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The birth dates for Christian and his children as posted in priorfamily histories, could not
possibly be correct due to transactionsbetween father and sons who would be 2, 7, and 13 years
old. Also,the list of children and their mates does not agree with a landtransfer which lists
Christian's heirs. The Official Roster ofRevolutionary Soldiers lists only the first 5 children
as comprisinghis family. Residences and events in Christian's life: Lancaster Co, PA 4/30/1760 Northumberland Co, PA. A Philip Erps of Heidelberg,Lancaster Co, PA, yeoman, applied for 300 acres of land on the eastside of Buffalo Creek on the West Branch of the Susquehanna, includingan improvement.....for 16 pounds paid by Christian "VanGonty." 1773 Northumberland Co, PA. He was recommended for, and received, alicense for the tavern in Strohecker's Landing (just south of thepresent Lewisburg) on the Susquehanna River on land owned by LudwigDerr. Later, Chrisitan was involved in a 7 year court battle withDerr over this land, the result being Christian, his sons, andson-in-law, George May, had to pay a fine of 40 pounds. Christianalso operated a grist mill and saw mill on the River. Christian and several of his brothers and sons were involved in Courtof Pleas suits in this county at one time or another. 1/8/1774 Buffalo Twp, Northumberland Co, PA. Christian bought 60acres from Christian Evay for 50 pounds, 30 of which was paid as adown payment, the rest at 10 pound/year. 11/1/1778 Apparently in preparation for setting up housekeeping,sons, Jacob and Christian, Jr, bought the following items from theirfather for 60 pounds: "One wagon with the horses & horse tackels & other appurtenancesthereto belonging & also two cows four Haffers & two calfs and eightSheep, six hogs Plow Harrow one iron Kittle two Stoves two beds &bedSteeds & other household goods one Pair of Mill Stones Bolten Clothmill irons of both saw Mill and Griss Mill" He also deeded land to both of them on this same date. 4/15/1779 He bought 300 acres from Philip Erbs/Erps, for anunspecified amount. 1779 Christian, the most famous member of the family in the county,served in the Rev War as a Sergeant under Col. John Kelley in thePennsylvania Milita of Northumberland Co, PA. In May 1779 his groupattempted to rescue John Sample and his wife from Indians but weredriven off. The account was recorded in Linn's Annals of BuffaloValley 1755-1855: "By 1779 many people had left the (Buffalo) valley and the Indianswere murdering at every opportunity. Col. Kelly and his Militia wereout to try and check a marauding party of 15 to 17 Indians, who killedseveral settlers. Christian Van Gundy, Sr. went with a party of 6 mento rescue an old couple, who lived near Ramsay's schoolhouse in WhiteDeer. After they got there Vangundy had slabs put up against the doorand water carried upon the loft. After dark an Indian came around, barking like a dog, but they paid noattention and slept until 3:00 a.m. when Vangundy got up and started afire. The Indians then surrounded the house and tried to beat in thedoor with a log. Those inside fired and saw two wounded Indianscarried off by their fellows. Another one came behind the house andset it on fire. Vangundy mounted the loft, knocked off some of theroof and put out the fire; but while doing this was struck on the legby a spent ball, which marked him for some time. At daylight, they took a vote and four of the six voted they shouldtry to leave the place. Opening the door they found a dead IndianChief. Vangundy took the chief's rifle and Van Dyke his powder horn.Suddenly, the other Indians came with loud yells to attack and the whites separated. Vangundy elected to drop into a ravine with his twoguns and tried to get the old people to go with him; but they refusedand followed the younger men. Vangundy said he soon heard shots,which no doubt killed the old couple, who were found dead and scalpedlater. He never expected to get out alive, but determined that with his two guns he could at least account for two of the savages. Hemade a circuit of seven miles and came out at Derr's Mill. By thetime Col. Kelly had reached the area with the second detachment of hisMilitia they at once set out to persue this band of Indians andarrange a plan of alarm and defense for the few settlers, who remainedin the valley." 4/1/1789 Christian and Ann sold the Erps land of 300 acres to sons,Christian, Jr, and Jacob for 50 pounds. They were probably the sametwo men who had bought the various items in 1778. 