Jacob Cunningham

Jacob Cunningham

• b.Abt 1732
• Parents: James & Margaret Cunningham (d 1763)
• W. _____ Unknown d - 1763 m. est. 1754-1757

Children

1. Margaret Cunningham Abt 1753 -
2. James Cunningham Est 1755 to 1758 - -

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Jacob Cunningham was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia.

http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Jacob_Cunningham_%285%29

Acquisition of Land from Chalkley's: Page 391.--6th August, 1753. James Coningham and Margaret to Jacob Conningham, 100 acres, part of 400 acres patented to James, 20th August, 1745. On Tees Crick of James, cor. Moses Coningham. Teste: Chas. Daugherty, Isaac Coningham, Henry (X) Campbell. Links

The first house reached by them was that of Charles Daugherty ,where they murdered the entire family. They then proceeded down the creek to Jacob Cunningham, where W. Moore and C. Harper now live. Cunningham was from home. His wife was killed, and daughter about ten years of age was struck down with the tomahawk. Thinking her to be dead, they scalped her. She revived after they left, and lived, but was destined again to fall into their hands, on the second invasion, two years afterwards, when she was taken prisoner and carried to their towns in Ohio, where they put on her head what they gave her to understand was her own scalp, and with great mirth and rejoicing danced around her. She was afterwards redeemed and brought back by her friends, and lived for forty years and eventually died from the effects of the scalping. Her head had never properly healed, and turned to a cancerous affection. These strange facts I learned from her niece twenty years ago.

Source: The Indian massacre on Kerr's Creek, Rockbridge County, is republished from the "Rockbridge Citizens" of January, 1872, by courtesy and permission of it's successor, "The News-Gazette," Lexington, Virginia.

James Cunningham’s Will in 1760

http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Jacob_Cunningham_%285%29

Page 382.—16th January, 1760 (33d year of Reign). James Cunningham's will, of Colony and Dominion of Virginia—To wife Margaret; to son Moses, infant; to Hugh Cunningham, 1 shilling; to daughter Elizabeth, 1 shilling; to James Cunningham, son to son Jacob; to John Cunningham, son to son Isaac; to daughter Mary; to daughters, each and every of them, 1 shilling. Executors, wife and son Moses. Teste: Malcom Allen, Robt. Bowen, Lilly Bowen. Proved, 19th March, 1765, by Malcom Allen and Lilly Bowen. Margaret is dead. Moses qualifies, with Hugh Cunningham, Geo. Dougherty.

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https://www.werelate.org/wiki/The_Kerr%27s_Creek_Massacres_(1759-1763)

The hostilities at Kerr's Creek (called "Teas Creek" in earlier Augusta County records before abt. 1750) between the Shawnee Indians and the Scotch-Irish settlers of early Augusta County came during the height of this conflict. The stories of the conflicts at Kerr's Creek have been passed down through generations and are still discussed by the current residents of modern-day Rockbridge County. As it was told, the Shawnee leader "Cornstalk" and many of his men viciously attacked, killed or kidnapped several early settlers in the Kerr's Creek (also called "Teas Creek") area on two occasions in 1759 and 1763.

I[n the fall of 1759] … the first cabin along the creek at present day Denmark, Charles Daugherty (husband of Rebecca Cunningham) and his family was killed (Note: other sources indicate that Charles Daugherty was killed in the 2nd Kerr's Creek Massacre). Next was the Jacob Cunningham cabin. With Cunningham away, his wife was killed, his 10-year old daughter knocked unconscious and scalped. She later came to and survived to face the Indians a second time on Kerr’s Creek. Next came the home of Thomas Gilmore, the elderly Gilmore and his wife were leaving to visit a neighbor when they were killed and scalped. The rest of the Gilmores escaped. Five of the ten members of the Robert Hamilton family next fell victim. By that time, the community was alerted to the danger, with residents scrambling for safety everywhere.

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https://wc.rootsweb.com/trees/166151/I38270/jacob-cunningham/indivi...

Note: a part of 400 acres on Tees’s creek, a branch of James River, which had been patented by James C.; and on February 12, 1756, he conveyed 128 acres of the same tract to his son Isaac.

Jacob was killed at the first Shawnee Massacre at Kerr's Creek, Augusta County, Virginia. Jacob Cunningham died in 1760, as appears from the inventory and appraisement of his personal estate. The wife of a Jacob Cunningham was killed by Indians July, 1763, and his ten-year old daughter scalped and left for dead. One account of the first Kerrs Creek massacre states that he escaped by being absent from home; but the probability is that he was the person who died more than three years before.

Source: Waddell's Annals of Augusta County, Virginia, from 1726 to 1871 - Chapter 9: The War of the Revolution, etc. from 1775 to 1779. - Page 262

KERR's CREEK MASSACRE Jacob Cunningham's cabin. Jacob and his wife was killed, his 10-year old daughter knocked unconscious and scalped. She later came to and survived to face the Indians a second time on Kerrs Creek. Scalpless Margaret Cunningham was an object of sport. After the Indians carried her to their towns north of the Ohio "they put on her head what they gave her to understand was her own scalp." Although Margaret miraculously survived being scalped, her wounds never completely healed, and she died in old age of "a cancerous affection."

Notes for JACOB CUNNINGHAM:

Other probable children were: James, Betsy (Elizabeth), and Henry.

Jacob is probably buried at the McKee Cemetery....Big Springs Cemetery Kerrs Creek, Rockbridge Co, VA.

More Children of JACOB CUNNINGHAM and UNKNOWN are:

•   i. HUGH CUNNINGHAM, b. Abt. 1740; d. 1819; m. ELIZABETH.
•   ii. MARGARET CUNNINGHAM, b. Abt. 1749.
•   iii. JOHN CUNNINGHAM, b. Bef. 1760.

Will: January 16, 1760

Note: On August 3, 1753, James Coningham conveyed to his son, Jacob 100 acres,

References

• https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Jacob_Cunningham_%285%29