John King Trumbull (1801- 1874)
By Freda Trumbull (1894-1990)
(5th child of Robert)
born September 18, 1801, Craftsbury, Vermont (Sept 15, 1800?)
married Laura Angeline Dunbar 1835
died October 1874
Children of John and Laura Dunbar: Charles Dewitt; Augustus G.; Helen; James Saurin.
John King Trumbull, the second son and fifth child of Robert and Lucy Babcock Trumbull, was born September 18, 1801, according to the records furnished by a granddaughter. He grew up on the family farm. With three sisters, and a brother already entering his teen years, John would have plenty of tutors. As he grew older there would be work for him on his father’s farm. At the age of thirty five, he married Laura Angeline Dunbar, who had also grown up in Craftsbury. She was ten years younger than her husband.
John acquired a farm near the village of East Craftsbury sever miles distant from the original settlement. A Reformed Presbyterian Church had been established in the village and John and his family: Charles Dewitt, Augustus G., Helen M. and James Saurin. Fortunately, more information is available concerning the children than the parents.
[from another writing by Freda:]
John moved his family to Logan County a year after James’ arrival, if the purchase of land can be an indication of the time the two brothers arrived. James had purchased his farm in June, 1850, and John had made his purchase in October 1851.
John’s first purchase was a tract of fifty acres from John B. and Elizabeth Johnston for $1500. In April, 1854, he added forty acres plus one hundred rods which he purchased from John and Mary Charter for $1066.66.
In 1857, a rather amusing sale of land is recorded – John sold 91 acres to William Milroy for $25.00 and two weeks later bought it back for the same price. It would be interesting to know what had caused the change of mind.
The practice of enslavement was abhorrent to the Trumbulls. Mary’s sons had lectured against slavery in the states where they had travelled. When the two brothers moved to Ohio, the country was torn over the issue. Slaves were escaping from their masters in the South and travelling through Ohio as the shortest route to Canada and freedom. John Trumbull was one of the first to espouse the freedom of the slaves. For years his house was a station on the “underground railroad”, and may a poor Negro found refuge there and was assisted on his way to freedom. John was not the only member of the community who was providing for the runaways; a farm within a few miles of John’s had an idea hide-out, a natural cave which was furnished for the escapees and provided freedom from the risk of being caught hidden in any of the farm buildings. No raid was ever made on this segment of the escape route.
During his more than twenty years’ residence in the Northwood community, John had the satisfaction of rearing his children in the Covenanter faith, educating them in Geneva College, and encouraging them to begin careers of their own For a time the children were all within visiting distance of their parents until the two sons moved to Missouri. John Trumbull died in 1874 and his wife’s death occurred two years later. Before her death, Laura had sold the farm of 90.62 acres to Ebenezer Milroy for $4531.00. It is possible that Mr. Milroy permitted Laura and her daughter Helen to remain in the farmhouse until Laura’s death in 1874.
The house on the Trumbull farm was located less than one fourth of a mile from the Northwood Cemetery. Both John and his wife Laura are buried there and a stone marks their graves, very close to John’s nephew Robert’s gravesite.