Wrong info here. Mary Goforth Hudson was the first wife of Reuben and the mother to all of his children.
Thanks,

Tobin Gunn

Reverand Alexander S. Gunn was a methodist circuit-rider in central Illinois about the time that Abraham Lincoln was a circuit riding lawyer. I don't remember what the S. was for.

Tobin Gunn

My son is a descendant of Reuben Gunn through his son Abisha. Another lady and I just started looking for official documentation on Abisha and Reuben. Was Reuben a Rev. War Soldier? We cannot locate any evidence to that effect --- We were told that Abisha served in the War of 1812 and are not able to locate official documentation to validate that either. It's O.K. if neither man was a soldier [The DAR is not our goal.] We just want to collect the truth and have as many copies of cited sources to prove the "truth" as is possible. Today, I ordered the book by Benjamin Jesse Gunn [pub 1891] and have seen info online since I placed the order that questions its accuracy. What is the single BEST source for analytical - crisp - accurate information [as is possible in genealogy] for Reuben and Abisha Gunn?
Thank you, Sally in Alabama

Hello Sally.
You can contact me at tgunn@ioes.org. The Ben Gunn book is old, printed in my g-grandfathers time. Ben Gunn is in the Wripley's Believe it or Not book for going around to every relative in the country to aquire information for it. Of course, a lot more of us have been born since then so it is very out of date. Reuben was a Revolutionary War vet from North Carolina, several of his sons were War of 1812 vets. There are people who have become DAR through Reuben, so the proof is documented somewhere. My ancestor was the second son James and he was a Leutenant in the Tennessee Militia, I think Abisha was an Ensign in the same Militia. The best source of Reuben information is Ab Gunn from Marietta Georgia and his email is gunnabbl@bellsouth.net. Abb just participated in the Gunn DNA Study and we finally found that we do indeed descend from Caithness Scotland Gunns who probably ended up in Germany in the 1600's with the Scottish Military Regiments. I can probably answer most of your questions by email. Feel free to contact me by email. Tobin Gunn

I have been working on this for over 25 years, and so has Abb Lynn Gunn, who is the North American Genealogist for the Clan Gunn. Contact him, but I can share this.

The genealogy and Revolutionary War service of Reuben Gunn is very well documented. Descendants of almost all of his children are in DAR and SAR. I am the first from the line of his son Lawson Gunn to have my line verified by the DAR (January 2006), membership # #840322. You can go online to the DAR http://www.dar.org/natsociety/pi_lookup.cfm to request a "Patriot lookup" for Reuben, and ask if any of the lines go through Abisha. Papers will include genealogy and sources of information that were solid enough to be accepted by the DAR.

You can obtain copies of Rev. War records and Abisha's service record from the War of 1812 at the Tennessee Archives and Library in Nashville, or from the National Archives in Washington, DC.

Reuben Gunn served the Colonial Army and was paid 6 pounds, 1 shilling and 4 pence by Mebane & Nichols for service to North Carolina.

I also have copy of land grant etc.

NOW -- TO THE ISSUE OF BENJAMIN GUNN'S BOOK AND THE "QUESTIONS" RAISED

The name Gunn comes from the Norse Gunni, and the Gunns were the Norse Earls of Orkney -- islands off the northern coast of Scotland (near Skye.) If you ever have the chance to visit, please do so. Gunns from all over the world gather there every three years, and there is a wonderful Gunn cultural center in Caithness. See info at http://www.clangunn.us/

But YES! There is a German link, and it is entirely possible that Reuben was descended from a German with a title. Now -- as nearly as I can determine, and if I'm wrong on his Abb will correct me -- the only error in Benjamin's book is the particular title of Reuben's ancestor. He wouldn't have been the son of a grand duke -- that would have put him line for the throne. It was lesser titled nobility.

