Cunninghams of Washington County, Tennessee

1780 William Cunningham (son of James Cunningham) moved from Guilford County, North Carolina to Washington County, Tennessee. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

Cunninghams of Bedford County, Tennessee

1829 William Cunningham moved from Alabama to Bedford County. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1832 William Cunningham applied for his Revolutionary War pension and stated he had been born in County Dongegal, Ireland on 2 Feb. 1748 and that he entered service in July 1776 in Guilford County, North Carolina. In about 1780 he moved to Washington County, Tennessee on the Nolichucky River. in 1817 he moved to Alabama. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1840 Mathew Cunningham died. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1852 Jan. Elizabeth Cunningham applied for pension based on the Revolutionary War service of her deceased husband, Mathew Cunningham (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

Cunninghams of Orange County, North Carolina

1762 Dec 21 James Nichols land grant adjoined land of James Cunningham and William Mateer located in Orange County in the southeast corner of now Rockingham County near the mouth of Rose Creek. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1768 William Cunningham was on the tax list listed with the John Clark household. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1793 Mathew Cunningham and Elizabeth Galbreath were married. She inherited land in Tennessee from her father, William Galbreath. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1800 Oct 17 Mathew Cunningham inventoried the estate of William Galbreath. Later records werein Guilford County. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

Cunninghams of Rockingham County, North Carolina

1762 Dec 21 A land grant was issued to James Nichols for a tract of land in Orange County on Haw River adjoining the land of James Cunningham and William Mateer. The land was located in the southeast corner of now Rockingham County near the mouth of Rose Creek.(Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

Cunninghams of Guilford Co., North Carolina

1762 March 8 John Cunningham Sr. made a will in Rowan County, NC that was probated July 1762 in that county. His lands were later in Guilford Co., NC. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1763 July 13 the Rowan County court ordered Thomas Donnell, William Denny, Hugh Brawley and George Hamilton to lay off and value one acre of land belonging to the orphans of John Cunningham. The land was on the South Fork of Haw River, also called Reedy Fork.(Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1771 Dec 31 William Cunningham married  Martha Blair in Guilford County. He was born 2 Feb 1748 County Donegal, Ireland and died 15 April 1842 in Benton Co., Alabama. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1774 Aug. 16 Jane Cunningham, daughter of John Cunningham Sr., married William Wilson.(Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1776 July William Cunningham entered service in the Revolutionary War and was discharged Nov. 1776. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1780 James Cunningham obtained a state grant of 640 acres on the waters of Reedy Fork, adjacent land of Thomas Blair and Edward Loney. This was located near the present Forsyth County line, adjacent to Beaver Creek. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1781 Margaret Cunningham Work was widowed when John Work died. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1783 Sept. 1783 Margaret Cunningham, the widow of John Work, married Patrick McGibboney (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1785 John Cunningham Jr. sold a part of the land he had inherited from his father, John Cunningham Sr)  (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1786 Jan 24 John Cunningham and Margaret Donnell were married (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1791 Sept 24 James Cunningham made a will witnessed by Drury Peoples and Edward Loney. He mentioned children William Cunningham, Elizabeth Burney, Jeremiah Cunningham, Matthew Cunningham and Isabelle Cunningham. His land was to be divided between sons Jeremiah and Mathew. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1792 Nov 29 Isabelle Cunningham married Robert McQuiston in Guilford County. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1795 Aug 24 Jeremiah Cunningham married Hannah Coots in Guilford County. He was born July 1760 in Lancaster Co. Pennsylvania and died 24 Aug. 1834 in Guilford County. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1797 March 13 John Cunningham and Mary (McMurray) Mitchell were married (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1798 Feb 29 John Cunningham son of Jeremiah and Hannah (Coots) Cunningham was born. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1798 Oct 23 Mathew and Elizabeth Cunningham sold their land to Robert Bell, 304 acres on Reedy Fork that Mathew inherited from his father, James Cunningham. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1799 Sept 16 Mathew Cunningham son of Jeremiah and Hannah (Coots) Cunningham was born. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1801 March 25 Betsy Cunningham daughter of Jeremiah and Hannah (Coots) Cunningham was born. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1801 May 20 Mathew Cunningham and Jams McMurry were appointed by the court to settle the estate of William McGahey. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1807 James C. Cunningham son of Jeremiah and Hannah (Coots) Cunningham was born.
(Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1820 John Cunningham made his will (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1821 Jan 24 John Cunningham Jr died and was buried in the Buffalo Church Cemetery. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1832 March 12 Jeremiah Cunningham wrote a will that wasn't probated. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1834 Aug 16 Jeremiah Cunningham wrote a second will that was later probated. He mentioned wife, Hannah, and children: Mathew, William, James C., Elizabeth Love and Jane Roberts and son-in-law John Roberts. He mentioned the Tennessee estate of John Cutes, his father-in-law.(Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1836 May The will of Jeremiah Cunningham was probated. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

