Thomas Gunn (the Younger) of Caswell County

A Patriot of the American Revolution for VIRGINIA. DAR Ancestor #: A048410

Thomas Gunn, Jr., was the son of Thomas Gunn and wife Sarah Boatwright. He was born c.1738 in Hanover County, Virginia and died in November 1800 in Caswell County, North Carolina. He married (1) Susannah Burnett and (2) Eleanor Gunn. He and his son Sterling (Starling in some records) are both named in his father's will.

It is possible that Thomas Gunn also married (3) Sarah Davenport, and (4) Ann Worsham. See the discussion below on his wives.

Thomas served in the Virginia Colonial Militia during the French and Indian War. He was paid five pounds, six shillings for militia service in 1756, During the French and Indian War, the Virginia House of Burgesses passed an act for the defense of the frontier of the colony on September 14, 1758. Thomas Gunn was among those soldiers mentioned in the schedules attached to that act. Thomas was listed in the Amelia County unit.

In 1780, Thomas was drafted into service by the State of Virginia in the Revolutionary War, but his son, Starling Gunn, went in his stead. Starling's pension application stated that he was living in Amelia Co., VA at that time. Later that same year, Thomas supplied the Patriot Army passing through Amelia Co., VA with twenty-one bushels of wheat and five hundred pounds of beef, for which he was later reimbursed six pounds.

Thomas Gunn executed a will on November 13, 1800, Caswell County, North Carolina. He died later that same month. The will was proven in the Caswell County Court during the January, 1801 term. James Burton and Griffin Gunn were appointed Executors of the estate. His estate was inventoried on December 15, 1800, and an estate sale was held in which all of his adult children bought items. His estate was quite large and varied. The text of the will is copied at the end of this profile.

The Caswell County Historical Association posted an article written in 2007, which details a number of land transactions for which it is unclear if Thomas or his father made the purchases and sales. The elder Thomas Gunn did not use the suffix "Sr." It is not clear if the younger Thomas used the suffix "Jr.," or if it has been added by genealogists, family or historians.

Children of Thomas Gunn and wife Susannah Burnett:

• Elisha Gunn, born in Virginia in 1761, and believed to have died before his father, as he is not mentioned in Thomas' will.
• Sterling/Starling Gunn, born in Virginia in 1764 and died in North Carolina in 1849. Fought in American Revolution and recognized by the DAR with ancestor # A048407.
• Daniel Gunn, born in Virginia in 1766.
• Mary Gunn, born in Virginia in 1767.
• Rev. Thomas Gunn, ME, born 1770, probably in Virginia.
• Rev. James Gunn, ME, born in 1772, probably in Virginia.
• Griffin Gunn, born in Virginia in 1775
• William Gunn, born in Virginia in 1777

Children of Thomas Gunn and disputed wife - they might be children of Susannah Burnett or children of Sarah Davenport, if that marriage is accepted

• John Gunn, born in Virginia in 1780.
• Sarah "Sally" Gunn, born in Virginia in 1782
• Priscilla Gunn, born in North Carolina in 1786
• Allen Gunn, born in North Carolina in 1788.

Children of Thomas Gunn and Eleanor Halverson:

• Anderson Gunn, born in North Carolina in 1798
• Pinckney Gunn, born in North Carolina in 1800,.eight months before his father's death.

The Last Will of Thomas Gunn of Caswell County.

In the name of God, Amen. I, Thomas Gunn, of Caswell County, State of North Carolina, being in low health but of sound mind and memory, thanks be to God, do constitute this my Last Will and Testament, in manner and form following, to wit:

