Bundy Family Stories

Bundy Family Stories

Table of Contents

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Bundys and the Underground Railroad

The Bundy Family (From "Our Ancestors - The Stantons" by William Henry Stanton)

The Little Place Over The Glue Factory

poem composed by Demsey Bundy

History of Nixonton Township

The Albemarle in 1672 as Described by George Fox

FREDERICK BUNDY

Miles Bundy

Gentle Knife - William Bundy Dissects the Nixon Years, Politely

Bundysburg

"Little Home Histories of Belmont County" page 23

Little Home Histories in our Early Homes, Belmont County, Ohio", pages 125-131.

"The Little Home Histories", pages 31-34.

The Saga of Beach Bundy's Headstone


 

 

 

 

 

 


Bundys and the Underground Railroad

The family of William Bundy (born in 1780 in North Carolina) and his wife Sarah Overman, moved from North Carolina with the opening of the Northwest Territory, into Belmont Co, Ohio. They settled around Barnesville and there William died in 1828. His family were all anti-slavery as were many Quakers of that time. To back up their beliefs with action, the family operated a station on the "underground railroad" on their farm. Since they were just across the Ohio River from Virginia (now West Virginia), they were often the first stop for slaves who just crossed. One of the places the family would hide these slaves was their hay mow, where they could have a group living for as much as two weeks or more, waiting for the optimum moment to procede north to Canada.

The United States law regarding runaway slaves in not well known today. Even in the free state of the north, slaves were regarded as property to be returned to their owners in the South. If you aided them to escape, you were liable to prosecution as a criminal. Thus such aid was very dangerous to perform. And there were a large number of armed slave catchers (bounty hunters), who made a good living at catching the runaways and returning them for a reward, along with severe punishment for the unfortunate captives.

William Bundy Jr, the 8th child of William and Sarah acted as a conductor, taking the groups from the Bundy farm north to the next station, in the area of Salem, Columbiana Co, Ohio. This made him a criminal by the laws of the day. William would wait for just the right conditions, when there were no bounty hunters around, and when the weather was such as to hide these illegal activities.

One evening, these conditions were met. The Bundys and a good sized group, including most of a family present. The weather had turned stormy and nasty, just right for a secret trip. William Jr, or "Black Bill" as his was known, gathered his group, and they quietly made their way through the town, avoiding any chances of being caught. As they were on their way out of town, they passed the Ebenezer Baptist Church. Just as they got there, the church suddenly let out with lights and people everywhere. They had had an evening service and the weather was so bad that the people decided to wait it out.

Black Bill was seen by everyone, and was effectively caught "red-handed" But he continued on with his group, guiding them on the the next safe house. When he returned he expected to be taken into custody and charged with aiding the escape of "property" But to his surprise, there was no one waiting for him and no one in town said anything about the matter. He came to realize that he and his family were held in high regard, and no one would turn them in. Thus he was able to live up to his conscience with action.

I have to say that I am very proud to descend from this family, although not from Black Bill but his sister Sarah. This is the kind of heritage I want for myself and for my children.

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"The Bundy Family"
(From "Our Ancestors - The Stantons" by William Henry Stanton)

"The Bundy family, from its close and many connections with the Stanton family, is one of special interest. "It is hoped that some one will make a thorough investigation, and record the full history and genealogy of th Bundy family, which cannot be attempted here.

"Tradition indicates that the family was in France in the Eleventh Century and probably takes its name from, or gives its name to the Forest of Bondy; and that some members came to England in 1066, with the Normans under William the Conqueror, as the name Bandy appears on the battle rolls of some of the chiefs. It is probable that due to carelessness or difference of pronunciation, the spelling was changed to Bundy.

"It appears they settled first in the rugged hills of Wales and later moved to Yorkshire, England. Tradition also says that five brothers emigrated from York, England, and landed on the coast of Virginia or North Carolina, and that one of the brothers became dissatisfied and moved north to what is now known as New York State, and never returned. A family of Bundys now located there resembles those from North Carolina and seems to confirm this tradition.

"While some of the early members were fierce warriors and while several members volunteered for service in the Rebellion, the large majority of the family has followed agriculture and the members earned their living in peaceful way.

The family has generally occupied the middle walk of life - no great wealth and no members in poverty. The industry and thrift practiced and their artistic, well-kept and substantial homes, seem to point to a French ancestry, or at least to a strong admixture of that blood."

"Compiled largely from notes by Thomas Clarkson Bundy."

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Did you ever wonder about the BUNDY name inscribed on a musical instrument? If so, then the following might make an interesting read. This was on the net a year ago(1997), but then disappeared. Hope it isn't too long for anyone.

"The Little Place Over The Glue Factory" H. & A. Selmer, that is...

In orchestra I always used to kid the others that they had "my" clarinet. Rodger W. Bundy

Let me add, that I used to play the clarinet also, a Selmer silver band model, made in Paris. Bruce Wood

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The following poem was composed by Demsey Bundy about 1870, on the occasion of accidently killing a snow bird while moving a shok of corn. It was cited by Eunice H. Henderson in the book, "Our Ancestors - The Stanton"

Poor little bird, I mourn thy early fate,
  An inadvertent stroke of mine deprived thee of thy mate.
Sweet warbler! Oh, I truly sighed,
  When I perceived thy mate had died.

With poignant grief, I viewed thy dead,
  When I perceived that life had fled,
I smoothed his wings, arranged his crest,
  And stroked the down upon his breast.

With heartfelt grief and tearful eye,
  I saw thy dear companion die,
And now, my friend, don't censure me
  For all the pain I brought on thee.

This is a world of grief and woe,
  Where dearest friends must part we know,
Submit thyself and be resigned,
  Thou mayst yet sweet comfort find.

Thine is a bitter cup of woe,
  I drank it many years ago,
Though months have past and years gone by
  As yet my breast doth heave a sigh.

For memory still recalls to view
  The friends I mourned with sorrow true,
But lenient time hath eased the wound,
  And round my heart new friends are found.


This speaks for itself, but I found it very comforting to realize the depth of feelings that our kin exhibited. The Bundy family was a great heritage for us, in spite of a modern world where the name "Bundy" has come to mean sleasy family members of Al and Peb Bundy with a slutty daughter, or King Kong Bundy the wrestler, or Ted Bundy the mass murderer of young women. Let us be proud of our Bundys and honor their memory.

Best Wishes, Bruce Wood, Group Coordinator

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The following account is from Volume 3 of the Yearbook of Pasquotank Historical Society. pub. 1975.


History of Nixonton Township

Nixonton, Elizabeth City's nearest Pawquotank neighbor, is said to be 55 years older than Elizabeth City. At one time in the history of these two communities, the population of Nixonton was 10 times that of Elizabeth City, Nixonton having 600 with Elizabeth City having only 60.

Nixonton, the oldest community in Pasquotank County, is situated on the north bank of the Little River which forms a complete boundary between the counties of Perquimans and Pasquotank. A study of its more then 200 years of history discloses a series of events and happenings of which residents can be proud. One mile north of Nixonton, at Hall's Creek, the first Albemarle Assembly met, on February 6, 1665, under a big oak tree.

From 1705 to 1708, Charles Griffin taught the first school in North Carolina at Symond's Creek, which is about a mile east of Nixonton. Nixonton was the third county seat of Pasquotank County (1785-1799).

From the Colonial Records of 1758, an interesting account of the chartering of Nixonton reads as follows: "Whereas it has been represented to the Assembly that in the year of Our Lord 1746, 161.5 acres of land were purchased from Zachariah Nixon for a town and commons - 50 acres of which laid out in one-half-acre lots with convenient streets - that there are now upwards of 20 habitable houses erected thereon and upwards of 70 inhabitants and the same might be improved if it were enacted into a town by lawful authority,

Be it therefore enacted by the Council and Assembly and by authority of same that said 161.5 acres of land be and the same is hereby constituted, enacted and established a town and a town commons, and shall be calle by the name Nixon's Town.

And be it further enacted by the aughtoity of the aforesaid that from and after passing this act Joseph Robertson, Thomas Nicholson, William Lane, Aaron Morris, and Francis Nixon be and they and everyone of them are hereby constituted directors and trustees for designing, building, carrying on the said town.

