His first marriage was to Martha Daniel, on November 29, 1848, in Brunswick County, Virginia. She was born about 1830 in the St. Andrew's Parish, Brunswick County, the daughter of Peter Daniel and Martha Parker. Martha's death was published in the November 1, 1855 issue of the Religious Herald. The Daniels were a well respected Brunswick County family.
Samuel's second wife was Lucy Ann Elmore. She was the daughter of James W. Elmore, Jr. and Martha Barnes. Lucy Ann was born about 1830 and died before 1876 in Brunswick County, Virginia. They married on January 8, 1857. Two of Samuel's brothers also married Elmore girls. Richard James Gunn married Mary Augusta Elmore, the sister of Samuel's wife Lucy, and John B. Gunn married Lucy Jane Elmore, the aunt of Samuel and Richard's wives.
Samuel's third marriage was to Adner "Addie" Virginia Elmore on March 1, 1876 in Nottoway County, Virginia. Addie was the daughter of Edward Elmore and Deslemonia Robbins. She was born about 1853 in Nottoway County and died before 1900 in Brunswick County, Virginia.
Samuel Harrison Gunn's actual birth year has yet to be determined. According to the 1850, 1860, and 1870 census records, he was born in the years 1831, 1832, and 1834. With each marriage, he appears to have gotten younger. The birth year of 1831 is prevalent and his birth month/year at the time the 1900 census was taken was June 1831.
On November 29, 1848 Samuel Harrison Gunn wed Martha Daniel. During the early years of their marriage, they lived with Sam's parents Freeman and "Polly" Bridgforth Gunn, in Brunswick County. At the time of the 1850 census, Sam a farm laborer, was 18 years old, his wife Martha was 20 and an infant 2 months old had been born. I do not believe this child is Peter H. Gunn and it likely did not survive.
Samuel and Martha lived in Brunswick County, Virginia between two Elmore families. Edward and Deslemonia Elmore lived to the left, and James W. Elmore, Sr. and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Pritchett Elmore to the right. This is important to note because Edward and Deslemonia's daughter, "Addie Elmore" would become Sam's third wife, and James W. Elmore Sr. and Mary Pritchett's granddaughter, Lucy Ann, would become Sam's second wife.
Martha Daniel Gunn's death occurred one month after the birth of their third child, Martha Jane, in 1855.
Martha Daniel's father, Peter, died in 1864. In his will, he designated that one ninth of his estate, go to the three children of Martha Daniel Gunn, to be equally divided between them. (Peter, James, and Martha Jane)
On January 8, 1857, two years and two months, after his wife Martha's death, Samuel Harrison Gunn married Lucy Ann Elmore, the daughter of James W. Elmore, Jr. and Martha Barnes. Samuel and Lucy Ann were married in her grandparent's home, next door to Samuel Harrison's farm in Brunswick County, Virginia.
BRUNSWICK COUNTY
DEED BOOK 37, Pages 64-65
3 October 1857 - Samuel Harrison Gunn bought for $292.00 a tract of land bounded by the lands of Thomas Readd, R. A. Howerton, E.T. Oldham and Lew Ines' Road.
Samuel Harrison and Lucy Ann left Brunswick County and moved to the Pleasant Grove District of Lunenburg County between 1857 and 1860. The 1860 Census enumerated on the 27th day of July, by G. A. Ware the assistant Marshall, shows Samuel's family as the 492nd counted. Samuel Gunn, overseer, age 30, Lucy Ann age 25, Martha Jane age 10, Peter H. age 8, and Samuel F age 6. It is my belief Samuel F. should read James F.
Between 1860 and 1865, during the War Between the States, Samuel Harrison enlisted in the Conderate States of America. He joined June 11, 1861 at Fletcher's Chapel in Lunenburg County, located on present day Road 600 between Blackstone and Kenbridge Virginia.
Samuel served in the 9th Virginia Infantry, 1st Company H; in the 28th Bn, Infantry, Company C, and in the 59th Infantry, 2nd Company H. Samuel was described in one Muster Roll as being 5'9" tall, with light complexion, brown hair and grey eyes. He was a private in Company H, for the Wise Legion. He was present at both the siege of Petersburg and the Battle of the Crater.
The following has been taken from the Military Images Magazine, Volume XIV, Number 1, issue July-August 1992 and was given to me by Charles Gibbs, a g-g grandson of Samuel Harrison Gunn. .
