Henry Gunder #9 and Caroline Chase
Henry, Caroline and Son. From Darke Genealogical Society.
Gunder Child #9: Henry
Henry was born 1837, son of William and Nancy Gunder. He was a scholar and educator thirsting knowledge as a youngster. He went on to found Germantown High School and Greenville High School in 1868. See History of Darke County 1880 page 428. He served as Superintendent at North Manchester, Ind. and was the first teacher.
He married Caroline Chase in 1858. His wife was also well educated and was a accomplished violinist.
Henry moved to Indiana about 1873 to serve as Superintendent of Public School in the college circuit.
He joined his son, George, in the newspaper business serving as editor of the “Bee”.
Caroline was divorced from Henry and Henry never remarried.
He excelled in mathematics and wrote college texts as well as being a linguist of foreign languages.
He is buried in Fairview Cemetery at Brownstown, IN.
Children include: George, Anonymous, Anna, Junius, Alphonso, Evangeline, Mary, Aurelia, Eulalie and Lara.
More info can be obtained from Find-a-Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52978765/henry-gunder
HENRY GUNDER DIES
HERE Aged 79 years
Well Known Educator and Widely
Known in Educational Circles a
Generation Ago.
Henry Gunder, aged 79 years, died Monday morning, at three o’clock, after a few days’ illness of uremic,
poisoning at the home of his son, Geo.W. Gunder, at this place, where he has been making his home for some months, past. While his acquaintance in this community was not extended yet during his short residence here he formed the acquaintance and gained the friendship and esteem of quite a number of our
citizens. His scholarly attainments, gentlemanly manners and reserved but courteous disposition made a most favorable impression upon those with whom he came in contact.
Memoir.
Henry Gunder was born in Preble County, Ohio, on a farm, September 15, 1837. He was one of a family of thirteen children, who with ”their father, a sturdy pioneer, blazed-the way for civilization in Preble and Darke counties, Ohio. He early showed an insatiable thirst for knowledge, and while he only attended
short terms of country school, was not to be denied the knowledge of the thinkers of the world. He studied
his first college text book, Comstock’s natural philosophy, while hauling hay on the farm, and so thoroughly did he master it that he recently said he could repeat it by heart. He served his father on his farm until 21, when he began teaching school. His educational work in Ohio included the principal ship of the high schools of Germantown and Greenville, Ohio, founding the high schools of both cities. The curriculum was such that his graduates were admitted to the sophomore year in the great universities.
While he was a fine linguist, scientist and biblical student, using always the original Hebrew and Greek texts instead of the English, he excelled as a mathematician and achieved a national reputation, for his discoveries in the most exact of all sciences, writing the texts on differential and integral calculus for college use, besides being a regular contributor to the mathematical journals of the country.
He married at the age of 21 in the town of Euphemia, Preble County, Ohio. He removed to Indiana in 1873, serving as superintendent of the public schools, first at North Manchester, nine years; Bluffton, two years, and Newcastle, nine years.
He then removed to Ohio and filled the chair of mathematics in Findlay College two years, after which he joined his son, George W. Gunder, who was in the newspaper business at Little rock, Ark., assisting as editor of the “Bee”. He later occupied the chair of mathematics in the Little rock University, and in his later years conducted a preparatory private school for boys, rearing them for University work.
He classified and discovered over thirty new species of plants in Arkansas collaborating with Prof. Coulter, of Chicago University, America’s greatest botanist.
He was a born teacher and hundreds of young men over the country received their first real inspiration to be and to do in his class room. A few months ago he joined his son, George W. Gunder, at Brownstown, to spend his declining years.
He came of German stock. His grandparents, both sides, coming from Germany to Pennsylvania, migrating thence to Ohio, where Prof. Gunder was born.
Two brothers, include Col. Geo. W. Gunder, late colonel of the 160th Indiana, in the Spanish-American War, and one of the most prominent Masons in the country, aged 77 years; Capt. Daniel Gunder, aged 72, and at one time captain of the prize winning Canton of the U.S. of I.O.O.F. – both veterans of the Civil War, and a sister, Sarah Shepherd, all of Marion, Indiana, together with two sons, George W., of Brownstown; Anonymous Gassendi Gunder of Detroit, Mich., and four daughters, Mrs. Wm. Frye, of Kokomo, Ind.; Mrs. Wm. Swayzee, of Newcastle, Ind.; Mary Gunder and Laura Gunder Bender, of Greenville, Ohio.
Other children include Anna L. Gunder Kepner
He was a fine example of the self-educated man. His versatility of intellect making him accomplished beyond the ordinary in all branches of human knowledge. He was a deep scholar in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Sanskrit, German, French and mastered Spanish at the age of 70.
In his declining years he gave up his chief thoughts to profound religious contemplation, and while in Brownstown delighted in the talks on the bible which he gave each Sunday to the Adult Bible Class of the Methodist Sunday School.
Funeral services were conducted at the residence of his son George Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock, Rev. C. H. Pinnick, pastor of the M.E. church, officiating, with memoir reading by Judge D.A. Kowhenour, followed by interment in Fairview Cemetery.
A ladies quartet choir rendered “Lead Kindly Light.” And “Crossing the Bar” and Miss Greger at the piano rendered three favorite instrumental selections of the decease on the player, “Psalms” by Faure, “Stabat Mater” Rossini, and Chopin’s great Funeral March, the latter closing the service.”
Brownstown Banner
Brownstown, Indiana
Wednesday, November 22, 1916
Caroline Jane Chase Gunder. She and Henry, husband, had 13 children and she was a school teacher. Her and Henry divorced in 1890’s and she remarried and moved to Michigan. J.D. Houchens, remembers his great aunt Mildred Fye Smith (1910-2001) taking train trips to see her grandmother.
Caroline was well educated and was an accomplished violinists who enjoyed performing for friends, family and on the concert stage.
The info about Caroline and remarriage was written by J.D. Houchens in 2004…great-great grandson.
Please follow AWTHS blog guidelines.