Emily Dickinson and her Gunn connection
A USA postage stamp (issued August 1981) celebrating Emily Dickinson
I’ve loved the poetry of Emily Dickinson since I was at school, so I thought I’d note her strong Gunn links, including descent from the first Gunn known to settle in North America (Jasper Gunn).
1)
... Samuel Fowler Dickinson who became Emily’s grandfather. In 1802 he reinforced the blood ties with the classy Montagues when he married Lucretia Gunn, whose mother was a Montague and whose home town was Montague, Massachussetts. Grandmother Gunn was tart and ill-tempered, and later generations of Dickinsons tended to excuse their outbursts by saying it was Grandmother Gunn ‘coming out’. It would not have been beyond beyond the poet to joke about this explosive reference in her line, ‘My Life had stood—a Loaded Gun’.
Page 32 Lives Like Loaded Guns; Emily Dickinson and her Family’s feuds, by Lyndall Gordon, 2010 edition, Virago Press.
2)
The below is from http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/print.cgi?gunn::498.html
1 Dr. Jasper GUNN b: 1609 in Highlands, Scotland Christened: 09 August 1607 Great Burstead, Essex, England d: 12 January 1670/71 in Milford, New Haven, CT Immigrated: 1635 England to US on the "Defense" Occupation: 1650 doctor
. +Sarah HAWLEY
*2nd Wife of Dr. Jasper GUNN:
. +Christian Mary (GUNN) b: 1610 in Highlands, Scotland d: October 1690 in Milford, New Haven, CT m: Bef. 1635 in Scotland
. 2 Samuel GUNN b: 1635 in Roxbury, MA d: 1699
. 2 Daniel GUNN b: 1639 in Roxbury, MA d: 1690
. 2 Nathaniel GUNN b: Abt. 1640 in Milford, New Haven, CT d: 1663 in Branford, New Haven, CT
..... +Sarah DAY b: Abt. 1640 d: 19 September 1677 in Hatfield, MA m: 07 November 1658 in CT
..... 3 Nathaniel GUNN b: 1661 d: Bef. 1761
..... 3 Jasper GUNN b: 1663 d: Bef. 1763
..... 3 Deacon Samuel GUNN b: 1659 in Branford, CT d: 01 August 1755 in Sunderland, MA
......... +Elizabeth Bronson WYATT b: 1665 in Haddam, CT d: 02 October 1737 in Hatfield, MA m: 22 January 1684/85 in Hatfield, MA
......... 4 Nathaniel GUNN b: 30 July 1693 in Hatfield, MA d: 29 November 1779 in Montague, MA
............. +Esther BELDEN b: 01 May 1697 in Hatfield, MA d: 24 July 1714
............. 5 Nathaniel GUNN b: 24 January 1725/26 in Montague, MA d: 22 April 1804 in Montague, MA
................. +Dorothy MARSH d: 13 July 1805 in Montague, MA m: 1745
................ 6 [2] Nathaniel GUNN b: 15 January 1751/52 in Montague, MA d: 06 March 1832 in Montague, MA
.................... +[1] Hannah MONTAGUE b: 19 March 1751/52 in Sunderland, MA d: Bef. 1851 m: 08 December 1773 in Montague, Franklin, MA
.................... 7 [3] Lucretia GUNN b: 03 October 1775 in Montague, MA d: 11 May 1840 in Enfield, MA
........................ +[4] Samuel Fowler DICKINSON b: 09 October 1775 in Amherst, MA d: 22 April 1838 in Hudson, OH m: 01 March 1802 in Amherst, MA Achievement: Founder of Amherst College
........................ 8 [5] Edward DICKINSON b: 01 January 1803 in Amherst, MA d: 16 June 1874 in Boston, MA
............................ +[6] Emily NORCROSS b: 03 July 1804 in Monson, MA d: 14 November 1882 in Amherst, MA m: 06 May 1828
............................ 9 [7] Emily Elizabeth DICKINSON b: 10 December 1830 in Amherst, MA d: 15 May 1886 in Amherst, MA Occupation: Poet
......... 4 Elizabeth GUNN b: 08 November 1689 in Hatfield, MA d: Bef. 1744
............. +Simon COOLEY b: 06 March 1685/86 in Springfield, Hampden, MA d: 21 September 1746 in Sunderland, Franklin, MA m: 04 May 1709 in Sunderland, MA Occupation: Tavern Keeper
............. 5 Lucy COOLEY b: 23 September 1731 in Sunderland, Franklin, MA d: 23 May 1795
