Military Monday: Pvt. James Alexander Grunden

Pvt. James A. Grunden 1841-1906

James A. Grunden was the son of Joseph and Martha (Dungan) Grunden. He was the brother of my maternal great, great grandmother, Mary Louisa (Grunden) Newby. This photo was in our collection as an "unknown" for many, many years, until I accidentally met my cousin Frances, James's great granddaughter. To my amazement, Frances had a duplicate of this same photo! This discovery was one of the most startling cases of serendipity in my early days of genealogy.

James was a private in Co. B. of the19th Indiana Infantry and a part of the famous "Iron Brigade". His outfit went through the worst: Gettysburg, Antietam, and many other big battles.The Iron Brigade suffered the highest number of battle deaths during the war. 115 men made up Co. B. when they left Richmond, Indiana in 1861 and only 10 of those men returned in 1865. James was one who returned.

James can probably attribute his survival to an accident that happened early in his service. One night while standing guard, his musket accidentally discharged, blowing off the forefinger of his right hand. This wound would prevent him from ever using a musket, so when he returned he was assigned to driving an ambulance. James drove the ambulance for nearly four years.

Some of James's story is told in On Many A Bloody Field: Four Years In The Iron Brigade by Alan D. Gaff. There is another photo of him in uniform on page 364 that was donated to the author by my cousin Frances. Frances had a large oil painting done from that photo which is now proudly displayed in her home.

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Tombstone Tuesday: Serendipity in Centerville

Joseph Grunden 1812 - 1855

I'll admit it, finding the tombstone of Joseph Grunden certainly falls under the definition of "serendipity". A definition of serendipity is when someone finds something that they weren't expecting to find....something they discover, by accidents and sagacity, that they were NOT in quest of. In the simplest of words, it means a "happy accident". 

But how many of these instances of serendipity can happen within a 20 day period before you get suspicious? I lost count of how many happy accidents I had on our trip through Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana earlier this year. Most probably had to do with tombstones but there were others, and then there was that one "accident" that didn't even have anything to do with genealogy. But I digress, so back to the tombstone of my maternal 3rd great grandfather, Joseph Grunden.

I already had a photo of Joseph's tombstone given to me by my very dear cousin Dorothy Hildreth (now deceased) about a dozen years ago. There is another photo of it on Joseph's FindAGrave memorial. I'd seen the photos at least a hundred times. I didn't need a photo and I just wasn't prepared to go looking for the tombstone. I didn't  have a clue as to the whereabouts of the cemetery anyway and I gave it no real thought. Somewhere in Centerville.

My husband Mike and I were through Centerville, Indiana along Route 40 three different times. On the first visit on Sunday, June 5th, we took our time and drove around looking at the wonderful historic homes and enjoying the rich history which is prevalent in all the small towns along the Old National Road. We spied a huge antique mall and thought we would come back to it, browse around and maybe eat our sandwiches in the parking lot before we moved on towards Richmond. I wasn't in Centerville to do genealogy. My ancestors had been there for only a short time on their move from Ohio. Joseph died there and afterwards his wife, Martha (Dungan) Grunden moved her family further west to Knightstown in the next county.

As we passed by the antique mall we saw straight in front of us a large cemetery. Out of curiosity we drove up to it. Did I mention it was large? I puzzled...was this the cemetery where Joseph's stone was? What WAS the name of that cemetery he was buried in? I said to Mike: "I'm not walking that whole cemetery looking for one stone that I already have a photo of." So, we slowly drove by and came to the next cross road. The large cemetery was on my right and as I looked to my left I saw another smaller cemetery a block away. I had a good view of it and even from that distance I immediately spotted the tombstone of Joseph Grunden. I knew it was his stone. It had a distinct shape because a large corner was broken off. I couldn't believe it! As we drove closer we saw the cemetery sign, "Centerville Cemetery". Aha, my memory of the cemetery name came back. This was it alright! I hopped out of the car with my camera in hand and walked straight up to that tombstone, Joseph Grunden's tombstone, broken and perfect.  I took my very own photo, paid my respects, took a few more photos of the whole cemetery, and we went back to that antique mall.

Tombstone of Joseph Grunden, Centerville Cemetery
Centerville, Wayne Co., Indiana

It was suspiciously odd in my opinion, that that stone stood out to me, among all the others, from that distance....like it had a halo around it or something. It stood there and beckoned to me like a lighthouse. "Come here, little girl."

Just a happy accident.  

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Amanuensis Monday: The Will of James Mitchel 1797

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

James Mitchel of Letterkenny Township in Franklin Co., Pennsylvania was my maternal sixth great grandfather. He was married to Martha Sharp, daughter of William and Mary Sharp. He had at least two sons in the Revolutionary War; James Jr. and John. It is from his daughter Margaret, who married James Anderson, that I descend. I estimate his birth to be between 1730 and 1735, based on the birth of some of his children.

