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A Website devoted to the descendants of William Cunningham of Scotland, |
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27th Biennial Cunningham Reunion!
The Trigg Cunningham Family is in need of your help...
Since we have not been able to hold our Reunion for the last 3 years, we have not collected any dues from current/former/new members. Historically, our expenses go to 3 area causes: 1) the Reunion, 2) scholarships and 3) maintenance of the Trigg Furnace Cemetery. The funds are raised via dues gathered at the Reunion each year. So plainly stated, no Reunion…no funds. The Bill Collie family has taken care of the cemetery for several years. They do an excellent job going far above and beyond what normally is done, especially for the price we have paid. They actually assume year round responsibility. That said…,
Obviously, the Reunion and scholarships have not been funded and our cemetery payment (once per year) is due. We normally pay $450 total for labor, gas and all other expenses. With the overall cost of goods (which we all have experienced), it is appropriate that we increase that payment to the Collie’s, though they have never requested that we do so. It is recommended that we increase the reimbursement to $500 to offset their outstanding efforts.
We would ask that you please consider a donation to assist with this fund. The Trigg Furnace Cemetery is the association’s designated cemetery due to the Founding Family monument location and burial site for William & Nancy plus some of the children. Gifts of any amount are needed and appreciated. The officers and committee cannot continue to carry this load. We are grateful for a recent check from a family member in Georgia. Thank you in advance for any contribution you may consider directed as follows, and remember, all donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE! A receipt with the tax number will be sent to all donors.
Please mail any donations to:
Cunningham Family Foundation 21 Fieldcrest Drive Cadiz, Ky 42211 Thank you,
Jimmie Cunningham, President
Trigg Cunningham Family
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The Basic Family Tree
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| Parents: | William Cunningham b 1765 in Bonnie, Ayrshire Co, Scotland |
| + Nancy Elizabeth Carr b 1770 in Albermarle Co, VA | |
| Children: #1 | John "Duck" Cunningham, Sr. b Nov 1, 1796 in Albermarle Co, VA |
| + Mary "Polly Gresham b Feb 9, 1803 in Halifax Co, VA | |
| #2 | Gideon Carr Cunningham b 1798 in Albermarle Co, VA |
| + Harriett Tidwell b 1800 in Dickson Co, TN | |
| #3 | William Thomas "Buck" Cunningham, Sr. b 1800 in Albermarle Co, VA |
| + Virginia Janot "Jennie" Mitchell b 1811 in Kentucky | |
| #4 | Malinda Elizabeth Cunningham b Nov 30, 1802 in Albermarle Co, VA |
| + Thomas Lawrence Baker, Sr. b Apr 3, 1801 in North Carolina | |
| #5 | Andrew Cunningham b Dec 4, 1804 in Albermarle Co, VA |
| + Nancy P'Pool b 1806 in VA | |
| #6 | Dabney Carr "Dab" Cunningham b1806 in Albermarle Co, VA |
| + Rebecca Wimberly b 1809 in NC | |
| #7 | James "Tank" Cunningham b 1808 in Albermarle Co, VA |
| + Sarah "Sallie" Wimberly b 1815 in NC | |
| #8 | Meekins (Mickens) Carr Cunningham b Dec 18, 1810 in Albermarle Co, VA |
| + Elizabeth "Betsy" Sivels b Apr 23, 1815 in Trigg Co, KY | |
| #9 | Alexander Cunningham b 1812 in Albermarle Co, VA |
| + Jasynthia "Cynthia" Wallace b 1822 in Stewart Co, TN | |
| #10 | Robert T. "Rat" Cunningham b 1815 in Albermarle Co, VA |
| + Mary J. Sivels b 1822 in KY | |
| #11 | Nancy Cunningham b 1818 in Cumberland Mountains |
Read the full history of William Cunningham born 1765, in Ayrshire, Scotland
In 1791 at the age of 15 (*see note below), William slipped aboard a vessel bound for America reaching Chesapeake Bay, Virginia about six months later. In 1794, after serving in the Army, he returned to tailoring, the trade he had learned in Scotland. In 1795 he married Nancy Carr, the daughter of Gideon and Ann Carr of Virginia. While coming from Virginia through the Cumberland Gap, their last child was born. In 1818 after realizing they had little opportunity to expand their family farming operation in Virginia, they moved to Kentucky to settle in the Trigg Furnace section of Trigg County which was still part of Christian County. Here they established a mill and began to cultivate corn and tobacco. William Cunningham took time to serve in public affairs. He was an officer in the first Trigg County election, served on circuit court, and was a road commissioner. He was instrumental in opening the first highway in western Trigg County. William died in 1823 leaving his wife and eleven children. His grave at the Cunningham Cemetery is marked by a twelve foot monument erected by descendants in 1936 honoring his family. It contains the names, birth dates, and spouses of each of the children.
