Stephenson County Genealogy & History

Stephenson County Pioneer Families

Tunks Family
Contributed by Mallory Smith
William Z. Tunks was born 9 March 1817 the son of Thomas Tunks.
Mr. Tunks first wife was from a family also from Clark Co Ohio but living in Leesburg Union Co Ohio. Paulina was daughter of Wm Hail Winchester and Sybil Gates (m 1826 Clark co Ohio) who came west with the Tunks and owned the place immediately next door.
His second wife, Armadilla McIntire, was the daughter of the sister of Mr. Tunks mother-in-law. Rebecca Gates married William McIntire in 1821 and also removed to Union co Ohio where they both died leaving Armadilla and sister Prudence orphaned. Prudence married a Tunk's neighbor Josiah Bartlett Emery, brother of Mr. Tunks third wife. John Francis Burrill was Mr. Tunks other neighbor and he married Uncle Hail Winchester's daughter Harriet. Hail Winchester's sister, Harriet married in 1840 Clark Co Ohio Rev Jacob Hisey and had Mary Elizaberth Hisey in Warren Co Ohio in 1842. Rev Hisey died in 1847 and Harriet came west and married a Mr. Willcox and had a son George in 1852. By 1860 Harriet was again widowed and living with her brother, son George and daughter Mary Elizabeth Hisey. Mary Hisey married in 1864 Seth Stevens Emery, half-brother of Candace and Josiah Emery. John Burrill's brother, Dr. Charles Wesley Burrill, married Seth Emery's sister Viance Lettie Emery)
Mr. Tunks gained six step-children when he married Candace Emery Daniels in 1867.
From a letter written about life at the College School at Irish Grove (Davis) by stepson Omri Emery Daniels: "I could tell you of many things comical and others serious but I so not wish to. My step father was justice of the peace and many things happened at our house I do not care to mention."
Picture of William Z. Tunks was taken by F.B. Pier, photographer, Pecatonica, Ill. The picture was found in a trunk on Pender Island, British Columbia and survived a house fire. It was owned by Jasper Mallory Daniels (d. 1961), step-grandson of Wm Tunks. Labeled on the reverse: "Grandfather Tunks."

Albert and Anna J. Tunks were the children of William Z. Tunks and Pauline (Winchester) Tunks, daughter of Wm Hail Winchester and Sybil Gates. Pauline died in 1849 and is buried in the Hulse Cem with her mother and siblings, John and Lyman, and aunt Harriet (Winchester) Hisey Willcox.
Anna J. Tunks Obituary

Vera Dustman (right) was the daughter of Anna J. Tunk's half-sister, Rosaline who married William M Dustin.
William was widowed and living with Vera, husband Clinton Franklin Snyder and daughter Mary A Snyder, 17, in 1930
The Snyders were living near the Dustmans in Freeport in 1920. Mrs. Floyd Dustman Chamberlain is mis-written.
She was Floy (Florence Isabella Dustman and married William Franklin Chamberlain in Freeport 23 February 1920.

Rose Tunks was the daughter of William Tunks and second wife Armadilla McIntire who died in 1864.
Rosetta had a sister Alice b c 1860 who died at age 20, (at the right) a brother Simon b 1853 who died as young man, and a half-brother
Albert Tunks b 9 Jan 1847 who married Isabell Martin 21 Apr 1871 in Stephenson Co and moved to Clarks Merrick Co Nebraska in May of the same year.
Albert had four children, three of which grew to adulthood: Edith, wife of H.C. McGrath (McGath;) Elmer, died in infancy 1875, Ethel, wife of Clare Betts, and Glen B (first child bpt Pierce Chapel Clarks NE) who went to U of Nebraska at Lincoln and later lived in Montana.