Re: small book about Peter Videau Guerry & family 1896 by his daughter
-
In reply to:
small book about Peter Videau Guerry & family 1896 by his daughter
Patricia Causey 7/19/02
Here is some more of the "Family History of the Guerrys and the Dunns"
"Our written family record, that is in my dear father's Bible, which was his father's before him, begins with the record of the birth, marriage, and death of my great grandfather and mother - James Guerry and Mary Rembert - born in 1717 and 1720, married 1738 - died 1782 and 1786.To these were born (8) sons.The record of only two of these brothers is given in Pa's Bible, John and Theodore.John was my Grandfather, and Theodore was the father of my father's first wife.But Pa often talked to us about these brothers, his Uncles, and I remember the name of one other, Peter.They all lived to man's estate, and some of them were married and settled at the time the terrible War of the Revolution began.My grandfather, John Guerry, born in 1751, was married 1776, to Charlotte Michau, born 1759.Theodore his brother, born 1745, was married to Martha E. Dumay, born 1762.I do not remember who the others married, but they were all French women.
Dear children, you have read the history of the Revolution and you know there were three parties here in the colonies, as they were then called.Those who took up arms against England, and so bravely fought for their independence - The Tories, who sided with the Mother Country - and the Neutrals, who would fight with neither the British or the Americans.As soon as War was declared, my grandfather and all of his brothers, except Peter, who was a Neutral, joined the Rebel Army.
For the greater safety of their families, the married brothers put them all together at the old Homestead, where the old father and mother were still living and the non-fighting brother remained with them.
In 1778, a son was born to John and Charlotte Jane Guerry, my grandparents, and named John after his father.The brothers came home occasionally, on brief furloughs to visit their families.The long weary years of untold privation, hardship and suffering, kept rolling by, but still the fierce struggle for home and liberty, went determinedly on.No thought of surrender, the foe must be driven from the soil, and America proclaimed the Land of the Free.October 8th, 1781, another son came to claim the loving care of the brave soldier's anxious wife, that son was my own dear father.At this time grandpa got leave of absence to visit his wife and children, and during this visit, came very near to being captured by the British.The baby was just eight days old, and my grandma still in bed.The family were about to sit down to the best war dinner the sisters could have prepared in honor of my grandfather's presence, when a party of red coats dashed up to the gate.Oh! what an awful moment of alarm and danger, but woman's ingenuity is generally equal to the occasion, specially when, as theirs, sharpened by so many threatening dangers.In those days the bedsteads were not so low as now, and foot valans were in use, so in a twinkling they hustled grandpa under the bed and stood around.The soldiers came in and were about to throw open the doors and windows, when the sisters begged them not to do so, on account of the sick lady.The officer went to the bed and spoke to grandma, and patted my father on the cheek, and called him a fine rebel boy - if he had only guessed the rebel father was at his feet.As was the custom, these soldiers ate up all that was cooked, and took possesion of all they could find, that they wanted, or else destroyed it, and after rummaging to their hearts' content, left, to the great joy of all in that house, and grandpa was released from his uncomfortable but safe confinement.Oh! those were times that tried a man's soul.
On a former visit home of grandpa's, the tragic war event of the family occurred, and should have been related before the above instance.The Tories were more troublesome than the regular soldiers, in bands they roamed over the country, destroying property, frightening old men, women and children, and sometimes killing soldiers at home on furlough when so unfortunate as to fall into their power.There were so many raids of Tories and British, that the people often suffered for lack of the necessaries of life, and many plans had been devised to preserve their scant supplies.These brothers had a small strong house built in a dense swamp not far off, where they hoped to keep food for their loved ones and the servants dependent upon them.My grandfather and his brother Peter, had gone to this house one day for some provisions, when through a crevice they saw some Tories approaching.My grandfather had his gun, and determined to defend himself from the house, but his brother seized with a panic of excitement, opened the door, rushed out and ran,..."
I'll copy more and put it here later
Pattie
More Replies:
-
Re: small book about Peter Videau Guerry & family 1896 by his daughter
Delores Leddy 6/04/04
-
Re: small book about Peter Videau Guerry & family 1896 by his daughter
Marian Stone 7/14/03
-
Re: small book about Peter Videau Guerry & family 1896 by his daughter
Patricia Causey 7/31/03
-
Re: small book about Peter Videau Guerry & family 1896 by his daughter
-
Re: small book about Peter Videau Guerry & family 1896 by his daughter
Robert Manning 8/16/02
-
Re: small book about Peter Videau Guerry & family 1896 by his daughter
Patricia Causey 8/25/02
-
Re: small book about Peter Videau Guerry & family 1896 by his daughter