Chistopher Brunk Sr.
Born:
About 1730
Parents:
George Brunk and Susanna
Marriage:
Mary
Died:
About 1810
Hardin County, Kentucky
Researched to be the children of
Christopher Brunk Sr.:
John Brunk Born 1754
Nancy Brunk Born 1757
Christopher Brunk Jr. Born 1760
Christena Brunk Born 1763
Jacob Brunk Born 1765
David Brunk Born 1770-75
Researched To Be Children of
Christopher Brunk Jr.:
John Brunk Born 1787
Jesse Brunk 1789
Mary Brunk 1791
Zachariah Brunk 1791
Christopher Brunk III 1792
William H. Brunk 1793
Lavina Brunk 1793
Sarah Brunk 1794
Unknown Brunk 1795
Elizabeth Brunk 1797
Nancy Ellen Brunk 1800
James Brunk 1801
Thomas Brunk 1803
Matilda Brunk 1806
Malinda Brunk 1807
The 1810 Grayson County, Kentucky Federal Census record enumerating Christopher Brunk Jr. transcribed below:
Males under 10 (2) James and Thomas Males 16-25 (1) Christopher III or William Males over 45 (1) Christopher Brunk Jr. Females under 10 (2) Matilda and Malinda Females 10-15 (3) Elizabeth, Nancy Ellen, and 1 Unknown Females 26-44 (1) Mary
The Federal Census record in 1810 finds only one Christopher Brunk listed in the United States. Christopher Brunk Sr. is said to have died in that same year.
Christopher Brunk Jr. born about 1760 creates a daughter Elizabeth born about 1797 who in 1818 unites to James L. Watkins of Grayson County, Kentucky. James L. Watkins is the son of Isaiah Watkins also listed on the 1800 Hardin County tax list. When enumerated in 1810 Christopher Brunk had three females between the ages of 10-15 years of age in his household as noted above. Elizabeth Brunk would have been about 13 at that time. Later (around 1845) Elizabeth Brunk's son David E. Watkins born about 1826 marries Nancy Brunk, niece of Elizabeth Brunk Watkins and daughter of Thomas Brunk. A death certificate for Mary Brunk Stuteville from Grayson County 1874 states Mary's year of birth 1791 to parents Christopher and Nancy Brunk. The informant for her death record does not offer where Mary Brunk was born or where her parents originated. Most researchers claim Christopher Jr. was married to Mary Burkhardt some list Mary Nancy Burkhardt.
The Brunk families are researched to have moved to the state of Kentucky about 1796 from South Carolina. According to the 1790 South Carolina Census, Christopher Brunk Senior, Junior, John Brunk, Jacob Brunk, Thomas Whitman (husband of Christina Brunk), and John Swarens (husband of Nancy Brunk) were all enumerated in the same area. These men are later listed on the Hardin County, Kentucky tax list when taken in 1800. Elizabeth Brunk Watkins states she was born in Kentucky shown on the 1850 and 1860 Grayson County Federal Census records. From those records we have evidence the family of Christopher Brunk migrated west to the state of Kentucky after 1790 and before 1797.
John Swarens that migrated from South Carolina to Kentucky with the Brunk families united to Nancy Brunk about 1780. The two create several children including two daughters that unite to the sons of Samuel Watkins and Mary McClure in Hardin County, Kentucky about 1800. The 1850 Menard County, Illinois Federal Census enumerates a Mary Watkins age 2 mother H.A. Davis. Hannah Ann Shepherd united to Warren Watkins who died on October 5, 1847. Warren was the son of John Watkins and Mary Polly Swarens and grandson of Samuel Watkins of the 1800 Hardin County tax list. Hannah Ann soon after Warren's death married Fielding Goldsby Davis.
Excerpts from an interesting account of Mr. Davis can be read below taken from the writing
Past and present of the city of Springfield and Sangamon County Illinois by Joseph Wallace, M.A. and published by S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Chicago, Illinois 1904:
"FIELDEN G. DAVIS , the well-known and popular proprietor of the Commercial Hotel of Springfield, is a worthy representative of an honored pioneer family of this section of the state."
and
"Mr. Davis, of this review, was quite small when he accompanied his parents on their removal to this state and here he was reared amidst pioneer scenes, being educated at home by his own hard study - a wonderful example of perseverance and strenuous living. In 1850 he married Miss Hannah A. Shepherd, who died June 23, 1850, leaving three daughters, but only one of the number is now living, Mrs. Ruth Morris, of Petersburg, Illinois."
and
"Mr. Davis' first work was on a farm, and he later followed the brick and stonemason's and plasterer's trades for some years. Subsequently he became very much interested in political affairs and was called upon to fill a number of official positions of honor and trust in Menard county, serving his fellow citizens well and acceptably in various capacities. In 1878 he embarked in the hotel business in Petersburg, and in August, 1887, came to Springfield with his family, continuing in the hotel business here. For the past nine years he has been proprietor of the Commercial Hotel at the corner of Jefferson and Third streets, which under his management has become a favorite resort with the traveling public, so that he now receives a liberal patronage.
In early days the Davis, Hohimer and Lincoln families were on very friendly terms, meeting often in a social way, as they lived in the same neighborhood, and our subject can relate many interesting anecdotes of the martyred president."
"In addition to his own children he reared and educated William Davis, now a prosperous merchant of Menard county; Mary Watkins, now Mrs. Kennedy, who is living with her family in Mason county; and Ellen Overby, a resident of Springfield."
Though the account does not mention that Mary Watkins was a step daughter to Fielding G. Davis, available records confirm she was in fact the daughter of Warren Watkins born 1823 and Hannah Ann Shepherd born 1825 and in 1850 listed with her mother H.A. (Hannah Ann)Davis and Hannah's new husband F.G. (Fielding Goldsby) Davis living in Menard County, Illinois close by to John Watkins and Mary Polly Swarens with David Brunk also in close proximity.
An unknown source offers that
Christopher Brunk Jr. had served under Captain Abraham Lincoln (grandfather of our future president) and on October 12, 1775 was summoned to appear before a court-martial at Augusta Co, VA to show why he had missed seven musters. On October 15, 1777 he was acquitted and "Exempted from duty until he recovers his health." The descendants of Christopher Brunk Jr. are not eligible to be included in the Sons of the American Revolution nor the Daughters of the American Revolution due to his absence from serving.
Christopher Brunk Jr.
died about 1825
Grayson County, Kentucky
Your thoughts are appreciated!
1forevermore.sw@gmail.com