Bundy - William H. - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Endowed with a liberal share of good common sense and possessing sound judgment backed by a well founded purpose to succeed, William H. Bundy, well-known merchant at Bowers Station and trustee of Sugar Creek Twp, Montogmery County, has labored with the object primarily in view of making a good home for himself and family and acquiring a competency for his declining years. The laudable desire is being realized and he is in what we sometimes call "easy circumstances," with a sufficient surplus for the proverbial "rainy day," which sooner or later comes to every individual, and also, when not provided for, results in at least much inconveience and unhappiness if not downright suffering. It is perhaps possible for every able bodied young man to prepare against such a time, but some, instead of doing so, trust to luck, which is an elusive and capricious things, and so, believing in the optimism of the future, they spend all on the present. Mr. Bundy, it seems, has been wiser and his prudence has urged him to pursue a different course, which, all contemplative minds will agree, is the wiser, and therefore his example and that of his worthy father before him as well, are to be commended to the younger readers of this work whose destinies are yet matters for the future to determine and who are hesitating at the parting of the ways. Mr. Bundy was born Jan 17, 1869 near Thorntown, Boone County, Indiana,  son of AD and Rosa A TETROW Bundy. The father was born Jan 3, 1848 in Boone County. He was married in Clinton County after which he moved to Montgomery County, and is now living at Smartsburg, Indiana. The mother of our subject was born in PA on Nov 27, 1847 in Sommerset county and she removed to Western Indiana with her parents when she was 5. Her death occurred Nov 5, 1885.

William H. Bundy received a common school education and he grew to manhood on his father's farm, the elder Bundy having always engaged in general farming but a few years ago he retired from active work on the farm and went into the merchandise business. Besides our subject he has one other child, George who was born in 1871 and owns a grocery store in Crawfordsville. William H. Bundy came to Montgomery County in 1890. He was married in 1891 on March 15, to Laura A. GORDON who was born in Howard County, Indiana 1872. She is a daughter of WR and Hester Coy Gordon, well known Howard County family. Mrs. Bundy received a common school education. 8 children have been born to our subject and wife, four living: Marie, born March 19, 1899; Glady, born Oct 23, 1903; Leoda and Leo, twins born July 2, 1910. Upon moving to this county, Mr. Bundy took up the saw mill business and later entered into the mercantile field at Bowers Station 1899, and here he has continued to the present time, enjoying an extensive trade with the surrounding country, his being th eonly store in the village. he was appointed postmaster June 11, 1907 and is also railroad agent here for the Vandalia line. He owns his store, 40 by 50' also owns his home and a small farm near here a blacksmith shop, store buildings, 3 dwellings, a coal yard and scale yard. He is one of the energetic and successful business men of the county. Fraternally, he belongs to the Masonic Order at Colfax; Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Darlington; Improved Order of Red Men at Bowers Station and Horse Thief Detective Association and United Brethren Church. Politicall, he is Democrat. He was elected trustee of Sugar Creek Township in 1908. He at one time had a half interest in Bowers elevator, known then as Jordan & Bundy, but he sold out his intere in 1911 to his partner. He also runs a huckster wagon on the road and it is considered one of the best and most popular in the county. It makes all the eatern part of the county and parts of Tippecanoe Co. He is known to insist on his driver or buyer paying the highest prices possible under the market for produce and dealing honestly and courtestly with all his hundreds of regular customers.

The following article appeared in the Crawfordsville Review Jan 9, 1913, and is self-explanatory and we deem well worthy of reproduction here. It was under the caption, "Bundy Makes Good Showing in Sugar Creek: Trustee W. H. Bundy of Sugar Creek Twp, is the first of the township trustees to file his annual report for 1912. Trustee Bundy completed 4 years in office Jan 8 and during this time he has made an excellent record, his wife and judicious administration of the affairs of his office putting Sugar Creek Twp in the bsest financial condition. Bundy was elected on the Democratic ticket and is 1st of that party to hold the office inS ugar Creek in many years. Pessimistic predictions were made regarding his ability and he has shown the utter absurdity of these by making the best trustee the township ever had. When he went into office, Trustee Bundy's precessor turned over $4,244.90 balance. His report for 1912 filed yesterday shows a balance in all funds of $12,072.79. Mr. Bundy has increased the balance in thevarious funds by approximately $7828 in the four years he has held the office. The tax levy in Sugar Creek has not been increased during his able handling of the finances of th township. Below is given a summary of Mr. Bundy's report: Balance receipts - township fund, $2,000.31; road fund, $1,421.72; special school fund, $7,361.82; tuition fund, $8,266.35; dog fund, $179.27. Disbursements - township fund, $933.98; road fund, $734.48; special school fund $2,832.42; tuition fund, $2,590.80; dog fund, $65. Balance, township fund, $1066.33; road fund, $689.24; special school fund, $4,529.40; tuition fund, $5675.55; dog fund, $114.27."  -- typed by kbz