CUNNINGHAM: Of Spring Creek, Spencer, Walton.
These are descendants of the Cunninghams of the Monongahela Valley, mentioned in the "Border Warfare" and other books recounting settlement of the "Western Border and Indian Atrocities."
George Cunningham and his wife, Catherine (Smith), born in Harrison and Lewis County, Virginia, with some children born while residing in that county, came to this Spring Creek country about the time of building of the Glenville, Ripley and Ohio turnpike --1850-- bought a large tract of land on that pike, a mile west of "New California" and extending to the head of Tanners Run, there they soon made such a farm as gave them standing and respect among all who came or went. The names of their children, (possibly all born in Lewis County, W. Va.,) were: Pery Green, Marshall, Julia Ann and George Porter.
Perygrine, or (Pery Green), usually mentioned as P. G., married in Lewis County, Miss Eliza Allman; they made their home, first on the home lands on Tanners Run, then awhile in New California; next -- about 1868 -- at Walton, where they died and are buried. Pery G. entered into a partnership with James T. Ward, of Spencer, and they moved to Walton and there opened a general store, for the purpose of handling the marketing of the vast forest of timber then just coming into demand; they traded largely. Pery G. became the owner of large acreages of land.
To Pery G. and his wife, Eliza (Allman), were born, and brought up, three daughter, whose names are Safronia, married Beniah Depue (then Jr.) March 6, 1878; Madora, married Jarrett H. Depue October 1, 1885; Laura, married Dr. Ed Jones, May 11, 1898, she then 21, he, 23.
Marshall Cunningham, son of George and Catherine, his wife, married in Lewis County, W. Va., Elizabeth Bonnett, about the year 1851, made their home on the paternal lands on Tanners Run. To them were born two daughters and a son. Their names: Nancy C., born in 1852, married Mathew Hively, of Walton District; Columbia, wife of George Dougherty, of Walton, and George Franklin Cunningham, who, on growing up, became a lawyer, was one term Prosecuting Attorney of Roane County; was twice married, first wife Miss Belle Thompson, second Miss Clara Allen. Of the first marriage one daughter named Ethel was born; of the second marriage one son and two daughters. George F. and his wife and son moved their homes to Oklahoma about the year 1920. Marshall Cunningham was killed by a political enemy during the Civil War broils, leaving above three children to care of their relatives. Julia Ann, daughter of the pioneers, George and Mary Cunningham, married Russell Alvis and they made their lifetimes home on Tanners Run and there reared a large family.
George Porter Cunningham, son of George and Catherine (Smith), his wife, was born in Lewis County about the year 1846; came to this country with his parents; married Sarah Jane Ward, daughter of Aquilla Ward, of in or near Spencer, February 7, 1867; being the youngest of the family he succeeded to the ancestral home on Tanners Run, then yet containing a large acreage; he conveyed to the public a cemetery lot for that neighborhood, also gave a lot for the first school house for the neighborhood and saw the public gratitude give its name to the Hoff family, the place ever since being known as Hoff Town.
To George Porter and Sarah Jane (Ward) the wife of his youth and his old age, were born Dora, Viola, Irven Ward, Emma O., Arthur, Okey Blame and Verna; two or three children died in youth.
Viola married Charles Overholt; Irvin Ward married Mary Miller, then widow Huffman, they have two sons and six daughters. Arthur married Viola Criner; Verna married Charles Carroll and Okey Blame married Florence Greathouse, daughter of Benjamin R. Greathouse, they live near the City of Spencer and have a large family of children.
Source: History of Roane County, West Virginia, 1774-1927 William H. Bishop, Esq. p 494-495
Submitter: Sandy Spradling, November 28, 1999