William's eleven children, John, Gideon, William, Malinda, Andrew, Dabney, Mickens, James, Alexander, Robert, and Nancy begat eighty-eight children. Since so many of these children had the same given name, a nickname was used to identify the respective family. John's family lived near the river and so were called "The Duck Cunninghams". William's descendants were called "The Buck Cunninghams". Dabney's descendants were called "The Dab Cunninghams". "Tank" identified James's descendants. Since Robert's descendants like to swim and fish in the river, they were nicknamed the "Rats". These nicknames were still being used in the county as late as the 1950's.
* NOTE * It was brought to my attention (thank you Michael!) that this age does not match with his birth. In 1791, if he was born in 1765, he would be 26, not 15. This was published in the 1st book when it was believed his birth was 1776 (as shown on the original monument at Trigg Furnace Cemetery). By the time of the 2nd book's publishing, it had been determined that his birth year was actually 1765 (this correct date is shown on the new monument at Trigg Furnace Cemetery). So, I am assuming he did indeed sail in 1791, but was the age of 25 (not 15). (From The Cunningham Family, by Bertie Gingles, Copyright 1984 McClanahan Publishing House)
Read the full history of Nancy (Carr) Cunningham born 1770 in Albermarle County, Virginia
Somewhere between the dates of 1790 to 1800, William Cunningham, a very forlorn lad sailed in his Uncle's strange ship from Glasgow, Scotland, to the "land of the free", America. Having stolen from home under cover of night with but a change of underwear and a few trinkets tied in a large handkerchief, he boarded his uncle's ship with the intentions of paying a visit to his sister, Mrs. Dr. Samuels of Virginia. William Cunningham, aged 18 years, was considered a good subject for a sailor and his Uncle informed him of his instructions to keep him on board, but on arriving in the harbor of New York, my great grandfather stole 'off board, not relishing the idea of becoming a sailor. It was months before he could work his way to Richmond, Virginia, where Dr. Samuels and his sister lived, where about ten years later he married a Miss Nancy Carr, a very proud and aristocratic young lady.
Two girls and seven boys blessed their union, later in life great grandfather came to Trigg county near Cadix (Kentucky) and bought a big tract of land and negroes. His children were as follows: Nancy, Melinda, John, Dab, Mick, James, Robert, Andrew, and William Cunningham. My grandfather, William "Buck" Cunningham) who married Virginia Mitchell, also was parent of nine children, who, as their parents before them, located around and about Canton and Cadiz. Nancy Ann who married CreekMoore and Elisa Jane the youngest was the second wife of Joseph of Josh Daniel near Cadiz a "case of old man's darling for the first rolls". The boys, John, Dab, Mick, Dave, Alex, Tom, and George Andrew, my father, eldest of the nine, born Feb. 5, 1833 and who married Miss Margaret Ann Hughes of Dublin, in Clinton (Kentucky), March 23, 1857. (From the Diary of Ella Cunningham, daughter of Andrew George, son of William.)
Click on Play button...
