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Note: Named after the famous general who led the defence of Canada until he died in 1812, Isaac Brock Nunn is an interesting character in many rights, among them his telling of the history of the Nunn family through writings to other family members. Isaac, whose own father was born in Canada and later moved to the United States, tells one version of the family history below. His niece, Cora Brown, described much later in a newspaper report in 1952 how she had traced the family to Canada. (see article attached to her name.)
Isaac Brock Nunn (1837-1913)
A letter written to his niece Cora (Brown) Beach
The original letter was last known to be in the possession of
Mr & Mrs Cecil Westervelt of Flint, Michigan
Hale, Mich.
July 1, 1908
Mrs. Cora M. Beach
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Dear Niece,
I will now endeavor to reply to yours of the 8th of June. In the first place, all I can tell you about my forefathers is what my grandfather told me when a very small boy. Had I known the importance of records and particulars at the time, I could have had them, but at present they are beyond reach, as at my grandfather's death they fell into my Uncle Benjamin's hands; and have been destroyed, for they were thought to be worthless.
There is a large book store in London, England (1): the business is entaillerd to the Nunn family. My great grandfather was one of the younger sons, and of course was paid a certain sum of money, and sent adrift in the year 1758. He sailed with his wife and family to America. My grandfather, Joshua Nunn, was born on the Atlantic Ocean (2), when they were coming over; he had three brothers, Benjamin, Jonathon, and Isaac; and two sisters. One married a man named Sinyer; the other a man named White.
My great grandfather settled on the Hudson River, opposite Manhatten Island, and lived to be one hundred six years old (106). He was in the Revolutionary War, on the American side(3), but I do not know either the Company or the regiment. All I know is he fought under Washington. I was too small, when my grandfather told me these things, to know about or inquire about them, or I might have had the entire particulars.
Grandfather grew to manhood in New York State, where his father first settled, and married a Miss Betsy Cline, who lived on the opposite side of the Hudson -- in the state of New Jersey. She was of old Dutch descent, her forefathers having settled on Manhatten Island when it was New Amsterdam.
Grandfather was in the war of 1812, on the American side(4), -- I do not know either his regiment or company. He told me much of his experiences, but it was all in New York state.
Our family on father's side were all mechanics. Grandfather was a good mill wright; and some time after the war of 1812 he went to Canada to build mills. He built a grist mill at the mouth of the Little Otter, between Richmond and Vienna; and more down about Port Dover. He finally settled on Talbot Street about two and a half (2 1/2) miles above what is now called Courtland. He had a farm of 200 acres, with a fine orchard. He had five sons: Jacob, Jonathon, Peter, Benjamin, and Clament. And one daughter Catherine, who married David Ribble. He was 96 years old when he died.
My father, Jonathon, was born March 31, 1811. And married Charlotte Taylor, September 8, 1833. He was a carpenter by trade. He had five sons:
Isaac B. --- born June 23, 1837
Jacob E. --- born August 27, 1841
Joshua C. --- born July 10, 1846
Jonathon W. --- born January 18, 1857
David W. --- born September 8, 1859
And five girls as follows:
Elizabeth C. --- born May 5, 1839
Martha H. --- born June 18, 1843
Mariah E. --- born August 23, 1848
Sarah Ann --- born December 25, 1851
Harriet B. --- born July 6, 1854
Father died January [???], 1892, aged 80 years, 9 months, 4 days.
All I know about my mother was that she had a large number of sisters, and one brother named William, who died young. They claimed mother's grandfather was a Colonial Judge, and left a large amount of property, that went to one, Durham, through William's death and a marriage. My great grandfather's widow to this Durham --- they were continually trying to regain the property --- but failed. My mother's folks were very aristocratic, entirely too much so for poor folks, yet they claimed 'blue
blood' --- and I disdain it; so there was a perpetual estrangement between us.
One thing I will say: my mother was blond, and as I remember her, in her youthful and palmy days, was extremely beautiful! In fact, you would not find one in a thousand, who exceeded her [?????]
I have now told you all I can remember, as it was told to me. So you see on our father's side we have had a representative of the family in every War the United States have had except the Mexican War, and if it is possible for any white person to be thoroughly American by birth and education, it is us.
Although the information I have been able to impart may not prove sufficient to admit you to the Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution; you are, in fact, a Daughter of the Revolution!
