Joseph Unger

ID # 840, (1828-1861)
BirthJoseph Unger was born in 1828 at Canada. 
MarriageHe married Geraldine Vrooman, daughter of Admiral Nelson Vrooman and Rachel Coleman, in 1855.
The year of marriage for Joseph and Geraldine, 1855 as shown in this tree, is approximate and based on 1856 being the year of birth for Nelson Vrooman Unger.
 
DeathHe died on 22 May 1861 at Harrisburg, South Dumfries Twp., Brant Co.. 
BurialHe was buried at Troy Cemetery. 
NoteA copy of Joseph Unger's will from the Brant County copy book has been found. It is from liber A2, folio 166-169, nbr. 64, and dated November 29, 1861. It gives the date of his death as being on or about May 23, 1861. His stone says May 22, and this date is entered for his death in the tree.

Ezra Eby, in his history of Waterloo Township, places Joseph's death in Toronto. The preamble to the copy of the will places his death in Harrisburg. In the will, written and signed on March 15, 1861, he is said to be 'ailing in body, but sound of mind'. It would appear that his death was expected. He is said to have a fixed abode in Harrisburg, and so I have gone with the information in the will and entered Harrisburg as the place of his death. He leaves his estate to be divided three ways; a third part each to his wife Geraldine, his son Nelson V., and his daughter Maggie. I notice that one of the witnesses to the signature on the will is James Campbell. This is likely the James Campbell that married Melissa Vrooman. They may have been living in Quebec, or Canada East, at the time and visiting with the Vroomans and Ungers when Joseph's will was made.

It's interesting to speculate why Joseph is buried at Troy. There was a cemetery at Harrisburg, but no transcript suggests that family members were buried there at the time. Troy may have been considered the family cemetery. Geraldine married again, apparently outlived her second and third husbands, and died some 59 years after Joseph died. In the end, she was buried in Harrisburg.

The following is from an index to the Dumfries Reformer (issue of 5 June, 1861). The indexing was done by Rosemary Ambrose.

Unger, Joseph H. 23 May 1861 At Harrisburg. Formerly of Berlin. 5 Jun1861

Joseph Unger appears in the 1851 Census in North Dumfries Township, part 3, page 3, with his parents, Adam and Mrs. Unger. His siblings, Elizabeth 16, Moses10, and Hannah 9, are there as well. 

Children of Joseph Unger and Geraldine Vrooman

Last Edited20 Dec 2017