Author Topic: Cunningham: John, Richard & Michael; Roscommon prior to 1769  (Read 10369 times)

Offline Northern Jo

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Cunningham: John, Richard & Michael; Roscommon prior to 1769
« on: Monday 23 January 12 05:24 GMT (UK) »
According to the book 'The Cunningham Family of Antigonish, Nova Scotia' (by Leonard Cunningham, 1929), these three brothers (John, Richard & Michael CUNNINGHAM) were on their way to "America" when their ship went aground off the shore of Nova Scotia in about 1769.  They all settled in Nova Scotia and Richard and Michael both died and were buried at Antigonish.  Not sure about John --- the book states "Of the eldest brother, John, little is known and no date of his birth or marriage has been found.  The theory has been gradually forming in my mind that he was many years older than Richard or Michael -- that he married in Ireland and his wife was with him in the ship; that his younger brothers had been left to his guardianship and came to America with him, and that some of his sisters accompanied him".  Additional information can be found by Googleing the book .... it's a digital format online.

According to this same book, there were also three sisters (Mary, Magdalen and Jane CUNNINGHAM) who arrived with the aforementioned brothers.

Who were their parents?  Where, exactly, did they come from in Ireland?  What other family might there have been that remained there?

Any additional information would be greatly appreciated.
Joanne
DUNCAN (and associated families of HAXTON, WATSON, WALLACE, BELL, ANDERSON, SPEED and LESSLIE) originated in Fifeshire, Scotland

REID (and associated families of HERON, KEITH, REIDFORD/REDFORD, MORRISON, WEBSTER, PIRIE, OGILVIE, DINGUAL, LAURENCE, GRANT, FRASER, and FORBES) originated in Banffshire, Scotland

CUNNINGHAM (pre 1780) -- John, Richard and Michael originated in Roscommon County, Ireland

Offline katejudson

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Re: Cunningham: John, Richard & Michael; Roscommon prior to 1769
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 05 February 12 21:17 GMT (UK) »
Hello,
I, too, am researching the Cunningham brothers who left Roscommon, Ireland in either 1761 or 1769.  I have found records that indicate both dates.  The 1916 book, "History of Nova Scotia" says that they probably came in the spring of 1761 when Richard was a young boy (13-ish?).  Wikipedia has an entry for John Cunningham, a Nova Scotia judge, that also has them arriving in Halifax in about 1761.  This account says that he married Elizabeth Rust and was commissioner of Indian Affairs from 1769 to 1774 and later in 1783 was Superintendent of Indian Affairs and a judge in athe Inferior Court of Common Pleas in 1778.  Since there is clear record (posts in the Halifax newspaper) of two people being whipped for theft from John Cunningham on June 6, 1769 and in that same newspaper, but an edition from earlier in the spring, the weather was reported as particularly bad, resulting in the harbor being closed for a period of time, it seems more likely that the Cunninghams and their group actually arrived in Nova Scotia in 1761 instead of 1769.  All I know of their parents is that their mother was named Elizabeth.  We have often conjectured that their father died (or perhaps was imprisoned??) and that was what caused the family group to go to American/Nova Scotia.

As to the exact location from which they came, all I've been able to find is that they came from Roscommon.  I was there a couple of years ago and learned that that was a place where many of the Scotish people settled and were soon known as Scotch-Irish before many left in search of religious freedom. 

I plan to go to Nova Scotia this summer and hope to learn more.  If you find more information, I would love to learn of it! 
Sincerely, Kate

Offline Toni

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Re: Cunningham: John, Richard & Michael; Roscommon prior to 1769
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 06 January 13 06:19 GMT (UK) »
The first European settlement at Antigonish was in 1784.  Timothy HIERLIHY (brother to my 5 x great-grandfather Phillip HIERLIHY of Miramichi) is considered the founding father of the town.  Timothy & Phillip were Irish, so possible your ancestors relocated to Anitgonish after the settlement got going, perhaps from Halifax.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antigonish,_Nova_Scotia

Toni
Reidford: All
SCOTLAND: Brown Clark Bain Elvin McClusky/McLusky Stevenson Wylie Jamieson Christie Donaldson Ritchie
CHES/LANCS: Whyatt Hadfield Smith Travis Barlow
NORFOLK:  Balls Stone
HUNTS: Phillips
NRYKS: Metcalfe Harrison Winn
SHROPS: Metcalfe [Richardson]
SOMERSET: Richardson
GLOUCS: Richardson Jenkins
LINCS: Yarwood
SURREY: Payne
SUSSEX: Heater Yarwood Kennelly Rowland Antram    Martin Lanstead
DEVON: Clark Mill Adams Tremeer Brook Newcombe Jewell Baker Dart Witheridge Lyell

Offline denisedunphy

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Re: Cunningham: John, Richard & Michael; Roscommon prior to 1769
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 19 September 15 03:20 BST (UK) »
Hi, Have you learned anything more since your last comment made in jan-feb? I am doing research on the Cunninghams- the very same group of siblings. Lineage starts with Richard Cunningham, and have discovered lots of info of their lives in Nova Scotia. And unfortunately nothing relevant in Roscommon. 