Provided nevertheless that every grantee of any lot or lots in the said town so conveyed shall within three years next after date of purchase erect, build, and finish on each ot so conveyed, one good habitable house with a brick or stone chimney - house 20 feet long, 15 feet wide, 9 feet pitch in the clear, or proportionate to such dimensions.

There are only three of these old houses now standing. The old Customs House, the first in North Carolina, now owned by the Eugene Scott family; the John Morris place, where the Richard Barclift family lives; and the Halstead House, moved and restored by Miss Mary Yarborough of Raleigh and Misses Minnie and Elizabeth Nash of Elizabeth City.

From old records dated September 20, 1785, it is found that surving directors and trustees of the town of Nixonton made and indenture to Devotion Davis and Benjamin White, two commissioners appointed by Act of Assembly to erect a court house, prison, pillory, and stocks for the County's use, for five pounds paid by the commissioners.

After Nixonton became incorporated into a town, its citizens turned their eyes to education. In 1803 nineteen men were appointed trustees to build a Nixonton Academy. The academy was chartered in 1804. By the middle 1830s, it was abandoned and move to Symond's Creek. It was recently restored by its present owner, Miss Imogene Riddick.

Prior to the Civil War period, Nixonton was a flourishing community, with a court house, jail, four stores, a gin, sawmill, a coach factory, shipyard, three taverns, and two ordinaries. For many years a lively trade was carried on between Nixonton and the West Indies and England.

Today, Nixonton is a quiet residential community of approximately 25 families.

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I don't know what it looks like today, but in 1977 it was a semi-summer vacation area, with lots of small boats, trailers and camp areas. Hardly seems like a once thriving metropolis. Since my Bundy, Overman and other roots go back to this area, I thought some of the rest of you with similar roots might enjoy reading this.

Best Wishes, Bruce Wood


 

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The Albemarle in 1672 as Described by George Fox

The following is from the Yearbook of Pasquotank Historical Society, Vol. 2. and was written by John Elliott Wood

The famous Quaker missionary George Fox (1624-1691) sailed from England the Fall of 1671 for Barbadoes, later going to Jamaica. In his party was William Edmundson who was delegated to go to Virginia and Carolina when the evangelists divided their labors. Fox kept a faithful record which reflects conditions of the time, the following being a typical entry after arrival of the party in Maryland the spring of 1672:

"We parted company, dividing ourselves unto several coasts, for the service of truth. James Lancaster and John cartwright went by sea for New England; William Edmundson and three friends more sailed for Virginia, where things were much out of order; ...."

During the summer of 1672, he wrote from Long Island:

"While we were in Shelter-island, William Edmundson came to us, who had been labouring in the work of the Lord in Virginia. From whence he traveled through the Desert-country, through difficulties and many trials, till he came to Roan-oak, where he met with tender people...."

This "Roan-oak" refers to the Albemarle section of North Carolina, and specifically to Perquimans and Pasquotank. The reports given by Edmundson must have led Fox to the decision to visit Carolina. His journal later in 1672 reads as follows:

"The fifth of the ninth month we set sail for Virginia, and in three days came to Nancemum, about two hundred miles from Maryland.... we had a great meeting .... After the meeting, we hastened towards Carolina; yet had several meetings by the way..."

"After this, our way to Carolina grew worse, being much of it plashy, and pretty full of great bogs and swamps; so that we were commonly wet to the knees, and lay abroad a-nights in the woods by fire; saving one of the nights we got to a poor house at Sommertown, and lay by the fire ..... Next day, the twenty-first of the ninth month, having travelled hard through the woods, and over many bogs and swamps, we reached Bonner's Creek; there we lay that night by the firesides, the woman lending us a mat to lie on."

"This was the first house we camt to in Carolina: here we left our horses, over-wearied with travel. From whence we went down the creek in a canoe to Macocomocock River, and came to Hugh Smith's, where people of other professions came to see us (no friends inhabiting that part of the country) and many of them received us gladly. Among others, came Nathaniel Batts, who had been governor of Roan-oak. He went by the name of Captain Batts, and had been a rude, desparate man ...."

"Not far from hence we had a meeting among the people.... Then passing down the River Maratick in a canoe, we went down the bay Connie-oak, to a captain's, who was loving to us, and lent us his boat, for we were much wetted in the canoe, the water flashing in upon us. With this boat we went to the governor's; but the water in some places was so shallow, that the boat, being loaden, could not swim; so that we put off our shoes and stockings, and waded through the water a pretty way. The governor, with his wife, received us lovingly.... We tarried at the governor's that night; and next morning he very courteously walked with us himself about two miles through the woods to a place whither he had sent our boat about to meet us. Taking leave of him, we entered our boat, and went thirty miles to Joseph Scot's, one of the representatives of the country. There we had a sound, precious meeting; the people were tender, and much desired after meetings. Wherefore at an house about four miles further, we had another meeting; to which the governor's secretary came, who was chief secretary of the province, and had been formerly convinced."

"I went from this place among the Indians, and spoke to them by an interpreter..... There was among them their young king and others of their chief men, who seemed to receive kindly what I said to them."

"Having visited the north part part of Carolina, and made a little entrance for truth upon the people there, we began to return again towards Virginia, having several meetings in our way, wherein we had good service for the Lord, the people being generally tender and open.... In our return we had a very percious meeting at Hugh Smith's;..... The ninth of the tenth month we got back to Bonner's Creek, where we had left our horses; having spent about eighteen days in the north of Carolina."

"Our horses having rested, we set forward for Virginia again, traveling through the woods and bogs as far as we could well reach that day, and at night lay by a fire in the woods. Next day we had a tedious journey through bogs and swamps,..... We got that night to Sommertown..... both in Virginia and Carolina they generally kept great dogs to guard their houses, living lonely in the woods..... Here we lay in our clothes by the fire, as we had done many a night before. Next day we had a meeting; for the people, having been informed of us, had a great desire to hear us;.... After the meeting we hasted away....."

Quotations are from "Journal or Historical Account of the Life, Travels, Sufferings, Christian Experiences....of ..... George Fox" published in 1832 in Philadelphia, containing a lengthy preface by William Penn. Fox was a prolific and remarkable writer, and his Journal was first published in England in 1694. From the account of his travels, much may be gleaned of conditions then current. Reference to "Sommertown" indicates that his course on horseback from "Nancemun" (Nansemond) was along one of the trails west of the Great Dismal to the present Somerton; and that a day's travel "over many bogs and swamps" brought him to "Bonner's Creek (Bennett's Creek) where the horses were left, the first house in Carolina. Apparently other families lived in the vicinity of Hugh Smith's since a meeting was convened. That they were not Quakers, however, indicates a hunger of those pioneers of the forests for contact with the outside world; also a dearth of any sort of religious influence in those parts. Captain Nathaniel Batts was a legendary character of early Albemarle of whom little of fact is recorded. Apparently he was an early hunter and trapper who became a leader among the Indians, which may explain the reference of his having been "governor of Roan-oak" He held no such office under the Proprietary government. The "river Maratick" was the Chowan, as it was shown on maps of that period. The governor referred to was Peter Carteret, kinsman of Sir George Carteret, one of th Proprietors, who held office from 1670 until he wearied of the office and returned to England in 1673. The governor's courtesies to the itinerant preacher is my no means surprising in view of his amiable disposition and a natural desire for the company and conversation of a well-known traveler like Fox. We can imagine the pleasure of Governer Carteret in hearing recent news of doings in England, which he had left in 1664. The location of the governor's seat is uncertain, but probably was in Chowan and on the Sound or some principal river as most homes were in a day when there were few roads. It may have been near the present location of Edenton. Nor is it certain where Joseph Scot resided, except that it was thirty miles distant from the governor's. Scot was a member of the elected assembly; and his name appears on the Quaker Remonstrance to the King dated 7-13-1679. He probably lived in Perquimans or Pasquotank, and evidently among enough neighbors to afford a "sound, precious meeting" The governor's secretary who lived in another settlement four miles from Scot is not identified except that he was a Quaker; nor is the location of the Indians whom he preached to identified. It is apparent, however, that the Indians and the settlers were on good terms with each other at the time. That the habitations were primitive and the people friendly to strangers is clear; but the pioneers were not without dependable and even threatening watch dogs to warn them of the approach of outsiders.

