Matching family tree profiles for John N. Cunningham
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About John N. Cunningham
Dead before 1830 census when wife and children were in Lincoln county, TN.
Origins
Parents seen as Lt. Joseph Cunningham, ll Lt. Joseph Cunningham * ’Ann Buntyn Good 1742–1803 and as Joseph Cunningham & Jane Ann Cunningham but they seen unlikely
There has been speculation (assumption) that Mahala Mary Cunningham was the daughter of Joseph Cunningham (of Sweetwater, Monroe, Tennessee) and Phoebe Wilson Fine. I had a hard time of wrapping my brain around this connection due to Mahala Mary Cunningham's census records, and those listed by her children, as to where she was born. All of Mahala's census records list her birthplace as Kentucky. Her 1880 US Census record lists the birthplace of her father and mother as Virginia. Her children's 1880 US Census records lists their mother as being born in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, and even Oklahoma.
But, in light of the recent legal document that has appeared for one of the children of Joseph Cunningham of Sweetwater, Monroe, Tennessee, which lists the 13 children of Joseph Cunningham (of Sweetwater, Monroe, Tennessee) and Phoebe Wilson Fine, Mahala Mary Cunningham was not among them. I was not surprised, but I had to finally disconnect her from them.
That forced me to really start searching all census records, and I found a John N. Cunningham living in Hopkins County for the 1820 US Census. And, after further digging, I found that he (John N. Cunningham) was Mahala Mary Cunningham's correct father. There was so much to throw you off here. As mentioned, many of her children listed Mahala’s birthplace as Alabama, some as Tennessee. Her son Abijah Julius Ross even listed his mother's birthplace as North Carolina (1880 US Census).
I just knew there was something around the reason that she and her husband, William Ashburn Ross, emigrated to Hopkins, County, Kentucky, and was living there in the 1850 US Census. That reason was because that is where Mahala Mary Cunningham was born and grew up. That is also where her mother was still living in 1850. She would leave Hopkins County, Kentucky with her husband William Ashburn Ross and emigrate to Jackson, Carroll, Arkansas after the death of her mother in 1854.
The Alabama connection was legitimate, as Mahala Mary Cunningham's family moved (emigrated) to Jefferson County, Alabama (Elyton, Jefferson, Alabama) around 1821/1822 (after the 1820 US Census). Her brother Moses married there in 1823, and her sister Charlotte married there in 1825. So, Mahala spent several years as a young girl living in Jefferson, County, Alabama. Sometime between 1826 to 1829 the family moved to Lincoln County, Tennessee, just across the border from Alabama. I do not believe that John N. Cunningham ever made it back to Hopkins County, Kentucky. He might have died in Lincoln County, Tennessee, or it is even likey that John N. Cunningham died in Jefferson County, Alabama. The reason for the possibility of Lincoln County, Tennessee is that this is where his family was living in the 1830 US census. John N. Cunningham does not appear in the 1830 US Census, so he died between 1826 and 1830. Lincoln County, Tennessee is on the Alabama border, 4 counties north of Jefferson County, Alabama. Although it seems everyone lists Hopkins County, Kentucky as the place where he died, I don't think he ever made it back there.
Henrietta Elizabeth "Eliza" Clark Cunningham is found in the 1830 US Census living in Lincoln County, Tennessee with her daughters. Her son Moses Cunningham is also found in the 1830 US Census living in Lincoln County, Tennessee with his family. Maybe Moses Cunningham was already living in Lincoln County, Tennessee when his father died in Alabama, so the rest of the family then moved there?
So, her parents are:
~ John N. Cunningham
BIRTH ABT 1778/79 • Smyth County, Virginia, USA (or possibly Washington County, Tenneessee [formerly North Carolina], USA) (or Rockbridge County, Virginia, USA)
DEATH 1829 • Jefferson County, Alabama, USA (or Lincoln County, Tennessee, USA)
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~ Henrietta Elizabeth "Eliza" Clark
BIRTH 9 MAR 1785 • Trinity Parish, Charles, Maryland, USA (or Rockbridge County, Virginia, USA)
DEATH 18 AUG 1854 • Hopkins County, Kentucky, USA
- Washington County, Tennessee (formerly North Carolina). This Washington District borders North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee.
John N. Cunningham died before the 1830 US Census. It is doubtful that he lived into 1830 (before the 1 Jun 1830 enumeration date), because the family had already settled in Lincoln County, Tennessee when the 1830 US Census was taken. It seems certain that John N. Cunningham was living in Jefferson, County, Alabama in 1825 when his daughter Charlotte married there. He likely died in Jefferson County, Alabama, but possibly may have died shortly after the family moved to Lincoln County, Tennessee. My belief is that he died Jefferson County, Alabama, then his wife and children moved to Lincoln County, Tennessee where their son Moses Cunningham was living with his family.
References
- John N Cunningham in the 1820 United States Federal Census AncestryImage
- https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/158606994/person/3...
- Ancestry.com. Alabama, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1805-1967 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. Name: Charlotte D. Cunningham Gender: Female Marriage Date: 4 Aug 1825 Marriage Place: Jefferson, Alabama, USA Father: John N. Cunningham Mother: Cunningham Spouse: Joseph Rhea Film Number: 001299236 AncestryImage
- Residence: (1820 — Age: 46) Hopkins, Kentucky, United States
- Updated from Ancestry Genealogy by SmartCopy: Apr 12 2015, 10:13:57 UTC
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John N. Cunningham's Timeline
| 1780 |
1780
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Augusta County, Virginia, United States
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| 1801 |
1801
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Tennessee
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| 1805 |
June 4, 1805
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Wilson, Tennessee, United States
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| 1809 |
September 15, 1809
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Monroe, Tennessee, United States
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| 1810 |
October 10, 1810
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Tennessee, United States
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| 1816 |
December 7, 1816
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Perhaps, Hopkins County, Kentucky, United States
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| 1820 |
1820
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Hopkins County, KY, United States
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1820
Age 40
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Alabama, United States
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| 1829 |
1829
Age 49
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Jefferson County, AL, United States
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