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