1840 Dec Patrick McGibboney died naming John Cunningham as executor of his will. At the time of death, McGibboney was entitled to a large pension as a result of his service as a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Before McGibboney's estate was fully settled, Cunningham died. In his own will Cunningham named Samuel Mitchell and Irwin Donnell as his executors and they administered his estate without realizing that there was a McGibboney estate that they were also responsible for administering. When they discovered this fact some time later, they declined to handle the McGibboney estate and the court appointed David McGibboney as executor and Peter Adams to collect the Revolutionary War pension for the McGibboney estate.

1860 April Hannah (Coots) Cunningham died.(Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

Cunninghams of Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania

1760 July Jeremiah Cunningham (twin)was born. He was the son of James Cunningham. In his pension record he said his family moved to North Carolina when he was very young. (Pension application cited in The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91, article by Donald Simpson)

1760 July Mathew Cunningham (twin) was born. He was the son of James Cunningham. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.)

John Cunningham Sr. of Guilford County, North Carolina

Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson was published in Volume 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91 offers some corrections to the profiles of the John Cunningham  outlined in History of Buffalo Presbyterian Church and Her People by Rev. S.M. Rankin, published about 1934.

John Cunningham Sr. made a will on 8 March 1762 that was probated in Rowan County Court in July 1762. In it he left property to his wife Isabelle Cunningham and his daughters Margaret Cunningham and Jane Cunningham except for his clothing which he left to George Finley. He mentioned that if his wife, Isabelle, was with child and it be a son, he would inherit all lands, tenements and one-fourth of his moveable estate. If it be a daughter, she would have one-fourth of all his goods, chattels, lands and tnements. Executors were his wife, Isabelle, Thomas Donnell and William Denny. The will was witnessed by Robert Erving, Francis Tharp & Adam Beard.

The court of Rowan County, North Carolina ordered that Thomas Donnell, William Denny, Hugh Brawley and George Hamilton identify one acre belonging to the orphans on 13 July 1763. The land was located on the South Fork of the Haw River, to Boyd's Mill located on the Reedy Fork.

The documented children of John Cunningham Sr.  are

1. Jane Cunningham born about 1756, married to William Wilson bond 16 Aug. 1774, Guilford County.

2. Margaret Cunningham born about 1754-57, married first to John Work, probably about 1770-75  and married second to Patrick McGibboney, bond 16 Sept. 1783 Guilford County

3 John Cunningham Jr. born about 1762, died 24 Jan. 1821 Guilford County and married first to Margaret Donnell, bond 20 Mrach 1786, Guilford County, married second to Mary (McMurray) Mitchell, bond 13 March 1797 Guilford County and married third to Mary Finley bond 28 Dec. 1818 Guilford County.

