Randolph County, Indiana
John Columbus Bunch
Success in agriculture does not come to the indolent or careless, but to those who plan well and are persistent in the execution of their tasks; neither can large returns be expected in a short time, it takes years to do big things in any line, and one cannot develop a modern farm in a few months. Realizing that it meant hard and consecutive endeavor to become successful as a husbandman, John Columbus Bunch, of Greensfork township, Randolph county, sought to utilize every moment and every opportunity in his chosen vocation of farming and has therefore succeeded.
Mr. Bunch was born on the farm where he resides at this writing, January 17, 1868. He is a son of Richard G. and Mary J. (Bowen) Bunch. The father was born February 6, 1831, near Whitewater, Wayne county, Indiana, and was a son of Richard and Ann (Pierson) Bunch. Richard Bunch, Sr., was a native of South Carolina, where he spent his boyhood, but in a very early day emigrated overland to Indiana and settled in Wayne county, where he developed a farm from the forest. There his son, Richard G. Bunch, grew up amid pioneer environment and worked hard on the farm when a boy, receiving a meager education the meanwhile in the rural schools, and there he remained until 1854, when he came to Randolph county and purchased the forty acres, where the present Bunch home stands. He subsequently added to his original purchase until he became owner of one hundred and twenty acres in this county, besides land in Ohio. He devoted his entire life to farming and was successful. His death occurred May 15, 1900. He ran a sorghum molasses mill for about forty years and his products were eagerly sought after owing to their superior quality. He was one of the first to engage in that line of business in this locality. Politically he was a Republican, and religiously belonged to the Methodist church, and was licensed to exhort in the same. He was an active worker in the church. He belonged to the Masonic order. He and Mary J. Bowen were married May 13, 1852. She was born September 15, 1830, and was a daughter of Squire Bowen and wife, a well-known pioneer family of this county, mention of whom is made elsewhere in these pages. Seven children were born to Richard G. Bunch and wife, four of whom are still living, namely: Angeline M. is the wife of W. T. Hart, a farmer of Greensfork township; Florence A. is the wife of Foster A. Tillson, a farmer of Wayne county, Indiana; Nancy C. is the wife of Thomas Donahue, a farmer of' Greensfork township, this county, and John C., of this review. The death of Mrs. Mary J. Bunch occurred August 15, 1905.
John C. Bunch grew to manhood on the home farm where he worked hard when a boy, and he received his education in the common schools, with four terms in the Danville Normal School. He began farming when a young man and this has continued to be his vocation until the present time. He has prospered through close application and good management until he is now owner of two hundred acres in Randolph county and twelve acres in Ohio. He carries on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale, feeding large numbers of various kinds of stock for the market. He has kept his land well improved and well cultivated and he has a pleasant home and good outbuildings for his stock, grains and machinery.
Politically, Mr. Bunch is a Republican and he was elected township trustee in 1908 and is still incumbent of this office, the duties of which he is discharging satisfactorily. Religiously he belongs to the Methodist church. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is past grand, also belongs to the Encampment, of which he is past chief patriarch. He is a member of the National Horse Thief Detective Association.
Mr. Bunch was married, first, to Anna Dempsey, November 18, 1892. She was born in Preble county, Ohio, and her death occurred in November, 1895. On January 16, 1904, he married his second wife, Della J. Kinsey, a daughter of William Kinsey and wife, a highly respected family of this county, a complete sketch of whom appears on another page of this volume. Mrs. Bunch grew to womanhood in Randolph county and received a common school education.
Mr. Bunch is the father of three children, named as follows: Mary A., born August, 1895, died November 3,1903; John K., born November 17, 1908; and Bernice C., born June 25, 1910.
Past and Present of Randolph County, Indiana, 1914.
Contributed by Gina Richardson