David's Corner ... The first thing I want to deal with is another mistake I made in the Dec/Jan 1994 issue of the Procuniar\ier Chronicle at the top of the right column on page 94. [Richard’s picture is on page 15] I had just finished with the story on Ruth and Ralph Goranson and I guess I had "Ralph" on the mind and referred to Ruth’s brother Richard Hauschild as Ralph, instead of Richard. I only caught this mistake while folding the Feb\Mar 1994 issue and putting on the postage stamps. I hope Richard and his family can forgive me. Either I am trying to do too much, or I am losing my mind, as I said in the last newsletter.
My older sister Penny Procuniar Larson sent in the preceding newspaper article to let everyone know that her daughter Cindy was married to William Francis Connell on 26 March 1994 at the Rutledge Chapel in Columbia SC. Penny can not get off work the week of the Procuniar\ier Reunion, but she will make a visit to Beavercreek Ohio the first week of June. See more about Penny and Cindy on pages 32,36,69. Robert A. (Bob) Procuniar wrote to say that Willard J. Seefeldt passed away on Thursday, April 7, 1994 at the age of 82. Willard was the spouse of Helen Marie Hauschild. They are the parents of three sons, John, James and Donald. Services were at the Lutheran Church of Martha and Mary and interment at Memory Gardens Cemetery. Bob Procuniar also sent in the picture below, taken the first part of 1971. Left to right are, Buss, Bob, William and George Procuniar. Buss and William are the sons of Ella (Long) and Hugh Clifford Procuniar. Bob and George are the sons of Hazel (Bennett) and Hugh Clifford Procuniar. Hugh Clifford Procuniar is the son of John Franklin Procuniar. Hugh Clifford’s second son Bernard Long Procuniar died in January of 1971 at the age of 57. Bernard’s granddaughter Ember Hague’s wedding pictures were shown in the last issue on page 106. Bernard’s picture is on page 87 standing left of his father Clifford Procuniar.
A few cousins have written me to say that Bob Procuniar looks like a young Ronald Reagan in the picture on page 99, which was taken in 1942. In that picture, George is 21 and Bob is just 17 years old. Cousin George Peppard died on Sunday the 8th of May 1994 of pneumonia, as I am sure all of you already know, but I wanted to mention it in the newsletter anyway.
Roberta Procunier Swenson wrote to say that she and husband Roy were in their pick-up truck just north of their home (Spokane Washington) when they hit a large deer on the highway that disabled their pick-up truck and injured the deer so bad that her husband Roy had to shoot it. Now Roy is not a hunter, so shooting the deer was quite a strain. Six days after that, Roy suffered a heart attack from a clogged artery. Doctors were able to clear the artery with the balloon treatment and Roy is doing OK except for feeling tired a lot and needs to rest for the next several months. Roberta and Roy said that they would have to shelve their plans to attend the June 1994 Procuniar\ier Reunion in Rolling Meadows Illinois since it is not feasible for Roy to travel for the time being. The Swensons have since installed a "deer whistle" on their repaired pick-up truck to avoid any more deer strikes. The two pictures above were sent in by Roberta with her 1993 Christmas card. Roberta did not write on the back of the pictures who everyone was, but I think I know who everyone is!. [See more on Roberta and family on pages 11,12,32,53,and 90]
Roberta and Roy are still working on their "lake cabin" (see page 90) Roberta commented that she has really enjoyed "Jean Rotter’s Corner" in the newsletter, in the fact that Jean has contributed so much to the family history! Patricia (Horner) Lamb sent in the picture below of her mother Agnes Elithe (McNeill) Horner when she was a young girl, holding her favorite doll. Agnes was born 7 August 1900 while living in Cincinnati Ohio. Agnes’s mother is Gertrude Procuniar [daughter of John F and Agnes (Basore) Procuniar]. Pat Lamb is on the 1994 Procuniar\ier Reunion Committee, [see Pat’s picture on page 86 and 96].
