DAVID VAN GUNDY, farmer, Section 24, Township 19, Range 12, P. O.Neosho Rapids, was born in Ross County, Ohio, June 28, 1819. Thirteenyears later his parents removed to Fountain County, Ind., Mr. VanGundy remained until 1849, when he removed to Danville Illinois,whence, three years later, he went to Texas, where he remained abouttwo years. He then started for California, but, reaching Fort Gibson,Indian Terr., too late for emigration, he engaged in trading with theIndians, and in the spring of 1855 he came to Kansas. He was one ofthe first settlers of the Neosho Valley, locating upon that river,about two miles below the confluence of the Cottonwood River, where hetook a claim of 160 acres of land, which he afterwards preempted, andhas ever since farmed. He has made valuable improvements on this farm,including the necessary farm buildings and an orchard of 1,200 appletrees, 400 of which are bearing fruit, 500 peach trees and others ofsmaller fruits. He raises cattle and hogs, feeding all his crops tohis own stock. During the bloody days of early Kansas a daughter ofMr. Vangundy (Sarah Carver) was killed, under the followingcircumstances: A party of Free-state men, who were on a raid, camethrough this county, committing acts of robbery and rapine atdifferent points. Arriving at the house of Christian Carver to whomshe was married, they demanded admittance, but as he showed signs ofresistance, and was slow in opening the door, they commenced firingthrough the chinks of the log cabin in which they resided. One of thecharges, consisting of two small balls or buckshot, entered her side,while she was sitting up in bed, and from the effects of this woundshe died three days later, on September 17, 1856. The robberscontinued on their raid through the county, committing acts ofviolence and robbery at different points, and were never apprehendedor punished. The last dying request of Mrs. Carver to her father andhusband was that they refrain from seeking any revenge for her death.She expressed a readiness to die and forgiveness to her murderers. Mr.Van Gundy is a member of the Methodist Protestant Church. He is also amember of the Order of A., F. & A. M., and a member of Chicago MoundGrange, P. of H., and of two temperance societies. He married MissIsabella Taylor, of Fountain County, Ind., in 1839. She died in 1867,after bearing him nine children, of whom William Franklin, John C.,Rachel, Joseph T. and Melissa are now living.
He was married to Miss Emily Brown of Indianapolis Indiana Nov 3 1871,By whom he has six children, Guy Eli,Hugh Ina and Lee. At the age of22 years he Joined the M. E, church. Mr Van Gundy came to this countyin the spring of 1855, and lived and died on the original homestead,where he cast his lot 40 years ago. He was a pioneer identified withthe early history of Kansas, and a patriotic Union soldier.
Residences & events:
1840 Fountain Co, IN. At census time, he and his father wereneighbors while uncle John, and his son, Peter, were just down theroad.
Bef 11/1848 Vermilion Co, IL. The exact date of their arrival isunknown but son Joseph was born there.
12/30/1850 Dist 21, Vermilion Co, IL. The census that year listedDavid at age 30, a farmer with $1000 worth of real estate, wifeIsabela was 31. They had children Sarah E, 10; William F, 9; Rachel,7; John, 4; Joseph, 2. Next door was brother John.
Bef 1853 TX where daughter Mary was born.
1855 Neosho Rapids, Lyon Co, KS
From Mount Hope-Neosho Rapids Cemetery:
"There were three previous attempts to the laying out of towns in thevicinity and the names given them were Florence, Neosho City, Italiaand lastly Neosho Rapids. The David VAN GUNDY family came to theneighborhoo d in 1855."
7/14/1860 Forest Hill Twp, Breckenridge Co, KS. The census takerrecorded David at age 42 and Isabella at 22 (more like 42!), withchildren: Wm F, 18, Rachel, 16, John, 14, Joseph, 12, Mary, 8, andMellissa, 2. Living in the same area was brother Samuel and family.
