Myrtle "Mertie" Cunningham

Other Events:

• Census: 4 Jun 1900, Danbury, Liston township, Woodbury County, Iowa, USA; 1. Cunningham, Wm H., head, white, male, February 1848, 52, married 8 years, Indiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, janitor, can read and write, owns home free of mortgage 2. _____, Annie, wife, white, female, March 1860, 40, married 8 years, 6 children 5 living, Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, can read and write 3. _____, Robert H., son, white, male,April 1883, 17, single, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, day laborer, out of work 1 month, can read and write 4. _____, Alonzo, son, white, male, December 1893, 6, single, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, at school, 9 months 5. _____, Mertie, daughter, white, female,February 1896, 4, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois 6. _____, Hattie, daughter, white, female, August 1898, 1, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois 7. Sellingham, Lucha, step daughter, white, female, November 1883, 16, Iowa, New York, Illinois, can read and write 8. _____, Mary, step daughter, white, female, January 1885, 15, Iowa, New York, Illinois, at school, attended 5 months, can read and write
• Census: 16 Apr 1910, Liston township, Woodbury County, Iowa, USA; 1. Cunningham, William, head, female, white, 61, second marriage, married 18 years, Indiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, laborer, day, can read and write, renting house 2. _____, Anna, wife, female, white, 50, second marriage, married 18 years, [6?] children 5 living, Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, wash woman, family, can read and write 3. _____, Myrtle A., daughter, female, white, 14, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, can read and write, attending school 4. _____, Hattie, daughter, female, white, 11, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, can read and write, attending school

Other Events:

• Parents: William's 1891 marriage record names his parents as "James Cunningham" and "Martha Hayden."
• Census: 9 Jun 1880, Lee township, Franklin County, Iowa, USA; 1. Cunningham, W. H., white, male, 32, married, farmer, Indiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania 2. _____, Elisabeth, white, female, 19, wife, married, keeping house, Michigan, New York, Ohio 3. _____, Mary E., white, female, 3. daughter, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan 4. _____, Maud F., white, female, 1, daughter, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan
• Census (State): 1885, Lincoln township, Wright County, Iowa, USA; 1. Cunningham, William,township 92, range 24, section 16, SW 1/4 of the SW 1/4, 36, male, married, farmer, born in Indiana, father and mother natives of the U.S., subject to military service, registered to vote 2. _____, Lydia, 26, female, married, born Michigan 3. _____, Mary, 7, female, born Hardin County, Iowa 4. _____, Maud F., 5, female, born Hardin County, Iowa 5. _____, Robert H., [0?], male, born Franklin County, Iowa 6. _____, Gertrude, 3, female, Hardin County, Iowa
• Census (State): 1895, Woodbury County, Iowa, USA; 1. Cunningham, William, 47, male, born Indiana 2. _____, Annie, 35, female, married, born Illinois 3. _____, May, 17, female, single, born Hardin County, Iowa 4. _____, Robie, 12, male, single, born Wright County, Iowa
• Census: 4 Jun 1900, Danbury, Liston township, Woodbury County, Iowa, USA; 1. Cunningham, Wm H., head, white, male, February 1848, 52, married 8 years, Indiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, janitor, can read and write, owns home free of mortgage 2. _____, Annie, wife, white, female, March 1860, 40, married 8 years, 6 children 5 living, Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, can read and write 3. _____, Robert H., son, white, male,April 1883, 17, single, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, day laborer, out of work 1 month, can read and write 4. _____, Alonzo, son, white, male, December 1893, 6, single, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, at school, 9 months 5. _____, Mertie, daughter, white, female,February 1896, 4, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois 6. _____, Hattie, daughter, white, female, August 1898, 1, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois 7. Sellingham, Lucha, step daughter, white, female, November 1883, 16, Iowa, New York, Illinois, can read and write 8. _____, Mary, step daughter, white, female, January 1885, 15, Iowa, New York, Illinois, at school, attended 5 months, can read and write
• Census: 16 Apr 1910, Liston township, Woodbury County, Iowa, USA; 1. Cunningham, William, head, female, white, 61, second marriage, married 18 years, Indiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, laborer, day, can read and write, renting house 2. _____, Anna, wife, female, white, 50, second marriage, married 18 years, [6?] children 5 living, Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, wash woman, family, can read and write 3. _____, Myrtle A., daughter, female, white, 14, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, can read and write, attending school 4. _____, Hattie, daughter, female, white, 11, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, can read and write, attending school

William married Anna Keller on 9 Sep 1891 in Hardin County, Iowa, USA. Anna (daughter of Stephen Sellinghan and Hughes) was born in Mar 1860 in Illinois, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
William's 1891 marriage record names his wife as Anna Selinghan, which suggests that the name may have been the more familiar "Selingham." The 1900 census supports this as he has two step daughters in the home named Sellingham.

The 1901 marriage of step daughter Mary Sellingham, however, names her parents as George Sellingham and Anna Keller. Additionally, Anna Sellingham is found in the 1880 census home of her Keller family.

