According to descendants Elijah had a total of 15 children but only 14h ave been found and is believed by most to be the correct number.
From Polk County 1880 Lincoln Township Biographies:
"VAN GUNDY, E. W.-Farmer, section 22, P. O. Palmer. Was born March 7,1 829, and is a native of Pickaway county, Ohio. When five years ofage h e moved to Seneca county, same State,. where he lived Until1849, and t hen returned to Pickaway county. In 1854 he moved to Knoxcounty, Illin ois, living there until 1865, when he came to thiscounty. He owns 120 a cres of land. He was married August 28, 1851,to Miss Mary A. Smith, a n ative of Pike county, Ohio, born October13, 1831. They have fourteen c hildren: John W., William S. and ByronS. (twins), Abraham L., Mary E., H enry A., Edwin G., Ella C. andClara May, living, and five deceased: Su sannah C., Flora A., Emma R.,Anna L. and Thomas S."
Residences & events:
6/25/1850 Berkshire Twp, Delaware Co, OH. Elijah Van Gundy, 21,weave r, was living with the Jacob Rodebaugh family. Jacob was also aweaver . A young Smith family lived 2 doors down the road.
1855 Cedar Twp, Knox Co, IL. E.W. Vangundy was listed there with 2ma les age 20-30, 1 female under 10, 1 age 20-30, and 1 at 50-60. Twomen w ere eligible for militia, livestock was valued at $175. Was theolder w oman his mother? Who was the other male?
9/3/1860 Floyd Twp, Warren Co, IL. That year E.W. Van Gundy, 30, had$ 300 in property but no occupation, living with him as ElizabethMulter, 1 8, b IL. Two door down was his family: Mary A, 28, FloraA, 6, John W , 4, Wm S, 2, and Byron S, 2. This may have been anerror by the censu s taker as Elijah was listed on the bottom of theprevious page.
1865 Same place. Listed was "Eliza" (Elija?) Vangundy with 3 malesun der 10, 1 female under 10, 1 male age 10-20, 1 female age 10-20, 1male 3 0-40, and 1 female 30-40.
From descendant Richard Clark:
"Here is a transcript of his patent. I think perhaps his mailingaddre ss was general delivery Galesburg, as opposed to his actualresidence h aving been in Galesburg. He was enumerated in both the1860 federal an d 1865 state census as living in Floyd township inneighboring Warren c ounty. I think this patent was probably sold tothe Pattee Plow Compan y of Monmouth, as they later sued a competitorwho had copied the desig n."
Annual report of the Commissioner of Patents, 1866 - Page 260
"No. 41,454 - E. W. VANGUNDY, Galesburg, Ill. - Cultivators. -February 2 , 1864. - This
invention consists in connecting the two parts of a cultivator bymeans o f curved metallic
bars or stays joined together at their upper ends, which terminate ina s hank, the latter
being retained and allowed to vibrate against an upper transverse barb y means of an elongated loop bar, for the purpose of steadying theinde pendent movements of the two parts of the cultivator andpreserving the ir uniformity of action.
Claim. - My improved manner of connecting the same by means of thepecu liar arrangement of the pivoted yoked connecting bars E. withshank f, w orking in and through the slotted or open straight bar F,in combinatio n with the draught beams A A, the whole operatingsubstantially in the m anner and for the purpose herein set forth."
7/29/1870 Madison Twp, Polk Co, IA. The family had moved west beforet he next census. Living there were E.W. Van Gundy, 40, farmer, with$20 00/400 worth of property. Wife Mary A was 39 and their childrenwere: J ohn W, 16, William and Byron, 12, George S, 8, Mary E, 7,Hanry A, 6, E dwin S, 4, and Fanny A, 2 mo.
6/19/1880 Lincoln Twp, Polk Co, IA. In that census were farmerElijah W V an Gundy, 51, with wife Mary A, 49, and children: Williamand Byron, 2 2, Abraham L, 18, Mary E, 17, Hanry A, 16, Edwin G, 14,Ella C, 5, and C lara M, 3. Elijah was census enumberator and listedhis own family as f amily #1. The two oldest sons worked on the farm,Abraham was a school t eacher.
1885 Same place, T81 R24 S23, SE of SW was their location accordingto t he state census. Listed only as initials were EW Van Gundy, 55,MA, 53 , BS, 27, AS, 23, HA, 20, EG, 18, Ella, 10, Clara, 8, andnewlyweds Wil liam S, 27 and Paulina, 21. Elijah, Bryon and Abrahamwere farmers.
Iowa Cemetery Records
Name: Elija Van Gundy
Death Date: 19 Mar 1889
Page #: 7
Birth Date: 1829
Cemetery: Lincoln
Relative: 60
He and son Edwin are the only ones by the name in that cemetery.
