“The History of Litchfield County, Connecticut”, published:   1881.


F.W. Gunn, youngest son and child of Capt. John Gunn and Polly Ford, 
was born in the town of Washington, Litchfield Co., Conn., Oct. 4, 1816.

His father was a native of Washington, Conn., and was a farmer by 
occupation.  He was deputy sheriff of Litchfield County for many years, 
during the time the laws of the State imprisoned for debt, serving with 
credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents..

He married Polly Ford, and had eight children - three sons and five 
daughters, - and all but two are now (1880) living.

F.W. Gunn worked on his father's farm summers, receiving such 
advantages for an education as the schools of his own town and those of 
neighboring towns afforded.  At seventeen years of age (in 1833) he 
entered Yale College, from which he graduated in 1837.

Among the most distinguished members of his class are Chief Justice 
Waite, Wm. M. Evarts, Profs. Lyman and Silliman, and Edwards 
Pierrepont.  We quote the following from the pen of a personal friend:

"Mr. Gunn's long career and marked success as a teacher are deserving 
of something more than a mere passing notice.  Shortly after his 
graduation from college he started an academy school at his native place, 
in 1839, which, with a few years' interval, he has kept up ever since.  Of 
the character of so old and well-established an institution it is hardly 
necessary to speak.  Mr. Gunn is a born teacher.  With that remarkable 
faculty for interesting pupils in study, which normal schools may 
improve but cannot give, he has excellent methods of play, as well as 
study for young folks, and early recognized a fact now becoming 
generally understood, that the development of boys' bodies is as much a 
part of the teacher's duty as the development of their minds, taking into 
consideration also the most important fact that with him the boy finds a 
home as well as a school.  We are not surprised at the evidence of 
increasing prosperity that strikes us at each return to the old institution.  
One fact we can hardly pass by without due reference.  From the outset 
Mr. Gunn was an outspoken Abolitionist.  At that time the Abolitionist 
was distrusted and disliked, if not persecuted, as a distributor of the 
peace.  The effect on the school was for a time disastrous.  The number 
of pupils diminished, and for a year or two Mr. Gunn taught at Towanda, 
Pa.  On his return from Towanda he started a boarding-school in 
Washington, which for the past ten or fifteen years has been well known 
as the "Gunnery."  Dr. J.G. Holland has introduced it as the "Birds Nest" 
into his novel, "Arthur Bonnycastle," while it appears as the "Snuggery" 
in "Pastoral Days," a book written and illustrated by Mr. W. Hamilton 
Gibson, an old scholar of Mr. Gunn's."

Some of Mr. Gunn's characteristics are untiring energy, devotion to his 
professional duties, liberal with his means, charitable towards those who 
differ from him in politics or religion, and first and foremost in his town 
in all enterprises having for their object the best interest of society.

He married Abigail Irene, daughter of Gen. Daniel B. Brinsmade, of 
Washington, Conn.  She is a lady of culture and refinement, and 
universally respected.

They have one daughter, who married John C. Brinsmade, a graduate of 
Harvard College.  They are associated with Mr. Gunn in the school.


Submitted by:  Linda Pingel  (LPingel@worldnet.att.net)