I received your marriage notice (5), and wrote a letter in reply to your mother, but never got an answer. When you come to Saginaw this fall, be sure and come and see us, as we will be very glad to see you. We live only a short distance from the Railroad station. My house is in plain view from Main Street; and everybody knows where I am. Our house is very large and showy.
I have lost track of all the girls (your aunts), I wrote Lib last at St. Louis, but she never answers; none of them has answered my letters. Do you know where they are? All I know about any of them is that your mother lives in Saginaw, but I don't know her address.
Give my respects to your husband, and tell him I should be very much pleased to make his acquaintance. My wife joins in sending respects to all.
Your affectionate
Uncle Isaac
P.S. Bring your mother when you come to see us; we have plenty of room. They told me the London, England Book Store has been in existence in the family for at least a hundred years!
Isaac B. Nunn
Hale, Michigan
NOTES (from Isaac's descendants):
1. Our research has not turned up any evidence of a book publishing company owned by a Nunn
2. Isaac Nunn, son of Benjamin Nunn and Annie Carpenter, a cousin of Joshua Nunn, was born on the Atlantic Ocean.
3. Research of Cora (Brown) Beach has found no record of a Nunn fighting on the American side in the revolutionary war. However, her research of Canadian National Archive records show that there were Nunns in the British Army of that time.
4.Research of Cora (Brown) Beach has found no record of a Nunn fighting on the American side in War of 1812. However, her research of Canadian National Archive records show that there were Nunns in the British Army of that time.
5.Cora May (Brown) Beach married 6 Dec 1906.
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Isaac Brock Nunn (1837-1913) - Bible Record
Although the entries are recorded in Isaac Brock Henry Nunn's bible, the information was all in the same handwriting and hence could not have been recorded by either Isaac Nunn or Mary Ann Hanstead
Isaac Brock Henry Nunn first child of Jonathon and Charlotte Nunn was born June 23, 1837 in Brantford, Canada.
Rachel Adaline Rankins was born in East Tenn., June 26, 1824 (see notes below)
Isaac Brock Henry Nunn and Rachel Adaline Rankins were married in Carroll Co. Mo. Were married by the Rev. J.W. Maddox. E. Methodist minister, Oct 28, 1858.
1st child - Mary Elizabeth born Sept 11, 1859 at 6:30 A.M. in township 53, Carroll Co. Mo. and died Oct 13, 1859.
Rachel Adaline Nunn died in Carroll Co. Mo., Sept 15, 1859 at 8:00 o'clock p.m. aged 30 years, 2 mo., 19 days.
Isaac B. Nunn and Mary Ann Hanstead were married in Waterford Canada. Jan. 20, 1864 by the Rev. James McAlister - Methodist minister
Mary Ann Hanstead was born in Middlesex Co., England, Nov 18, 1841. She was the first child of Henry and Charlotte Hanstead.
Children of Isaac Brock Nunn and Mary Ann Hanstead:
1.Ida Naomi was born in Aylmer, Canada Nov 14, 1864
2.Henry Eugene, born in Aylmer, Canada, July 11, 1866
3.Isaac Llewellyn, born in Aylmer, Ont. Feb 16, 1868
4.William Brock born in Aylmer, Ont. Canada May 31, 1870
5.Clarance Edwin born in Flint, Mich. Oct 11, 1871
6.Nellie May, born Oakley, Saginaw Co, Mich. Sep 4, 1875
7.Albert Hanstead, born Argyle, Mich, Jan 1, 1883
Deaths
Mary Ann Nunn died at Hale Mich. Oct 11, 1912 at 10:00 p.m. from Bright's disease, Age 71 years, 11 months, 23 days.
Isaac Brock Henry Nunn died at Hale Mich. from the effects of a fall, Oct 2, 1913, Age 76 years, 3 mo, 8 days.
Henry Eugene Nunn died at Hale, Mich. from Apoplexy, July 11, 1922, age 56
NOTES:
1.Rachel Adaline Rankins must have been born in 1829 rather than 1824 according to her age at the time she died.
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ISAAC BROCK NUNN
-- from History of Iosco County (Michigan),page 270
Isaac Brock Nunn, an ordained Baptist minister, accepted a call to Hale, Michigan, in 1890 to organize and build a church there. He was Hale's first minister.
The congregation was inter-denominational and their donations plus contributions from lumbermen in the Township supplied the funds. Stacy B. Yawger, an expert carpenter, designed and built the church. It was dedicated in 1895.