Will of James Mitchel

"MITCHEL, James, Letterkenny Tp. Dated Apr. 29, 1796.  Proved Mar. 30, 1797.  Son James 325 lbs.; Son John 325 lbs. to be paid out of the last payments now to become due from Abraham and Peter Keefers for the land which I sold to said Abraham Keefer.  To my daus., viz:  Elizabeth now the wife of Robert McConnel, Margaret now the wife James Anderson and Sarah now the wife of John Cochran, each the sum of 50 lbs.  Son Jesse 50 lbs.; grandson James, son of the aforesaid Jesse, 50 lbs.; son Nathaniel, 50 lbs.; grandson James, son of aforesaid Nathaniel, 50 lbs.; son Joseph 50 lbs.; grandson James Patterson, son of my son Joseph, 50 lbs.; daughter-in-law-Margaret,  wife of my son Joseph; grand dau. Elizabeth, dau. of my son Jesse.  Exrs.:  Jesse, Nathaniel and Joseph.  Wit.:  John McConnel, Robert McConnel, James McConnel."

Source: Frances Strong Helman "Your Family Tree" August 1957, Vol. VII, #4, pg. 94.

Descendancy

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Surname Saturday: GRUNDEN [Part 1]

Samuel Grunden was born 6 Mar 1777 in Pennsylvania and died 20 Jan 1852 in Mercer Co., Ohio.

We know very little about Samuel's parents but the story from Walter, a great grandson of Samuel, that he told in 1947 was that his (Walter's) father, John Snyder Grunden, said they always told him the family lived in Pennsylvania and their cabin burned and the father and mother ran away and left three children and the neighbors raised the children. Walter's brother Samuel later told a similar story: 

"So far as I remember I was told of a Grunden's cabin burning years and years ago, and there were three children which the parents put in another cabin and they (the parents) disappeared and the neighbors raised the children and they never did hear from the parents. Don't know if they were killed by Indians or not. One of these children was Grandfather's father. One of the children was a girl. Her name was Hannah and I think she married a Long. This must have happened in Pennsylvania".  

[The above snippets of the Grunden family story were passed on to me by my mother's 4th cousin and one of my dearest family genealogy cohorts, Dorothy Hildreth of Laramie, Wyoming (now deceased).]

We know that Samuel's father was Thomas but do not know anything about Thomas's wife. On page 470 of the "History of Van Wert & Mercer counties, Ohio" by R. Sutton & Co., 1882, it says that Thomas was in the Revolutionary War but no record has been found. An excerpt from the book "William Adams, 1594-1661, of Ipswich, Massachusetts, and some of his descendants: A history of the ancestral Adams lineage of Madeline (Adams) Whitehead ... Wilson, Mapes, Cochran, Whitehead, and Eaton" by Kenneth L. Bosworth 1996 states that this Grunden family had emigrated from the Alsace-Lorraine region of France. Other than this book, I do not yet have documentation on that. We also know from research that the little girl in the story, Hannah, did indeed marry a Long (Armel Long), so that part of the story certainly pans out.

In Huntingdon Co., Pennsylvania, Samuel married Margaret Anderson, of Scot-Irish ancestry. Samuel was in the War of 1812. Sources listed as: Bible of Samuel Grunden; Grave Registrations War of 1812."

Samuel and Margaret had 9 known children: Mary, James David, Rebecca, Samuel A., Margaret, Thomas, Joseph (my ancestor), Hannah, and Anderson.

Joseph Grunden married Martha Dungan, daughter of John and Sarah Dungan of Butler Co., Ohio and Joseph and Martha's daughter Mary Louisa was my great, great grandmother and this is where my Grunden line daughter's out. Louisa married my great, great grandfather, John A. Newby.

Click here to see Part 2


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Amanuensis Monday: The Will of James Anderson 1810 Huntingdon Co., Pennsylvania

JAMES ANDERSON d. March 1810

About Amanuensis Monday: John Newmark, who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog started a Monday Blog Theme called "Amanuensis Monday". John defines "amanuensis" as "a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

James Anderson's dates of birth and marriage are as yet unknown. His wife was Margaret Mitchel. James and Margaret's daughter Margaret Anderson married Samuel Grunden on April 27, 1802 in Huntingdon Co., Pennsylvania. Their son Joseph married Martha Dungan January 3, 1835 in Butler Co., Ohio. Their daughter Mary Louisa was the subject of my blog: Surname Saturday: GRUNDEN.

The Will of James Anderson:

[Will is in the Register's Office of the County of Huntingdon Book No 2, Page 59.]

"In the Name of God, Amen I James Anderson of West township Huntingdon County and State of Pennsylvania being Weak in body but of sound Mind Memory and Understanding blessed be God for the same but considering the uncertainity of this transitory life Do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in Manner and form following to wit -     Principally and first of all I command my Immortal Soul into the hands of God who gave it and my body to the Earth to be buried in a Decent and Christian like Manner at the Discretion of my Executors herein after named and as to such Worldly estate Wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give and dispose of the same in the following Manner to Wit.