................. +Major Richard MONTAGUE b: 07 May 1729 in Sunderland, MA d: 21 February 1794 in North Leverett, MA m: 23 May 1750
................ 6 [1] Hannah MONTAGUE b: 19 March 1751/52 in Sunderland, MA d: Bef. 1851
.................... +[2] Nathaniel GUNN b: 15 January 1751/52 in Montague, MA d: 06 March 1832 in Montague, MA m: 08 December 1773 in Montague, Franklin, MA
.................... 7 [3] Lucretia GUNN b: 03 October 1775 in Montague, MA d: 11 May 1840 in Enfield, MA
........................ +[4] Samuel Fowler DICKINSON b: 09 October 1775 in Amherst, MA d: 22 April 1838 in Hudson, OH m: 01 March 1802 in Amherst, MA Achievement: Founder of Amherst College
........................ 8 [5] Edward DICKINSON b: 01 January 1803 in Amherst, MA d: 16 June 1874 in Boston, MA
............................ +[6] Emily NORCROSS b: 03 July 1804 in Monson, MA d: 14 November 1882 in Amherst, MA m: 06 May 1828
............... 9 [7] Emily Elizabeth DICKINSON b: 10 December 1830 in Amherst, MA d: 15 May 1886 in Amherst, MA Occupation: Poet.............
. 2 Jobomah GUNN b: 1641 in Roxbury, MA d: 1715
. 2 Mehitable GUNN b: 24 May 1641 in Milford, New Haven, CT d: 1730 in Milford, New Haven, CT
. 2 Dr. Abel GUNN b: 19 June 1643 in Milford, New Haven, CT d: 1688 in Derby, CT Occupation: Doctor
Note generation 4; Nathaniel Gunn’s (1693-1779) line leads down to Generation 6 another Nathaniel Gunn. However generation 4 also has Elizabeth Gunn (1689-before 1744) which leads to Hannah Montague (1751/2- bef 1851). This Nathaniel and Hannah marry, so both Gunn lines come from Jaspar Gunn. That's why she appears twice on the family tree...
4)
Which then should be read against Robert R. Gunn’s The Gunns - Part 2 Chapter 1’The New England Gunns’ - which discusses this line in detail. And further information about Jasper Gunn can be easily found elsewhere on the internet.
She is an iconic poet for Gunns to celebrate...
1)
... Samuel Fowler Dickinson who became Emily’s grandfather. In 1802 he reinforced the blood ties with the classy Montagues when he married Lucretia Gunn, whose mother was a Montague and whose home town was Montague, Massachussetts. Grandmother Gunn was tart and ill-tempered, and later generations of Dickinsons tended to excuse their outbursts by saying it was Grandmother Gunn ‘coming out’. It would not have been beyond beyond the poet to joke about this explosive reference in her line, ‘My Life had stood—a Loaded Gun’.
Page 32 Lives Like Loaded Guns; Emily Dickinson and her Family’s feuds, by Lyndall Gordon, 2010 edition, Virago Press.
2)
The below is from http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/print.cgi?gunn::498.html
1 Dr. Jasper GUNN b: 1609 in Highlands, Scotland Christened: 09 August 1607 Great Burstead, Essex, England d: 12 January 1670/71 in Milford, New Haven, CT Immigrated: 1635 England to US on the "Defense" Occupation: 1650 doctor
. +Sarah HAWLEY
*2nd Wife of Dr. Jasper GUNN:
. +Christian Mary (GUNN) b: 1610 in Highlands, Scotland d: October 1690 in Milford, New Haven, CT m: Bef. 1635 in Scotland
. 2 Samuel GUNN b: 1635 in Roxbury, MA d: 1699
. 2 Daniel GUNN b: 1639 in Roxbury, MA d: 1690
. 2 Nathaniel GUNN b: Abt. 1640 in Milford, New Haven, CT d: 1663 in Branford, New Haven, CT
..... +Sarah DAY b: Abt. 1640 d: 19 September 1677 in Hatfield, MA m: 07 November 1658 in CT
..... 3 Nathaniel GUNN b: 1661 d: Bef. 1761
..... 3 Jasper GUNN b: 1663 d: Bef. 1763
..... 3 Deacon Samuel GUNN b: 1659 in Branford, CT d: 01 August 1755 in Sunderland, MA