Isaac B. Nunn was born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, June 23, 1837. His parents were Jonathan Nunn (born June 30, 1811) and Charlotte Taylor (born June 30, 1816). Both were born in Brantford, Canada, of English descent.
Mr. Nunn attended the Theological Seminary in Carroll County, Missouri, and graduated from the University of Missouri. He married Rachael Adaline Rankins on October 28, 1858. Their child, Mary Elizabeth, was born September 11, 1859. Rachael died of complications of child birth on September 15, 1859, and the infant died a month later.
Mr. Nunn preached in Carroll County, Missouri, until the Civil War broke out in 1861. His wife's family was loyal to the Confederacy and her brothers enlisted in the Confederate Army. Isaac did not believe in slavery and at that time made the difficult decision to enlist as a chaplain in the Union forces. He served with the Medical Corp until 1862 when he was taken prisoner and sent to Andersonville Prison in Georgia. In 1863, he was exchanged and returned to Canada.
Isaac Nunn then preached in Waterford, Canada, and while there met and married Mary Ann Hanstead on January 20, 1864. Mary Ann Hanstead was born in Harefield, England, near Windsor, November 19, 1841. Her parents were Henry Hanstead and Charlotte Brown Hanstead. The family moved to Canada from England in 1851. There were seven children born to Isaac B. Nunn and Mary Ann.
Ida Naomi, the first child was born in Aylmer, Ontario, November 19, 1864. She married Edwin Denton in 1882 and they had five children: Lloyd, Winnifred, Morris, Stanley, and Marian. Ida died November 15, 1942.
The second child (Henry) Eugene was born in Aylmer, Canada, July 11, 1866. Eugene joined his parents at Hale in 1892 and married Maud Esmond. They had three children: Ainsley, Ashley (Jack), and Morley. Morley died in infancy and his mother died January 1903.
H.E. Nunn married Victoria Sauve in 1904 and three children were born to them: Carvil, Mina, and Wallace (Mike).
Eugene established a hardware business in Hale in 1895 which he operated until his death in 1922. Two sons, Ashley and Wallace, also engaged in the hardware business.
The third child of Isaac and Mary Ann Nunn was Isaac Llewllyn, known as Lewis. He was born in Aylmer, Canada, February 16, 1868. He came to Hale in 1901 to engage in the carpenter trade. He also served as Plainfield Township supervisor for 18 years. He married Edith Smith in January 1905 and they had five children: Ronald, Lewis, Winnifred, Charles, and Henry. Winnifred married Paul Labian in 1927 and still survives. Henry Nunn now lives in Flushing, Michigan. Lewis Nunn died July 27, 1943.
The fourth child, William Brock Nunn was born in Aylmer, Canada, May 31, 1870. He died July 4, 1953. He married Eliza Peters in Argyle, Michigan, April 1892. They had nine children: Hulda, William Glenn, Perry, Erma, Opal, Donald, Constance, Geraldine and Vere. Three of the children survive. Erma Zielter of Clearwater, Florida; Constance Dake now living in Ontario; and Vere Nunn of North Street, Michigan.
Edwin C. Nunn, the fifth child was born in Flint, Michigan, October 11, 1871, and died May 7, 1949. He married Ellen Carroll January 27, 1897. They had five children: Zella, Thomas, Alta, Geneva, and James. Geneva married Cecil Westervelt July 6, 1931, and is now living in Flint.
Nellie May Nunn was born in Oakley, Michigan, September 4, 1875. She died January 8, 1954. She married Fred Jennings July 27, 1898, and they had three children: Clayton, Rex, and Marian. Marian now lives in Alabaster Township.
Albert Hanstead was the seventh child and was born in Argyle, Michigan, January 1, 1883. He died March 1, 1943. He was known as a pianist and accompianist.
Seven grandchildren of Isaac B. Nunn still survive. His name is carried on by several great grandsons and their sons, some of whom live in Iosco County.
See Talbot District Marriage Register 1858-69, p. 334
Lists Isaac as 26, living in Springfield, son of Jonathan and Charlotte, marrying Mary (Ann) (Hanstead) - the brackets indicate they are unsure of the spelling/name
She is listed as a resident of Vittoria
They were married by Rev. James McAllister, Methodist New Connexion, Waterford
Witnesses are listed as John Shaver and William (Fuller)
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