ALEXANDER A. GUNN. A biographical record of Washington county would be incomplete were not prominent mention made of the distinguished Gunn family, who have been connected with the history of this county from its earliest settlement. The Gunns, of whom we now write, trace their ancestry to Holland, whence, at the close of the fourteenth century, a branch of the family migrated to Scotland, where they found occupations, some as weavers, others as herdsmen. There, amid the beautiful and romantic scenery of the Highlands, were, for the first time, opened to the light of day the eyes of Alexander Gunn, who became the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, and who was the first of the family of whom there is any definite record. He never left the mother country, but died among his heather-clad hills at an advanced age. His son, William, was the first of the family to emigrate to America. He was a native of Aberdeenshire, where he married, about the year 1770, Anna Gunn (no relative). One child, Neil, was born to them prior to their leaving their native land. Sailing from Glasgow, this little family, after a voyage of nine weeks and three days, landed at Philadelphia, Penn., where they remained some little time, and here was born, in 1778, John Gunn, father of the subject of these lines. In 1780 the family, now consisting of father and mother and two children, set out for the then "Far West" over the mountains, the mother seated on a horse, on either side of which was hung a hickory basket, like a pannier, in which each of the children was placed. In this manner, they reached Washginton county, where they settled near where Brownsville now stands, in the wild forest, from which they hewed out for themselves a primitive home, and developed the fertile farm that is now the property of A.G. Patterson.
When General Wayne started out on his expedition against the Indians, William Gunn joined him at Cincinnati, and remained with him until the expedition came to an end in 1792. During his absence the Indians raised his home, but his wife fortunately escaped in time with her two children, Neil and John, to Roney's blockhouse, less than a mile distant. The raiders did little damage, however, merely killing a couple of cows, and carrying off part of their carcasses to their camp. After his return Mr. Gunn lived upon his farm until his death, without being further molested by the Indians. He died in 1826. He had a family of eleven children, all now deceased, their names being as follows: Neil, John, William, Levi, Eliza and Christian (twins) Mary, Alexander, Marquis, Addison and David.
John Gunn assisted his parents in the arduous work incident to the clearing up of a new farm in those early days, until 1814, when, he became united in marriage with Martha McClure, a native of Washington county, and a graduate of Washington Seminary. Eight children were born to them, their names and dates of birth being as follows: Margaret Ann, 1816; William, 1818; Denny M, 1821; Mary Jane (Mrs. Carroll), 1823; Neil, 1825; Alexander A.; Catherine (Mrs. J.H. Carroll), 1830; Martha E, 1832; of these three are deceased: Margaret in 1869; William, in 1862, and Martha E. in 1852. John Gunn, the father of these children, died in West Finley township, October 8, 1848, the mother on March 26, 1833.
Alexander A. Gunn was born October 14, 1828, in West Finley township, Washington Co. Penn. He attended school in the old-fashioned log schoolhouse of those days, a few weeks in winter time, the remainder of the year being occupied in assisting his father in the general duties of the farm. On March 18,1851, he was married to Mary Burns, who was born October 18, 1830, on the farm where she and her husband now reside in West Finley township, a daughter of John and Martha Burns. Ten children came to bless this union, of whom the following is a brief record: John B, born January 12, 1852, died in 1855; Martha, born in 1854, married Rev. W.J. Fisher; Will R, born December 8, 1856, married Miss Belle Pattison; R.D.A, born March 10, 1859, is a practicing physician in Cleveland, Ohio; Mary L, born April 29, 1862; Ada B, born August 8, 1865; Sadie E. born June 25, 1868; Lottie B, born October 9, 1870; Lynn C. born February 9, 1872, and Robert, born July 9, 1874, died July 5, 1879. After his marriage Mr. Gunn rented an unimproved part of his father-in-laws farm in West Finley township, on which he erected a cabin, and then proceeded to clear the land of the timber and underbrush, and make for himself and bride a comfortable though primitive home. When the Civil war broke out Mr. Gunn enlisted in Company K, Sixteenth P.V.C., serving until March, 1863, his term of enlistment having expired, and he was discharged from the service with the rank of second lieutenant. During his absence with his regiment his house and barn were destroyed by fire, and on his return he moved to Buffalo township, where he resided six years, engaged in agriculture; he then came to the arm on which he now lives, in West Finley township, and which comprises 250 acres of fine land, all in a good state of cultivation; Mr. Gunn is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church at Burnsville.
Mrs. Gunn is a granddaughter of Alexander Burns, who was born in Ireland, and who at the age of fourteen years was "pressed" on board a British man-of-war on which he served as "powder boy" for seven years. At the end of that time, his ship being in the New York harbor, he made his escape, and in that city he lived seven years before he could find a favorable opportunity to return to his native land. When he did at last get there, he found his mother had died, his father married again, and his brothers and sisters all gone from the old home-some dead, others married. Finding his old home so different to his expectations, he decided to return to America, which he accordingly did, settling about the year 1783 in Washington county, Penn., on the farm now owned by Alexander A. Gunn, the subject proper of this memoir. Here he built himself a rude cabin out of hewn logs, which still stands-a mute yet eloquent relic of the past-and commenced to clear sufficient land whereon to grow enough grain to maintain himself and horse (his only companion) until the following summer. But all his pains were dissipated "like castles in the air," for not long after he had begun to hew out his little farm from the dense forest, he was captured by Indians who carried him off to their camp, where he was tried before a "council," and condemned to be burned at the stake. He was then taken to the place of execution, and tied to a tree, wood being piled around him, and set on fire; but before the consuming element had made much headway, an old squaw, who had lost a son in battle a short time before, interceded for his life in such strong terms that the victim was released and given to the old woman. He was then put through some "purifying" process (Redskin fashion) "to drive the white blood out of him," and attired in Indian raiment, feathers being about the most prominent article in the wardrobe. With this tribe Mr. Burns remained four years, at the end of which he managed to effect his escape after a good deal of strategy. In order to reach his pioneer hut which he had built in Washington county, he had to journey on foot from near where the city of Toledo, Ohio now stands, but he got home, at last, in safety, footsore and weary, and then found his faithful old gray horse browsing near the cabin just as he had left him four years before. He then set to work and completed the clearing up of his land, soon afterward marrying Miss Jane Carroll of East Finley township, who had lately come from Ireland in company with her brother Hamilton. They had been married about one year, during which time they had seen no hostile Indians, till one morning Mr. Burns came running in from the field, shouting, "Jennie, the Indians are upon us. We must go to Linley's blockhouse, or we'll be murdered inside of an hour!" At once, they set out, and had not proceeded far in their flight, when they heard the savages shoot the dog which had been left behind. This added fresh impetus to their speed, and the fort was soon reached in safety, when the inmates and surrounding settlers were warned of their danger. During the night succeeding this eventful day, Mrs. Burns gave birth to her first-born, an infant boy, whom they named James and who in afterlife became the uncle of Mrs. Alexander A. Gunn.
Text taken from page 463 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed March 1997 by Elizabeth Burnes of Phoeniz, AZ as part of the Beers Project.
Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]