George Allen Procuniar wrote us to say he enjoys the newsletter and to reminisce that in November 1942 he was sent from Chicago to Santa Ana Army Air Base (SAAAB) to be classified as either, pilot, navigator, or bombardier. He found out later that he classified for all three, because after coming home from combat in Europe he applied for pilot training and was placed in advance flying, flying B-25’s at Pampas, Texas. He also became a dead reckoning navigator. About five or six years ago, his wife Elsie clipped out a notice in their local newspaper about the Costa Mesa Historical Society reunion. Lo and behold this was a group that met each year and it consists of Aviation Cadets, of which George was one and he went to the reunion that year and every one since. George said he lives about four or five miles from the actual site that is now Orange Coast College. There were 25,000 Cadets at a time being classified. When the war ended the government sold the land for one dollar, but specified that the land was to be used for educational purposes. The Cadets meet in the one remaining building that was a Mess Hall at one time. George says that this past April 23rd, 1994 he took his daughter Holly [See Holly and hubby Rob’s picture on page 19] to the SAAAB Reunion and they both had a real good time. While at the reunion they met John "Pat" Patterson, who was in George’s class of bombardiers at Victorville. Patterson and his wife Jackie came all the way from Seattle Washington to the reunion. Patterson remained in the Air Force after the war, and after 30 year's service came out a full bird Colonel, then on to a career with Boeing. George said that Col. Patterson still had a limp from bailing out of his B-29 while coming back from a raid on Japan. A fighter came out of the sun raking Patterson’s B-29 from stem to stern, Col. Patterson’s knee was injured from bailing out of his plane. He was later operated on by a Chinese doctor. His knee was hurt so badly that it could not be fixed when he eventually returned to his group. George said that he got some funny looks from his compatriots at the SAAAB reunion until George told them that the beautiful young blond woman holding on to his arm was his daughter Holly and not his wife. He said that Holly enjoyed all the attention she received at the reunion. A few years ago George took his son Corey to one of the SAAAB reunions and would like to take his other daughter Robin next year! George was kind enough to lend me the latest SAAAB newsletter to read, called the "Santa Ana CADET."
Pamela (Procuniar) Goldberg called to say she reserved a room at the Best Western Hotel, 1725 E. Algonquin Road, in Schaumburg Illinois, where the block of twenty rooms are reserved for the Procuniar\Procunier Reunion by the planning committee. Pam says her two daughters Sarah and Rachel will also be attending the reunion. [See Sarah’s picture on page 19] I also have reserved two rooms at the Best Western for myself, my wife, three children and two of my children’s girlfriends. My brother, William, & his son Benjamin is also staying at the Best Western Hotel.
I had mentioned on page 26, left column, that Peter Jr. and his brother Henry both went to Canada. I was mistaken, Henry Brockunier did not move to Canada with his brother Peter Procunier Jr. Henry moved from Hagerstown Maryland to Dublin Township, Huntingdon County Pennsylvania in 1800 and died in Sewickly Pennsylvania in 1812. [Ref: Brittain Bragunier Robinson’s "The Bragunier Family in America; also Bragonier - Brockunier - Procunier 1969]. If anyone has given the thought of joining the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) or the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), you will have to dig into your family history for any family member who served in the Revolutionary War, and supply proof of your relationship. The following may be of some help!
Early Patriots
Bragunier-Brockunier-Procuniar\ier
Taken from Brittain Bragunier Robinson’s "The Bragunier Family in America; also Bragonier - Brockunier - Procunier 1969.
Peter Brockunier Sr.
Took Patriot’s Oath in March of 1778; listed as #251 with the Worshipful Henry Schnebely’s return, March Court 1778 Washington County, Maryland. Ref: Revolutionary Records of Maryland by Gaivs Marcus Brumbaugh & Margaret R. Hodges 1924 Part I on page 20.
