William CUNNINGHAM

                   THE CUNNINGHAM FAMILY.
There was a Lord John Cunningham of Ireland, who lived there as late as 1850, and quite probably his descendants are living there now, and who descended from this old Scotch family.

Three sons and their aged father came from Ireland and settled at the upper end of the valley of the South Branch of the Potomac about 1750 to 1755. The aged father died and was buried in the garden at the homestead not many years after they settled there. William, Senior, and his sons Robert, John, and William, Jr. (nicknamed "Irish Billy"); this last named William married Phoebe Scott and raised a family of children, who will be given later on. It is said this William has been known more than once to give the lineal descent of the family from recollection back in an unbroken line to Scotch titled ancestry, but no record of it can now be found.

John and his wife, Elizabeth, were married in Ireland, and her maiden name is not known. His sons: John, William, Robert, and Isaac. Daughters: Nanny, who married William Grimes and lived in Kentucky; Gemima, who married William Shobe, and Elizabeth, who married Samuel Scott and lived in Kentucky. Robert, who married (Mary) Polly Robinson and lived in Kentucky; John, who married Rebecca Harness and lived and died in Hardy County, Virginia; William, who married Jemima Harness and lived and died on the South Branch Valley, near to where the Cunninghams first settled Captain Isaac (the writer's grandfather), who married Sarah Harness (a twin sister of Hannah Harness, who married Hanry Hull), removed to Clark County, Kentucky, in 1802, and lived the remainder of his life there.

Children of Emigrant John Cunningham: Robert, who married Polly (Mary) Robinson, came to Kentucky about the year 1792, and settled in Clark County, on the banks of Johnson Creek, about four miles north of where Winchester was afterwards located. There he spent the balance of his life and raised quite a large family of children, viz: John, Isaac, Abner, and Jesse; daughters, Elizabeth, Maria, Belinda, Mary, Lucinda, and Jemima. Of these, Lucinda and Jemima died unmarried; Elizabeth married John Flournoy, of Scott County, Kentucky; Maria married Mathew D. Hume, of Clark County, Kentucky; Belinda married Nimrod Hutchcraft, of Bourbon County; Mary died without issue; John, the eldest son, married Mary Bean, of Clark County, Kentucky, and raised a large family of children in Bourbon County, where he resided all of his life. He served a campaign in the War of 1812-13, volunteering for that service at the age of nineteen years. He served a hazardous and severe campaign under General Shelby, participating in the battle of the River Raisin and other severe engagements until victory was won and peace was made. He was with the Kentucky troops who crossed over into Canada and made the severe winter campaign, and was on British soil when peace was made. He represented Bourbon County in the legislature, and afterwards served that district in the State Senate. Isaac married Millie Donaldson, and lived and raised a family on a part of his father's estate in Clark County. Abner married Pamelia Clarkson, and lived and raised a family on a part of his father's landed estate. Jesse married a Miss Wood, and lived and raised a family on a part of his father's landed estate until late in life, when he removed to Missouri with his family and died there.

[Genealogies and Sketches of Some Old Familes, Author: Benjamin F. Van Meter, Call Number: R929.1V26. This book contains the history and genealogy of some old families who settled in Kentucky and Virginia. Bibliographic Information: Van Meter, Benjamin F. Genealogies and Sketches of Some Old Families. John P. Morton & Company. Louisvile. 1901.]

B.F. Van Meter seems to have linked all of William Cunningham seniors grandchildren to his son John. Per Robert Cunninghams will Robert, Isaac and Elizabeth are Roberts children.