6/13/1870 Neosha Rapids, near Jackson, Lyon Co, KS. That year thecensus recorded David as a 50 year old farmer with a sizable farmworth $8000 and personal property valued at $500. He had 4 childrenliving there but no wife: John C, 25, Joseph T, 21, Mary L, 17, andMelissa, 12. They were the only Van Gundys in the county.
6/10/1880 Dist 116, near Jackson, Lyon Co, KS was where the censustaker found David with a new family. He was 60 years old, stillfarming. Second wife Emily M was 40 and they had small children: Guy,8, Ell, 6, Mag, 4, Hugh, 3, and Ina, 9 months. Also living there wasa "border," 40 year old William Brown (Emily's brother, according tothe 1900 census). Sons Frank and John lived in the same area.
3/1/11895 Jackson, Lyon Co, KS. In the state census that year wereDavid Van Gundy, 75, wife Emily, 55, and a family consisting of Ell ,21, May, 19, Hugh, 17, Ina, 15, and Lee, 12. Wm H Brown, 58, wasstill there.
The newspaper biography says he was born in Warren Co, IN, the familylisting says Bowling Green, OH but his parents lived in Green Twp,Ross Co, OH at the time of his birth & most likely the place he wasborn.
David Van Gundy
Birth: Jun. 28, 1819
Bowling Green
Wood County
Ohio, USA
Death: 1895
Neosho Rapids
Lyon County
Kansas, USA
DAVID VAN GUNDY, farmer, Section 24, Township 19, Range 12, P. O.Neosh o Rapids, was born in Ross County, Ohio, June 28, 1819. Thirteenyears later his parents removed to Fountain County, Ind., Mr. VanGundy remained until 1849, when he removed to Illinois, whence, threeyears later, he went to Texas, where he remained about two years. Hethen started for California, but, reaching Fort Gibson, Indian Terr.,too late for emigration, he engaged in trading with the Indians, andin the spring of 1855 he came to Kansas. He was one of the firstsettlers of the Neosho Valley , locating upon that river, about twomiles below the confluence of the Cottonwood River, where he took aclaim of 160 acres of land, which he afterwards preempted, and hasever since farmed. He has made valuable improvements on this farm,including the necessary farm buildings and an orchard of 1,200 appletrees, 400 of which are bearing fruit, 500 peach trees and others ofsmaller fruits. He raises cattle and hogs, feeding all his crops tohis own stock.
During the bloody days of early Kansas a daughter of Mr. Vangundy(Sara h Carver) was killed, under the following circumstances: A partyof Free-state men, who were on a raid, came through this county,committing acts of robbery and raping at different points. Arriving atthe house of Christian Carver to whom she was married, they demandedadmittance, but as he showed signs of resistance, and was slow inopening the door, they commenced firing through the chinks of the logcabin in which they resided. One of the charges, consisting of twosmall balls or buckshot, entered her side, while she was sitting up inbed, and from the effects of this wound she died three days later, onSeptember 17, 1856. The robbers continued on their raid through thecounty, committing acts of violence and robbery at different points,and were never apprehended or punished. The last dying request of Mrs.Carver to her father and husband was that they refrain from seekingany revenge for her death. She expressed a readiness to die andforgiveness to her murderers.
Mr. Van Gundy is a member of the Methodist Protestant Church. He isalso a member of the Order of A., F. & A. M., and a member of ChicagoMound Grange, P. of H., and of two temperance societies. He marriedMiss Isabella Taylor, of Fountain County, Ind., in 1839. She died in1867, after bearing him nine children, of whom William Franklin, JohnC., Rachel, Joseph T. and Melissa are now living.
He was married to Miss Emily Brown of Indianapolis Indiana Nov 3 1871,By whom he has six children, Guy, Eli, Hugh, Ina and Lee. At the ageof 22 years he Joined the M. E, church. Mr Van Gundy came to thiscounty in the spring of 1855, and lived and died on the originalhomestead, where he cast his lot 40 years ago. He was a pioneeridentified with the early history of Kansas, and a patriotic Unionsoldier.