It is from such primary sources as the writings of Edmundson, Fox, Lawson, and others which have survived that we can reconstruct conditions in Albemarle as they were prior to 1700.

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I lived for a year in Virginia Beach and made the trip by car several times through the Great Dismal Swamp. Also traveled around the many inlets in the area around Elizabeth City and Nixonton. I have come to appreciate the great hardships that overland travel must have been in those days. The Bundys lived in the area as early as 1660 as did the Overmans, Bogues, Winslows, Nicholsons etc. Reading an account like the above is probably as close as I will get to knowing what life was like for my early ancestors. I do know that Quakers who landed in Virginia were often whipped and taken to the Carolina border and dumped. It is from such "riff-raff" that I proudly descend.

Best Wishes, Bruce Wood

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**2.viii.FREDERICK BUNDY, b. 1802, Pasquotank County, North Carolina; d. 1849, Marion County, Illinois. ix.LUCRETIA BUNDY, b. May 09, 1808. x.PATSEY BUNDY, b. September 17, 1808.

Generation No. 2 **2. FREDERICK8 BUNDY (JONATHAN7 BUNDY, BENJAMIN6 BUNDY, JOHN5, CALEB4, WILLIAM3, WILLIAM2, JOHN1) was born 1802 in Pasquotank County, North Carolina, and died 1849 in Marion County, Illinois. He married MARY "POLLY" WILSON December 05, 1826 in Marion County, Illinois, daughter of John Wilson.

* FREDERICK BUNDY 1802-1849 Frederick Bundy, living in a different period from ours, had no chance to go to school. His education had to be self-obtained. He did not fail to seize the opportunities which came his way, and so became a remarkably well informed man. At the time the family came to Illinois the journey was made in the old time cumberous team wagons. The John Wilson family arrived by means of the same mode of travel.

Centralia Township at the time Frederick settled there in 1826, was as yet in its original wild state. As may be supposed, wild game and beasts of prey of many varieties abounded there, particularly wolves, to which he lay awake listening on many a night inside the rough log-cabin which he had built with his own hands. In time he cleared the land and erected for himself a suitable home, and otherwise much improved the property which embraced four hundred acres. For years, he carried an active farming business and raised considerable amount of stock. Frederick Bundy was politically a staunch Democrat, and in those days he had to go over to Salem at election times to record his vote. In religious life he was a member of the Christian Church. His wife died in February, 1848, and the demise of the inseparable companion of life's journey as a great loss. He died in the fall of 1849, having however, married secondly Elizabeth Walker, and leaving a son by that marriage. He had eight children by his first wife, the eldest William Kell; Alexander, who married Margaret Breeze, and afterwards another member of that family, who is a farmer in Washington County; Nancy Jane, deceased, first married John Harper, and afterwards Reuben Aldersonl; Dorcas married Sidney Harmon both of whom are both dead; Jeanette who never married, also died; John joined the One Hundred and Eleventh Regiment, Company H; at the outbreak of the Civil War and died while in the service of his country; Robert was also in the Civil War, enlisting in the Jefferson County, Illinois, and died of small pox during his term of service; Sallie another daughter, married Thomas J. Hollowell and lives in Washingon with her husband.

COPIED FROM BRINKERHOFF'S HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY, ILLINOIS - 1909 - PAGES 256 AND 257.

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Carol Harbushka sent in the following in response to the earlier D1-D3. Thank you Carol for you contribution. I am posting it to the group as D4. Hope you all managed to get the earlier mixed-up postings of B15 and B16 straightened out.

Best Wishes, Bruce Wood


Miles was a son of Jeremiah Bundy and Elizabeth Low. He apparently was for a time alienated from his family, left Carolina with his uncle (which one?) and helped settle Vernon, Jennings Co, IN about 1815-1819. He married Emilia Poole, the assumed daughter of Joseph Poole and Hannah Hooker, who had also moved to Jennings Co. about the same time from Carolina. I believe these were all Hicksite Quakers. Shortly after they became established, most of this congregation became Methodists, and many of the Bundy family remained Methodists to this day. (I am one of them.) Both of my great grandfathers on my dad's side were Methodist circuit riders in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Miles and Emilia are buried at the Ebenezer Methodist Cemetery in Vernon, IN with large gravestones. In fact, there are many Bundy markers in that churchyard. My parents have pictures, but I have not been there myself. My great grandfather, Rev. George Franklin Bundy, was a grandson of Miles and Emilia through their son George Bundy and wife Julia Patrick. The family stayed in Vernon, IN from the early 1800's until at least the early 1890's when my grandmother was born in MO. Let me know if you need something other than siblings, dates, places. I may have some info from a book written by Alice Bundy about the history of Jennings Co, IN. My mother has that book and I will see what I can find for you. Carol

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The First American Bundys

"According to the Connecticut Historical Society, the first Bundy in America is said to have been one John Bundy or Bunde, who came from England before the year 1635 and settled first at Plymouth, Mass., whence he soon removed to Boston and later to Taunton in the same Colony. From Plymouth Colonial Records comes this entry, "At a court of Assistants held the VIth March 1635, wheras John Bundy stands bond by indenture to serve Griffin Montegue, carpenter, in New England, the full term of eight years from the 14th of March 1635, the said John Bundy acknowledged himself content to serve out the remainder of his term with Eilt Brewster, the Elder of Plymouth, who hath compounded with the said Montegue, his master."

"At a Court of Assistants held the XXIth August, in the XIIIth year of King Charles, etc., "John Bundy was examined and found guilty of lude behavior in vicious carriage towards Elizabeth Haybell, in the house of Mr. and Mrs. William Brewster, and is therefore adjudged to be severly whipped, which was executed upon him accordingly."

"On January 8, 1638 Mr. Brewster hath assigned over to Jonathan Brewster, his son, all his intrest and title into his service of John Bundy for the residue of his term, which is five years from the fourteenth of March next."

"John Bundy, aged 64 or thereabout made his last will and testament on April 5, 1681 (probated October 29, 1681). By this time he owned land and a home. His will records the following children:

By his first wife, Martha Chandler who died 5/1/1674

  1. Martha Bundy, b. 2 Nov 1649
  2. Mary Bundy, b. 5 Oct 1653. m. Edward Smith, b. 1648, d. 1707
  3. James Bundy, b. 29 Dec 1644, d. 1721. m. Mary Briggs.
  4. Patience Bundy, b. 27 Mar. 1665.
  5. Sarah Bundy, b. 4 Mar. 1669

By his second wife, Ruth Gurney

  1. John Bundy, b. 1677.
  2. Joseph Bundy, b. 1679.
  3. Edward Bundy, b. 1681.

"It should be remembered that the punishment of John Bundy for "lude behavior" was typical of the treatment of some indentured servants, minorities, and political prisoners of this era. In spite of the proclamations of the founding fathers regarding freedom, religion, and democracy, their actions towards the poor, debtors, and the religiously unorthodox were a far cry from their affirmations. Unfortunately, the strong ofrten extended their strength over the weak.

"If and when these two early American Bundys, John and William, are officially linked, their descendants will no longer be able to assign so-called "undesirables" to the other line. There are nationally and internationally known members in both lines as well as many oridinary Americans; indeed, we represent a good cross-section of American life."

The above will provide you with the surname for Mary, and a lot of other good information. We hope it provides you with the desire to join us in our pursuit to link us together. You could be a valuable participant in performing this linkage and merger. Looking forward to your reply.

Best Wishes, Bruce Wood

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The following is an article from Time Magazine dated 25 May 1998. It is in the Book Review Section.