......... +Elizabeth Bronson WYATT b: 1665 in Haddam, CT d: 02 October 1737 in Hatfield, MA m: 22 January 1684/85 in Hatfield, MA
......... 4 Nathaniel GUNN b: 30 July 1693 in Hatfield, MA d: 29 November 1779 in Montague, MA
............. +Esther BELDEN b: 01 May 1697 in Hatfield, MA d: 24 July 1714
............. 5 Nathaniel GUNN b: 24 January 1725/26 in Montague, MA d: 22 April 1804 in Montague, MA
................. +Dorothy MARSH d: 13 July 1805 in Montague, MA m: 1745
................ 6 [2] Nathaniel GUNN b: 15 January 1751/52 in Montague, MA d: 06 March 1832 in Montague, MA
.................... +[1] Hannah MONTAGUE b: 19 March 1751/52 in Sunderland, MA d: Bef. 1851 m: 08 December 1773 in Montague, Franklin, MA
.................... 7 [3] Lucretia GUNN b: 03 October 1775 in Montague, MA d: 11 May 1840 in Enfield, MA
........................ +[4] Samuel Fowler DICKINSON b: 09 October 1775 in Amherst, MA d: 22 April 1838 in Hudson, OH m: 01 March 1802 in Amherst, MA Achievement: Founder of Amherst College
........................ 8 [5] Edward DICKINSON b: 01 January 1803 in Amherst, MA d: 16 June 1874 in Boston, MA
............................ +[6] Emily NORCROSS b: 03 July 1804 in Monson, MA d: 14 November 1882 in Amherst, MA m: 06 May 1828
............................ 9 [7] Emily Elizabeth DICKINSON b: 10 December 1830 in Amherst, MA d: 15 May 1886 in Amherst, MA Occupation: Poet
......... 4 Elizabeth GUNN b: 08 November 1689 in Hatfield, MA d: Bef. 1744
............. +Simon COOLEY b: 06 March 1685/86 in Springfield, Hampden, MA d: 21 September 1746 in Sunderland, Franklin, MA m: 04 May 1709 in Sunderland, MA Occupation: Tavern Keeper
............. 5 Lucy COOLEY b: 23 September 1731 in Sunderland, Franklin, MA d: 23 May 1795
................. +Major Richard MONTAGUE b: 07 May 1729 in Sunderland, MA d: 21 February 1794 in North Leverett, MA m: 23 May 1750
................ 6 [1] Hannah MONTAGUE b: 19 March 1751/52 in Sunderland, MA d: Bef. 1851
.................... +[2] Nathaniel GUNN b: 15 January 1751/52 in Montague, MA d: 06 March 1832 in Montague, MA m: 08 December 1773 in Montague, Franklin, MA
.................... 7 [3] Lucretia GUNN b: 03 October 1775 in Montague, MA d: 11 May 1840 in Enfield, MA
........................ +[4] Samuel Fowler DICKINSON b: 09 October 1775 in Amherst, MA d: 22 April 1838 in Hudson, OH m: 01 March 1802 in Amherst, MA Achievement: Founder of Amherst College
........................ 8 [5] Edward DICKINSON b: 01 January 1803 in Amherst, MA d: 16 June 1874 in Boston, MA
............................ +[6] Emily NORCROSS b: 03 July 1804 in Monson, MA d: 14 November 1882 in Amherst, MA m: 06 May 1828
............... 9 [7] Emily Elizabeth DICKINSON b: 10 December 1830 in Amherst, MA d: 15 May 1886 in Amherst, MA Occupation: Poet.............
. 2 Jobomah GUNN b: 1641 in Roxbury, MA d: 1715
. 2 Mehitable GUNN b: 24 May 1641 in Milford, New Haven, CT d: 1730 in Milford, New Haven, CT
. 2 Dr. Abel GUNN b: 19 June 1643 in Milford, New Haven, CT d: 1688 in Derby, CT Occupation: Doctor
Note generation 4; Nathaniel Gunn’s (1693-1779) line leads down to Generation 6 another Nathaniel Gunn. However generation 4 also has Elizabeth Gunn (1689-before 1744) which leads to Hannah Montague (1751/2- bef 1851). This Nathaniel and Hannah marry, so both Gunn lines come from Jaspar Gunn. That's why she appears twice on the family tree...
4)
Which then should be read against Robert R. Gunn’s The Gunns - Part 2 Chapter 1’The New England Gunns’ - which discusses this line in detail. And further information about Jasper Gunn can be easily found elsewhere on the internet.
She is an iconic poet for Gunns to celebrate...