IV
TALBOTS, BRUNERS & TOWNSLEYS
Townsleys, Talbots and Bruners are the other side of my father, his mother’s ancestry.
The Bruners and the Talbots came together somewhere around 1800, when Jacob Bruner married Ruth Ann Talbot. I do not have much history beyond Jacob. His father was Ulrich Brunner (two Ns), a farmer and miller , and member of the Methodist Church. Jacob’s mother was Elizabeth Weaver. She was apparently of German descent and her family probably came to America in the early 1700. Her father was born in 1723 and at that point the family name had changed from Weber to Weaver.
John and Mary Elizabeth Talbot emigrated from Derby, England. They were Quakers. That sect was fleeing persecution in England around 1690 and the Talbots were probably among them. They settled in Middletown, Chester County and had eight children.
Their second son, Benjamin Perry Talbot married Elizabeth Ball. The Society of Friends disowned them for marrying in the Church of England. Elizabeth was the Grand Niece of Joseph Ball (1649-1711) whose daughter Mary Ball (pictured right) married Augustine Washington in 1731. You may not have heard of Augustine, but probably know a little about his son George Washington; yes, that one.
The Granddaughter of Benjamin Perry Talbot and Elizabeth Ball was Ruth Ann Talbot, born in 1786. This returns us to the Bruners. She married Jacob Bruner and settled with him in Honeybrook, Pennsylvania.
Their son Owen M. F. Bruner married Susan Russell.
DEATH COMES FOR MY GREAT-GREAT GRANDMOTHER
Based on the Obituary of Susan Russell Bruner, December 3, 1867
A Found Poem
Seldom our lot so unwilling
To part our friend.
The fell destroyer lain his cold hand upon her,
Claimed her as his own.
A few days ago we saw her in bloom,
In the activity of life,
In the centre of the circle,
Radiating joy and happiness
Now cold in the embrace of death.
But to her the grave no terror.
She stood upon the confines of eternity,
(Beautiful angels to bear her away)
Anxious to quit this world of fleeting joys
And dwell forever with her Lord.
In Early life the necessity of heart change,
An interest in merits of atonement,
Account of distance,
A greater field of usefulness,
A doubled consecration to Christ
And to His cause.
But her warfare destined to be short
In the midst of her labors,
Before that objective accomplished.
The subject of so many prayers.
With hope Guardian Angels
Watch over her motherless children,
She closed her eyes to death.
She lived a life of faith,
Prayer and her Bible her daily companion.
Look upon its well-worn pages,
The deeply impressed love of God’s truth,
A lamp shining continually on her way
And never did her feet stray
From its blessed path of light.
Kindness and hospitality,
Unwearied diligence
As head of family,
Unselfish devotion,
A character of unusual generosity,
Self-denial and self-sacrifice.
Not in herself was her trust,
In Jesus alone it was placed.
Clothed with His righteousness,
Saved by His grace.
She rests in peace.
Her record is on high and
She entered her mansion in the skies,
A saint of light.
And if an inheritance choose I might
To carry in my genes, I’d just sooner
Have it be the spirit of
Susan Russell Bruner.
By Larry Eugene Meredith 2007
Poetry Vortex 2007
Dallas Kirk Gantt, Editor
Wilmington, Delaware
Susan’s obituary mentioned children. I have record of only one, Harriet Florence Bruner (1866-1928) Harriett married William E. Townsley and they had seven children. The first was to be my paternal Grandmother, Florence Blanche Townsley Meredith.10
Footnotes:
9. The Known Descendants of John Talbot Sr. 1721
James Earl Talbot, Jr.
1998
I respect Mr. Talbot’s research and believe most of what he has written on the Talbot and Bruner Families is accurate and in agreement with my own research; and as much I would like to believe President George Washington is my Second Cousin, I question this fact. I believe he has confused William Ball VI’s (1686-1740) daughter Elizabeth with a contemporary of the same name born in Darby, Pennsylvania. Although William Ball VI did die in Pennsylvania, all his children, including Hannah the youngest (Elizabeth was next youngest) were born in Virginia. Why should Elizabeth be the exception born in Darby, Pa? I also do not know if any of the Balls of Virginia were Quaker. Augustine and Mary Ball were Anglicans.
10. History of the Descendents of Lord Townley
Colonel Clarence Townsley,
General Superintendent West Point Military Academy
Indianapolis State Library
Provided by Fran Skiles Johnson Gilfillan, April 26, 2000 (pictured right)
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