Gentle Knife - William Bundy Dissects the Nixon Years, Politely

"Everyone in the state department is trying to knife me in the back except for Bill Bundy," Henry Kissinger grumbled after becoming Nixon's National Security Adivser. "He is still enough of a gentleman to knife me in the chest." So true, even now. In his new book, "A Tangled Web: The Making of Foreign Policy in the Nixon Presidency" (Hill and Wang; 647 pages; $35), the patrician Bundy is still inserting the knife in a gentle, gentlemanly way. His title comes from Sir Walter Scott's lines about the "tangled web we weave When first we practice to deceive." In assessing Nixon and Kissinger, Bundy comes to the unsurprising conclusion that "the taste for acting secretly was obsessive" and that an "unshakable bent to deceive" undermined their accomplishments.

"The prime example is Bundy's march through the Nixon years is Indochina. From the secret bombing of Cambodia in 1969 to the secret assurances made to South Vietnam in 1973 that the U.S. would militarily enforce the Paris peace accords, Nixon and Kissinger showed that "deception goes hand in hand with bad policy," Bundy charges.

"Perhaps. But Bundy, who oversaw Asia policy at State during the Vietnam buildup, fails to wrestle with the sad irony that has dogged his career. It was forthright, honorable, well-bred folks - the best and brightest, such as William Bundy and his brother McGeorge - who unintentionally got us into Vietnam. It was secretive, manipulative folks - such as Nixon and Kissinger - who got us out.

"Bundy's book is a valuable one, a solid chronicle from the vantage of the old foreign policy establishment. But it could have been so much more power- ful and poignant if he'd delved deeper into the murky questions about Vietnam that continue to gnaw at many of us, presumably including Bundy."

-By Walter Isaacson


Note: William Bundy and McGeorge Bundy here are direct descendants of John Bundy, all members of the New England branch of the Bundy family.

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In the late 1500's, there was a community of English "refugees" who had moved to Leyden Holland seeking religious tolerance. It appears the James Chilton and his wife Susannah Furner (?) may have been among that group.

In any case, the Mayflower records include James Chilton, Susannah, his wife, and daughter Mary. Records further state that he had another daughter, already married, that he left behind.

James and Susannah both died shortly after arrival, leaving Mary an orphan. She went on to marry John Winslow.

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This information is quoted from a compendium of stories about the history and life in Mesopotamia,OH which I obtained from the general store in Mesopotamia in Oct.,1998.

" Bundysburg Gets its Name. In 1816 after a long, toilsome journey by ox-team and wagon through snow and flooded rivers, Ephriam and Moses Bundy came from Massachusetts into the beautiful hilly southeast corner of Mespo Township. They were amazed to find here their own brother, Elisha, whom they had not seen in years. He had arrived a short time before with Jacob Gates, grandfather of the G.L. Gates and French families.Moses Bundy and Wareham French built a sawmill in the Bundy settlement in 1820. Horace Horton, grandfather of Winifred Clark, built and operated a factory for cutting out wooden bowls. It may be that many of the old wooden butter bowls we treasure now as antiques were made by the Hortons in Bundysburg."

Jerry Erickson


 

 

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Rodney sent in the following article which I will post to both the Bundy and the Doudna groups. Thanks Rodney. Best wishes, Bruce Wood


"Little Home Histories of Belmont County" page 23

William "Black Bill" Bundy was born in 1819, the eighth child of a family of eleven. His parents were William and Sarah Overman Bundy who came over the mountains from Wayne County, North Carolina in a cart and settled in this section of Belmont County. He was five years old when the "brick house" was built. The children loved to run up and down the inclined runways used by the masons in constructing the (then) unusual house which is located on the Barnesville-Bethesda road a mile west of Speidel and is familiarly known as the "Alden Lee Place"

At the age of nine, his father died and he grew to manhood under the guidance and care of his pioneer mother. She taught him to hate the institution of slavery, and later he took an active part in the discussions of the leading questions of the day. The formost of these were the abolition of slavery and he naturally became a conductor on the underground railroad. It was his duty to take the passengers from the next man south and conduct them as far north as possible and get back by day break. The aged slaves and children rode in the wagon and the rest marched behind. It was because of this experience that he became known as "Black Bill" althougth he was quite dark complected, the name suited him.

When he reached the age of 24, he married Prudence Wood. She died eighteen months later and left him an infant son. About the time of his marriage "Black Bill" built a story and a half house across the road from his fathers famous brick house. It consisted of two ground floor rooms and two rooms upstairs. He had a windless well, outside Dutch oven and an outside cave to accomadate the housewife.

Three years later "Black Bill" married Asenath Doudna, and to them nine children were born. In 1860 a lean to kitchen was built on to the house and in 1868-69 the final addition was made by Samuel Williams. It is still standing today as it was finished in 1869.

In the early days, one toiled for the necessities of life. Soft soap was made by leaching wood ashes. Cloth was made by spinning their own flax, and carpets were made of woven rags. They had a maple sugar camp and also raised cane for molasses. They progressed from the sickle the combine, from the the tramping out of the grain to the threshing machine in their generation.

There was an interesting reason for enlarging the farm house to such proportions in 1868. "Black Bill" was very much interested in the "Drove Road" and its purpose. This road is only a tradition now, but it existed for a very good reason. When the National road was built, it was surfaced with hand crushed stones which were too sharp and rough to drive the herds of sheep, cattle, mules and horses on from the middle west to the east coast and so the "Drove Road" was built. It entered Belmont County at Putney Ridge, winding east thru Barnesville, passing on south of Bethesda and Belmont to the Ohio River at the mouth of Grave Creek where the cattle could ford across. "Black Bill" would give these drovers and their herds accomodations for the night as they passed thru, As many as 5000 head of sheep or 1000 head of cattle would be cared for in a few days. At one time four drovers brought 149 mules and hores thru. The mules were herded into the mule lot and the neighbor boys were hired to watch them while the drovers rested and slept. One night they played "hookey" and it took all the next day to round them up again.

Always interested in public advancement and in the forefront of action, he was elected to represent Belmont County in the Ohio State Legislature in 1875, although he was a Republican in a Democratic County.

His wife Asenath, died 1888, after 42 years of happy family life. His son Clark Bundy and wife Rachel Crew Bundy, were living on the west coast and asked him to come and live with them. Black Bill said "No" it is hard to transplant an old tree. In 1891 he sold his large farm to Allen Bailey and it is still known by that title. He built a new house which is now owned by the Belmont County Childrens Home, but is better known as the Wilford T. Hall farm. He lived there until his death in 1905 at which time he was in his 86th year.

William Bundy opened his farm home to every orphaned or aged relative that he had and sheltered close to 20 at some time in his life. Of his nine children, only Dillwyn C. Bundy of Tacoma, Ohio is living. He is my grandfather and is from him that I gained the facts for this history.

Written by Bernita Bundy, Great Granddaughter of William Bundy

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Thanks to Bruce Wood of this list, many months ago I acquired a photocopy of an old manuscript called "The Little Home Histories In Our Early Homes, Belmont County, Ohio" It has given me such pleasure to read about the day-to-day lives and times of the families that formed the mostly Quaker community of Belmont County, Ohio from the early 1800's to the early 1900's that the manuscript covers, and I wanted to share some of that pleasure with those of you who may also be interested. Although I am related to many folks whose names appear throughout the work, the article I am posting here is mainly about individuals who are not closely related to me. I just thought the stories imparted a strong feeling of realism about our ancestors' lives. The surnames that will appear below, and the order they will appear in, however briefly, are: STEER, GREEN, PICKETT, HALL, WILSON, BETTS, NAYLOR, BAILEY, HOYLE, TABER, SMITH, SEARS, VAIL, FRAME, MILLHOUSE, BUNDY, LIVEZEY, SCHOLFIELD, DOUDNA, WALTON, OVERMAN, HANSON, EDGERTON.

I warn you in advance that this will be lengthy reading. But rather than apologize for excessive use of space, I'll just assume everyone knows how to use their delete button, if necessary, and I'll plunge onward. Hope you enjoy.

Judy L. Alberts
[email protected]
Hollywood, Florida


Anecdotes Written by William G. Steer James Steer's Oxen--Tramping Out Grain--Making A Flail--Sugar Camp--Sorghum Molasses--The 1835 Brick School House--Corn Husking--James Frame & George Washington--The Steer Name--Hazards of Farm Life--The 1910 Girl's Boarding School

JAMES STEER'S OXEN. When my father, James STEER, bought the Grandfather William GREEN's farm, he also bought the stock which included three yoke of oxen and twenty-five head of three-year-old colts. He sold the latter at public sale the same year and kept the oxen for a few years. He employed a colored man by the name of Sam BETTS to drive them.