• Inprimus, I lend to my beloved wife, Elenor Gunn, one third part of my land to be laid off at the lower end where I now live and three negroes called Adam, Sam, and Molly Smith, two cows and one feather bed and furniture during her natural life or widowhood.
• Item, I give and bequeath to my son, John Gunn, two hundred and fifty acres of land, part of the tract whereon I now live, to be laid off at the upper end to him and his heirs or assigns forever, also three negroes called Rachel, Archy, and Jacob, one feather bed and furniture, and one cow and calf.
• Item, I give and bequeath to my son, Allen Gunn, all the remainder of the tract of land whereon I now live, to him and his heirs and assigns forever, also three negroes called Milly, Charles, and Betty, one horse of the value of one hundred dollars, one cow and calf, one feather bed and furniture.
• Item, I give to my son, Sterling Gunn, two negroes called George and Phillis, now in his possession.
• Item, I give to my son, Daniel Gunn, three negroes called Godfrey, Anny, and Aggy, now in his possession.
• Item, I give to my son, Thomas Gunn, three negroes called Eve, Sie, and Delpha, now in his possession.
• Item, I give to my son in law, Ellis Evans, two negroes called Milly and Arram, now in his possession.
• Item, I give to my son, James Gunn, two negroes called Moses and Esther, now in his possession.
• Item, I give to my son, Griffin Gunn, two negroes called Chloe and Hampton, and one hundred dollars to be raised out of my estate.
• Item, I give to my daughter, Sally Burton, two negroes now in her possession called Chloe Flippin and Davy, and one called Peter.
• Item, I give to my daughter, Priscilla Gunn, three negroes called Anncia, Isaac, and Danbey, also one mare called Crawl Bottom, one cow and calf, and one feather bed and furniture.
• Item, I give to my son, Anderson Gunn, two negroes called Dic and Sydny. Item, I give to my son, Pinkney Gunn, one negro boy called Herod.
• It is my will that old Sam, Lucy, Jack, and Grace live on this plantation where I now live, if they see cause, or (can) go with any of my children (as) they please.
• All the remainder of my estate not disposed of by this Will, it is my desire shall be sold by my Executors and, after my debts are paid, be equally divided among my wife and all my children that are alive, share and share alike.

Lastly, I nominate and appoint James Burton and my son, Griffin Gunn, to execute this my Last Will and Testament. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this thirteenth day of November, Anno Dom 1800. Signed Thomas Gunn. Signed, sealed, and delivered in presence of C. Dixon, jurat, Mosey Ingram, jurat, and Ann Green, her mark.

The Wives of Thomas Gunn

The Boatwright Family Association does not go into detail on the children of Sarah Boatwright who married Thomas Gunn. Gunn family researcher C.G. Maxwell list four wives for Thomas - Susannah Barnett, Sarah Davenport, Ann Worsham and Eleanor Halverson. The Caswell County Historical Society proves two of the wives but casts much doubt on the other two. See the full article here - http://ncccha.blogspot.com/2011/06/thomas-gunn-jr-c1738-1800-ancest....

The article, dated 2007, states that Thomas first married Susannah Burnett in Virginia, circa 1760. The marriage likely occurred in or near Brunswick Co., VA. Her identity is based upon family tradition, and author had seen no proof as to Susannah’s surname, but family tradition states that her father was Richard Burnett. Her son, Rev. James Gunn's Family Bible, according to family tradition, states that Susannah Gunn died Dec. 27, 1796.

The will of Thomas Gunn proves the marriage to Eleanor, as she is named in the will as "my beloved wife, Elenor Gunn." Eleanor's surname is generally given as Halverson, but that is not proven. They were married between 1796 (Susannah's death) and 1798 (birth of their first child together).

As for the other two wives, remember that there were two more unrelated Gunn families in Virginia at the same time as the elder Thomas, James and John. A son of either or both of these men would have made marriages in the same general time as the younger Thomas. The two "extra" wives of Thomas could easily have been a part of those other two families.

Starling Gunn, in his Revolutionary War pension application, stated that he gave his mother [Susannah Burnett Gunn] his discharge papers after the surrender of Cornwallis at the Battle of Yorktown. That surrender took place on October 19, 1781. Thomas Gunn, Jr.’s supposed second and third marriages took place in December, 1778 and January, 1782 respectively. Starling Gunn's mother was Susannah Burnett Gunn, so if this is accurate, then the marriage to Sarah Davenport was clearly for another Thomas Gunn, as Susannah has just been proven to be alive in 1781.

