite Third street then enteringFourth street, and running along it out to the creek, it crossed thecreek at Colonel Slifer's upper farm, the site of the new iron bridgebuilt there, then the site of High's saw-mill, the remains of whichare yet visible, where it intersected a road leading up to Gundy'smill above, and thence up the Valley."
The story is also mentioned in the Snyder Co (PA) Annals:
"Van Gundy, Christian, Sr, born in Lancaster Co, died Ross Co, O. ASergt of militia in charge of party sent to White Deer, 1779, to beingaway John Sample and his wife."
4/1/1789 Christian and Ann sold the Erps land of 300 acres to sons,Christian, Jr, and Jacob for 50 pounds. They were probably the sametwo men who had bought the various items in 1778.
1790 Again from the Annals: "Among those assessed in Buffalotownship -
Van Gundy, Christian; Van Gundy, Henry; Van Gundy, John"
1790 Northumberland Co, PA. Christian Vangunday was counted in thecensus there with 2 males over 16, 1 under 16, and 2 females. Theylived between brother Joseph and Abraham Betz. In the same area weresons Christian Jr. and John.
The Annals also includes:
"In August (1791), Christian Van Gundy, William Irvine, John Thompson,David Watson, and Andrew Billmyer reported that they had laid out theroad, beginning at Derrstown, on the West Branch; thence to themeeting-house, in Buffalo; thence to Thompson's mill, on Buffalocreek; thence to the east side of George Rote's lane, where itintersects the road leading from Davidson's ferry to the narrows;distance, nine and a half miles. (Thompson's mill became Rockey's in1789.) This is the road leading past the late Francis Wilson's, (byold Billmyer place,) to Mifflin burg."
4/4/1793 Buffalo Twp, Warrant 52, 40 acres
10/24/1796 Surveyed 40 acres. The land was never patented which meansChristian never paid for the land before moving west.
From the History of Northumberland Co, PA:
"At the time when the public school system was adopted by Turbuttownship (1834), there were six school houses within the presentlimits of Delaware, located, respectively, at Warrior Run church; atWatsontown; at the river (now known as Nicely's); at the Fry schoolhouse, known at an early day as Gundy's, and subsequently as"Solomon's Temple;"
1796 "List of Inhabitants of East Buffalo.
The occupation, where not mentioned, is that of farmer; improvements,when not added to the name, are log-house and barn; c, for cabin:
Gundy, Christian, grist and saw-mill at George Derr's"
1800 Chrstian was not listed in the census that year. OH historysays he left Lancaster in 1800 to scout out OH. Son Christian and MrsGundy were listed in Northumberland Co.
1802 Ross Co, OH. Christian was listed in the 5th roster of Pioneersof First Families of Ohio as arriving that year. All of his children,with the exception of Christian, Jr, accompanied him.
Posted at Ancestry is:
"Christian Sr. served in Northumberland County, PA militia during theRevolutionary War. His rank was Sergeant. Commanding officer Col. JohnKelly. Christian came to Ross Co. as a soldier about 1804. On October29, he entered Sec. 21 Twp.9R20, 599 acres for $450. During theRevolutionary War he lived in Buffalo Twp.,Northumberland Co.,PA. Itis now Lew isburg,PA. Service was established by testimony of son andgrandson."
He built a grist mill on the Kinnikinnick Creek on the northwestcorner of section 21, 7 miles from Chilicothe, with the help of localswho had grown weary of traveling 70 miles to a mill. There is a storythat he went to Wheeling, WV, and by killing and selling deer he madethe money with which to buy nails, glass, and iron for the mill, whichhe transported back to OH on pack horses. He first obtained a leaseof the 600 acres of land on which the mill was situated, and laterreceived the deed for at least 400 acres of it where he lived untilhis death.
9/24/1803 Chillicothe, Ross Co, OH. Apparently the mill was used formore than grinding grain as an article in the local newspaper reportedthe court of inquiry met there to examine charges against 2 officersfor their conduct during an Indian alarm.
10/29/1804 Ross Co, OH. He entered S21 T9 R21, claiming 599 acres.
