We at the Meadowlands Commission are always scratching our heads on how to spell "Gunnell Oval" in Kearny.
The sign says "Gunnell Oval," but everywhere we look, we see it spelled "Gunnel."
The NJMC's Angelo Urato did some investigating:
"Kearny's Gunnell Oval Park was named after Benjamin E. Gunnell. He was a popular youth in town, attended the Roosevelt School, and was a very good baseball player.
He died in 1918 fighting the Germans in WWI.
The sign at the entrance of the park spells his name GUNNELL.
The Web site for the Kearny Monument for soldiers who died in for WWI has his name listed as "Gunnel."
Can anybody shed more light? (We are betting that "Gunnell" is the correct spelling.)
The Meadowlands Nature Blog
My maiden name is Gunnell. All of my family is from southwest MS. Over the years it was Gunnel, Gunnels and then Gunnell. I’m not sure why or when it was changed.
I had an ancestor named Benjamin Gunnell. Not sure if we are related to the one that you are talking about though.
Anyway, sorry I’m rambling. I had googled the name Gunnell and ran across your blog.