Other Events:

• Note: The Eldora Cemetery has a stone for an S. B. Cunningham, who may or may not have been related to James Cunningham. No dates are offered on his stone, but his entry on FindAGrave offers the transcription of his biography in the 1883 History of Hardin County states that he was born in Pennsylvania to Samuel A. Cunningham and Julia A. Boyd, both natives of Maryland. The bio indicates that Julia A. (Boyd) Cunningham died at age 58 in Maryland, and Samuel A. Cunningham died in Indiana at age 98. James Cunningham's som William H. in the 1900 census indicates that his father was born in Maryland and his mother in Pennsylvania. Could these have been among the family members of James Cunningham?
• Census: 1840, Elkhart County, Indiana, USA; 1 male of 5 and under 10 [unidentified eldest child?] 1 male of 20 and under 30 [James Cunningham, abt 28] 2 females under 5 [Betsy 3; Emeline 2] 1 female of 20 and under 30 [Martha H. (Hayden) Cunningham, abt 28
• Census: 17 Sep 1850, Elkhart township, Elkhart County, Indiana, USA; 1. Cunningham, James, 38, male, miller, [no real estate value], Pennsylvania 2. _____, Martha, 37, female, Pennsylvania 3. _____, Betsy, 13, female, Indiana, attending school 4. _____, Emeline, 12, female, Indiana, attending school 5. _____, Adaline, 6, female, Indiana, attending school 6. _____, Geo W., 4, male, Indiana 7. _____, W. H., 2, male, Indiana
• Census: 3 Aug 1860, Elkhart township, Elkhart County, Indiana, USA; 1. Cunningham, James, 5[7?], male, labor, real estate value $300, personal $60, Pennsylvania 2. _____, Martha, 47, female, housework, Pennsylvania 3. _____, Adaline, 16, female, housework, Indiana 4. _____, George [M.? W.?], 13, male, Indiana 5. _____, William, 12, male, Indiana 6. _____, Sophia, 9, female, Indiana 7. _____, Emeline, 21, female, housework, Indiana
• Census: 28 Jun 1870, Eldora (post office), Grant township, Hardin County, Iowa, USA; 1. Cunningham, Jas, 67, male, white, farmer Rented, [no real estate value], personal $1400, Pennsylvania 2. _____, Sarah, 59, female, white, keeping house, Pennsylvania 3. _____, William, 23, male, white, working on farm, Indiana 4. _____, Sophia, 20, female, white, no occupation, Indiana

Notes:

Elkhart County, IN probate records, filmed by LDS, 1830 - 1920. Index does not reference dates.

Film Name: 22 Cook, James
#101 Vault A-69
Vs. Cunningham, James

Film Name: 26 Cook, James
# 37
Vault B-10
Vs. Cunningham, James

(Research):A homestead file for a James Cunningham of St. Joseph Indiana exists. The land office was Fort Wayne, and the legal description "North half of the Northeast quarter of Section 15, Township 35, Range 7." Dated 24 April 1837. Containing 80 acres. Patented 20 Aug 1828. File no. 19051.

It is not clear whether or not this is our James Cunningham.

James married Martha Hayden on 13 Apr 1835 in Elkhart County, Indiana, USA. Martha (daughter of Zerah Hayden and Martha McClure) was born about 1812 in Elizabeth Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; died on 30 Dec 1874. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Had an "Aunt Jane Hammon" (or HAMMOND?)

Notes:

Married:
Who is Sarah Cunningham, age 59, in the home of James in the 1870 census? Could it be Martha? The letter from her son indicates Martha's death in 1878. Could they have divorced and James remarried? Could it be an error on the part of the census enumerator?

George Hayden's letter to his niece Emeline Cunningham regarding her inheritance (dated 25 June 1878, from Eldora, Hardin County, Iowa), stated that the deceased "Aunt Jane Hammon" had left one-third of her estate to "the heirs of your grandmother." He went on to say "as your mother is now dead, you will be heir to one-sixth of one-fifth. . . . "

This makes it clear that in 1878 there were 6 living children of Martha (Hayden) Cunningham.

Stephen married Hughes. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Obituary: 15 Apr 1930, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA; From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette: \"Aurelius Hayden. Aurelius Hayden, 82, last member of the family of Zerah and Rebecca Bedworth-Hayden, and a descendant of the Haydens who migrated to America on the Mary and John in 1630, died Sunday in his home in Water street, Elizabeth. Mr. Hayden was a lifelong resident ofElizabeth and was in the flour milling business until about 10 years ago. He was a deacon of theFirst Baptist Church of Elizabeth, and a member of Monongahela Lodge No. 209. I. O. O.F., for more than 60 years. He leaves one daughter, Mrs.Bernice Wray, of Burgettstown; seven sons,Lee L. Hayden of Braddock, P. Clifford Hayden of Pittsburgh, Chauncey R. Hayden of Youngstown,. O., John D. Hayden of Ellwood city, and Jesse Z., Harvey, and Clyde Hayden, all of Elizabeth; 18 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.\"

Notes:

Birth:
Probably born in Basking Ridge, Somerset Co, NJ

Zerah married Martha McClure before 1807. Martha (daughter of George McClure and Sarah Finley) was born on 1 Apr 1787 in Pennsylvania, USA; died on 26 Jun 1817 in Pennsylvania, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]