Universal in Vermillion County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Major John T. Chunn
Photographed by George Sanquenetti
1. Major John T. Chunn Marker
John Thomas Chunn was born in Trinity Parish, Charles County, Maryland in 1780 to Zachariah and Deborah Turner Chunn. He settled in Clark County, Indiana in 1810 and served as Justice of the Peace. He came to Vincennes in 1811, enlisted in the 2nd Bartholomews Regiment of the Indiana Territory Militia and served as a Lieutenant in Biggers Company at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. As a Captain and commander of the 19th in 1812, he was promoted to Brevet Major after serving with distinction at the Battle of Fort Erie in 1814. Chunn was commander at Fort Harrison near Terre Haute from 1816 to 1818 and was one of the last commanders to Fort Harrison. He was involved with the negotiating and signing of several native treaties involving the Sioux, Wea, Kickapoo, and Potawatomi in what is now Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Chunn settled with his wife Matilda in what is now Universal in 1821, and he served as Justice of the Peace in Vermillion County in the 1820s and 1830s. Universal was platted as Chunns Ford in 1910, and the name changed to Bunsen and then to Universal during the coal mine days of the early 20th century. John Chunn died in 1847 and was buried with full Masonic honors in the Chunn / Scott Cemetery.
Erected 2025 by Vermillion County Heritage Alliance; Vermillion
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • Settlements & Settlers • War of 1812 • Wars, US Indian. A significant historical year for this entry is 1780.
Location. 39° 37.335′ N, 87° 27.181′ W. Marker is in Universal, Indiana, in Vermillion County. It is on East Wood Avenue west of Bunsen Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 534 E Wood Ave, Universal IN 47884, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Central Indiana and in the Wabash Valley. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Universal World War II Honor Roll (within shouting distance of this marker); Brouillette Trading Post (approx. 2.4 miles away); Henry Dana Washburn (approx. 4.2 miles away); Civil War Soldiers Buried at Clinton Indiana (approx. 4.3 miles away); All Veterans Memorial (approx. 4½ miles away); Veterans of All Wars (approx. 6.3 miles away); Vietnam Veterans Memorial (approx. 6.4 miles away); Site of First Providence Convent (approx. 7.8 miles away).
Regarding Major John T. Chunn. The marker was researched by Cheryl Hargrave.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 5, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 4, 2025, by George Sanquenetti of Clinton, Indiana. This page has been viewed 255 times since then and 73 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on December 4, 2025, by George Sanquenetti of Clinton, Indiana. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. A wide shot of the marker in context. • Verification of the geocoordinates. • Can you help?
