Joseph Harrison Cunningham

Notes:

Married to Elizabeth Welch and Lucretia Wilson.

Son of John and Keziah (Chandler) Cunningham.

He was born in Wilkes NC and was a planter

Family Members
Parents
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John Cunningham
1747–1842

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Kiziah Chandler Cunningham
1758–1839

Spouses
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Elizabeth Welch Cunningham
1803–1832

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Lucretia Wilson Cunningham
1816–1866

Siblings
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John Cunningham
1781–1858

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Langston Cunningham
1783–1835

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Benjamin W Cunningham
1788–1838

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Jesse Rush Edwards
1790–1874

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Thomas Cunningham
1799–1886

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Martha Cunningham Kinnard
1801–1843

Children
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Sarah Cunningham Wells
1826–1886

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Baby Cunningham
1831–1831

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Elizabeth Cunningham Roebuck
1832–1873

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John Cunningham
1838–1905

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Margaret Cunningham Bowdon
1840–1908

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Benjamin Franklin Cunningham
1843–1932

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Lucretia Anne Cunningham Welch
1844–1899

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Joseph H Cunningham
1848–1915

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Henrietta Estell Cunningham
1849–1854

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Mamie Cunningham Thompson
1854–1882

end of profile

(Joseph was father of 17 children)

Joseph married Elizabeth Welch on 11 Feb 1819. Elizabeth was born on 29 Jul 1803 in South Carolina; died on 14 Jul 1832 in Shelby County, Alabama; was buried in Salem Cemetery, Montevallo, Shelby County, Alabama. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Joseph married Lucretia Griffith Wilson on 10 Aug 1836. Lucretia (daughter of Benjamin Wilson and Hannah Harless) was born on 14 Jan 1816 in Shelby County, Alabama; died on 9 Oct 1866 in Shelby County, Alabama; was buried in Harless Cemetery, Montevallo, Shelby County, Alabama. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. John Cunningham was born in 1838 in Shelby County, Alabama; died in 1905.
2. Margaret Cunningham was born in 1840 in Shelby County, Alabama; died in 1908.
3. Benjamin Franklin Cunningham was born in 1843 in Shelby County, Alabama; died in 1932.
4. Lucretia Anne Cunningham was born in 1844 in Shelby County, Alabama; died in 1899.
5. Joseph H. Cunningham was born in 1848 in Shelby County, Alabama; died in 1915.
6. Henrietta Estell Cunningham was born in 1849 in Shelby County, Alabama; died in 1854.
7. Mamie Cunningham was born in 1854 in Shelby County, Alabama; died in 1882.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Military: Revolutionary War Patriot
• Probate: 4 Jul 1842

Notes:

Revolutionary Patriot. Came to Warren County about 1810.
Thomas Barnes notes that his first wife was MARY HILL PETTEPOOL (1773-1863)...DAH
See WCGA Bulletin Vol. X, no.1, Spring 2001 for more complete CUNNINGHAM Registry & Wills...DAH

http://genforum.genealogy.com/tn/messages/39521.html

Revolutionary War Pension Application 4/1833 of John Cunningham of Warren County, Tn.

Born 2/10/1748 in Lunenburg County, Virginia. About 85 years old in 1833. Became a Minute Man 3/1776. Was in Captain Robert Dixon's company, which was organized in Lunenburg County, Virginia.

He resided in Lunenburg County about 31 years, then moved to Charlotte County, Virginia where he lived 5 years. He then moved to Wilkes County, North Carolina where he lived 35 or 36 years. He then moved to Warren County, Tennessee.

In 1833 John Cunningham Jr, the soldier's grandson, was a resident of Warren County, TN [4]
http://ftp.rootsweb.ancestry.com/pub/usgenweb/tn/statewide/military/warof1812/pensions/pen1835.txt

JOHN CUNNINGHAM
WARREN COUNTY
PRIVATE
VIRGINIA LINE
$23.33 ANNUAL ALLOWANCE
$69.99 AMOUNT RECEIVED
DECEMBER 14, 1833 PENSION STARTED
AGE 86

Possibly...

20 Sep 2009:

http://files.usgwarchives.org/nc/burke/census/morgandis.txt

This census is from Microcopy No. T-498 Roll 2

"Cunningham, Jno 1,5,3,0,2"

1790 Census North Carolina
Rutherford County Morgan District

1 of 1st # free white males 16 year upwards and head of families
5 of 2nd # free white males under 16 years
3 of 3rd # free white females and head of families
0 of 4th # all other free persons
2 of 5th # slaves [7]

end of report

Died:
intestate...

John married Keziah Chandler on 2 Mar 1782 in Charlotte County, Virginia. Keziah was born on 6 Mar 1758 in Lunenburg County, Virginia; died on 22 Apr 1839 in Viola, Warren County, Tennessee; was buried in Cunningham Cemetery, Rock Island, Warren County, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alt Birth: 6 Mar 1758, Caroline County, Virginia, British Colonies of North America

Notes:

Birth: Mar. 6, 1758
Caroline County
Virginia, USA
Death: Apr. 22, 1839
Viola
Warren County
Tennessee, USA

Tombstone Inscription; Consort of John Cunningham. God is good. His Mercy is forever sure. His truth at all times firmly stood and shall from age to age endure.