"Thirty-five year old Sam GUNN enlisted June 11, 1861 in the Lunenburg Heavy Artillery at Fletcher's Chapel, Virginia. The unit was stationed briefly at the Pig Point Battery in Hampton Roads, then converted to infantry and designated Company H, 9th Virginia Infantry. On May 8, 1862 the company was transferred to the 28th Virginia Battalion for service as guards in the military prisions in Richmond. In October the unit became part of the 59th Virginia Volunteers.
The 59th served in the defenses east of Richmond. In the spring of 1863 Wise attacked Federal forces in the Williamsburg area in support of Longstreet's Suffolk campaign. Following this episode the 59th Virginia was assigned to the defenses in Charleston. The soldier-aritist Conrad Wise Chapman, ordanace sergeant of the 59th, painted some of his most famous works during this period.
In the final year of the war, the 59th returned toVirginia in time to take part in the battle of the Crater. GUNN was captured at Burkeville during the retreat from Petersburg, April 6, 1865. The official surrender of the C. S. A. by General Robert E. Lee was April 9, 1865."
Samuel Harrison Gunn was buried by the explosions during the Battle of the Crater, was dug out and captured at Burkeville, Virginia during the retreat. He was taken to Point Lookout prison where his brother John B. Gunn had once been a prisoner of war. On June 13, 1865, two months after the official surrender, Samuel was released to return home to Virginia. It had been almost exactly four years from the time of his enlistment. For details about the horrible conditions experienced by the confederate soliders of Pt. Lookout Prision, please hit the link at the end of the page)
1. Peter Henry Harrison Gunn, born January 1852 in Brunswick County, Virginia and died March 4, 1942 in Nottoway County, Virginia. He married Mary Thomas Carter Johnson October 17, 1873 in Weldon, North Carolina. Mary Thomas Carter Johnson was born May 15, 1854 in Nottoway County, Virginia and died June 18, 1941 in Richmond, Virginia.
2. James Freeman Gunn, born October 17, 1854 in Brunswick County, Virginia and died October 23, 1902 in Richmond, Virginia. He married Virginia Alice Johnson, sister to Mary Thomas Carter Johnson (above) on December 21, 1881 in Nottoway County. Virginia Alice Johnson was born November 4, 1858 in Amelia County, Virginia and died April 1, 1937 in Richmond, Virginia.
3. Martha Jane Gunn, born October 1855 in St. Andrew's Parish in Brunswick County, Virginia. Martha Jane died April 8, 1938 in Nottoway County, Virginia. She never married.
Children of Samuel Harrison Gunn and Lucy Ann Elmore:
4. Lee Gunn born September 1865 in Lunenburg County, Virginia and died after 1900.
Children of Samuel Harrison Gunn and Adner "Addie" Virginia Johnson:
5. David Lee Gunn born April 4, 1877 in Brunswick County, Virginia. David Lee married Nanny Bell Braugh.
6. Rosa Reed Gunn born February 17, 1879 in Brunswick County, Virginia. Rosa married Charles W. Gibbs December 20, 1899 in Brunswick County, Virginia
7. Annie Dell Gunn was born December 4, 1881 in Brunswick County, Virginia and married James H. Goodwyn on December 23, 1909 in Brunswick County, Virginia
8. Thomas Harrison Gunn was born November 5, 1884 in Brunswick County, Virginia and died March 7, 1897.
9. Nannie Jones Gunn was born June 22, 1886 in Brunswick County, Virginia and married Syrus Gravenor.
10. Lottie Virginia Gunn was born October 18, 1889 in Brunswick County, Virginia and married Grayson L. Fleshood January 5, 1916 in Brunswick County, Virginia.
11. Percy Nicholson Gunn was born June 6, 1894 in Brunswick County, Virginia and died March 1976 in Chester County, Chesterfield, Virginia. He married Anna S. who was born about 1894, per census records.
For letters written by Samuel, to third wife Addie Elmore, please return to my homepage. Apparently Addie suffered from tuberculois, and I think eventually the disease proved fatal. Addie died in 1899 at the age of 37 and Samuel survived 5 more year, dying in 1904 at the age of 72.
Go to Richard James Gunn
Story of Point Lookout Prison, Maryland
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