Research has found Sir William Gunn, who left Scotland for Germany (following the Jacobean War) and married into German nobility, and was later awarded a title. Although no heirs of Sir William Gunn have yet been proven, the link between the Scottish Gunns and the German title has been made. It is also possible that Sir William Gunn as an uncle, rather than father, because no male issue of Sir William Gunn of Germany has been proven, although research is ongoing in America, Germany, and Scotland.

Through participation in the Gunn DNA project, descendants of Reuben Gunn in America were conclusively proven to be related to Sir William Gunn's line, and are genetically linked back to the earliest Scottish Gunns, including The Crowner.

Contact Abb Gun for more on this link. gunnabbl@bellsouth.net

I have put years of work into Reuben and gladly share documented information. contact me at ljanem@aol.com for more info.

Hi,

I have been researching Reuben Gunn, my husband is a direct descendent on his mother's side. His GG grandparents were both granchildren of Reuben and Mary, via Dollie and Lawson. We would like to learn anything you might know about the Gunn's.
Also, we live in Sherman, IL, just north of Springfield. If you would let us know where the cemetary is in Morgan Co., we would appreciate it.

Hello Margaret. I work in Springfield at Lincoln Land Community College. I tried to call you after looking for your name in the phone book, but I do not know your husbands name and there was no Margaret Green in the book listed in Sherman. Please reply with your husbands first name or a way to contact you or email me at tgunn at illinoisworknet dot com (tgunn@illinoisworknet.com).
I would like to talk to your husband about the family.
Thanks,
Tobin Gunn

Hi,
My directions to the GUNN Cemtery are from St. Louis. You'll need to turn them around to fit your starting point. "From Saint Louis, MO are to take Route 67 north through Alton and Godfrey, IL. Turn right on Route 111, which leads to Route 267 at the north edge of Godfrey. At Medora, IL, Route 111 veers to the east, stay on Route 267 going north toward Jacksonville, IL. About 10 miles north of Greenfield, IL you cross the Morgan County Line. Route 267 takes a sweeping "S" curve beginning just a few yards from the County Line. At the west end of that curve look straight ahead toward the west, you will see some gravestones among the trees. There is a tiny, hard to see, gravel road which goes west very close to the end of the curve, it's Coal Creek Road, turn left. Then immediately make another left turn on to another small gravel road that will pass on the west side of the cemetery. Make another left turn, there is a culvert in the ditch which allows access to the cemetery. In dry weather it's safe to park just across the culvert, but you shouldn't drive further due to holes in the road. Coal Creek Road is within one mile from the Morgan County Line."

I have a few questions to help place your husband. You mentioned Lawson, is this Lawson GUNN married to Mary? And do you know where they buried? This would be Lawson GUNN, son on Reuben and Mary. At the the GUNN Cemetery you will see the graves of Lawson's brothers James and John and their wives, and a lot more family members. My husband is descended from the eldest brother Charles GUNN.

Also, you mentioned Dollie, is this Dollie GUNN married to Robert GUNN? I show Dollie died in Missouri, but know nothing about her husband. I believe he remarried to Almarinda GUNN? Do you know where they are buried?

Thanks for any information.
Donna

Lawson Gunn is reportedly buried on a farm on Garner's Creek Road. The property belonged -- a few years ago-- to a family named Tummins, and the wife was a Lawson descendant. Lawson's son Andrew Jackson Gunn is also buried there. Mary Hedges Gunn is also among those graves. (I believe the land once adjoined the Hedges land.)

My great aunt (Lawson's descendant) took me to see the graves many years ago, and she knew which was which, but the markers were mostly illegible. Before her death, my mother was working on getting descendants of Lawson to contribute to a fence around them, since the area is now cow pasture. Contact me for additional information.

Hi, Did anything ever come of fencing in the Gunn cemetery you mention in this post? I am a decendent of Lawson (and his brother Elisha, actually), so the post caught my eye. I would love to know where the cemetery is located, whether we can visit, and if there are any photos.

Thank you so much,
Vesta