Person:John Gunn (5)

From the Westfield Genealogical Records Series, Baptisms, 1679-1836, Vol 2, Part 1. It appears that this 3rd generation Puritan, had black "servants." This was apparently not uncommon at the time. With respect to the Gunn surname, in western Massachusetts today there are black families named Gunn, particularly around Pittsfield. Here is what we have from the baptismal records:

May 26, 1728 Coffee Primey, child of "negro servants" of Ensign John Gunn.
March 25, 1733 Geney "negro .... _____Gunn
Nov 23, 1735 Prince servant Capt. Jno Gunn

"Chattel slavery existed under the Province laws; and not only was property in human beings recognized by that code, but manumission was trammeled by the requirement of a bond from the master that the freedman should never become a public charge "by reason of sickness, lameness, or any other incapacity." History of Pittsfield, p. 137

In 1636, the same year as the Pequot War, captured Native Americans were shipped to the West Indies and traded for African slaves. On the positive side, Massachusetts became one of the first states to end slavery in 1783.

John Gunn was a commissioned officer of Westfield, an Ensign and later a Captain, and was involved in the Indian wars of the time.

George Sheldon. A History of Deerfield, Massachusetts (Greenfield, Massachusetts: Press of E. A. Hall & Co., 1895), Vol. I, p. 403, we have the following reference: "Dec. 17th [1723], Capt. John Ashley, Lieut. John Root, Ens. John Gunn, commissioned officers of Westfield, write the Governor that Hezikiah Phelps is enlising a company of English Indians to go out against the Indian Rebels." Nothing came of these movements.

Offices held:
Selectman 1719, 21, 23, 26, 28-31, 38, 39
Town Clerk 1715-31
Captain in the militia
He was a farmer
At the time of his last Will and Testament in 1747/8 he had four African-American slaves: Primus, Prince, Ginny and Cloe
He sided with the Silver Bank supporters in 1740 (See a history of the Silver Banks)

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Westfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, United States. Baptisms Performed in the Church of Christ 1679-1836.

   Baptism 27/1683. Mary GUN w. John
   Baptism 27/1683. John GUN s. John
   Baptism 27/1683. Thomas GUN s. John
   [Note: So far, unable to access original church records. Unclear what original date said. Snippet of Edward Taylor's "Church records," and related sermons, says On 17th of 4th month (17 Jun) Mary Gun "entred under the Watch of the Church", so possibly 27 Jun?]

2.   Westfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, United States. Marriage Records from Westfield City Hall. (Westfield, Massachusetts, 1937)
   1024, 1937.

   "John of W[estfield] and Elizabeth Maudsley of W[estfield]; m. Dec. 2, 1709"

3. ↑ Westfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, United States. Births, marriages, and deaths, 1669-1838, 1844-1854 (Westfield, Massachusetts). (Microfilm of records at town hall: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1958)
   Vol. 1, p. 20.

   John gun was mareyed to mary williams Januwary 22 = 1678.
   ...
   Jonn Gun the sone of John Gun & mary his wife was born may: 5: 1682.

4. ↑ National Youth Administration. A List of gravestones in the Mechanic Street Cemetery, Westfield, Massachusetts, 1939. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1958)
   Vol. 7.

   A List of Gravestone in the Mechanic Street Cemetery Westfield Ma, (Westfield Athenaeum, Westfield, MA, 1939)
   
   Here lies Interr'd
   The Body of Capt
   John Gun who
   departed this life
   April the 26, 1748
   in the 66th year
   of his age.

5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 Find A Grave: Old Burying Ground, Westfield, MA, in Find A Grave
   Capt. John Gunn.

   Tombstone shown (top portion only)
   [Note: the information on the memorial page gives a different death year, 1749. However, it also gives an inscription exactly matching the above cited one.]

6.   Original Source:
   Massachusetts Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1901
   Name: John Gunn
   Probate Date: 19 Jan 1747
   Place: Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA
   Item Description: Probate Records, Vol 7, 1745-1752, pages 191-192
   Secondary Source:
   Title: Massachusetts, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991
   Author: Ancestry.com