William Cunningham

Male 1816 - 1854  (38 years)


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  • Name William Cunningham 
    Birth 10 Sep 1816  Warren County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Gender Male 
    Death 27 Sep 1854  Warren County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3
    Probate 6 Nov 1854  Warren County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    Burial Cunningham-Gribble Cemetery, Rock Island, Warren County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3
    Person ID I15057  The Hennessee Family
    Last Modified 1 Mar 2015 

    Father Captain John Cunningham, II,   b. 13 Sep 1782, Commonwealth of Virginia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 12 Oct 1858, Warren County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years) 
    Mother Sarah Jane "Sallie" Swindle,   b. 25 Oct 1795, (Hyde County) North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Aft 1880, (Warren County) Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 85 years) 
    Marriage 6 May 1813  White County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    Residence (Family) 1850  Warren County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    Family ID F1143  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Ann Neal,   b. 0___ 1819, (Warren County) Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 0___ 1858, Warren County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 39 years) 
    Marriage (~1838)  (Warren County, Tennessee) Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    Children 
     1. Sarah E(lizabeth) Cunningham,   b. 29 Sep 1840, (Warren County, Tennessee) Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 Apr 1924, Warren County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 83 years)
     2. George Washington Cunningham,   b. 1841, (Warren County) Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 20 May 1862, McLennan County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 21 years)
     3. Laminda Cunningham,   b. 24 Jan 1848, (Warren County) Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 18 Nov 1864, Warren County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 16 years)
     4. Samantha Cunningham,   b. 7 Mar 1850, Warren County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 27 Oct 1898, Warren County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 48 years)
     5. Franklin Pierce Cunningham,   b. 27 Mar 1852, Rock Island, Warren County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 14 Feb 1917, San Angelo, Tom Green County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 64 years)
     6. James Monroe Cunningham,   b. 19 Jun 1854, (Warren County, Tennessee) Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 15 Mar 1920, Warren County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 65 years)
    Family ID F6478  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 30 Apr 2023 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 10 Sep 1816 - Warren County, Tennessee Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 27 Sep 1854 - Warren County, Tennessee Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsProbate - 6 Nov 1854 - Warren County, Tennessee Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - - Cunningham-Gribble Cemetery, Rock Island, Warren County, Tennessee Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - (~1838) - (Warren County, Tennessee) Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Notes 
    • In 1854 William reprimanded Burdine Smith, Sr. for having an affair with a young girl. Smith, in fear and for revenge, dropped a large rock on William Cunningham's head as William sat under The Bluff. As a result of the traumatic head injury, the swelling brain fluid and severe headaches; William took his own life in Sept 1854.

      Warren County, Tennessee Cemetery Book 4, page 202.

      CUNNINGHAM, WILLIAM 10 SEPT 1816-27 SEPT 1854 (Son of John and Sarah Jane (Swindle) Cunningham, husband of Ann Neal, father of Sarah Elizabeth, George Washington, Laminda, Samantha, Franklin Pierce & James Monroe Cunningham. [2]
    • *For more information on this family, contact, Mac Cunningham at who writes, Saturday, December 03, 2011 4:35:23 PM;

      WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM - (1816-1854) William was known as a family-oriented-man plus an astute, gentleman-farmer in the Rock Island community. What is remarkable about William's life-story is that he spoke for what he believed to be right, honorable, just and noble yet suffered the ultimate sacrifice. (See source document, SECRET IDENTITY, by Mary Carol Rucker Estes)

      At his untimely death in 1854, just days after celebrating his 38th birthday, William's seven children ranged in age from only 3 months (James Monroe Cunningham) to age 14 (Sarah Elizabeth Cunningham). William is to be remembered for his courage of conviction, his devotion to family and his life's work on earth.

      William Cunningham buried in the Cunningham-Gribble Cemetery in Rock Island Warren Tennessee. Rock Island State Park - Near the Twin Falls

      GPS: 35° 48' 29" -85° 38' 08"

      See web-link <http://www.midtncemetery.com/ricgcem.html> and read Warren County, Tennessee Cemetery Book 4, page 202.

      CUNNINGHAM, WILLIAM 10 SEPT 1816-27 SEPT 1854 (Son of John and Sarah Jane (Swindle) Cunningham, husband of Ann Neal, father of Sarah Elizabeth, George Washington, Laminda, Samantha, Franklin Pierce & James Monroe Cunningham.

      In 1854 William reprimanded Burdine Smith, Sr. for having an affair with a young girl. Smith, in fear and for revenge, dropped a large rock on William Cunningham’s head as William sat under The Bluff. As a result of the traumatic head injury, the swelling brain fluid and severe headaches;

      William took his own life in Sept 1854.

  • Sources 
    1. [S14] 1860 Warren Co.,TN Census, abstracted by Arlene Greathouse, annotated by the, p. 109-a (Reliability: 3).

    2. [S5473] http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=cunningham&GSfn=william&GSby=1816&GSbyrel=in&GSdy=1854&GSdyrel=in&.

    3. [S283] "Warren County,Tennessee Cemetery Book 1 - Annotated, Cemeteries A-F" by, p. 202 (Reliability: 3).

    4. [S24] "Warren County, Tennessee, Will Books 1-3 (1827-1858)", Abstracted and, p. 145.

    5. [S3154] Almetia Dunn Cunningham, personal records, Route 3, Box 123, Viola Road,.

    6. [S6915] "United States Census, 1850," Database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC6S-QC8 : acc.