Offline Northern Jo

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Re: Cunningham: John, Richard & Michael; Roscommon prior to 1769
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 19 September 15 15:52 BST (UK) »
Unfortunately, Denise, I haven't been able to find any new information about our ancestors in Ireland. Like you, we have plenty of information on the descendants in Nova Scotia and across North America.

If you have access, I have all of the information that I've gathered on a tree on Ancestry. Feel free to contact me again so that we can share our common interest about the Cunninghams.
DUNCAN (and associated families of HAXTON, WATSON, WALLACE, BELL, ANDERSON, SPEED and LESSLIE) originated in Fifeshire, Scotland

REID (and associated families of HERON, KEITH, REIDFORD/REDFORD, MORRISON, WEBSTER, PIRIE, OGILVIE, DINGUAL, LAURENCE, GRANT, FRASER, and FORBES) originated in Banffshire, Scotland

CUNNINGHAM (pre 1780) -- John, Richard and Michael originated in Roscommon County, Ireland

Offline denisedunphy

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Re: Cunningham: John, Richard & Michael; Roscommon prior to 1769
« Reply #5 on: Saturday 19 September 15 22:41 BST (UK) »
we're not on ancestry at the moment. Have been in past, however i got discouraged with my family research, whereas, my partner John was finding all kinds of information ..(John is the one related to these Cunningham's) If you'd like, I can email you information i have found. ...Although I'm sure you have lots! Some of the things I found are fascinating. For example we live in Windsor NS for the past 6 years, and discovered Richard Cunningham (the young boy of 13, who sailed from Roscommon) also lived here and owned the Fundy Gypsum until his death in 1829. I just recently went to the Historical Society Museum here in Windsor, and obtained a copy of his Will and Testament, among other things. We're going back again this coming Wednesday so we can spend more time for research. :-)
fyi: This Richard Cunningham would be Johns' 3xs Great Grandfather.
   

Offline Northern Jo

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Re: Cunningham: John, Richard & Michael; Roscommon prior to 1769
« Reply #6 on: Sunday 20 September 15 02:28 BST (UK) »
Hello again Denise .... Please check your "personal messages" on here as I've sent you my e-mail address so we can exchange information.
DUNCAN (and associated families of HAXTON, WATSON, WALLACE, BELL, ANDERSON, SPEED and LESSLIE) originated in Fifeshire, Scotland

REID (and associated families of HERON, KEITH, REIDFORD/REDFORD, MORRISON, WEBSTER, PIRIE, OGILVIE, DINGUAL, LAURENCE, GRANT, FRASER, and FORBES) originated in Banffshire, Scotland

CUNNINGHAM (pre 1780) -- John, Richard and Michael originated in Roscommon County, Ireland

Offline denisedunphy

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Re: Cunningham: John, Richard & Michael; Roscommon prior to 1769
« Reply #7 on: Sunday 20 September 15 02:39 BST (UK) »
Hi Joanne, yep. I just emailed you :-)

Offline Barcc

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Re: Cunningham: John, Richard & Michael; Roscommon prior to 1769
« Reply #8 on: Thursday 25 February 16 23:45 GMT (UK) »

Quote
we're not on ancestry at the moment. Have been in past, however i got discouraged with my family research, whereas, my partner John was finding all kinds of information ..(John is the one related to these Cunningham's) If you'd like, I can email you information i have found. ...Although I'm sure you have lots! Some of the things I found are fascinating. For example we live in Windsor NS for the past 6 years, and discovered Richard Cunningham (the young boy of 13, who sailed from Roscommon) also lived here and owned the Fundy Gypsum until his death in 1829. I just recently went to the Historical Society Museum here in Windsor, and obtained a copy of his Will and Testament, among other things. We're going back again this coming Wednesday so we can spend more time for research. :-)
fyi: This Richard Cunningham would be Johns' 3xs Great Grandfather.

Hi Denise,  I am a Cunningham and a member of the Cunningham Family of Antigonish. My grandfather was Vincent F. Cunningham the Dentist of Sydney. I have the Cunningham book and I have been trying to research my family. My biggest problem, and probably yours, is the period prior to Nova Scotia. I can find no information on their life in Roscommon and Ireland in general.
I was interested in the reference to the Windsor Gypsum and Richards will.
I hope you get this message,  Barc