Reuben L Lunsford (1814 - 1890)

Born 1 Mar 1814 in Virginia, USA

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 13 Jul 1890 at age 76 in Kuttawa Lyon County Kentucky, USA

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Biography

Reuben and Nancy Lunsford have not been found in the 1850 census, and there may have been more Lunsford children not yet accounted for. They probably wed in Virginia about 1833.

The places of birth of their children - some in Augusta County, Virginia, others in counties in West Virginia - suggests the family moved about a good bit within the region. In 1860 Reuben and Nancy, together with children Ellen, Martha, Lucy, Napoleon and Alice, were residing in Lawrence County, Ohio. Reuben is listed as a farmer with personal property valued at $300.

The 1870 census finds Reuben and Nancy, with daughter Alice and young son William, in Stewart County, Tennessee. Reuben was working as a farm laborer. Residing nearby are daughter Martha and her husband Robert Dalton. By this time all of the other known Lunsford daughters had settled with their husbands in Minnesota.

In 1880 Reuben and Nancy were in Eddyville, Lyon County, Kentucky, with daughter Alice. Daughter Martha and son-in-law Robert Dalton are living next door. The census shows Nancy's father was born in Ireland.

The Minnesota state census of 1885 shows Reuben, Nancy and Alice Lunsford in Collinwood, Meeker County, Minnesota, near eldest daughter Elizabeth and son-in-law Matt DeLong.

Evidently the Lunsfords returned to Lyon County, Kentucky, to live out their final years. After more than fifty years together, they died just three months apart.

Daughter Alice was in Collinwood in 1895 but returned to Kentucky where she is found in the 1900 census, residing with friends on Hawthorne Street in Kuttawa. She never married, and is buried near her parents. Inscription:

Father let thy grace ... That we may meet ...

Burial: Kuttawa Cemetery Kuttawa Lyon County Kentucky, USA

Sources

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145744647/reuben-l-lunsford: accessed 05 February 2024), memorial page for Reuben L Lunsford (1 Mar 1814–13 Jul 1890), Find A Grave: Memorial #145744647, citing Kuttawa Cemetery, Kuttawa, Lyon County, Kentucky, USA; Maintained by Amy Suzanne Martin (contributor 47373263).
• 1860 Census: "United States Census, 1860", citing Page: 80; Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: M653; Digital film/folder number: 005170593; FHL microfilm: 803997; Image number: 84; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N01793-6, (FamilySearch Record: MCL1-WJ8 : accessed 5 February 2024) FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9BSH-9XDL, Reuben Lunsford (45) in Lawrence Township, Lawrence, Ohio, United States. Born in Virginia.
• 1870 Census: "United States Census, 1870", citing Page: 17; Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: M593; Line: 6; Digital film/folder number: 004275534; FHL microfilm: 000553063; Image number: 714; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N01565-5, (FamilySearch Record: MD8W-N4V : accessed 5 February 2024) FamilySearch Image: S3HY-67S3-Z3J, Ruben Tunsford (55) head of household in District 11, Grainger, Tennessee, United States. Born in Virginia.
• 1880 Census: "United States Census, 1880", citing Volume: 1; Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T9; Affiliate Line Number: 00099; Digital film/folder number: 005160690; FHL microfilm: 1254430; Image number: 75; Sheet number: 35; Sheet letter: B, (FamilySearch Record: MCZ8-S6X : accessed 5 February 2024) FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9YB3-978H, Ruben Lunsford (65), married, Farmer, head of household in Eddyville, Lyon, Kentucky, United States. Born in Virginia, United States.
• 1885 Census: "Minnesota State Census, 1885", citing Volume: Meeker; Page: 5; Digital film/folder number: 004437184; FHL microfilm: 000565746; Image number: 388; Packet letter: A, (FamilySearch Record: MQFF-NBM : accessed 5 February 2024) FamilySearch Image: S3HY-6LD8-WZ, R Lunsford (71) in Collinwood, Meeker, Minnesota. Born in Virginia.
• Burial: "Find A Grave Index", (FamilySearch Record: QK12-PYDL : accessed 5 February 2024) Find A Grave: Memorial #145744647, Reuben L Lunsford burial (died on 13 Jul 1890) in 1890 in Kuttawa, Lyon, Kentucky, United States of America. Born on 1 Mar 1814.