Biography of Lucina (Wendell) HatchDaughter of Jacob Wendell and Nancy (Fox) GouldHerkimer County, New YorkLucina (pronounced Lou-sigh-na) was the first daughter born to Jacob Wendell and his second with Nancy (Fox) Gould. She was born on 24 March 1830 in Herkimer County, New York. From the time she was old enough she helped with the family, including working with her father repairing shoes. She no doubt had the basic education offered a girl of her time. Along with her sister, Sally Louisa "Lou-ize" they taughter their baby sister Imilda Leona to read at a very young age, using the family Bible and little books that the parents provided. As the years progressed she was forced to take on an even greater role as both parents health started to decline. Her father was succumbing to old age and her mother was sickly and got to the point that she could no longer take care of her family and home. Sadly, the issue of the parents and their health had to be addressed by them and their children. It was a very difficult situation to have to seperate the parents in order to get them the proper care they needed. Lucina's father was sent off to live with his eldest daughter by his first marriage, Catherine "Katie" Herdman in Cherry Valley. Sister Lou-ize went there to help where she could. Mother was taken by her son Nelson and Lucina to reside in Little Falls, close to where a daughter of Jacob's first marriage, Sarah Wright lived. Sarah had been so tiny when her father re-married, that Nancy was the only mother she ever knew. It was there Lucina went taking the little 9 or 10 year old Imilda......No doubt prior to the move to Little Falls, Lucina had become the mother figure to her little sister. She would and did assume the role when mother died in 1850, which she proudly carried for the rest of her life. Lucina who was twenty decided to make a move, after the passing of their mother. Taking little Imilda with her she journeyed to Washington County, Wisconsin where some of the family lived. It was there that she met a man by the name of Horatio Gates Vunk, the son of Peter Vunk and Elizabeth Gates, a dentist by profession. They would marry in late 1850. By the time of her marriage the other sister Lou-ize had arrived as father had passed away in 1854. Leaving young Imilda with Lou-ize, Lucina went resided in Milwaulkie. There her son Fred Horatio Vunk would enter the world. Apparently, there was a little jealousy on the part of Horatio Vunk where the mother-daughter-sister relationship was between Lucina and young Imilda. After the birth of Fred , Lucina needed help and it was her intent to have Imilda come to them. Horatio had other ideas and had another family member come, much to the disappointment of Imilda and Lucina. The helper that he selected did not turn out very well and in the end, much to Lucina's and Imilda's delight he had her brought to them. In November 1854 Horatio died of typhoid fever at Walker's Point in Milwaulkie, and before his death he apologized for the way he had treated Lucina and Imilda. Lucina was now alone with little Fred and sister Imilda, so she moved back to the area of Boltonville, Washington County, Wisconsin where many of her family now resided. It was here that she would meet Earlman Rogers Hatch, the son of Elijah Hatch and Phoebe C (Rogers) Hatch who had lost his wife, Sally (Ashley) Hatch, and left him with two small daughters, Florella and Alleda. They would marry on 4 November 1855 with a ready made family. However, Lucina always had room for Imilda, who floated between her home and sister Lou-ize who now was also married. Lucina and Earlman would start their own family together. They would also leave the Boltonville area and go across the state to Neillsville, Clark County, Wisconsin where they would farm. In 1865 little Imilda would marry and for a period of time her and her husband James Augustus Berrian would live in the Neillsville area, very near to the Hatch family. Lucina was what one would call the compassionate, loving motherly type. Very content to take life as it was and be a good wife and mother. She would naturally feel the effects of trials and tribulations, especially Civil War times. Earlman was in his very early 40's when he got caught up in the last Union conscription. Attempts were made at that time when the older men were drafted to attempt to locate them in heavy artillery units so they were not marching endlessly. However, when in 1864 Earlman had to leave there was no placement available him in the heavy artillery units. Sadly he was sent off to war in an infantry unit.. This left Lucina at home on the farm with seven children, one being a tiny baby. She would struggle along until wars end, with some help from neighbors and her brother Dr. James Wendell, but mainly doing the work herself with her children. She watched her husband via letters march all over the south, as he was with Sherman on the famous march to the sea. Fortunately his letters to her do survive. Thankfully, Lucina would see her husband survive the horrors of war and return to her and her family. They would continue to farm and raise their children there in the area of Neillsville. Their children were:
She always kept her little sister close in her heart and thoughts. One time she was standing near the railroad track looking to the west. Someone inquired as to what she was looking at, at which she responded, "I know if I could walk down that track I would eventually come to Imilda." Imilda was by then residing in Columbus, Klickitat County, Washington. Lucina took great stock in her younger sisters teaching abilities. Lucina did not live to be an old woman dying at the age of 51. She layed down her earthly burden on Christmas Day, 25 December 1881 in Neillsville and is buried in Neillsville City Cemetery. She still had some small children at home. She wished those children to be influenced by her younger sister, plus the fact that Imilda was an excellent school teacher. She made her husband, Earlman, promise her that he would take those children to Washington where Imilda resided. He eventually full filled her wish and sold out, moving to Columbus. He would reside in Columbus, now Maryhill, Washington for a time and then take out a homestead up the Columbia River in a small community near Roosevelt, Klickitat County, Washington called Sundale, and is buried in the cemetery there. Also Lucina's son Fred Vunk once grown had been the first of the family to leave Wisconsin. Why he ended up near Goldendale, Klickitat County, Washington near the small farming community of Centerville is not known. He was probably the one who related back to the family in Wisconsin how beautiful the west was and how much land was available. Lucina (Wendell) Hatch was the sister of my great-great grandmother, Imilda Leona (Wendell) Berrian. Charlott Wells Jones Submitted by: Charlott Wells Jones, great-great niece of Lucina (Wendell) Hatch. |
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