Transcript:Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 28 (Page 112)

Periodical

Source:Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 28, Number 1

Article Title

"The Three Joseph (Van) Gundys" by Mary K. Meyer

Transcribed Text

...Militia in as many different Pennsylvania counties at the same time as did this Joseph (Van) Gundy.

By careful sifting of the records of Pennsylvania and Ohio, enough evidence was accumulated to identify three different Joseph (Van) Gundys, all living at one time in the same general area. Our search was complicated by a complete lack of birth, baptism, and marriage records of the families of the children of the first (Van) Gundy in Lancaster County as well as the infrequency of deeds and later census records for the family. It has been said that the early family in Pennsylvania were Mennonites. Some Credence for this statement is found in the fact that one of the Joseph Gundy's was a minister of that faith.

JOSEPH VAN GUNDY of LEBANON and NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTIES

This Joseph Van Gundy is said to have been born in 1740 and 1742 and died in 1795 and 1803 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: to have married Margaretta Haldeman (1748-1790) as well as Martha Alderman. In the course of exhaustive research no record of the existence of either of these women has ever been found. As a matter of interest, it is doubtful that these were two different women but rather the garbled version of the actual name of his wife. However, there is a remote possibility that Joseph was married twice.

We do know that Joseph was married to Magdalena Haldeman, the widow of Jacob Shonower. Magdalena's first marriage took place in Lancaster City, Pennsylvania." Maudlin Holdiman married Jacob Shinaver 10 December 1763, leaving his widow with two children, John and Barbara, and pregnant with a third. On 30 December 1763, Magdalena signed a statement to the effect that she understood the terms of her late husband's will.

Just exactly when or where Joseph Van Gundy and the widow Shonower were married is not known. But they were man and wife by May 1, 1769 when they were "of Bethel Township, Lancaster (now Lebanon) County" and they appointed Jacob Miley their attorney to recover from the executor of Jacob Shonower, deceased, all incomes due Magdalena, "Leat" wife of Jacob Shonower.

This same deed recites that the last will and testament of Jacob Shonower was dated 27 January 1765 and that Joseph "VonGundy," Jacob Erb (Erp) and Jacob Sencenick (Sansinich?) were named executors. In turning again to the original will we find only Erp and Sencenick were named executors and that 13 December 1763 was the date it was written. It is very possible...

Sources

• Image: American Ancestors: Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine, Vol. 28, Number 1, Page 112.
• Transcription: "Ancestors of Samuel J. Davis & Sherry L. Kirk: Information about Joseph Van Gundy" in Genealogy.com