Monday, March 18, 2019

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks–Week #10–This week’s theme is Large Family–Let’s look back at John & Mary Lunsford’s 16 children


I thought I would update one of my blogs from 2014, about my Lunsford family.  I enjoy researching this particular line for the very reason, that they had so many children.  Here’s a link to the original post, if you’d like to take a look Sibling Saturday – 16 Lunsford siblings

“These are the children of my 4th Great Grandparents John Lunsford and Mary “Polly” Hudson.  I descend from their daughter, Nancy.


I still don’t know everything about all the children.  Other than my 3rd great grandmother, Nancy, I probably know the most about her brother, Richard.  He was an interesting character and he also had 16 children.  I also have quite a bit of information about Elijah and Andrew."

What have I learned about this family in the ensuing almost 5 years since the original post?

1. Andrew Lunsford born about 1815 who, in 1835,  married Jane Gillilan – they had 8 known children.

2. William Lunsford (1816-1887) who married Nancy Massie in 1836 – they had 12 known children.  He is buried at Dayton National Cemetery and you can see his memorial here #67338739

3. Melvina Lunsford (about 1817-after 1850) who married Adam Christian in 1837 – I’ve actually learned nothing more about her.  This is due to not having done any more research on her.

4. Margaret Lunsford who married Henry Sowards – I have 6 children born to them. DNA has connected me with MANY Sowards cousins.  I have much more research to do on this line.

5. Nancy Delilah Lunsford – my 3rd great grandmother who married William Allen Boggs in 1939.  Together they had 5 known children.  Their daughter Susan Caroline Boggs is my direct line and I know a lot about her.  As to her 4 siblings, they have been very difficult to research.   I won’t give up though.

6. Richard Lunsford who married twice and fathered at least 16 children.  Kind of following in his father’s footsteps.  First he married Nancy Peyton (they had 9 children together). Then he married Martha Ann Morrison with whom he fathered another 7 children.  This is an interesting family and I need to spend more time with them.

7.  Susannah “Susan” Lunsford who married Dr. Benjamin F. Cory.  They had 2 children.  I still haven’t located Dr. Cory’s burial place.  I know that Susan is buried at Banana Lake Cemetery in Florida.  You can visit her memorial here #129782350.  But where was Dr. Cory layed to rest?  There are several Benjamin Cory’s and even another one who was a doctor.

8. Reuben Lunsford born about 1825 and married a woman named Betsy – that’s all I have on this couple.

9. Levine Lunsford born about 1827.  He may have been a twin to his sister Elizabeth, but more work needs to be done on this couple.

10. Elizabeth Lunsford who married James Goff in about 1848-1849.  They had 7 children and Elizabeth died in 1875 at age 47, leaving behind at least 4 underage children.  James remarried within 7 months.

11. Martha Lunsford born 24 Jul 1829 in Mason Township, Warren, Ohio.  Martha may have married a cousin or distant relative named Silas Lunsford.  I know she had a son named Reuben (a recurring name in the Lunsford family).  On Reuben’s death certificate his father is named as Silas Lunsford.  However, I cannot locate any record of a marriage (did they perhaps not marry?) nor can I locate Martha living with Silas in any census records.
 
12. Amanda “Mandy” Lunsford who married Jacob Pinkerman 8 Nov 1855 in Lawrence Co., Ohio.  I have 5 children born to this couple.  I also have them in several census records and have located her death certificate and their burial location.  You may visit their memorials here Jacob #78396285 and Amanda #92404372.

13. Andrew Jackson Lunsford who married Martha E. Vermillion 24 Jan 1856 in Lawrence Co., Ohio.  This couple had 9 children and I’ve been able to locate quite a bit of information about them.  Andrew outlived Martha by 32 years, but I don’t find any record of him remarrying.  They are both buried at Mt. Zion Cemetery in Pike Co., Ohio.

14. Sally Sarah Lunsford who married Logan Vermillion 13 Mar 1856 in Lawrence Co., Ohio.  She and her brother Andrew married the Vermillion siblings.  In looking at my research notes, I have not done any further research on this couple since 2009.  Ten years!

15. Elijah Lunsford who married Marguerite Morris on 14 Mar 1861 in Lawrence Co., Ohio.  I have 10 children born to this couple.  Elijah died of consumption in 1886 at age 48 and Marguerite lived 41years without him.  She was 84 when she passed away in 1927.  They are buried together at Perkins Ridge Cemetery, Scottown, Lawrence, Ohio.  To visit their memorials click here Elijah #84248074 and Marguerite #84248174.

16. Private Thomas J. Lunsford, the youngest of this large family.  I have no record of Thomas ever marrying. He is enumerated with his mother and a couple of siblings in the 1860 census.  There are 2 Thomas Lunsford’s both died in 1865 and are listed in the database Headstones Provided for Deceased Union Civil War Veterans, 1861-1904, located on Ancestry.  In reading through the soldier records on Fold3, I believe my Thomas Lunsford died in 1865 from wounds received in a battle at Harper’s Ferry.  The records even list the name of the man who fatally wounded Thomas.  Since Thomas left no known heirs and his mother lived until 1871, I looked for a Civil War Pension Index card, indicating she had filed for a pension in Thomas’ name.  I have not found one.

That’s the end of the list of children born to my 4th great grandparents.  Whew!  Quite a brood.  There was consistently 2 years or less between each of these births.  Were there any other children born who didn’t live?  I don’t know.  But, I’d say, if you have 16 children and most or all of them lived into adulthood back in the early 1800’s, you were very blessed.  They must have been a hardy bunch.

Obviously I have more research to do on this family.  If I can ever get myself to focus on one family for a few days at a time, I might actually find out the rest of the story on these children.
 
If you are related to anyone mentioned here or the children of those mentioned here, let’s talk.  We must be cousins and maybe we can work together and solve some of the remaining mysteries.

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl
Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

2 comments:

  1. Wow Diane, they certainly added a lot of branches to the original family tree and you learned so much more about the children.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are one of a few families I have that were prolific. I have no idea how those women took care of so many. I know the older siblings helped, but still. Lots more to learn about the children and their descendants.

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I look forward to reading your comments. If you have any connection to the people mentioned in this blog, please let me know. I write about mine and my husband's ancestors and would welcome new information or meeting a new cousin or two. Thanks for visiting and come back soon.