THE SHIP HERITAGE

A letter to the editor in a newspaper of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, was dated Jan. 12, 1972, “John H. Bunting, Class of 1922 Has Optimism for the Days Ahead.”  In this he states, “James Bunting Senior, my great, great (sic) grandfather was one of the five boys born to John and Elizabeth Anstiss Bunting.  James was born in Quainton in 1794.  He married Charlotte King in 1813.  He and his brother, Charles Bunting, decided to leave England and come to America.  The two brothers with their wives and numerous children took passage on the ship Hermitage – a copper-sheathed ‘windjammer’ of 160 tons burden (Mr. Badger, Captain) and set sail from Liverpool, 7April, 1830 (sic).  They arrived at the port of New Orleans the following June 9^th.  They then came by steamboat to Shawneetown where they bought teams and wagons, and continued to Albion, which was an English settlement.  Most of the Buntings in Wayne, Edwards and other surrounding counties are descendents of James and Charles Bunting.”

John Bunting, Jr., born 1791, married Elizabeth Brasele (sic) in the Quainton Parish Church on March 10, 1814.  After her death in 1817, John married Mary Ann Todd on 23 Apr 1823, also in the Quainton Parish Church.  The passenger list of the Ship Heritage in 1830 lists John Bunting, Eliza, George, his second wife Mary Ann, and Ann.  James Bunting, Sr., married Charlotte King on September 6, 1813, in the Quainton Parish Church.  Their family was also listed on the Ship Heritage:  James Bunting, Almand (probably Emanuel), Marretta (sic), James, Charlotte his wife, George, Alfred, and Ely (sic).  Charles Bunting and his wife are listed on this same ship with John and James Bunting.  Although Charles’ wife is listed as Eliza, her name was Eleanor Summers.  Their children listed on the passenger list are John and George; whereas, as of now, we have Ruben born in 1821, George born in 1824, and Emma born in 1828.

Four sons of John and Elizabeth Anstiss Bunting are each later located in Edwards County, Illinois--John, James, Charles and George.  We are not sure where their fifth son William lived.  The daughters—Marietta, Selina, and Sarah--all remained in Quainton, England.

The following tracings are by Elizabeth Rittenhouse Lamb from the microfilm of the original passenger lists.