Family notes written by Charles William Bragunier (William-Daniel-Peter Sr-John Nicholas lineage) states that Peter Sr. came to the United States about the year 1775 [Which we now know is not true, (If we believe that John Nicholas Peconier Sr. is our progenitor) Peter Sr came to America on the ship Lidia in September of 1740 with his father John Nicholas Peconier Sr. and other family members] and was a major under Lafayett in the Revolutionary War & was in the battle of Cornwallace and many other battles. After extensive research by Mr. Brittain Brogunier Robinson, no records have been found to substantiate the above Lafayett stories.
Henry Bragonier
Pennsylvania Archives, Series 5 Vol. VII pages 93,97 and 649 list Henry Bragonier as a 3rd Class Private, in Captain Mathias Slaymaker’s Company, 1st Battalion of Lancaster County Militia in the Muster Rolls relating to the Associators and Militia in 17**. In the three separate listings of the members of the company, Henry’s last name is spelled both Bragonier and Bragooner in those listings.
Jacob Burgooner
The Historical Register of Virginians in the Revolution 1775-1783 by John H. Gwathmey, published by The Dietz Press, Richmond 1938 lists page 111 "Burgooner, Jacob, Berkeley Mil. E." The E refers to this record having been taken from the Index of the Revolutionary Records in the Virginia State Archives, compiled by Dr. H.J. Eckenrode in 1912 and 1914. No information was found at the Adjutant General Office in the U.S. Archives, Washington D.C. on this Jacob and to date (1969) the Virginia Archives have not been consulted by Brittain Bragunier Robinson.
The Patriot’s Oath of Fidelity and Support, March Court 1778 Washington County, Maryland lists a Jacob Bungarnor who took the oath before magistrate The Worshipful John Stull as #14.
Jacob Bragonier
The History of Scott County, Iowa, Inter-State Publication Company 1882 pages 1210-1211 has a biographical sketch of a Jacob Bragonier, a native of Franklin County Pennsylvania, born November 11, 1821, the youngest son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Palmer) Bragonier, [See page 49 of Brittain Bragunier Robinson’s book, unlinked branch "A"] who were married in Maryland and had a family of thirteen children. Jacob’s father [Jacob Peconier, son of John Nicholas Peconier Sr. and the brother of Peter Brockunier Sr. (#4)] was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, was at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown and was a ferryman at the time of Washington crossing at Trenton. Brittain Bragunier Robinson did extensive research of war records in the A.G.O. Washington, D.C. and various other publications such as, the Revolutionary War, Directories of Officers, Pension records, Lafayette troops, etc. , but was unable to find any records to substantiate the above story concerning Lafayette. Other records by Stapleton records three members who had War service, (1) David Bragunier [David, Peter Sr, John Nicholas Sr] served as a private and drummer boy in the War of 1812; (2) Alfred Bragonier [Jacob, Jacob, Peter Sr, John Nicholas Sr], Captain Bragonier was listed among the original field staff and company officers of Maryland's Seventh Regiment of Infantry. He was Captain of Company G. He was appointed from Frederick County Maryland; and (3) Oscar R. Bragunier [Alfred, Jacob, Jacob, Peter Sr., John Nicholas] :served in the U.S. Navy as a Ass’t. Engineer through out the Spanish American War. At least thirteen members of the family including Alfred, referred to above by Stapleton, served in the armies in the Civil War. The thirteen included at least two Captains and possibly eleven privates, four were brothers of whom three enlisted at Indianapolis, Indiana, (Daniel J, James D, Jeremiah, and William H), who were the sons of William Prockunier\Bragunier (#33).[See more about William and his children on pages 44, 48, 61 and 62]. David Procuniar (#41) served and died in the Civil War. [See pages 62 through 66]
Other family members who served during the Civil War:
Alfred C Bragonier (#451) Captain
George H. Bragonier (#443) Captain
Aaron H. Bragonier (#436) Private, wounded in battle at Petersbury Virginia 1864.
