Descendants of William James Tunstall
By Zelia H Cline September 13, 2004    Myrtle Bridges

"This is a brief biography of the descendants of William James Tunstall and his 2nd wife 
Margaret Helen Permenter. Much more research needs to be done to trace just when Williaim James Tunstall  came to America; 
whether as a child with his parents or just shortly before he is found in SC in 1870 census with 
two children born in SC.  Any corrections and/or additions welcome." 

William J Tunstall  is first found in the Horry County, SC census in 1870.  He is in Conwayborough 
at age 38, a merchant of dry goods.  Living with him is a son William Tunstall age 6 and a daughter 
Dianah E Tunstall  3.  Also in the household is an eleven year old girl, Margaret Jenrette(?).  
The children are all born in SC and W J is born in England.  Efforts to locate him in the 1860 
census were not successful.  In 1880 William and Helen Tunstall are listed in Harnett County, 
Lillington, NC.  A daughter, Emily Tunstall 13, Orilla 7, Mary, 
	William Tunstall evidently was married before but I do not know who his wife was.  He was 
the son of John and Dianah Tunstall according to his marriage certificate of Richmond County 
January 22,1871, when he married Margaret Helen Permenter, daughter of James Permenter of Richmond 
County, NC.  Helen was born December 16, 1851 in Richmond County and died November 1 1942 in 
Scotland County, NC.
	William J Tunstall was buried  in the King Cemetery in Laurel Hill, N. C.  The inscription 
tells us that he was born 23 July 1832 and died 24 April 1898.  Nearby is the tombstone of his 
daughter Mary Helen T. Gibson.  Helen Permenter's death record shows her buried there too, but 
the obituary of the Scotland Co newspaper says she is buried in Hillside Cemetery.
	The children of William and Helen Tunstall were:
	Orilla Buck Tunstall *
	Mary Helen Tunstall *
Margaret Tunstall was born 8 June 1879, and died July 4, 1921. She married Zack Wright.	
William Alexander Tunstall*
Sarah Ellen Tunstall*

Orilla Buck Tunstall was born 13 February 1874  and died August 31, 1952.  She married Stephen 
C Gibson c1899.  Stephen was born 8 October 1861 in Richmond County and died December 1931.  
They are buried in S. Gibson cemetery near Hamlet, N. C.  The children of this marriage
are covered in the biography of James Floyd Gibson.

Mary Helen Tunstall was born 3 July 1875 in Richmond Co., NC and died June 5, 1905.  She is 
buried in the King cemetery in Laurel Hill, NC.  She married Noah Gibson on December 17, 1890 
in Richmond County, NC.  Noah was the brother of Stephen C Gibson who married Mary's sister, 
Orilla.  Noah was born 18 July 1865 in Richmond Co, NC and died September 5, 1932 in Raleigh, 
NC.  The children of Mary and Noah Gibson were:
Helen Gibson born 20 November 1891 in Richmond Co and died in 1960.  Helen was a midwife.  
She married lst Bud Walters, 2nd she married  Jessie W Bailey son of her aunt, Sarah Ellen T Bailey.  
Helen had no children.
	Mattie Gibson was born 13 May 1896 and died October 19 1921.  She married E Clint McCormick.  
	William James Gibson was born 4 July 1900  and died 24 January 1982 in Laurinburg, NC.  
He married Ola Belle Ward 26 Dec 1918 in Bennettsville, SC.  She was born 18 June 1896 in 
Whiteville, NC and died 17 December 1969 in Laurinburg, NC.
Their children are;
Mary Carlene Gibson was born 9 October 1919.  She married Wilbur C Hardee.
William James Gibson, Jr. was born Feb 23 1924 and died November 1991 in Virginia in an automobile 
accident.
Helen Maxine Gibsonwas born 9 December 1927 in Scotland Co, NC and died 21 June 2004 in Laurinburg, NC.  
She married 1st William B Farmer and married 2nd Jimmy L West.
Chalmers Erwin Gibson was born 24 June 1931 and died in Nov 1991 in Virginia in an automobile accident.
Wadus Marshall Gibson was born 24 August 1933 and married in 1960 Carrie Gibson.
Beatrice Gibson married Ray Chamblain.
	
William Alexander Tunstall was born 29 Dec 1882 and died 21 Feb 1953.  He married lst Anna L Justice 
and 2nd Blanche Odom.  The children of William and Anna J Tunstall are:
	Beulah May Tunstall was born 20 March 1904.
	Sullivan James Tunstall was born 22 March 1909 and died 5 February 1981.
	Marion Tunstall died 22 December 1941.
Child of Willliam A Tunstall and Blanch Odom:
	Edward Tunstall.
	Most of this family is buried in Marks Creek Presbyterian Church cemetery.

Sarah Ellen Tunstall was born 24 August 1884 in Richmond Co, NC and died 14 March 1966 in Morven, 
NC of an automobile accident.  She lst married Sam Bailey and their children are:
	Burnice Bailey
Mary B Bailey
Jessie W Bailey born 12 August 1908 and died 1 Feb 1966 in Scotland Co., NC.  He married Helen 
Gibson niece of his mother.
Lewis Bailey was born c1915
Franklin Bailey was born 10 June 1922 in Richmond Co, NC.  Sarah married Noah Gibson, husband 
of her sister Mary Tunstall after Sam Bailey's death.