EDWARD
BUNN, an extensive stock-dealer of Danvers, and
having his residence in the village, has been a resident of the Prairie State since 1852. He has a good
knowledge of the business in which he is engaged, and is meeting with fair
success.
Our
subject was born in Ross County, Ohio, Sept. 2, 1835, being the
son of Jefferson and Mary (Madden) Bunn, of Ohio and Virginia respectively. Jefferson Bunn was of German
ancestry and parentage, but born in Ohio
Sept. 16, 1802.
He was
a cabinet-maker by trade, having served his apprenticeship at Chillicothe, in his native county, where he
was married. He removed to Illinois in the
fall of 1852, and located at Bloomington,
whence, after two years' residence he removed to Table Grove, Fulton
County. There he followed farming pursuits for five years, and then
removed to Macomb, where he was employed in the cabinet-shop of Messrs John and
Thomas McElrath for two years. From there he came to Danvers, where he passed the remainder of his
days and departed this life Dec. 29, 1885.
Jefferson
Bunn was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for a period of forty
years. The mother of our subject was also connected with the same church. Her
birth occurred in 1800, and her death on the 22d of July, 1872. The parental
household included six children, three now living. The record is as follows:
Lewis died in 1829, and Maria L., Feb. 16, 1830; one died in infancy unnamed;
George lives in Bloomington, and married Miss E. Rayburn; Susan resides in
Danvers, and Edward is the subject of this sketch.
The
marriage of Mr. Bunn occurred Jan. 1, 1857, the lady of his choice being Miss
Eliza Wilfong. The wedding took place at Macomb,
Ill., John O. C. Wilson, Esq.,
officiating. Mrs. Bunn was born in North Carolina, May 18, 1833, and is the daughter of
William P. and Sarah (Marley) Wilfong. The former was born in Rawleigh, N. C.,
in September, 1798, where he was reared and married.
He came
to Illinois with his family in 1843, and
located in Hancock County,
where they lived one year, thence removing to Birmingham,
Schuyler County, and from
there to Macomb,
where the death of the father occurred on the 8th of June, 1877. The mother of Mrs.,
Bunn was born in Randolph
County, N. C., in 1809, and was married in 1832. She is still living, and
makes her home with her daughter in Danvers.
The parental household consisted of ten children, viz., Eliza, Isabel, Ann,
Sarah, Emeline, Martha, Rosa, James, John, and
one who died in infancy.
Of the
marriage of our subject and his wife there have been born six children—Ida,
Laura, Clarence, Nora, Mattie and Orin. Ida became the wife of John Musselman,
a druggist of Danvers; Laura married William
Shorthose, a farmer of Danvers; Nora married
Harry Swearengin, a railroad man; Clarence married Miss Nettie Montague, and is
foreman of a lumber-yard at Bloomington,
Ill.
Mr.
Bunn came to Illinois with his parents in
1852, and in a period of over thirty years has been an interested witness of
the development and progress of the Prairie
State. He may not have
distinguished himself by any remarkable deeds, but he has been a law-abiding,
enterprising and worthy citizen, living at peace with his neighbors, and
performing all the obligations of a valued member of the community.
Portrait and biographical album of McLean
County, Ill. : containing full
page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative
citizens of the county, together with portraits and biographies of all the
governors of Illinois, and of the presidents
of the United States. (Chicago:
Chapman Brothers, 1887), 379. Transcribed
and annotated by Judy Rosella Edwards.
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