Hear the Gaelic pronunciation of the name Cunningham
The family name of Cunningham is a place name and is recorded in the early history of Scotland. King Duncan was the first ruler of Scotland. He was murdered by one of his generals by the name of MacBeth, who then took the throne and ruled. Two of Duncan's sons, Malcolm and Donaldbain, fled to escape from MacBeth's soldier. It was at this time that the Cunningham family name was recorded for history. Friskin, son of Friskin, concealed Prince Malcolm by hiding him in a pile of hay, and forking straw over him. Afterwards, Prince Malcolm escaped to England where he gathered an army, returned to Scotland, and defeated MacBeth. Then Malcolm took his rightful place as King of Scotland. Malcolm then rewarded Friskin for saving his life, by giving him the thanedom (meaning "by act of the King") of Cunynghame. Friskin and all his descendants then took the name Cunynghame at this time which makes the name one of the very oldest of family names. King Malcolm gave Friskin approximately 2,000 acres of land in the western part of Scotland bordering on the Firth of Clyde-a-Bay in Ayrshire, Scotland, which included a manor and a church.
Robert Burns, a great poet of Scotland, wrote Lament for the Earl of Glencairn a poem of ten verses and eight lines each. Robert Burns' home was south of the Cunningham castle in Ayrshire, Scotland. (From Cunningham Family, Leaves from the Family Tree, by Marqua Duncan, Copyright 2002 McClanahan Publishing House - page 13)
| The Cunningham Castle at Glengarnock, built about 1300, was the home of the Cunninghams for over 300 years. It was a quadrilateral tower with a great court and several less elevated sections, and one of the largest structures at the time. In 1839 a great storm destroyed the North Tower, but portions of the castle are still standing today. |  |
The family name of Cunningham is a place name and is recorded in the early history of Scotland. King Duncan was the first ruler of Scotland. He was murdered by one of his generals by the name of MacBeth, who then took the throne and ruled. Two of Duncan's sons, Malcolm and Donaldbain, fled to escape from MacBeth's soldier. It was at this time that the Cunningham family name was recorded for history. Friskin, son of Friskin, concealed Prince Malcolm by hiding him in a pile of hay, and forking straw over him. Afterwards, Prince Malcolm escaped to England where he gathered an army, returned to Scotland, and defeated MacBeth. Then Malcolm took his rightful place as King of Scotland. Malcolm then rewarded Friskin for saving his life, by giving him the thanedom (meaning "by act of the King") of Cunynghame. Friskin and all his descendants then took the name Cunynghame at this time which makes the name one of the very oldest of family names. King Malcolm gave Friskin approximately 2,000 acres of land in the western part of Scotland bordering on the Firth of Clyde-a-Bay in Ayrshire, Scotland, which included a manor and a church.
Robert Burns, a great poet of Scotland, wrote Lament for the Earl of Glencairn a poem of ten verses and eight lines each. Robert Burns' home was south of the Cunningham castle in Ayrshire, Scotland. (From Cunningham Family, Leaves from the Family Tree, by Marqua Duncan, Copyright 2002 McClanahan Publishing House - page 13)
Robert Burns, a great poet of Scotland, wrote Lament for the Earl of Glencairn a poem of ten verses and eight lines each. Robert Burns' home was south of the Cunningham castle in Ayrshire, Scotland. (From Cunningham Family, Leaves from the Family Tree, by Marqua Duncan, Copyright 2002 McClanahan Publishing House - page 13)
Wikipedia Articles of Interest...
Roger Griffith has been researching the old area of Cunninghame in Ayrshire. Roger emailed me to say, "The Cunninghame clan comes up all the time. I wrote these articles and many others, and hope that this is of interest to you." - Regards, Roger Griffith / Rosser Gruffydd (Welsh)
The Village of Lambroughton - this contains the story of Cunningham clan origins
C
orsehill, Lainshaw, Robertland and Dunlop - this is a good source of detail and most interesting in places
Thorntoun House & Estate - a less well known branch of the Cunningham family
Auchentiber - shows Montgreenan where Alexander Cunnighame was probably murdered - connected with the murder of the Earl of Eglinton. A good place for your clan members to stay - the Mansion House is a hotel.
Clan Cunningham - the best starting point!
Kilmaurs - burial place of the Earls of Glencairn
Cunninghamhead - and the mills on the Annick Water, in North Ayrshire, Scotland
Cunninghame - a historic district in Scotland
Cunninghamhead, Perceton and Annick Lodge Lands in Cunninghame, Scotland
our favorite Research sites...
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