One of the first jobs was to have the sills for the barn hauled. They were twelve by twelve and sixty feet long, and came from the "Billy" Doudna farm on Sandy Ridge. Another thing of importance was to deliver the stone for the first bank vault built in Barnesville in 1865.

The oxen were so well trained that the driver could turn the team and wagon on Main Street and not leave the side walk. At one time Father hauled three loads of coal, one hundred bushels in each, to Barnesville in one day. The coal digger helped him to load it.

In hauling coal to Number Two Schoolhouse, he only used one yoke. After getting up the long steep hill and crossing the railroad with seventy bushels, he stalled on the track. After going to the rear wheel, with his lifting [up, he] helped the oxen to get across the track. The outcome of this incident caused a report to be circulated that Father had lifted seventy bushels of coal over the crossing.

In his prime, it was said that he was the strongest man in the township. The names of [the] three yoke were Joe and Jerry, Buck and Berry, and Bill and Barney.

TRAMPING OUT GRAIN. There was plenty of floor space in the large barns built before and after 1864, so we often used this space to tramp out grain. The sheaves were unbound and placed in a circle. Then we brought in four or six horses and colts, tying them two and two. With someone to ride the leaders and another person in the center to keep the horses in place, they soon learned how to go. Of course, it was necessary to keep a large shovel nearby to remove the droppings. It was [also] necessary to use a flail to thresh out that which was not tramped.

MAKING A FLAIL. This was made by taking two sticks of wood about the size of a fork handle. One four or five feet and the other two or three feet, making a knob on the end of the longer one and boring a hole in the shorter one, the two were tied together with a flexible rope or rawhide. Thus the loop on the long piece will turn around when swinging the shorter stick. An inexperienced person, if not careful in using the flail, [could sometimes be struck on the head by the short piece and] need not be surprised.

SORGHUM MOLASSES. During the Civil War from 1860 to 1865, no sugar could be had from the southern states. To have a substitute, many farmers in the northern states grew sorghum cane and made molasses. I remember that it had been told that Lewis NAYLOR, a Friend of Sandy Ridge, had made as much as five-thousand gallons in one season. The most cane Father ever raised in any one season was six acres -- a colored man and his girls stripping and cutting and getting it ready to be hauled to the mill located in the basement of the barn.

The cane was crushed by a sweep mill containing three upright rollers two feet in length and one foot in diameter, the juice being conveyed by gravity in an open spout to the boiling shed one-hundred or more feet below. From the storage box, the juice was drawn into the first pan for boiling, made by nailing sheet iron to wooden sides. It was allowed to boil only a little in one end so that the green scum could be taken off. It was necessary to feed this to the hogs before it fermented or it would make them drunk.

The juice was drawn from the first pan into a settling box and then on to the finishing pan, made of solid cast iron ten feet long, three feet wide, with flaring sides one foot high and an opening in one end two by six inches to draw the molasses into the collecting box.

This was done with a board six inches in width to fit the pan, which shoved the molasses to the end, being careful to have a vessel with juice to follow up the board. This to keep the pan from burning. One year when we had a large surplus, it was sold in Wheeling, West Virginia for $1.25 a gallon. A day's work was about seventy gallons of molasses. The management at the shed was generally by the women. Our cousin, Ruth BAILEY, was a very good helper.

On the return trip from Wheeling, we met some men on horseback who had just crossed Wheeling Creek and reported the water so high that it would not be safe to cross. Father thought with his strong team, he would try it. So when we came to the stream, I tied the pony I had rode twenty-five miles bareback,to the wagon. We got safely across, though the water was deep enough to swim the pony and [it even] came into the wagon bed.

This being the time of the Civil War, when Friends refused to pay the tax, the sheriff told Father he was going to take one of his horses the next morning when he started back. (This was the plan taken at that time, to take stock and sell it to get money for the tax.)

Father was very much worried as [to] what to do, as we were taking a flock of sheep to the[ir] new home. He decided to go another way and so did not lose the horse.

THE PRIMARY BRICK SCHOOL HOUSE. This was built in 1835 and was in use sixty-three years. The brick used in building this school was made on the Benjamin HOYLE farm, now the L. J. TABER farm [as of the early 1940s].

The plans were made by William GREEN, whose early life was spent in England. Thus, there was a similarity to the English buildings as there were three rows of seats on each side of the room, each row being up one step from the one below. However, these were removed not long after we first went to school in 1866, and new desks were put in. James STEER and Sinclair SMITH were the donors.

After this change was made, it left the windows so high that we could only see out at one end. There seems to have been a time, before 1866, that no school was kept [at least in this building], Peter SEARS, the grandfather of William H. SEARS, having lived and died in the house. The early teachers we know were Isaac N. VAIL, Thompson FRAME, Lindley B. STEER and Lydia MILLHOUSE, Mary Caleb BUNDY, and Elizabeth Smith LIVEZEY. The building was in good repair when taken down to give place to a more modern one in 1898.

CORN HUSKING. Sixty or seventy years ago, the manner of gathering the corn was very different from that of the present day. Many farmers, instead of putting it in shock, cut the top of the stalk just above the ear and used it for fodder. They snapped the ears off and hauled them to the barn to husk. When the crops were large and they had large barns, [the corn] was placed in long ricks [racks?] across the floor and the neighbors invited in to help husk it at night. After husking, a good supper was served quite late at night.

The huskers rested on their knees as close together as they could work, and there was always a rivalry to see who could first husk through the pile. It was the task for the older men to rake back the husks as they accumulated.

Around 1860, J. T. SCHOLFIELD made a business of hauling the husks to his barn [where] they were shredded to be used in making mattresses, [then] baling and shredding to Wheeling, West Virginia. the motive power for the shredder was a tred power large enough for two horses to walk on. A large wagon bed seven feet high and large enough to hold a ton of husks was drawn by a four-horse team to deliver the husks, this having to be done in the winter when the roads were very muddy.

My first ride on a wagon like this was in 1864, when I was eight years old, and we went from the Henry DOUDNA home on Sandy Ridge to the AARON home, [which was] then the home of Jonathan T. SCHOLFIELD.

In the winter of 1880, I was in partnership with Perley PICKETT and we carried on the same business. It was the practice in those days for the neighbors to take the Boarding School scholars on a sled ride each winter. It fell to my lot to take twenty-four of the scholars in my load. This wagon bed was too high for them to see out and when the door was closed they were practically in prison.

On our return trip, two miles west of Barnesville, Ohio, the scholars crowded too much to one side and the bed, being on bob sleds, upset and rolled the scholars into an adjoining field and pitched me into a fence corner in the snow. There was no one hurt.

Sarah Pickett WALTON is, as far as I know, the only one living of those twenty-four scholars, after a lapse of sixty-one years.

JAMES FRAME & GEORGE WASHINGTON. More than fifty years ago, my wife's father, William PICKETT, related this incident: James FRAME, a great uncle of his, during the Revolutionary War was brought into the presence of George Washington by two soldiers. [Washington] addressed James as follows: "James, what are you doing here?" The reply was, "These two men brought me here because I refused to bear arms."

Whereupon the Commander said to him, "Many a time have we drunk out of the same cup and many a time have we slept together under the same blanket. You are at liberty to return to your home and help produce food for those who are willing to fight." James FRAME told my father-in-law, William PICKETT, that he had assisted George Washington when he was a surveyor.

THE STEER NAME. While my wife, Louisa D. STEER and myself were living in Southern California, from 1866 to 1887, one day as I was driving in Los Angeles, I saw on a sign the name Vacy STEER. On making inquiry I found she was an English woman, who later on gave me the following information:

In the 10th or 11th century, when the Normans first attempted to invade England, they found it difficult to make a landing on the stern and rock- bound coast of Cornwall. After several unsuccessful attempts, a safe landing was made, and the man who guided the boat was given the name of STEER.