A Thomas Gunn married Sarah Davenport in Amelia Co., Virginia, December 1, 1778. Security was John Tucker. This marriage has helped descendants join the DAR. The following record appeared in deed records of Amelia Co., VA: To all whom these presents shall come, Sarah Davenport of the County of Amelia, sendeth greetings, whereas a marriage is shortly intended to be solemnized between the said Sarah and Thomas Gunn of the County aforesaid . . . Sarah Davenport and Thomas Gunn, both of Amelia County, planning to marry, in love and affection that said Gunn has for Sarah's children, Sarah Davenport and Samuel Davenport, and five shilling, gift of three negroes from the estate of George Davenport, dec'd, father of children, Sarah and Samuel. . . . This deed tells us two facts. First, that Sarah Davenport was a widow with two children. These children are not remembered at all in Thomas's will. Second, this marriage took place while Thomas Gunn was married to Susannah Burnett. Either the date of marriage is wrong, the date of Susan Burnett's death is wrong or there were two Sarah Davenports.

A Thomas Gunn married Ann Worsham in Amelia Co., VA, January 11, 1782. William Osborne was surety. In 1782, there were two Thomas Gunns listed in the Virginia Tax Lists, one in Amelia Co., VA (with 11 whites and 18 blacks), and one in Mecklenburg Co., VA (with 12 whites and no blacks). Mecklenburg Co., VA had been formed from a section of Lunenburg Co., VA in 1765. Our Thomas Gunn. appears to be the one listed in Amelia Co., VA based upon his son, Starling Gunn's, pension application which placed Thomas in Amelia Co., VA in 1780 and 1781, and based upon the fact that the neighbors of the man in the 1785 listing (who is certainly our man), are mostly the same men as in the 1782 listing. If we accept the date of death for Susan Burnett as 1796, then this Thomas Gunn could not have married Ann.

It is the belief of this curator that (1) Thomas Gunn married Susannah Burnett in c.1760; (2) that he married Eleanor Halverson between 1796 and 1798, and (3) that there were twelve children from the marriage with Susan Burnett. These conclusions have been reached based upon the dates of marriage and the inclusion of children in his will. Maria Edmonds-Zediker, Volunteer Curator, June 27, 2014.

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Links to additional material:

• http://ncccha.blogspot.com/2011/06/thomas-gunn-jr-c1738-1800-ancest...
• http://www.cgmaxwell.net/ThomasGunnHistory.html
• http://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_descendants/defa...
• http://www.boatwrightgenealogy.com/johnboatwright4.html

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Birth: May 4, 1725 Virginia, USA Death: Nov. 13, 1800 Caswell County North Carolina, USA

Thomas Gunn Jr's date of birth is proved in his father's will as 1725.

THOMAS GUNN, JR. (ca. 1725 VA - 1800 NC) (by James B. Kerner, 2007) THOMAS GUNN, JR. (THOMAS GUNN, SR.1) was born in or near Amelia County, VA circa 1725. Amelia County, VA was formed from Brunswick and Prince George Counties in 1734. Nottoway Co. VA was formed from Amelia County in 1788. Before Nottoway County established its own government, it was known as Nottoway Parish, a district of Amelia County. Thomas served in the Virginia Colonial Militia during the French and Indian War. He was paid five pounds, six shillings for militia service in 1756. During the French and Indian War, the Virginia House of Burgesses passed an act for the defense of the frontier of the colony on September 14, 1758. Thomas Gunn was among those soldiers mentioned in the schedules attached to that act. Thomas was listed in the Amelia County unit.

Family links:

Parents:

 Thomas Gunn (1688 - 1777)

 Sarah Boatwright Gunn (1689 - 1777)

Children:

 Elisha Gunn (1758 - 1838)*

 John Allen Gunn (1780 - 1848)*

 Priscilla Gunn Burton (1786 - 1869)*

Sibling:

 Elizabeth Gunn Sharp (1724 - 1777)*

 Thomas Gunn (1725 - 1800)

• Calculated relationship

Burial: Unknown

Edit Virtual Cemetery info [?]

Created by: Bill Gunn Record added: Dec 11, 2016 Find A Grave Memorial# 173785156 https://old.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=173785156

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MH:S500002 Ron Thompson David Rader Thompson Web Site <p>MyHeritage family tree</p><p>Family site: David Rader Thompson Web Site</p>Family tree: 17559121-1 17559121-1 Smart Matching

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MH:SC503687 https://www.myheritage.com/person-1500834_490487801_490487801/thoma... https://www.myheritage.com/person-1500834_490487801_490487801/thoma... Individual added by confirming a Smart Match 3