William and Jane (Cunningham) Wilson may have moved to Pendleton Co., South Carolina

Cunninghams of Nelson County, Kentucky

From an old scrapbook kept by Ann Missouri Hahn

(Notes by Celia Hagan Keeling: William Wallace Powers was born 22 January 1826 in Bardstown, Kentucky to Ann Missouri Hahn and Benjamin Powers. Missouri was the daughter of Christian Hahn & Margaret Cunningham Miller and the granddaughter of Peter Hahn and Marie Margaret Schmitt.)

DIED
At Bardstown, Kentucky on Wednesday, September 26th, 1866, Mrs. Margaret C Hahn, in the 89th year of her age.

Another aged mother in Israel hath passed away to her final rest with the people of God. Mrs. Margaret C. Hahn was born in Nelson County, Penn., in what was then called Leginear and Hannastown, on the 201 of October, 1777, and consequently, at the time of her death was one of the oldest residents in Kentucky -having nearly reached her 90th year. There are many interesting incidents connected with her history, but which can be but briefly touched upon in this tribute to her memory. At the tender age of nine years, she left her native place in Pennsylvania, in company with her uncle, Thomas Cunningham, her parents, and several other families, and descended the Ohio River in a flatboat, and exposed constantly to danger from the Indians. When near Louisville, then, nothing more than a landing place, with a few log cabins - the party were attacked by Savages, and Margaret, then a child of nine years, being at some distance gathering flowers upon the bank of the river, in the general alarm, came near being forgotten and captured; but at her father's call she came running with her flowers, was taken on board and escaped. Arriving at Louisville, the party traveled on to Bardstown (then called New Salem) in wagons and on packhorses. The town was composed of some half dozen log cabins, with portholes only for windows, for these were the days when every precaution was necessary for protection against the deadly Savages. Surrounding these cabins and covering the site of the present city of Bardstown was a dense cane thicket. On the 18th of June 1795, the subject of this memoir was married to Christian Hahn. She continued to enjoy domestic prosperity and happiness until the commencement of the war of 1812, when she was called upon to give up both her husband and eldest son for the army. After twelve months service, her husband contracted a severe cold, on account of which he was discharged, and soon after his return home, died, leaving a widow with seven children - three sons and four daughters. Of her eight children, only three daughters survive her, and of these three, only was with her when she breathed her last. About forty-three years ago she joined the Presbyterian Church in Bardstown, under the pastorate of Rev. Wm. Scott, and up to the close of her life continued a steadfast, and earnest Christian, demonstrating, by her walk and conversation, the living power of the Gospel to all around her. Thus, far advanced in years, surrounded by many grandchildren and great grandchildren, this pious and venerable mother passed to her rest, deeply Lamented, not only by her own kindred, but by the entire community, for she was a universal favorite with old and young; and of her it may be truly said, "None knew her but to love her". At the close of her long and eventful pilgrimage she died the calm sweet death of a true Christian; leaving behind her a memory that shall be ever fragrant and grateful to the minds and hearts of all her friends and kindred.

Source: The Nelson County Genealogist - Volume 20, #2, Winter 2003, Page 19

Cunninghams of Rowan County, North Carolina: A Timeline

1762 March 8 John Cunningham Sr. made a will that was probated July 1762. (Guilford County Pioneers: The Cunningham Family by Donald R. Simpson, The Guilford Genealogist, Vol. 27, No. 4, Fall 2000, Issue No. 91.

1762  John Cunningham Jr. was born in Rowan County (later Guilford County).

1788 Joseph Cunningham signed a petition. The signers were men who had purchased land in 1782 from Henry Eustace McCulloh. (Source General Assembly Legislative Petition, Committee on Revenue, Nov. 1788, North Carolina State Archives.)