1790 Buffalo Twp, Northumberland Co, PA. Christian's family wascounted in the census along with the families of Christian, Jr, John,and Joseph. There were 2 males over 16, 1 under 16, and 2 females inhis household. 4/4/1793 Northumberland Co, PA. 40 acres were warranted to him. 1800 E Buffalo Twp, Northumberland Co, PA. Christian and a Mrs.Gundy were the only Gundys in the county and were neighbors. 1802 Ross Co, OH. Christian was listed as arriving this year in the5th roster of Pioneers of First Families of Ohio. All of hischildren, with the exception of Christian, Jr, accompanied him. He built a grist mill on the Kinnikinnick Creek on the northwestcorner of section 21, 7 miles from Chilicothe, with the help of localswho had grown weary of traveling 70 miles to a mill. There is a storythat he went to Wheeling, WV, and by killing and selling deer he madethe money with which to buy nails, glass, and iron for the mill, whichhe transported back to OH on pack horses. He first obtained a leaseof the 600 acres of land on which the mill was situated, and laterreceived the deed for at least 400 acres of it where he lived untilhis death. 9/24/1803 Chillicothe, Ross Co, OH. Apparently the mill was used formore than grinding grain as an article in the local newspaper reportedthe court of inquiry met there to examine charges against 2 officersfor their conduct during an Indian alarm. 10/29/1804 Ross Co, OH. He entered S21 T9 R21, claiming 599 acres. 10/30/1806 The newspaper again carried an item which stated"Christian VanGundy, at Kinickinic, wants to erect a mill dam at hishouse," probably to provide a constant source of power. The mill was later sold to son-in-law, John Wolf, about 1815, possiblyas part of Christian's estate settlement. 1809 Fairfield Co, OH. Said to be the county's first settler, heerected a small log cabin with a blanket for a door, in the south partof Liberty on Walnut Creek. (This entry may belong to anotherChristian since this was the only item in this county for this name.) 10/18/1809 Chillicothe. Christian received a patent for land whichwas a portion of Worthington's Survey. 9/6/1810 Ross Co, OH. Christian and his wife sold 2 parcels of land,one containing 113 acres, the other 10 acres, for $369 to son-in-law,George May. The same date, they sold another 120 acres to thechildren of Isaac Gunner (Conner), also for $369. This was land patented to Christian on 10/18/1809. The deed was witnessed bybrothers, David VanGundy and Jacob VanGundy, signed in Dutch. Apparently on this same date, he also deeded land to son, Jacob,reserving the right to use the mill race during his lifetime, thatprivilege being revoked when the heirs sold the property in 1823. 1816/17/18 Green Twp, Ross Co, OH. Although Christian had died, hisproperty was not sold for several years so his name continued toappear on property tax rolls. Also taxed in the same township wereDavid, Jacob, Peter, and Samuel. 5/8/1823 Ross Co, OH. Christian's heirs, that is, all the childrenexcept Christian, Jr, and their spouses, sold his land to Jeremiah andJohn Crouse, Jr, for $4000. The deed was recorded on 10/7/1823. The land was described as: "being part of section number twenty onein Township number nine and range number Twenty one (Worthingtonssurvey) Beginning at the South west corner of the above describedsection Thence East seventy nine poles to a Post corner of JacobVangundy's land from which a white oak twenty nine inches in diameter bares North eighteen degrees West Twenty five links distance ThenceNorth two hundred and forty five Poles to a white oak in The laneThence North eighteen degrees east Twenty one and a half Poles to ablack oak Stump from which two white haughs Three inches diameterbares North Twenty eight degrees west Twenty Two link distance Thence North Thirty degrees West Thirteen poles to a Stump in the Race bankfrom which a Sycamore six inches in diameter bares North sixty sevendegrees West for Three links distance Thence north forty Poles to aStake in a Prarie thence West seventy seven Poles to the North westcorner of said Section Thence South with the setion line to thebeginning containing one hundred and forty five acres more of lesslikewise all The privilege that was reserved for the use of a millrace by Christian Vangundy in his lifetime in a deed granted To hisson Jacob Vangundy baring date The sixth day of September one Thousandeight hundred and ten and on record in the Recorders Office of RossCounty." It was signed by all the heirs, the women signed with an "x," whilewitnessed by John Entrekin as Justice of the Peace and DanielVangundy. |
| His estate case file is dated 1813 . |