Augustus Bragonier (#450) Private, enlisted Kentucky 1854
Daniel H. Bragonier (#458) Confederate Private
Daniel J. Bragunier (#113) Private, enlisted Indianapolis 1861, captured at Chancellorsville, VA 1863, his widow drawled a pension.
David Fisher Brogunier (#419) Private, Drowned in Civil War, buried in Antietam National Cemetery
James D. Bragunier (#115) Private, enlisted Xenia, Ohio, taken prisoner at Andersonville
Jeremiah Bragunier (#116) Private, 2nd Cavalry, CO- B, while on courier duty in Nashville Tenn., had a dollar taken from his pay for losing a horse carelessly while on duty. Later captured while acting as a courier March 1863 near Nashville Tenn.
John J. Bragunier (#431) Fifth Corporal, discharged Feb 1863 at Nashville Tenn. for a disability for a wound received at Munfreesboro July 1862.
Joshua Alonzo Bragonier (#430) Died in Civil War
Robert C. Bragonier (#457) Confederate private 1st Co.-C, 10th Reg. Virginia Volunteers, clerk in commissary, was captured at Spotsylvania C.H. in Virginia May 1864..
William H. Bragunier (#114) Private 2nd Cavalry Indiana, missing in action at Varnell’s station May 1864, then a prisoner of War.
David Procuniar (#41) son of Samuel Procuniar (see pages 62 through 66)
[I am sure there are more family members who served in the Civil War who were not mentioned above, please write and let me know].
I have been told by more than one cousin that they have heard about a General Bragonier, but have not been able to prove the General ever existed. The following is what I have on the General Bergoyne\Bergonier theory! In Brittain Bragunier Robinson’s "The Bragunier Family in America; also Bragonier - Brockunier - Procuniar 1969", he states on page 12 that from two sources originate references to a General Bragonier.
ONE:
J.W. Wellman in Wellman Genealogy (Descendants of Thomas Wellman of Lynn, Mass.) 1918 page 502 states "Rebecca Wellman (daughter of Walter Wellman), born in Washington, 27 April 1893; married at Gloucester, 17 Sept 1912, Frederick Bragonier Aubert of Washington, D.C. Frederick is supposedly the grandson of General Bragonier of Baltimore, Maryland. Frederick is the son of James and Anne (Bragonier) Aubert of Baltimore Maryland, who resided in Detroit, Michigan in 1969. From the above statement it would appear that Anne Bragonier Aubert’s father Charles Augustus Bragonier would be this alleged General Bragonier. However Brittain Bragunier Robinson states that he could not find any reference to a General Bragonier listed in any US Archives
Brittain Bragunier Robinson did however find an Augustus Bragonier born 27 Sept 1836 of Washington County, Maryland, that enlisted at Newport Ky. on November 2, 1854. At that time Augustus stated that his parents were dead and he had no guardian and was 19 years old. Later enlistments said Augustus was born in Hagerstown, Maryland. He was in the military service during periods of 1854-1859; 1875-1878 and 1883-1888. A.G.O. U.S. Archives.
TWO:
Mrs. Elizabeth Wooding of Tyron, Pennsylvania in an interview with Brittain Bragunier Robinson on September 3, 1949 stated that a Charles Bragonier (son of Jacob, Jacob, Peter Sr., John Nicholas) and brother of Alfred C. Bragonier (a Captain in Company "G" Maryland, Seventh Reg. Inf.) was a Brigadier General. [It was alleged by Wooding that Charles was a General in the U.S. Army, See "Walter Wellman, the genealogy of Wellmans" 1918, page 502] As of this date, 1969, service records of a General Bragonier have not been found. [Maybe Brittain Bragunier Robinson did not check on the spelling Bergoyne, while looking for this alleged General].