     In the first place I give and bequeath to Margaret my Well beloved Wife my large Bible and three other books of Divinity such as she may chuse off my books and One bed bedsted and beding suteable for said bed and one cot and the third of the Dresser furniture and My Silver Shoe buckels her Saddle and all her body clothes.  And also to be supported off my Real Estate in a suteable Manner till the same is sold--

     In the Second place I give and Bequeath to Rebecca my Daughter four Dollars Current Money of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

     In the third place I give and Bequeth to Elizabeth my Daughter four Dollars Current Money of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 

     In the fourth place I give and Bequeth to Silas my Son four Dollars Currant Money of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

     In the fifth place I give and Bequeath to Ann my Daughter four Dollars Current Money of yhe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

     In the sixth place I give and Bequeth to Margaret my Daughter four Dollars Current money of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

     In the Seventh place I give and Bequeath to James my Son my Silver Kneebuckels one pare of Silver Sleeve buttons anf four dollars Current money of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

     In the Eight-place I give and Bequeath to Mary my Daughter four Dollars Current Money of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

     In the Ninth place I give and Bequeath to Thomas my Son one pare of Silver buttons and four Dollars current money of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

     In the tenth place I give and Bequeath to Joseph my son one pare of Silver Sleeve buttons and four dollars Current Money of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

     In the Eleventh place I allow my Executors herein after named to Sell my Real and personal Estate within two Years after my Decease or at any time they may think proper to the best advantage and when said Estate is sold and all my Lawful Debts is paid the remainder I allow to be Equally Divided betwist my wife James Thomas and Joseph my Sons

     In the twelfth place I do allow that the aforesaid Bequethments shall be paid within four years after my Real and personale Estate is Sold

     In the thirteenth place I give to Joseph my Son my New Great Coat and the rest of my Body Clothes to be Equally Devided betwixt James Thomas and Joseph my Sons

     In the fourteenth and last place I nominate constitute and appoint James My Son and William Johnston to be the Executors of this my Will hereby Revoking all other Wills, legacies and bequeath bt me heretofore made and declairing this and no other to be My last Will and Testament.

     In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the Second Day of February in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and ten. "

                                                                    James Anderson  (Seal)

     Signed, Sealed published pronounced and declared by the said Testator as his last Will and Testament in the presence of Us who in his presence and at his Request have subscribed as Witnesses 
William Johnston, Thomas Johnston, William Johnston, Jr.       

Tradition is that the Anderson family was of Scots-Irish ancestry. James' father Thomas Anderson who married Ann Allison is said to have been born 1727 in or near the town of McGuire Bridge, County Fermanagh, Ireland; died about 1799. [Family Archive Viewer, CD19 Egles Notes & Queries of PA, 1700-1800, Annual Volume 1899, Notes and Queries - XXXIV, The Learning Company, Inc, Nov 10, 2002.   Burial Records From the Old Presbyterian Churchyard, Bedford, Pa.]

Maguiresbridge is a small village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 774 people. It lies within the Fermanagh District Council area. The town is named after the bridge over the Colebrooke river, first built by the local Maguire family. 

                                                                                           

The Scottish Anderson Tartan
This is the tartan I wear regularly to Celtic events & Highland Athletic Games
It is said to be the only tartan with seven colors; all others have six.

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Surname Saturday: GRUNDEN [Part 2]

MARY LOUISA GRUNDEN NEWBY

My maternal great, great grandmother

Daughter of Joseph and Martha Dungan Grunden, granddaughter of Samuel and Margaret Anderson Grunden

Years ago when I would google "Grunden", 95% or more of the hits would turn up sites written in German. There might only be a dozen to two dozen hits in all. Now, the Internet world has leaped huge, gigantic leaps and there is no end to the hits on this surname. On Facebook alone there are over 300 Grundens listed. And if you put in the alternative spelling of Grundon, you get well over 100 more listings.

Mary Louisa Grunden married John Alby Newby on July 18, 1863 in Henry Co., Indiana. They had five children: Gertrude M., Charles Lee, Frank, Bertha M. and Edward. Louisa died February 3, 1893, just five months before her first grandchild was born, my grandmother Mary Fern, daughter of Charles Lee and Ida May Trowbridge Newby. Seven years after her death, John married the widow, Julia Ann Langdon Morris and Julia was the only grandmother my grandmother or her siblings ever knew. When I received John Newby's obituary and lengthy memorial from the Knightstown Banner I learned that Mary Louisa had been an invalid for 12 years before she died. I have not found an obituary for her but there was a death announcement from the New Castle Courier, February 10, 1893, page 8 column 3: "Mrs. John Newby died at her home here on Friday from dropsy. The funeral services occurred at the M.E. church on Sunday."

John and Louisa are both buried in the Glencove Cemetery in Knightstown, Henry Co., Indiana. No stone has been found for either one of them.

Glencove Cemetery - screen capture using Google Earth and Jing

Click here to see Part 1

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