7/14/1870 1st Ward, Des Moines, Polk Co, IA. The census takerrecorde d him as Laffeyett Vangundi, 37, laborer, with property worth$500/100. W ife Louisa was 27 and their family included: Jerome, 8,William, 5, Ch arles, 3, and Laura B, 11 months. There were severalother Van Gundys i n the same county.
Bef 1872 NE where son Albert was born
6/25/1880 Van Meter Twp, Dallas Co, IA. Having moved back before then ext census, "Lafe Vangunda" was 50, born in Mo but didn't know wherehi s parents were born. He was a farmer. Louisa was 30 years old andchi ldren in the house were Jerome W, 19, William, 15, Charles, 12,and Alb ert, 7. Apparently little Laura had died. They were the onlyones by t he name in the county.
1889 & 1890 521 e s 3th, Des Moines, IA was Lafe's location in thecit y directory both years with the occupation of laborer.
1891 Same address. That year he was a teamster with the J H Queal &C o.
6/9/1900 Lee Twp, Polk Co, IA. That year at census time, the familyh ad moved again and Lafe had aged only 8 years in the past 20, beingrec orded at 58. Lafe and both parents were born in MO and he hadbeen mar ried 33 years to Louisa, 57, who had birthed 8 children, only5 still s urviving. Lafe had changed occupations to teamster. Stillat home wer e son Bud, 19, and daughter Fay, 7. From the next censuswe learn that F ay was actually a granddaughter whose father was bornin NE while her m other's birthplace was unknown.
4/20/1910 Des Moines, Ward 5, Polk Co, IA. The census recordedLafaye tte at 72, both parents born in KY. He was a lumber handler ina lumbe r yard and married 45 years to Louisa, 70. Of their 8children only 5 w ere still living. In their household were widowedson William, 45, lab orer at odd jobs, with his son, Glen, 9, as wellas granddaughter Fay F ox, 18, married 1 year with 1 child, Raymond, 1yr 10 mo.
6/2/1920 E Court House St, Des Moines, Ward 6, Polk Co, IA. Lafayettew as 79 at census time, his parents both born in OH. Louisa was 78and l iving with them were divorced son Albert, 48, grandson, Glen,27, grand daughter Pearl, 19 and 2 great grandchildren, Glen, 1 yr 1mo, and new born Margaret. All the men of the family worked at thelumber yard as l aborers. They either lived in an apartment house orran a rooming hous e as there were 2 other families at the sameaddress.
The 1870 census says he was 37, making his birth year 1833 andcemetery r ecords say he was 87 at death, making his birth year 1840!
Iowa Cemetery Records
Name: Lafayette Van Gundy
Death Date: 4 Apr 1928
Page #: 7
Birth Date: 1840
Cemetery: Glendale
Relative: 87
