Considering that James lived in the same area of IL and is buried inth e same cemetery as "Our Father Peter VanGundy," could Jamesactually be P eter's son rather than John's?
Residences & events:
11/9/1850 Muhlenberg, Pickaway Co, OH. The census listed James H Vang undy, 27, as a farmer without real estate. Matilda was 29 and theyhad 3 t oddlers in the family, Amanda J, 4, Van Crisip, 2, and MarthaM, 6 mont hs (where was Ann, 3?). Next door was a John or "Jilit" VanGundy, 45, b orn NY, followed by Edmund Crisip, 28, possibly Matilda'sbrother.
1856 Piatt Co, IL near Monticello. His death certificate says he hadb een in IL 53 years, making his arrival this year. He and Elizabethpro bably moved with her family, the Cresaps, arriving before thebirth of s on, Daniel, in 1856.
7/10/1860 Sangamon Twp, PO Monticello, Piatt Co, IL was where thenext c ensus taker found the family and recorded James "Vangunda" atage 39, a f armer with $500 in personal property only, Elizabeth was38, their larg e family included: Amanda, 14, Ann, 13, Van, 11,Martha, 10, Harvey, 8 , and Daniel, 4. Also counted there was JohnSowders, 22, unemployed. T he Cresaps were in Champaign Co, IL.
Scott Twp, Champaign Co, IL. Among the list of settlers there wereJam es H Vangundy and three Cresap families: Benjamin, Daniel, andHamilto n. No other Van Gundys. However, another listing included aLaura Van G undy as the only one by the name. She later married aHazen. A map of t he county showed J H Vangundy in Section 9 of thetownship.
6/2/1870 Scott Twp, PO Champaign, Champaign Co, IL. Before the nextc ensus they had moved nearer the Cresap family. He was recorded as JH V angundy, a farmer with property worth $3000/1200. He and wifeElizabet h were 46 years old, their large family included daughterAnnie (listed a s Van Gundy but was actually Early), 23; James H"Jim", 17, all born in O H; D F, 14; Ellin Swisher, 9; Ann's children:Wm H Earley, 5, and Charl es Earley, 3, all born in IL.
J S Lothrop's 1870 Champaign Co Directory, p 300, listed J H and HenryV angundy.but only J H in 1885.
6/1880 Village of Seymour, Champaign Co, IL. He was listed in thecen sus as James H Vangundy, 55, farmer. In the family were rhirdwife Sus an G, 49, born OH; son Daniel, 23, born IL, a railroader; andCollins s tep-children but listed as sons and daughter: John S, 27,born OH, farm er; George, 21, laborer ; James, 15; and Carrie, 19, allborn in IL. I n the same village were sons Harvey and Daniel.
6/2/1900 Scott Twp, Champaign Co, IL. By census time that year hewas a 7 6 year old widower living with daughter Martha and WilliamThomas.
Some say he was born in Circleville, Pickawy Co, OH but his deathcerti ficate says Ross Co, OH.
Thanks to descendant Bill Sheets for the following obit:
Mr. Van Gundy at Seymour
Seymour, Feb. 16: -- James H. Van Gundy died this morning at theh ome of his daughter, Mrs. M. M. Thomas, after a short illness due toex treme old age.
Mrs. (?) VanGundy was 85 years of age and is survived by twodaugh ters and three sons as follows: Mrs. M. M. Thomas of Seymour;Mrs. A. J . Argo of Monticello; V. E. VanGundy of Pomica City, IA; H.Van Gundy o f Danville and D. E. VanGundy of Seymour.
The funeral will be held Sunday at 10:30 a.m. from the First M.E. c hurch. Burial will be in the Bethel cemetery.
The death certificate says he died of heart failure complicated by olda ge and uremia.
Cemetery records have his death date of 1909 but no birth date.
