Re: Bunch connected to Howeth or Lauderdale in early 1800s?
-
In reply to:
Re: Bunch connected to Howeth or Lauderdale in early 1800s?
Melanie Reeve 8/28/11
Melanie,
We should be double cousins.
K. Robirds (Kay or Thomas Kay)- my grandfather
Charles Monroe Robirds and Janie Elizabeth Gray - my g-grandparents
William Mattison Roberts/Robbirds/Robirds and Martha (Jo)Ann Elmore (widow Davis) - my 2g-grandparents
William A. Roberts/Robbirds and Jane Bunch - my 3g-grandparents, Jane the sister of David Bunch
William Roberts and Ann Vandegriff (sp varies) - my 4g-grandparents
David Bunch's first wife was Lucy Roberts, daughter of Jacob Roberts (aka Roberds) and Elizabeth Grove(s) - Jacob was the oldest son of William and Ann, so Jacob Roberts was David Bunch's father-in-law and Jane Bunch's brother-in-law.
And don't forget that Erastus Blue's older brother Meredith's widow Elender Kays was David Bunch's last wife - so Elizabeth Jane Bunch's step-mother was her first husband's late brother's wife. There are several accounts of Erastus Blue's death, including the actual war record. Some Jones were in the same battle.
Check back on the 1870 census for Cooke County, Texas - listed near Elizabeth Jane is a David Howeth, and next to David Howeth is his married sister. Also in Cooke County you will find Melinda Buch (no "n" in Bunch) who is another daughter of David Bunch. SHe is listed as a servant in the household of William W. Howeth, next to John Howeth.
John Howeth is the uncle of W.W. Howeth, and David Bunch apprently followed John howeth to Texas where they met up with Thomas Howeth (brother of John, WW's father). David Bunch then followed them to Grayson County, where he witnessed a land sale of John Howeth. David Howeth is a son of John Howeth and his second wife (see 1860 census).
Now to the 1840 census in Hamilton County, TN. In District 2 - the "H" Roberts is actually Ninion Roberts, a probable son of William and Ann. He and his son are responsible for Roberts Mill and Cemetery. The ruins still exist on Roberts Mill Road in Falling Water. The next William Roberts are my 3g-grandparents, the oldest son being my 2g-grandfather. Then you have David Bunch (with daughters Elizabeth Jane and Mary Ann), an unidentified female (too young to be Lucy?). David is listed between his father-in-law Jacob Roberts and an unknown Joseph Roberts. I think Joseph also went to Rusk County, Texas - dying there by 1850. The second William and C. Roberts (Caswell) are Jacob's sons (Lucy's brothers).
You can also find John Howeth listed next to Gilbert Vandegriff and Mary "Lauderdale" (nee Howeth?). In 1832, William Roberts' Revolutionary War pension application (#S17054) was witnessed by Gilbert Vandegriff (brother-in-law) and John Howeth (Captain of the district).
The Howeths, James family (in-laws of Thomas Howeth), Vandegriffs and William Roberts were all neighbors in Grainger County, TN circa 1800-1810 in the vicinity of modern day Washburn. There was a David Bunch that was also a neighbor.
I still can't figure out how the Howeths are related to David Bunch. We know that Lucy Roberts was the mother of Elizabeth Jane and Mary Ann, and Elender Kays (Blue) was the mother of the two youngest David Jesse and Asa. David had a son named Suel (just younger than David Jesse) which is a Howeth family name. There was a Suel Howeth in Texas in the same era (son of John or ?), and Jaohn and Thomas' grandfather was Sewell Howeth. It is interesting that John howeth named a son David. I think David Bunch either had an intermediate wife that was a Howeth (died soon after birth of Suel), or David and Jane Bunch were blood relatives of the Howeths. My best guess is that when Mary (mother of John and Thomas Howeth) was widowed (circa 1810?), she remarried a neighbor in Grainger County that was closely related to David Bunch. That means she is incorrectly listed in 1830 as Mary Howeth, she would have been the widow Mary Bunch. She apparently remarried a Lauderdale and was widowed again by 1840. I also question Mary's connection with Gilbert Vandegriff, and have wondered if maybe Mary (Howeth) wasn't a Vandergriff - not all have been accounted for. (If so, we are triple cousins!)
The original story I had was from a 1950s book by my grandfather's first cousin that said my 3g-grandfather was Jane Bunch, and that my 2g-grandfather stayed with an uncle in Grayson County for a while during the Civil War. After 10+ years of looking, I am no closer to finding Jane and David's parents - but I bet they are in Grainger County.
Cousin Dan
(I am somewhat limited at the moment - computer issues)