1804 And the Annals say: "Christian Gundy lived where John W. Brownnow lives."
1805 "Marriages, by Henry Spyker, Esquire
Peter Epler to Eve Christ. Witnesses, Henry Fulmer, ChristianVan Gundy, John Smith and wife, &c., (April 4.)"
10/30/1806 The newspaper again carried an item which stated"Christian VanGundy, at Kinickinic, wants to erect a mill dam at hishouse."
The mill was later sold to son-in-law, John Wolf, about 1815, possiblyas part of Christian's estate settlement.
10/18/1809 Chillicothe, Ross Co, OH. Christian received a patent forland which was a portion of Worthington's Survey.
9/6/1810 Ross Co, OH. Christian and his wife sold 2 parcels of land,one containing 113 acres, the other 10 acres, for $369 to son-in-law,George May. The same date, they sold another 120 acres to thechildren of Isaac Gunner (Conner), also for $369. This was land
patented to Christian on 10/18/1809. The deed was witnessed bybrothers, David VanGundy and Jacob VanGundy, signed in Dutch.
Apparently on this same date, he also deeded land to son, Jacob,reserving the right to use the mill race during his lifetime, thatprivilege being revoked when the heirs sold the property in 1823.
1813 "October 25, John Snook and wife conveyed the school-house lotin Union township to Christian Gundy, et at., trustees, bounded byMacpherson, Jenkins, Epler, &c."
"George Derr had built another mill where Joseph W. Shriner's now is.In repairing it, some years ago, Mr. Shriner found an old stone, withdate of 1778 carved upon it, no doubt the date of Gundy's mill, a fewrod s above it."
1816/17/18 Green Twp, Ross Co, OH. Although Christian had died, hisproperty was not sold for several years so his name continued toappear on property tax rolls. Also taxed in the same township wereDavid, Jacob, Peter, and Samuel.
5/8/1823 Ross Co, OH. Christian's heirs and their spouses, that is,all the children except Christian, Jr, sold the land to Jeremiah andJohn Crouse, Jr, for $4000. The deed was recorded on 10/7/1823.
The land was described as: "being part of section number twenty onein Township number nine and range number Twenty one (Worthingtonssurvey) Beginning at the South west corner of the above describedsection Thence East seventy nine poles to a Post corner of JacobVangundy's land from which a white oak twenty nine inches in diameter
bares North eighteen degrees West Twenty five links distance ThenceNorth two hundred and forty five Poles to a white oak in The laneThence North eighteen degrees east Twenty one and a half Poles to ablack oak Stump from which two white haughs Three inches diameterbares North Twenty eight degrees west Twenty Two link distance Thence
North Thirty degrees West Thirteen poles to a Stump in the Race bankfrom which a Sycamore six inches in diameter bares North sixty sevendegrees West for Three links distance Thence north forty Poles to aStake in a Prarie thence West seventy seven Poles to the North westcorner of said Section Thence South with the setion line to thebeginning containing one hundred and forty five acres more of lesslikewise all The privilege that was reserved for the use of a millrace by Christian Vangundy in his lifetime in a deed granted To hisson Jacob Vangundy baring date The sixth day of September one Thousandeight hundred and ten and on record in the Recorders Office of RossCounty."
Witnesses for the signing were John Entrekin as Justice of the Peaceand Daniel Vangundy.
The men signed their names, the women with an X.
John Wolf, Ann Mary X Wolf
Jacob Vangundy, Catharine X Vangundy
John Vangundy, Margaret X Van Gundy
George May, Barbara X May
Ann X Ulery
Military
Some say he died 1803 but he was in records after that, his gravestonesays 1813 as does his estate case file .
A memorial marker for Christian and Ann was erected at the postedcemetery in 2007 by 5th gr grandsons Ronald and Richard Martin. Theinscription says:
In Memory of
CHRISTIAN VAN GUNDY
Wife--Ann Van Gundy
Sergeant in Rev. War
Born 1742
Lancaster County, Penn
Pioneer of Lewisburg, Penn
Died March 1813
Ross County, Ohio
On the other side is a list of his children:
Christian Van Gundy
Jacob Van Gundy
Barbara Van Gundy
John Van Gundy
Peter Van Gundy
Ann Van Gundy
Mary Van Gundy
However, an identical marker is in Greenlawn Cem, Chilicothe, Ross Co,OH. Which is correct?