Family links:
Spouse:
John Cunningham (1747 - 1842)*

Children:
John Cunningham (1781 - 1858)*
Langston Cunningham (1783 - 1835)*
Benjamin W Cunningham (1788 - 1838)*
Jesse Rush Edwards (1790 - 1874)*
Joseph H Cunningham (1793 - 1857)*
Thomas Cunningham (1799 - 1886)*
Martha Cunningham Kinnard (1801 - 1843)*

*Calculated relationship

Burial:
Cunningham Cemetery
Coffee County (Editor's Note: Should read, "Warren County")
Tennessee, USA

Created by: O.B. Wilkinson
Record added: Feb 23, 2001
Find A Grave Memorial# 5225183

end of bio...

Other Events and Attributes:

• Will: 2 Oct 1762, Lunenburg County, Virginia
• Probate: 0Nov 1762, Lunenburg County, Virginia

Notes:

"Following herewith is an abstract of the will of James Cunningham, father and ancestor of John Cunningham, Revolutionary soldier, of Warren Co. The will dated 10/2/1762 in Lunenburg Co.,VA.

Will of James Cunningham, Wife - Jane. Gives to:

1. John Cunningham, 312 acres on Robertson's River, part of tract I bought of Capt. Joseph Williams.
2. William Cunningham.
3. James Cunningham, the plantation where I now live - one negro man named Sharper and a girl Minta.

Executrix: wife, Jane. Wits: Thomas Pettus, Daniel Hay and Nathan Hay.

Proved November 1762. (Will Book 2, p. 6)."
_____

10 Jul 2009

Abstracted from A. M. Cunningham's biography, "John Cunningham II", 2009, pp. 40-41:

#10-- James Cunningham of Robinson Fork of the Meherrin River

(Note: Courtesy of Diana Dobbins. Below is an excerpt from a 1992 history book by Neil L. Cunningham, Nashville TN. Annotations by A.M. Cunningham, 2009)

Sometime during the mid 1700's, another James Cunningham obtained a large tract of land near where Robinson Creek runs into the Meherrin River. This property today is in Brunswick County, about four miles southeast of Lawrenceville, VA.

This James, whose wife was Jane Scott, acquired 354 acres in 1749 and 421 acres in 1762, and at his death in 1762, had an estate of 774 acres. There are no records available to connect this James Cunningham with either the Cub Creek Cunninghams or the Prince Edward County Cunninghams. In fact, the plantation that James owned on Robinson Creek was about 50 miles from Cub Creek or Spring Creek. However, as you will see later, a strange set of circumstances occur which raises questions about the relationship of Robinson Creek James and John 4 of Spring Creek.

James and Jane Scott Cunningham had three sons living at his death, John, William and James, Jr., all minors, and he left all three large tracts of land, which were placed under guardians. James, Jr. died before the estate was settled and the land was divided between William and John. John married Mary Hill Pettypool in 1771 and they had two sons, James and William.

In 1772, John sold the land he had inherited from his father to his brother William. Mary Hill Pettypool died in 1774 and there are no further records of their two small children, William and James. John became a soldier in the Revolutionary War in 1776 and served until 1781.

In 1782, he married Keziah Chandler, and they had 10 children. In his pension application for Revolutionary War service, which was granted, John stated he was born on Feb. 10, 1748 in Lunenburg County, Va., and lived there for 31 years (until 1779), then lived five years in Charlotte County, Va. (until 1784), and then moved to Wilkes County, N. C. where he lived 35 or 36 years (until 1819/20), then moved to Warren County, Tenn.

John died in Warren County on Dec. 18, 1842 near Viola at about the age of 94. He and his wife, who died in 1839, are buried in the family cemetery at Viola. John's brother William stayed in Virginia and died there.

If Revolutionary War John's memory was correct in his pension application and `QDSQA1 he did not move to Warren County, Tenn. until 1819/20, then several of his children already had settled in Warren County by that time. One son, John Cunningham, came into Warren County about 1809/10 and settled near Rock Island. He obtained 100 acres in a grant which included the land where the Rock Island Dam now stands. At that time, it was called the "great falls of Caney Fork River." This John married Sally Jane Swindle, formerly of Hyde County, N. C. He served two years (Note: Actually six months-Nov 13, 1814 to May 13, 1815-AMC) in the War of 1812 and participated in the Battle of New Orleans under General Andrew Jackson. James and Mary Cunningham were descendants of this Cunningham family. Mary Cunningham was one of the founders of the Magness Memorial Library in McMinnville and served as librarian for 46 years. The military service of this branch of this Cunningham family continued because James and Mary's son won the Congressional Medal of Honor for outstanding bravery in combat in World War I. (Note: No Medal of Honor record found to support this statement-AMC)

Now to the mystery. James Cunningham of Robertson Fork on the Meherrin River lived 50 miles from John IV Cunningham of Prince Edward County in the mid 1700s. James children and grandchildren lived in Virginia for awhile, then moved to North Carolina and finally settled in Rock Island, Tenn. (Note: Viola not Rock Island, TN-AMC)

John IV's children and grandchildren lived in Prince Edward and Pittsylvania Counties in Virginia; Hawkins and Claiborne Counties in Tennessee, then about 1809/10, settled in Irving College in Warren County, Tennessee. The two families arrived in Warren County about the same time from two completely different routes and settled only about 10 miles apart. Coincidence, or were they related. We probably will never know. (Note:

There are actually three John Cunningham families in Warren County ca. 1810 located at:

{1} Rock Island
{2} Viola and
{3} Irving College.

All originated in the state of Virginia before migrating to Tennessee. Full 67 markers yDNA testing is recommended for male descendents of all three John Cunningham families. It appears they have the same surname but perhaps different genetic heritage.-AMC)

end of commentary

James married Jane Black Scott(Virginia). Jane was born in (Virginia). [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]