1791 Nov 15 Joseph Cunningham to Jacob Weaver for 127 acres on the north fork of Reedy Creek, proved by Hu Cunningham (Deed Book 13, page 104)

1793 Feb. James Cunningham, an orphan and poor child, 8 years old was apprenticed to Martin Rablin to learn the trade of a shoemaker until 21 years of age. (Minutes of the Court of P@Qs, Feb. 1793)

1796 Joseph Cunningham,John Cunningham, Robert Cunningham signed a petition in favor of dividing Rowan County.

Joseph Cunningham of Rowan County, North Carolina

1798 Petition of Robert Dial and Vachiel IJames for Joseph Cunningham's Land

General Assembly Session Records.

Nov.-Dec. 1798, Box 3

Petitions Concerning Land, North Carolina State Archives

The Petition


To the Honorable the Speakers & Members, of Both houses of the General Assembly of North Carolina Now Seting in Raleigh

The Humble petition of Robert Dial and Vachiel Ijames Both of Rowan County & State aforesaid - most Humbly Sheweth - that your petitioners are now in possession & living on a Certain peace of land in Said County Given to Each of our wifes Jointly by there father Joseph Cunningham Sent which fell to him in Right of his wife as Nearest of kin to a Certen George Good who Left this State Near fifty years ago and Enterd into Braducks army & have Never been heard of Since and as the only living widows to Make the Necessary proff to Establish the Desent of Said. peace of land are old and Infirm, and by Neglect of Such proof Might hereafter Involve your petitioners in Law & Difficulties we Humbly pray your Honorable Body will pass a Law to give us a remedy in the premises or by any Other way or means as you in your wisdom may think best and your Petitioners are in Duty bound will Ever pray &c
Robert Dial Vachiel Ijames


In Senate 27 Nov. 1798, read & referred to the Committee of propositions & Grieva. J. Haywood. In House of Commons 28' Nov. 1798 read & reja by the Senate.

Notes

1 A copy of this record is available from the North Carolina State Archives, General Assembly Session Records, Nov.-Dec. 1798, Box 3, Petitions concerning land.


2 The Rowan County marriage bond of Robert Dial and Elizabeth Cunningham is dated 27 August 1788 with William Cunningham bondsman. The Rowan County marriage bond of Vachel Ijams & Martha Cunningham is dated 19 September 1791 with Isaac Jones bondsman.


3 The Rowan County will of Joseph Cunningham, dated 29 January 1801, probated 1801, recorded in Rowan County Will Book E:219, named his wife Anny who was to have the home plantation. Sons William and John Cunningham were to to have a part in the iron works in Carter County, Tennessee. Son Joseph was to have the land adjoining his father's. Sons Robert and George were to have land on Elk River in Tennessee. Daughters Elizabeth Dial and Martha Ijames were named. Daughter Mary Yarbrough was to have the 150 acres where she lives. Daughter Anna was to have £150. Executors were his wife Anna and son Joseph Cunningham. Wit: Samuel Dusenbury, Hugh Cunningham. One must assume that Anna was competent in 1798 if she was named executrix of her husband's estate in 1801.


4 There is no extant marriage bond for Joseph Cunningham and an Anny. However, on 26 May 1756, John Mackelhenny of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, sold to George Good for 20 shillings Virginia money, half of 600 acres granted to him by Granville, Rowan Deed Book 8:242.


On 14 November 1770, Joseph Cunningham was appointed administrator of the Rowan County estate of George Goode decd with Hugh McCreary and James Smith security under £400 bond. On 13 February 1771, Joseph Cunningham filed an inventory of the estate of George Good, Minutes of the Court of P&QS, Book 3:242. Joseph Cunningham knew precisely when and where George Goode died.


5 General Edward Braddock, born in Perthshire, Scotland, was an English general who led British and American troops at Fort Duquesne [near today's Pittsburgh] during the French and Indian War. Braddock died from wounds he received there in 1755. In 1756 George Goode bought land in Rowan County that passed to Joseph Cunningham's daughters, with Joseph Cunningham acting as administrator of George Goode's estate. There is no way Joseph Cunningham could have failed to know the sequence of events. He was there and involved in every step of the process. He was alive at the time this petition was sent to the legislature.