She also informed us that in a little town in Cornwall, the family history had been kept for five-hundred years. The first record of the name was found in the period from 1660 to 1665. From that time to the present, we have a complete line of records. If these records are desired, write to Warren E. Pickett, Washington, Pennsylvania and he can furnish a copy. [This offer was made in the early 1940s, so is just a wee bit out of date.]

HAZARDS OF FARM LIFE. When raising a barn on the farm of James STEER in 1865, there were one hundred and twenty-five men working. Through the care- lessness of one man, a beam four by four and eight feet long fell from the top story to the floor, striking a large man who wore a silk hat a glancing lick, and then struck Chalkley BUNDY on the head and seriously injured him.

He was carried into the house and placed on the couch, where he laid until taken to his home. I was but eight years old, but I remember seeing his brother, John BUNDY, standing by him and I noticed how pale he was. [Chalkley] recovered, and later married Debora BUNDY. He died two years after the accident, and it was this injury [that] shortened his life.

In the fifth month, 1879, when moving a barn to what was known as the lower farm, while putting the heavy sections of the roof with pole rafters in place, owing to a defective worm-eaten timber, the entire building-- thirty-six feet long--collapsed, carrying twenty men down with it. The only one of those who was on the platform who was injured was David EDGERTON, who suffered a badly sprained ankle. I was near the eaves and was removing a pin that was in the way, so when the barn spread, I fell through. Though pinned to the ground, I was able to make known my whereabouts. The men soon removed the heavy sections of roof and carried me and laid me on the lawn. When the doctor came, he found my spine was injured and informed me that I would never be able to work again. After lying in bed for six weeks, I gradually recovered until I was able to manage my farm work. Although I suffered with my back for over thirty-five years, I had it straightened by the first chiropractor that came to Barnesville.

THE GIRLS BOARDING SCHOOL BUILT IN 1910. It required a great deal of work to repair the Stanton home to get it in readiness for the school, having to lay a pipeline for several rods to connect with the Childrens Home water system, and to overhaul the system in the house. At the expiration of ten days, everything was in readiness for the school. The twenty-two girls and the teachers lodged in the building.

The exercises at the end of the term were held on the lawn. A large barn door was used for a platform on which the six girls graduating were seated. With all the inconvenient ways of getting along, the teachers thought that the scholars made as good progress as they would have done in the old building. There were two terms held before going to the new building the first of the year in 1911. This was a memorable experience, and enjoyed by all who had a part in conducting the school.


Recaps and additional data:

