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The Kansas Heritage Server would like to thank Bonnie Bunce for providing this information.
A short biography of Peter Bunce and Mary Bolender Kress is on p. 584 of the "History of the State of Kansas" by Wm. G. Cutler, published 1883 in Chicago by A.T. Andreas. It reads:
"Peter Bunce, farmer, Section 17, P.O. Tescumseh. Owns 160 acres; 100 acres in cultivation, and the balance of his farm in pasture and meadow. Makes a specialty of raising fine horses, of which he has thirteen. Also, sixty head of cattle. Came to Kansas in the spring of 1857, stopping in Tescumseh the first year and locating on his present farm in October 1858. Mr. Bunce was born in New York October 18, 1823, where he resided until 1848, when he went to Wisconsin, remaining there five years and returned to New York and came from there to Kansas. Was married to Mary B. Kress and has four children--John J., Alida L., George K. and Wesley M."
I found a copy of a newspaper article on the farewell dinner given for my grandfather when he sold the family farm and left Kansas to join the rest of the family, who was then living in Portland, OR. It does mention quite a few names of people who attended the dinner. I put the 74 names listed in alphabetical order, since the original article did not have them that way. Of course, a number were relatives of my grandfather, such as a brother and his wife, and also a nephew who attended, as well as the Frenchs, Kreipes, and Maude Woodley. I think it demonstrates the sense of community that existed in Kansas then, which is sorely missing in modern-day America.
--TOPEKA JOURNAL, October 10, 1921--
GIVEN FAREWELL DINNER
______________
George K. Bunce, Kansas Pioneer, Is
Honored at Tescumseh
A farewell dinner was given Friday, October 7, in honor of George K. Bunce, at the Bunce homestead in Tescumseh township. Mr. Bunce has sold his farm and intends to locate on the Pacific coast, probably in Oregon.
The Bunce family were among the earliest settlers in Tescumseh. Mr. Peter Bunce, father of the present occupants, came to Kansas in 1857, locating in Tescumseh. Next year he pre-empted the present Bunce homestead, which has been owned and occupied continuously by some member of the family. George K. Bunce was born there March 1, 1861, and it has been his home until the present time. He taught school a good many years. Many of his former pupils, who are now heads of families, attended the dinner. He is at present township trustee, which office he has held a number of terms, giving splendid service. The whole community feels that on his removal they will lose a real friend and neighbor.
Those present were: Allison Anno Margaret Ann Laveta Evans Mary Koehler Dorothy Anno Presley Evans George Kreipe Mrs. Anno Thomas Evans George F. Kreipe Mrs. William Anno Anna Fix Mrs. George Kreipe William Anno Bessie Fix Imo McKimmey Anna Aye F. A. Fix John McKimmey Kate Aye Mrs. F. A. Fix Hannah Milliken Marie Aye L. R. Fix Mrs. O. C. Nystrom Mary Aye Alida L. French J. W. Pearson Nathan Aye Cora W. French Jacquelin S. Pearson Silas Aye John M. French J. B. Reed Thelma Barton Frank O. Gooddell James W. Reed Jim Berry Mrs. F. C. Goodell Mrs. J. W. Reed Ellen H. Bunce Frank H. Hook Eli Ridgeway George K. Bunce Vada Hook Laura Ridgeway John J. Bunce Bertha House Mrs. Roy Ridgeway Willard Bunce G. O. House Russell Ridgeway Deane Casebeer George W. House Martha Roberts Vera Casebeer Hay House O. C. Skinner F. H. Chubb John House C. M. Taylor Christine Cox Mrs. G. O. House Mrs. C. M. Taylor Caroline Crews Mrs. E. Johnson Elsie Wagstaff W. H. Crum Billy Koehler J. F. Wagstaff Henry I. Engelke Cecelia Koehler Maude E. Woodley Mrs. Henry Engelke Frances Koehler
The Heritage Server would like to thank Bonnie Bunce
bonnie.bunce@104-330.genesplicer.org for submitting this obituary.
Obituary for George Kress Bunce, published in the newspaper, The
Denver Post, Denver, Colorado, Monday, November 25, 1940, pg. 5.
GEORGE KRESS BUNCE
DIES AT DENVER HOME
George Kress Bunce, 79, of 1337 Lafayette street, died at
his home Sunday. [He died 24 Nov 1940.] He had been ill a month.
He was born in Tecumseh, Kan., and was a graduate of Washburn
college in Topeka, Kan. He taught school in Shawnee county,
Kansas, until 1921. Then he engaged in farming until he retired
and came to Denver.
Surviving are five sons, George C., John W., Leslie R.,
Stanley R., all of Denver, and Forrest J. of Los Angeles; three
daughters Vida E., Mrs. Dorothy Zornman and Mrs. Letha A. Harsha,
all of Denver, and two brothers John J. and Wesley of Topeka, Kans.
Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the
Moore mortuary. Burial will be in Fairmount cemetery.
Note: George Kress Bunce did not teach school until 1921. He
had to retire from teaching to focus on farming in the early 1900's
when his family grew large, since he could not support them on a
teacher's salary at that time. On 16 Sept 1901, he bought the
shares of the other heirs to the family farm once owned by his
parents, Peter and Mary B. (Kress) Bunce, deed recorded in the
County Clerk's Office of Shawnee County, Book 211, page 400. He
taught school at five different schools in Shawnee County for
14 years and served on the school board for 24 years. At one
time he was elected President of the County Organization of
School Boards. He taught eight grades and sometimes nine for
pupils desiring to attend school longer than eight years, since
high schools did not exist in Shawnee County in the late 1800's.
The wage for a teacher was $40.00, $45.00 and $50.00 per month.
Source: pp. 16-17, BUNCE GENEALOGY AND HISTORY by Leslie R. Bunce
and Vida E. Bunce, c. 1977.