Marion County
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Biography - Frederick Bundy 1802-1849

Frederick Bundy, living in a different period from ours, had no chance to go to school. His education had to be self-obtained. He did not fail to seize the opportunities which came his way, and so became a remarkably well informed man.

At the time the family came to Illinois the journey was made in the old-time cumbrous team wagons. The John Wilson family arrived by means of the same mode of travel. Centralia Township at the time Frederick settled there in 1826, was as yet in its original wild state. As may be supposed, wild game and beasts of prey of many varieties abounded there, particularly wolves, to which he lay awake listening on many a night inside the rough log-cabin which he had built with his own hands. In time he cleared the land and erected for himself a suitable home, and otherwise much improved the property which embraced four hundred acres. For years, he carried an active farming business and raised considerable amount of stock.

Frederick Bundy was politically a staunch Democrat, and in those days he had to go over to Salem at election times to record his vote. In religious life he was a member of the Christian Church.

His wife died in February, 1848, and the demise of the inseparable companion of life's journey as a great loss.

He died in the fall of 1849, having however, married secondly Elizabeth Walker, and leaving a son by that marriage.

He had eight children by his first wife, the eldest William Kell; Alexander, who married Margaret Breeze, and afterwards another member of that family, who is a farmer in Washington County; Nancy Jane, deceased, first married John Harper, and afterwards Reuben Alderson; Dorcas married Sidney Harmon both of whom are both dead; Jeanette who never married, also died; John joined the One Hundred and Eleventh Regiment, Company H; at the outbreak of the Civil War and died while in the service of his country; Robert was also in the Civil War, enlisting in the Jefferson County, Illinois, and died of small pox during his term of service; Sallie another daughter, married Thomas J. Hollowell and lives in Washingon with her husband.

Submitted by K. Randolph, copied from Brinkerhoff’s History of Marion County, Illinois, published in 1909, pages 256-257.