WILLIAM G. STEER, the author of the article above (from pages 125 to 131 of The Little Home Histories In Our Early Homes, Belmont County, Ohio), was the son of JAMES STEER, JR. and MARY GREEN. His birth on May 13, 1856 was reported in the meeting minutes for Short Creek Monthly Meeting, Jefferson County, Ohio. He married 1st LOUISA D. PICKETT on Apr 18, 1879 and married 2nd Eliza Hall on May 7, 1925.
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JAMES STEER, JR., the father of WILLIAM G. STEER (and the son of James Steer and Ruth Wilson). He was born in 1827 in Colerain, Ohio and died Mar 2, 1917 in Belmont County, Ohio. [I apologize for not knowing my source for the dates of birth and death here. JLA]
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WILLIAM GREEN (the father-in-law of James Steer, Jr.; the wife of James was Mary Green)
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SAM BETTS (a colored man employed by James Steer to drive oxen)
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LEWIS NAYLOR (a cane-grower and Quaker residing at Sandy Ridge)
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RUTH BAILEY (a cousin of William G. Steer who helped in the production of molasses at the James Steer farm)
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BENJAMIN HOYLE (bricks used in the primary schoolhouse built in 1835 were made on the Benjamin Hoyle farm. By the 1940's, that parcel of land was known as the L. J. Taber farm)
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SINCLAIR SMITH (some time after 1866 he, along with James Steer, donated new desks for the school house)
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PETER SEARS, b. Apr 4, 1787 d. Jul 12, 1863 (prior to 1866, he lived and died in a house that was later used as a school)
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WILLIAM H. SEARS (a grandson of the Peter Sears identified above)
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School teachers: ISAAC N. VAIL, THOMPSON FRAME, LINDLEY B. STEER, LYDIA MILLHOUSE, MARY CALEB BUNDY, ELIZABETH SMITH LIVEZEY.
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JONATHAN T. SCHOLFIELD (around 1860, he made a business of shredding corn husks in his barn, then hauling them to Wheeling, West Virginia for sale as mattress stuffing)
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HENRY DOUDNA (in 1864, his home on Sandy Ridge was also the home of Jonathan T. Scholfield)
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PERLEY PICKETT (a partner with William G. Steer in a corn husk shredding business during the winter of 1880)
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SARAH PICKETT WALTON (one of 18 "boarding school scholars" who crowded into William G. Steer's wagon bed for a winter sleigh ride in 1880; apparently the only student of that ride still living when the above article was written in the 1940s)
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WILLIAM PICKETT (father of Louisa D. (Pickett) Steer and father-in-law of the author, William G. Steer)
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JAMES FRAME (a great uncle of William Pickett who claimed to have had personal contact with George Washington prior to and during the Revolutionary War)
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WARREN E. PICKETT, Washington, Pennsylvania (possibly a brother of the author's wife)
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JOHN BUNDY b. Feb 17, 1813, d. Sep 18, 1898 (fifth child of William Bundy and Sarah Overman; was at the James Steer barn-raising when his brother, Chalkley Bundy, was injured)
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CHALKLEY BUNDY b. Feb 24, 1823, d. Dec 1, 1866 (tenth child of William Bundy and Sarah Overman. Chalkley was injured in a accident at a barn- raising on the James Steer farm in 1865. Although he seemed to recover from the accident, it was blamed for his early death the following year)
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DEBORAH H. (HANSON) BUNDY (second wife of Chalkley Bundy; married him Dec 7, 1864)
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DAVID EDGERTON (suffered a badly-sprained ankle in an accident in 1879 while engaged in moving a barn on the James Steer farm. The author, William G. Steer, injured his spine in the same accident and was laid up for six weeks)
~~~~~

Sources:

(1)"Little Home Histories in our Early Homes, Belmont County, Ohio" pages 125-131.

(2) Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, Vol 4.


 

 

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Judy L. Alberts
[email protected]
Hollywood, Florida


Historical Data Concerning Joel and Rebecca [Hodgin] Doudna & Family by Lucinda Bundy Hanson, granddaughter of Joel & Rebecca Doudna

OLD BRICK HOUSE, built in 1811 by William HODGIN [1766-1820]. This old brick house is believed to have been the first brick house built in Warren Township, Belmont County, Ohio. The date 1811 was cut in one of the black walnut joists over the second story at the top of the stairway. [The house] was torn down in 1901. This was located on the road now running past the Grange Hall. This just outside of Barnesville. We would cross the creek, go up the hill, on the level for a little, then up another rise. There was an old double hollow walnut tree where an old blacksnake lived. In the hollow just before the rise the old brick house stood.

Before this was built, my grandmother's parents lived in a log house. [Note the grandmother she speaks of was Rebecca (Hodgin) DOUDNA, and Rebecca's parents were William and Agnes (Childre) HODGIN.] After the oldest child, Ezekiel, was married and the others were older, grandmother's father HODGIN built this brick house. There was a loft over the kitchen. The only way to get to it was by a ladder off the porch. The kitchen was a lean-to. In the kitchen in the corner by the fireplace, there was a cook stove. There was a large fireplace in the living room. Joel and Rebecca [DOUDNA] lived in this house until the board house at the top of the last above-mentioned rise was built. My mother [Sarah (Doudna) BUNDY] was born in this house. Joel and Rebecca [DOUDNA], daughter Sarah and her husband Chalkley BUNDY, set up housekeeping in the old brick house. These are my father and mother.

It has been said that Joel DOUDNA was known as "The Good Joel Doudna." He would loan to his neighbors and friends the things he needed for himself.

MAKING APPLE BUTTER. Rebecca E. Doudna BUNDY [probably Lucinda's aunt], before she was married, lived with us a great deal and helped my mother. She was making apple butter. It was in large kettles over the fire. There was a long stirer which was a very long square stick. At right angles there was a stick that went down into the kettle. This enabled us to stir the butter while we were sitting down. My little sister was standing with her back to the fire, and Rebecca cautioned her to go away or the hot butter might pop onto her. She went away. I then went there, not thinking, and some hot butter splashed out onto my neck. Then Rebecca said she had not spoken to me because she thought I knew better. (I was about ten years.)

My mother [Sarah (Doudna) BUNDY] died here in August 1862.

MILK HOUSE & SPRING. My father, Chalkley BUNDY, built a milk house by and partly over the spring. I can remember when it was dug out square around it. Bill STARKY came to break the stones for the house. This was done by hand with a hammer, as I remember it. After breaking the stone he would smooth it the same way. The house was high enough to walk into. There was three steps from the spring down into the milk house. Two large pieces of stone were hollowed out to make troughs on the inside on two sides. The spring water ran through these troughs. I used two gallon crocks covered with large, clean boards, and would set these filled crocks in the trough to cool the milk. Each day I would skim the previous day's milk and put the cream in the cream crock. After this had soured, I would churn it into butter. The temperature of the cream had a great deal to do with the quality of the butter. At the door of the milk house and around the side of the spring it was built with the stones. When the weather was good, I would churn here. We would very often sit on the long, wide board that ran in front of the spring to amuse ourselves with our reflections in the water. One day sister Rebecca and I were bending over to drink from the spring. She tumbled in head first. The spring must have been three or four feet deep. I pulled her out by the heels and she was all right.

Above the spring on the little hill was a maple tree. We always had a play house under it. In the springtime, Father would tap it by boring a hole in it. Then he would insert a little trough and hang a bucket on it. The sap would drip into the bucket, and we would then boil it down into sugar. From sassafras roots, tea would be made. The maple sugar sweetened it and it was good. Under the maple trees there was a fireplace which we would use for washing. Large kettles hung by chains over the fire.

There were five beech trees around the spring. My father was very fond of the nuts and we children would gather them in the fall and he would reward us by paying us a penny for a given number.

TOBACCO HOUSE, TOBACCO GROWING, & "DOG HOUSE" Father's tobacco was always considered as among the very best in the neighborhood. When the tobacco was ripe, they would bring it to the tobacco house on sleds drawn by horses. They would then unhitch the horses, leaving the filled sled, and hitch [the horses] to an empty sled to take back to the field. The stringers (the persons tying the tobacco) would put the tobacco on a table about three feet long and two feet wide). They had a stick about four feet long, twine, and a long needle. After tying one end of the twine to the stick and threading the needle with the other end, they would thread the needle and twine through the stem of the tobacco. Then it was pushed up as far as possible. When the sticks were full, they were tied to horizontal pieces on top and between posts which were in long rows placed grape arbor fashion. These horizontal pieces were placed just far enough apart to leave the yard sticks to hang free. The first filled sticks would be tied at the top of the house. It was great fun to play hide and seek between the full rows of strung tobacco.

In the middle of the dirt floor a "flue" was built. This ran the full length of the house and was covered over the top. It was made of stone and bricks. At the end they pushed in long logs. This kept burning for two or three days.

Close to the tobacco house was built a little shack of logs. It was equipped with straw and old quilts. The ones attending the fire in the tobacco house would sleep there. This was called the "dog house" At first Father himself would tend it, not trusting the boys. Afterwards the boys would do it. The neighbor boys would come in and they would have watermelon. They told how they would catch chickens, kill, clean, and cook and eat them there.

Gypsum weed grew on the place. The stem sometimes was as big as my wrist. The tobacco blower, a kind of butterfly, laid its eggs on this weed. The worms hatched from these eggs ate the tobacco leaves. Father would give us pennies for catching these large, ugly worms. They could be caught best about sundown.

LOG BARN. This was built on the hill to the north of the house. The part next to the house had the stables, with enough room for ten or twelve horses. On the other side there was a sawed board floor. Feed and hay were kept there. The mow was only of logs close enough together to hold the hay. Here the chickens would make their nest. By my time, the logs were pretty shaky.

NEW BARN. In the fall of the year that Father died [1866], he was gathering timber for a new barn. On December third, he died. The boys got the barn started as early in spring as the weather would permit. When the first floor was laid, all the young folks had a party there. I suppose it was on a Sunday because they would be working through the week. They built it during the summer and it was ready to put hay into it at harvest. The lower part was high enough to drive a carriage under and that is where they kept it. A bridge went across the upper part under which they drove the carriage. Aaron FRAME, chief carpenter, said when it was finished that "it was the biggest barn and the highest in the county"

CHANGES BY THE PURCHASER. The purchaser of this place tore down the old brick house. He used the old bricks to build a new house on the site of the old log barn.