I have been in correspondence for the past few months with Betty L MacDonald of 9 Greentree Drive in Phoenix, MD 21131. Betty is looking for her great great grandmother Jenny Bragonier’s family. Betty knows nothing about Jenny’s lineage. Betty writes to say that she has been making a collection of the spellings (or misspellings) of Bragonier, and with the new ones I have sent her, she is now somewhere in the 40’s. She says that she hopes that our family didn’t have as many personalities as they had spellings. I have found the following documented spellings of our family name during my research: ...... Bagonier; Bagunier; Bergonye; Bergoyne; Bergunier; Bracconier; Brackunier; Braconier; Bracunier; Braggonier; Braggoonier; Bragoiner; Bragomer; Bragonia; Bragonier; Bragooner; Bragoneer; Bragunier; Brecunier; Bregunier; Brockunier Brogunier; Bungarner; Bungarnor; Burginer; Burgooner; Burgoynes; Parcunia; Peckonier; Peconier; Pragunier; Prakunier; Procuniar; Procunier.
Betty also wrote that she received a letter from her second cousin who said that her grandmother Thomas (Jenny’s daughter) always told her Jenny was related to a General Bergoyne and that his last name changed to Bergonier. Betty said that Jenny’s last name was spelled "Bergonier" on her marriage records, however Jenny’s family bible records spell her name as Bragonier. Betty says that she lives near the LDS Library, the Maryland Historical Society, the Maryland Archives, the Maryland State Library, the Pennsylvania Library, the York County Historical Society, Hagerstown and Sharpsburg, so she just needs to get busy and check all the records and find out where her Jenny Bragonier fits into the family. In Betty’s letter of May 11, she states that she came across some information on a General Bergoyne in her research and will share that with us soon. Betty found a number of Burgoynes/Bergoynes buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Sharpsburg, but no Bragoniers.
Samuel Brockunier\Procuniar (#28) lineage!!!!. During my research, I have wanted to research the Huntingdon County Pennsylvania records, but haven’t the time nor money to go to Pennsylvania. So I hired a genealogist named Alberta Y. Haught of 1528 Moore Street in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania 16652, to do some research for me concerning Samuel and Catharine (Miller) Procuniar. [My great great grandparents] After six hours of research at $8.00 per hour, Alberta came up with nothing more then what I already had sent her to help start her search. I had told Alberta that my great great grandfather and gr gr grandmother were married May 31, 1827 in Huntingdon County Pennsylvania and their first three children were born there. I also told Alberta that I received a letter last year from a Cathy Hinckley who has done research on Samuel Procuniar’s brother Daniel Brecunier and said that the Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, library houses a collection of 200 notebooks which contain the research of Mr. George Liebegott. In his research, he collected genealogical data on families which lived in Morrison Cove, Pennsylvania. Morrison Cove seems to be a large area which includes parts of Blair, Bedford, Huntingdon, and Franklin Counties. Cathy says that many of the early Germans came from the Washington County Maryland area to Morrison Cove. Cathy also says that while researching through Mr. Liebegott's notebooks, she found Daniel Brecunier and his wife Christina King, who was born in Huntingdon County Pennsylvania in May of 1806. Alberta said that she has heard many complaints as to Mr. Liebegott’s collection’s accuracy, stating that the mistakes were not his, he relied on questionnaires which he sent to many people to be filled out and returned to him. Saying further that at least Mr. Liebegott made an honest effort to preserve some material this way, but the quality of the resulting work is very uneven. During her six hours of research, Alberta could not find anything on either Samuel or Catharine (Miller) Procuniar, checking all possible ways of spelling their last name, saying that Samuel must not have owned any land since nothing showed up on the tax records! Alberta suggests that I continue my research in Bedford County Pennsylvania since several German speaking families lived there (This area was called Martinsburg in the early 19th century).
