Francis was listed as a female in the 1850 census.
Grandchildren related that as children, Francis and his sister werehid den in pickle barrels when Indians approached the family home.They als o said he received a letter from Abraham Lincoln, dated9/22/1845, that b egan "Dear old Friend."
Residences & events:
6/7/1880 Dist 218, Newell Twp, Vermilion Co, IL. Listed in thecensus a s Franklin, he was 37 years old with the occupation of clerkin a store . Wife Mary was 25 and they had 1 little girl, Clara G, 1.
6/1/1900 Same place. That year he was recorded as Francis, 57,marrie d 24 years to Mary, 45, who had birthed 3 children, 1 of whomhad died. H is occupation was capitalist.
5/1/1910 Still there. According to the census that year Francis, 66,a nd Mary, 54, lived alone. Francis had his own income so apparentlywas r etired.
1/8/1920 Same place. That census recorded Francis M at 76, Mary at65 . Daughter Madge K, 35, was back home and teaching high school.
4/15/1930 Dist 52, Jacksonville, Duval Co, FL. Having moved beforeth e next census, they lived with daughter Madge and her husband, D CBowe rs that year. Listed as F M, he was 86 and Mary E was 75.
His biography is from the History of Vermilion Co, IL:
"Francis M. Gundy was born in Ross township, Vermilion County, May 7,1 843. He is a son of Joseph and Sarah (Davison) Gundy. Mr. Gundybelong s to a family which has been a great factor in the developingof Vermil ion County. He married Mary E. Smith, in 1854. They were theparents of t hree children, two daughters and one son. The son diedwhile yet young. M r. Gundy began his experience as a merchant inMarshfield, Indiana. He l ater had an interest in the store inMyersville. Later yet he, in partn ership with Mr. A. M. Bushnell, hada general store in Bismarck. He is n ow the director in banks in whichhe is interested and is the president o f the one in Bismarck. He haskept the old Gundy home place in good sha pe and preserved the foresttrees."
He may have died at Jacksonville, FL where he lived with daughterMadge i n 1930.
His death was attributed to complications of age after being in thehos pital for 2 weeks and in critical condition for several days.
