My Genealogy Hound

Wilford Cunningham, a prominent citizen of Benton Township, Knox County, was born in Harrison County, Ind., December 26, 1826, and is the son of Robert and Rachel (Moyers) Cunningham. The father was a native of Hamilton County, Ohio, born in April, 1805, and was of Irish descent. He died in Knox County, Mo., in March, 1885. He was a boatman in his youthful days, and made many trips to New Orleans. This was before many steamboats were on the Mississippi River. He was also engaged in the saw mill business, but the latter part of his life was passed on the farm. He moved to Harrison County, Ind., with his parents, when but nine years of age, and remained a resident of that county until 1851, when he came to Knox County, Mo. After the war he held the office of register for one year. He was a Union man, and took an active part during the late war, and freely expressed his opinion. He was shot at while in his own house, and the same time his son, the brother of our subject, Robert M., was killed. The boy at this time was about sixteen years of age. The mother of our subject was born in Shenandoah County, Va., in August, 1805, and was of German descent. She is now living, and is a resident of Knox County, Mo. Her father came to Harrison County, Ind., during the early settlement of the country, and her mother died when she was quite young. Her father was a member of the United Brethren Church, of which she has been a member for the past forty years. Our subject is the eldest of nine children, six now living. He received the rudiments of an education in Harrison County, Ind., and assisted his father on the flatboat, in the saw mill, and on the farm. February 18, 1849, he married Virginia A. Funk, who was born in Harrison County, Ind., February 28, 1831. Her parents, Amos and Catherine Brown, were natives of Indiana and Virginia, respectively. They were married in Virginia, and moved to Indiana, and then to Louisiana, and from there to Missouri in 1851. This marriage of our subject resulted in the birth of twelve children—seven sons and five daughters—five sons and four daughters now living. In 1850 our subject moved to some land that his father had entered, in Knox County, Mo., and after living on this five years moved to the property that he now owns. Although starting with very little means, he possesses 215 acres of the best land in the county. During the early part of the late war he was second lieutenant of the Home Guards. After they had disbanded he joined Company C, of the Fiftieth Enrolled Militia, was corporal, and was in two skirmishes. Since coming to Missouri he has been engaged in farming and stock dealing. He is an ardent supporter of the Republican party.