The Procuniar\Procunier Reunion 1994 to be held in Rolling Meadows, Illinois on Friday June 24th and Saturday June 25th is all set!! As per Chairperson Debby Volpe, her last head count with spouses and adult children, is about 63 that will be attending the Reunion, there are 14 kids, so all total we will have about 77 people attending. Debby says she thinks that 77 people for our very first Procuniar\Procunier Reunion is great. There were over 90 cousins who first showed interest in coming to the reunion. The following is a list of families that are coming to the Reunion, as per Debby Volpe:... David Procuniar (yours truly); William Procuniar (my younger brother); Robert Procuniar (see page 86); James Procuniar (see page 86); Robert Procunier (see page 28); Ralph Goranson (see pages 94,96,102); Nancy Goranson (Ralph’s daughter); Robert Goranson (Ralph’s son); Carol (Goranson) Mount (Ralph’s daughter); Sally (Goranson) Dunn (Ralph’s daughter); Donald Klemp (Debby Volpe’s father); Marc Klemp (Debby’s brother); Matthew Klemp (Debby’s brother); Sue Klemp (Debby’s sister, see page 86); Debby (Klemp) Volpe (Reunion chairperson); Rainbow Greenwood (Sue Klemp’s daughter, see page 86); Pat Lamb (see pages 62, 90, 102); Richard Odra Hauschild (see pages 15, 54); Richard Curtis Hauschild (Richards’s son); Paula (Hauschild) Barton (Richard’s daughter, see page 95); Judith (Procunier) Rockelman (Daughter of Merritt, see pages 27,54,99); Ann (Rockelman) Mikolajczak (Daughter of Judith); Kim (Rockelman) Benjamin (Daughter of Judith); David Rockelman (Son of Judith); George Procuniar (see pages 6,8,19,37,99); Pam (Procuniar) Goldberg (see pages 14,36,38,39); Rachel Goldberg (Pam’s daughter); Sarah Goldberg (Pam’s daughter, see page 19); Helen (Hauschild-Lazenby) Seefeldt (Daughter of Lewis Hauschild, see pages 90,96,97). This list does not include spouses or all of their children.
As mentioned on page 110, Helen’s husband Willard J, Seefeldt died on 7 April 1994. Robert A. Procuniar sent in the notice that was handed out at Willard’s services with the following passage on it:
I’m Free
Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free
I’m following the path God laid for me
I took His hand when I heard Him call
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day
To laugh, to love, to work or play,
Tasks left undone must stay that way,
I found that place at the close of day.
If my parting has left a void
Then fill it with remembered joy,
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,
Ah yes, these things, I too, will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow,
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow,
My life’s been full, I savored much,
Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief;
Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief
Lift up your heart and share with me
God wanted me now, He set me free.
For any of you that receive People magazine, and to those like me who don’t, on page 38 of the May 30, 1994 issue there is an article about survivors of D-DAY along with a quote by Ralph Goranson of Gurnee, Illinois, (see more on Ralph pages 94, 96, 102). Speaking of the name Goranson, I read in the newspaper that Lacy Goranson, who plays Becky, (Roseanne’s TV daughter), on the "Roseanne" show, has quit the show after five years. I was wondering if she is in anyway related to our Ralph Goranson? Pam Procuniar Goldberg called again to say everything was "looking good" for her Reunion plans. Her daughter Rachel is getting her Doctorate at Georgetown University with a major in government, where she has a fellowship. The two pictures in the right column of this page were found in my gr gr grandfather Samuel Procuniar’s photo album. The picture at the top in the right column had "father" written on the back. Samuel’s father was "Daniel Brockunier". The picture at the bottom had "Bro. ??????" written on the back. We can only make out the "Bro." and nothing else that was written on the back of this picture. The pictures could be of Samuel Procuniar’s brother "Daniel Brecunier" since Daniel Brecunier was a "Dunkard" (Dunkard comes from the German word "Taufer" which means to dip or immerse in baptism). The early English rendering was "Tunker and Dunker", both respectful terms, however Dunkard is associated with the word "sluggard". The Dunker or Dunkards are none other than the German Baptist Brethren of whom I am now affiliated. Maybe Jean Rotter, Nancy Brecunier or Cathy Deardorff can look into this for us!
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