Isaiah Zaddock Munce

Isaiah "Zaddock" Munce was born in Kent Co., DE. The date of his birth is not clear. According to the 1860 census be was born c.1837, the 1870 census places his birth c.1840, the 1880 census places his birth c.1831 and his grave marker puts his birthdate c.1834.

He is believed to have been the son of Robert Munce Jr. and Jemima Hansor although he does not appear with that family in the 1850 census. If born in 1831, he was born before their marriage. Another problem is that in the 1840 census Robert and Jemima are shown with only 2 sons under the age of 10 although we show them with 3 sons.

One possibility is that Isaiah was in fact the son of ISAIAH MOUNCE (b. between 1804-1816). This Isaiah also appears in the 1840 Kent Co. Census with a son of the correct age to be our Isaiah. This elder Isaiah is believed to have been the brother of Robert Munce, Jr. Further work, however, needs to be done on this line to confirm the connections.

On 29 June, 1857 Isaiah married Elmira Carty in the home of Joel Durham (Joel was married Margaret Munce Durham, sister of Robert Munce, Jr.). The minister was Piner Mansfield.

On 18 May, 1864 Isaiah was drafted into the Union Army at Wilmington and served as a private in the U.S.C. Vol. Inft., Company E, Regiment 30 commanded by George Woodward. He fought at Raleigh N.C. in the spring of 1865 and was mustered out at Roanoke, N.C. on 10 December, 1865.

The army records describe him as being 5'3" tall, eyes and hair black and a farm laborer.

Isaiah and Elmira had the following children:

  1. Mary Ann "Polly" Munce (b.1 Aug.1859) married Samuel Seeney
  2. Margaret Munce (b. 30 September, 1861) married Enoch Durham
  3. Elizabeth Munce (b. 14 Jan. 1864- d. 8 Nov.1924) married Robert B. Sammons
  4. Lydia Munce (b. 4 October,1866- d.1945) married Jeremiah Durham
  5. Leslie Munce (b. 14 Jan.,1868) married Maggie SEENEY (b. Sept. 1867)
  6. Amelia Munce (b. 9 March, 1870- d. 11 Jan.1871)
  7. Rebecca Munce (b. 28 January, 1874- d.1930) married Clement DURHAM
  8. Arlena Munce (b.1879)

Isaiah died on 2 June, 1905 of congestion of the lungs. He was buried at Immanuel Union (Manship) Church cemetary in Cheswold, DE. His wife, Elmira, died in 1922 and was buried at the Forest Grove 7th Day Adventist church nearby.