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S. B.
Cunningham / son of Samuel A. ~ Julia
A. [Boyd] Cunningham
Hardin County, Iowa
S. B. Cunningham, the first postmaster, is one of the well known pioneers of Hardin county and of Clay township. He is a Pennsylvanian,
born in York county, and is the son of Samuel A. and Julia A. (Boyd) Cunningham, who were natives of Maryland. His father died in Indiana in
his 93d year, and his mother in Pennsylvania, on the old homestead, in her 58th year. At 14 years of age, the subject of this sketch went to
Baltimore, where he engaged as an errand boy in a bank, attending school
in the winter. From the bank he went into the wholesale house of Howard, Holmes & Stuart, where he continued two and a half years; at the
expiration of which time he entered the law office of Reverdy Johnson, as a student, where he remained nine months. He then went to Dayton,
Ohio, and engaged as a shipping clerk in a wholesale house, remaining for a short time, and then pushing on further West, he next brought up
in Richmond, Ind., and from there went to Liberty, Union county, Ind.,
where he read law with Judge Perry two years. From Liberty he went to Winchester, in the same State, with a stock of goods, and began the life
of a merchant. He was unfortunate in having his stock destroyed by fire, the work, doubtless, of some burglars whom he helped to arrest.
He now engaged in farming for a time, after which he purchased another stock of goods and Located in Windsor, Ind., where he remained five
years. Selling out his stock, he engaged in pork-packing, investing in this business all his wealth. This was an unfortunate affair, and he
lost every dollar put into it. He was then assisted by his friends in the purchase of another stock of goods, which he opened at Smithville,
Ind., where he remained from 1848 to 1852. In this latter year he came to Iowa, and located in Anaosa, Jones county, and with a brother and
brother-in-law engaged in merchandising. In 1854, he returned to
Indiana for his family, bringing them to Anaosa. In 1855, he engaged in
selecting lands for eastern parties, and soon after gave up this situation, and went to New York, where he purchased a stock of goods
with the intention of resuming the mercantile trade. A portion of his stock was lost by the wreck of the steamer on the lake, and he stopped
at Chicago and sorted up. With this stock he landed at Steamboat Rock, October 26, 1855, where he opened a store, continuing in business until
1859, when he sold out and built the Eldora Mills, which he managed until 1863, when he leased it to Reuben D. and James Buckner, and
enlisted in Co. G, 9th Iowa Cavalry, and was commissioned Captain. He served until 1864, when he was discharged on account of disability. In
1865, he sold his mill, and returned to Steamboat Rock, and engaged in merchandising, continuing in the same line until 1871. Maj. Cunningham
has been engaged in various enterprises to advance the interests of Hardin county, and has ever been an active man. In 1843, he was married
to Mary McPherson, daughter of Adam and Phoebe (Steele) McPherson. Ten children blessed this union, six of whom are now living -- Benjamin G.,
Phoebe A., Martha M., Reuben S., Stephen L., Cora May. The deceased are: Alexander, Nora, Julia, and one in infancy. Maj. Cunningham was
the first postmaster in Steamboat Rock, and has held many of the
township offices. He votes the Republican ticket.
Source: History of Hardin County, Iowa : together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and
political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens Springfield, Ill: Union Publishing Company,
1883. - FHL US/CAN Film 934943 Item 2
NOTE:
Use this data as a finding tool, just as you would any other secondary
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