NEW SAWED BOARD HOUSE. This was located on the hill to the south of the old brick house. Grandfather Joel DOUDNA built this house of sawed boards. They piled the boards one on top of each other to make the walls. The partitions were made the same way. Inside it was plastered. There were five rooms. On the outside, the boards were not even, [and] they allowed for a toe-hold. From the porch we could climb up that wall by using these cracks. There were fireplaces in the sitting room and in the room where Grandmother and Grandfather slept.

MORE DEATHS IN THE FAMILY: When Uncle John DOUDNA's wife [Mary (Bundy) Doudna] died, he was left with several small children, including little Walter, who was only a few [months] old. Aunt Eunice [DOUDNA] told John that if he could get along with the older children, she would take the baby to Grandfathers and take care of him there. She was not in very good health. She arrived at Grandfathers house one night about nine o'clock. She had come from Chesterfield on hack, boat, and train to Goshen County. She slept in the room next to next to Grandmothers'.

Grandmother heard her in the night and after inquiry found out that she was up fixing the baby's bottle. The next morning she did not arise when the others did, so they thought she was tired from her travel. After awhile someone went in her room and found her dead [Eunice was only twenty-eight years old].

MEDICATION APPLIED TO A CRUSHED THUMB. During threshing, my right thumb was crushed. My father made splints for it, and put them around the thumb joint. Then he put sugar and camphor on it and wrapped it. This was not changed, as I remember, unless it was to put on a clean outside wrapper. I was about ten years old. The joint was left deformed, but entirely useable.

JUNE FROST. As I remember this, it was in the first part of June. It killed all the corn except a few stalks that were growing under the trees. It must must have been as high as my head. Not enough being left for Father to gather, we children would take our wagons and wheelbarrows and gather the ears of corn which grew to maturity on the stalks under the trees. After the frost, the sun came out and laid it low and turned it black. This must have been in 1860 as the Civil War came the next year. We had some greening apple trees. These apples were very much in demand in Barnesville for apple butter. These apples were killed. We also had a row of "neverfail" apples which we generally did not use or pay any attention to except to let the hogs eat them. The year of the frost the "neverfail" apples were the only ones that were not killed. We took very good care of those apples from this time on.

Written by Lucinda Bundy Hanson Daughter of Chalkley Bundy & Sarah (Doudna) Bundy Granddaughter of Joel Doudna & Rebecca (Hodgin) Doudna Richmond, Virginia Feb. 12, 1942


Recaps and additional data:

LUCINDA BUNDY HANSON, author of the above article (from "The Little Home Histories In Our Early Homes, Belmont County, Ohio" pages 31 thru 34), was born Sept 11, 1850, the fourth child of Chalkley BUNDY and his first wife, Sarah (Doudna) BUNDY. Lucinda's paternal grandparents were William and Sarah (Overman) BUNDY; her maternal grandparents were Joel and Rebecca (Hodgin) DOUDNA. She married Benjamin H. HANSON on Mar 9, 1870 and over the next thirteen years they had six children. At the time she wrote this article she was about 92 years of age.
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WILLIAM HODGIN (1766 - 1820), in 1811 built what was believed to be the first brick house in Warren Township, Belmont County, Ohio. William and his wife, Agnes (Childre) DOUDNA (Abt. 1768 - 1841), were the great-grandparents of the author of the above article, Lucinda (Bundy) HANSON. Married in Richmond County, Georgia Dec 11, 1787, William, Agnes, and their seven children were received at the Concord Monthly Meeting, Belmont County, Ohio in June of 1803. At least three more children were born to the couple in Ohio.

Generations: William and Agnes were the great-grandparents of the author of the above article, Lucinda Bundy HANSON. They were also my 4th great- grandparents, as follows: William HODGIN & Agnes Childre-7, Joel DOUDNA & Rebecca Hodgin-6, William BUNDY, JR. & Asenath Doudna-5, Thomas Clarkson BUNDY & Rachel E. Crew-4, John Malvern WINSLOW & Elva Eugenie Bundy-3, Malvern John WINSLOW & Mary Louise Thompson-2, Judith LynneWinslow (Alberts)-1.
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REBECCA E. DOUDNA BUNDY. This was probably the aunt of the writer, Lucinda (Bundy) HANSON. Lucinda's mother, Sarah, had a younger sister named Rebecca who was just six years older than Lucinda. This aunt, Rebecca DOUDNA (1844-1911), married William E. BUNDY in 1864.
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BILL STARKY (a man who broke the stones used to build Chalkley BUNDY's milk house "by and partly over the spring."
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REBECCA D. BUNDY STANTON (younger sister of the author, Lucinda Bundy HANSON, who fell into the spring and was pulled out by her heels. Rebecca (1853-1926) grew up to marry Daniel E. STANTON.)
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AARON FRAME (chief carpenter for the "new" Chalkley BUNDY barn, which was put into service for the harvest of 1867, about a year after Chalkley's death. When the barn was finished, Aaron said that "it was the biggest barn and highest in the county."
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JOHN DOUDNA (1832-1898) was an uncle of the author, Lucinda Bundy HANSON, being her mother Sarah's younger brother. John's wife, Mary BUNDY (1834-1868), died at the age of 34, leaving him with seven children. The youngest, Walter, was just three months old. Another of John's sisters, EUNICE DOUDNA, cared for baby Walter for two months. But then Eunice died suddenly in her sleep. She was just 28 years old.
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Kinship of CHALKLEY BUNDY: Chalkley BUNDY (1823-1866) was the brother of my 2nd great-grandfather, William BUNDY, Jr. (1819-1905). He was, therefore, my 2nd great-granduncle. JLA 9/15/98

Kinship of SARAH DOUDNA BUNDY: As the wife of Chalkley BUNDY, Sarah (DOUDNA) Bundy (1824-1862) was my 2nd great-grandaunt. She was also my 2nd great- grandaunt by virtue of the fact that she was the sister of my 2nd great- grandmother, Asenath DOUDNA (wife of William BUNDY, Jr.). In other words, the BUNDY brothers married the DOUDNA sisters. JLA 9/15/98
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Sources:

(1) "The Little Home Histories" pages 31-34.
(2) Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, Vol. 4


 

 

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The Saga of Beach Nelson Bundy's Cemetery headstone, by Ramona Bennett 8/97

Beach Nelson Bundy had been born in or near Stratford, Ct. in 1801, the son of Asahel and Anna Bundy. By 1813, the Bundy family were living in Gainsville, Wyoming Co. NY. It was in this area that he married Emily Ann Wiswell, daughter of David and Julia (Read) Wisel/Wiswell in 1826. In the following years, 1830-1840 they lived in western NY, moving to Steuben Co. IN with the many related families that migrated during this time. By 1850 many of the families were in Vernon Co., WI and were buying government land.

One can only guess the sorrow and dismay of the Bundy family when their patriarch succumbed 26 July 1874, aged 73, three days after accidently falling from a load of hay. He was buried in the family plot on the Bundy farm in Sec 5, Twsp 11. West Prairie, Vernon Co. WI. A beautiful white headstone, inscribed with his name, date of birth and age at death was put in place.

I became interested in Beach and this stone, when in 1955, my grandfather Fred C. Turner reported that he had searched for his grandfather Bundy's grave site but was unable to find it. While searching microfilm records in 1978, I found the cemetery described as being on Olgar Calls farm, but was poorly kept and overgrown so that it was very difficult to find ones way through the cemetery. I asket Grace Bolstad of Viroqua, my mothers cousin, if she could locate the stone and take a photograph, which she did. That was our only record of the stone for many years. An inventory of the cemetery was taken by Lavon Crum about 1982 and the stone was on the list. In 1987, on my first trip to WI., Hubert Garlick, myself, and other descendants of Beach Bundy spent considerable time searching for the stone, but to no avail. In 1991, 1992, and 1995, I again searched for the stone for even a pile of broken stones as I had been told that the stone had probably been broken while they cleaned out the overgrown brush. This premise was hard for me to understand because the original stone was large enough that there would be some evidence left. I considered offering a reward to locate the stone but never did this. Each time in Viroqua, I would bring up the subject of the missing stone to the museum curator, and each time would only get a nod of sympathy and no new information was forthcoming.

Then in July of 1997, things began to happen. My cousin Carol from IN who has recently become interested in the Bundy genealogy followed up a tip she received through a Bundy genealogy submitted to Family Tree Maker. When she and I met in Viroqua, WI, she gave me the information that she had, and I was able to pursue the information further as each location mentioned seemed to be right on my way home going west to Washington State. In Iowa, I obtained the following letter that was written some time ago and is unsigned. I would guess that this event begain sometime in 1983. I was also given an address in Montana.

"Erma and I went to Howard Co. Iowa by Lime Springs and looked up the Gardners. She said while we are this close why don't we take another couple of days and go over to WI and look up the Bundys. So we did, went to Readstown and looked at the cemetery. One lady told us to go west a few miles to an old cemetery, she thought that was where he was buried. We did and we met an old man who was fixing fence. He told us where it used to be but it is a cow pasture now the bushes and broken stones. We looked for an hour and dug up parts of stones. Finally found a baby Bundy stone. Erma said it has to be here, a hole in the grounw and the corner of a stone sticking out. I dug it up and it was Beach Nelson. She wanted to bring it home since it was no longer a cemetery and we decided to. I said help me get it on my shoulder, it fell off and about broke my foot. She got a blanket from the car and we pulled it to the car (1/4 mile) and we took it to our "80 in the Hole Farm". She was afraid that her mom would be mad so we hid it in the barn, moved to Texas and we hid it in her basement. Friends came down to see us and they brought the rest of our stuff, here came Beach. I put him up in the back yard and then we sold the house and moved to an apartment so I put it in the storage shed. Moved to Missouri and took it with us. She got the divorce (after 50 yrs per RB) and said to take it to Barny (in Montana), and I did and it sets on the street in his front yard. His stone probably went farther than he ever did. People stop to look at it."

Well, the Bundy stone traveled a bit further. Barny's teenage children had moved the stone into the garage. In July of 1997, I met Barny in Montana, who was recovering from an almost fatal ATV accident two weeks prior to my arrival. He told me that the stone had arrived shortly after his wife had died three years ago in an auto accident caused by a drunken driver. He had five children to raise by himself. He was very congenial and seemed pleased that the stone would be returned to its proper place. I gave him a photo of the Bundy cemetery as it is today, fenced off from livestock and kept mowed. He thought his mother would like to know of the improvements. The neighbor helped place the stone in my motor home and it came with me to Washington. It is now waiting for a ride back to WI where hopefully Beach Bundy's descendants can gather for a stone setting ceremony. Ramona Bennett

Now if all goes as planned, the stone setting ceremony will be held July 17, 1999 at the Bundy cemetery in West Prairie, Vernon Co., WI. This is almost 125 years since his death. There are descendants in the following families: Anderson, Belvail, Bishoff,Bolstad, Brown, Buckles,Bundy, Cook, Cooley, Crowther,Delano, Drake, Ellingson, Erickson, Farr, Fleming, Garlick, Getter, Gorrell, Hale, Harkins, Harris, Harton, Hebard, Hunke, Hutchinson, Johnson, Kyser, Lathrope, Melton, Osgood, Pederson,Poulson, Remington, Robson, Rogers, Sagler, Smith, Sutherland, Turner, Urie, VanWormer, Warren, West, Zillig and many others.