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Below is a family biography included in The History of White County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Malachi A. Cummings was born July 12, 1854. He is of Irish and Scotch origin. His grandfather, Joseph Cummings, of Irish descent, emigrated from near Richmond, Va., to this State over 100 years ago. He served in the Revolutionary war and was with Washington at the surrender of Cornwallis, and his maternal grandfather, William Dunny of Scotch descent, came from Kentucky to this State, both settling at a place now known as Cummingsville in Van Buren County, then White County. His grandparents lived to an extreme old age. His father, W. B. Cummings, was born May 11, 1810, and filled the different offices of sheriff, circuit court clerk and county judge in his county with credit and honor. After the war he read law and in 1868 was admitted to the bar, and died October 22, 1884. Malachi was raised on the farm and after working through crop times, would go to school in the neighborhood in the fall. He received his principal education at Burritt College, paying for his tuition part of the time by sweeping the college building. In 1875 he attended the law school of Cumberland University at Lebanon, Tenn., and graduated in 1875, and was duly licensed to practice in all the courts of Tennessee. While attending the law school he received the honor of representing the Philomatian society as orator at the commencement exercises. After staying at Spencer and Sparta awhile he permanently located at Sparta, where he is now engaged in the practice of his profession.

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This family biography is one of 38 biographies included in The History of White County, Tennessee published in 1887.  The History of White County was included within The History of Cannon, Coffee, DeKalb, Warren & White Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Cannon, Coffee, DeKalb, Warren, White Counties of Tennessee

View additional White County, Tennessee family biographies here: White County, Tennessee

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