"The grandfather (of Elizabeth Gundy Christman), Joseph Gundy, was ac harter member of the Masonic Order of Danville. By occupation he wasa f armer and stockraiser. being connected with agricultural pursuits
in this county at a very early day."
1828 Myersville, Newell twp, Vermilion Co, IL. Joseph selected lando n the North Fork of the Vermilion river, built a cabin on the landhe e ntered and went back to his home in OH.
Winter, 1828. Eugene, Vermillion Co, IN. Descendants say the familys pent the winter there before crossing the Wabash River to IL.
Mid 1829 Myersville. Migrating with his in-laws and other familymemb ers, Joseph brought the family to their new home, being among thefirst s ettlers of the area. Other siblings and his father would soonfollow.
The History of Rossville, IL says they were the first whites tohomeste ad in the area, Indians were their only neighbors. Whendaughter Susan w as born the Indians came to "gaze on this wonder--awhite papoose." (A ctually 2 other children were born there beforeSusannah.)
1840 Vermilion Co, IL. That census listed Joseph with a large familyc onsisting of: 1 male under 5, 1 was 5-10, 1 at 10-15, 2 were 15-20,1 a t 20-30, 1 at 30-40, Jacob at 40-50, 1 male aged 70-80, possiblyhis fa ther, 1 female under 5, 1 at 5-10, 1 was 15-20 and 1 at 30-40.Down the r oad was brother-in-law, William Nichols.
6/1/1840 Father Jacob Gundy was listed on the IL Census of Rev Warand M ilitary Pensioners with Joseph as head of the house.
Another history said:
"Joseph came her to find a new country, where land would be cheap, anda s soon as he got across the state line he expected to find things ashe w anted. He took up the first land he could find, subject to'squatter s overeignty,' or entry. He carried on farming verysuccessfully, and ac quired nine hundred acres of land; raised stocklargely, bought and fed , but did not adopt the more hazardous andspeculative undertakings; he s old his stock to drovers. He oftensold to the Funks, to Williamson on S ugar Creek , to Ohio men and toothers from Pennsylvania. He had two c hildren when he came her andten were born to them here, four of whom a re now dead. of the eightliving children all but one live in the coun ty: Mrs. Isaac Chrisman,in Ross; Mrs Dr. Henton, in Danville; Mrs. Jo hn Davison and Mrs.Milton Lee, at Rossville."
Years later a family returning to OH from the west where they had loste verything, were advised to go to Danville and ask Joe Gundy to helpthe m. Joe and Sally took them into their home and when their littlegirl b ecame ill and died, Sally, remembering her own daughter leftbehind in I N, promised she would tend the grave as though it was herown. This sh e did and the Davison Cemetery was begun. Years laterit became known a s the Gundy Cemetery.
12/30/1850 Dist 21, Vermilion Co, IL. At census time Joseph wasliste d as a 53 year old farmer, born in PA, with a large amount ofreal esta te worth $10,000. Wife Sarah was 46 and the familyconsisted of Andrew , 20, Susannah, 16, Thomas, 17, Mariah, 14,Joseph, 12, Jane, 9, France s, 7, and Catherine, 4. Also living therewere William Edwards, 20, fa rmer, nephew Thomas Bivans, 25, probablyworked on the farm, and Margar et Deek, 22, possibly a servant. Threedoors down was James Davidson, 4 3, probably Sally's brother. In thesame district was brother William.
1852-1854 Myersville. Joseph owned an interest in a store there.
Joseph was a client of Abraham Lincoln during the 1840s and 50s.Appare ntly Joseph had given Lincoln money with which to pay his statetaxes i n Springfield and Lincoln refunded the excess. The letterdonated to t he University of IL library, dated Sept 23, 1845, is theearliest in th e library's Lincoln collection and states:
"Dear old friend:
Enclosed you find twentyone dollars and thirtyone cents, the fullamoun t, after expenses & postage.
Very Respectfully,
A. Lincoln"
1860 Ross Twp, near Danville, Vermilion Co, IL. Township lines mayha ve shifted rather than the family moving as some of the neighborswere s till the same. The census listed Joseph at 63, still farming,and his e state had grown to $25,000/6000, a huge amount for the day.Living with h im were daughters SJ, 20, and Catherine, 13, son FM, 16,and Elizabeth D avidson, 20, Robert Davidson, 16, male MV Canada, 21,and William Gilla nd, 55. All the extras had property of their own.Next door was James D avison, 54, also a huge property owner.
The History of Vermilion Co, IL says: "Joseph Gundy, Sen., died atMye rsville in 1865, closing a useful and successful life."
