PATRIOT Major William Cunningham^{[1, 2, 3]}

1741 - 1805  (63 years)

• Name	William Cunningham
  Title	PATRIOT
  Prefix	Major
  Born	10 Apr 1741	Goochland Co., Virginia Colony
  Gender	Male
  Died	1805	Smith Co., Tennessee
  Person ID	I3653	My Reynolds Line
  Last Modified	18 Jan 2017

  
  

  Father	Alexander Cunningham, Jr.,   b. 1710, York County, Virginia ,   d. 1778, Prince Edward Co., Virginia  (Age 68 years)
  Mother	Easter Mary Michaux,   b. 12 Jan 1713, Michaux Grant, Henrico Co., Va. ,   d. 1786, Henrico Co., Virginia  (Age 72 years)
  Family ID	F518495254	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Elizabeth Anne 'Betsey Anne' Watkins,   b. 31 Jul 1738, Henrico Co., Virginia Colony ,   d. 14 May 1834, Smith Co., Tennessee  (Age 95 years)
  Married	4 Dec 1793	Caswell Co., North Carolina   [5]
  Children	+ 1. Susannah Rochet Cunningham,   b. 17 Sep 1784, Prince Edward Co., Colonial Virginia ,   d. 1853  (Age 68 years)
  Last Modified	24 Jan 2017
  Family ID	F5837	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Sources

  [S122] Genealogy. com, http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/h/o/l/Jimmy-d-Holloway/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0730.html. "Major William Cunningham (brother of Nathaniel) was the son of Alexander Cunningham and Esther (sic) Mary Michaux of Henrico County, Virginia. Esther's (sic) parents were Abraham (1672-1747) and Susanna Rochette Michaux of the Champagne District of France. Susanna Michaux was the daughter of Jean Rochette and the granddaughter of Susanne Rondeau"of France. [S122] Genealogy. com, http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/h/o/l/Jimmy-d-Holloway/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0730.html. "Major William Cunningham (brother of Nathaniel) was the son of Alexander Cunningham and Esther (sic) Mary Michaux of Henrico County, Virginia. Esther's (sic) parents were Abraham (1672-1747) and Susanna Rochette Michaux of the Champagne District of France. Susanna Michaux was the daughter of Jean Rochette and the granddaughter of Susanne Rondeau"of France. William Cunningham (son of Alexander Cunningham II and Easter Mary Michaux) was born 10 Apr 1741 in Prince Edward County, Virginia, and died 1806 in Smith County, , Tennessee. He married Elizabeth Watkins on Abt. 1770 in Halifax County, VA. Notes for William Cunningham: William Cunningham was commissioned Captain in 1st virginia Regiment (col. Richard Parker's), Continental Line on 22 April 1776. He was a Valley Forge, PA and White Plains, New York. He was discharged as Major on 14 September 1778. He received land grants for his Revolutionary War service and was in Bledsoeborough, then Sumner and now Smith County, Tennessee on the Cumberland River about 1790. More About William Cunningham: Died 2: 14 May 1834, Macon County, Tennessee. Military service: 1st Virginia Regement (Col. Richard Parker's). More About William Cunningham and Elizabeth Watkins: Elizabeth Watkins 1889, 1890 was born 31 Jul 1748 in Halifax County, Virginia, and died 14 May 1834 in Smith County, Tennessee. Marriage: Abt. 1770, Halifax County, VA. Children of William Cunningham and Elizabeth Watkins are: William Watkins Cunningham, b. 18 Jan 1774, Virginia, d. date unknown. Elizabeth Ann Cunningham, b. 09 Dec 1776, Virginia, d. date unknown. +Nancy Cunningham, b. 27 Dec 1777, Virginia, d. 01 Dec 1839, Smith County, Tennessee. +John Burton Cunningham, b. 28 Apr 1779, Virginia, d. 1858, Robertson County, Tennessee. Polly M. Cunningham, b. 30 Jan 1781, Virginia, d. Aft. 1832. Margaret Cunningham, b. 30 Oct 1782, Virginia, d. Bef. 1832. Susanna Rochet Cunningham, b. 17 Sep 1784, Virginia, d. 1853. +James A. Cunningham, b. 09 Aug 1786, Bledsoeborough Virginia, d. 1844, Smith County, Tennessee. Lucy Burton Cunningham, b. 21 Apr 1788, Virginia, d. date unknown. [S73] Deeds, http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/93-r17.pdf. 12 May 1763, Page 42 William Cunningham is appointed Surveyor of the road in the room of David George [S107] Family Histories, http://oursoutherncousins.com/watkins4.html. Thomas Watkins of 'Chickahominy' was born about 1714 and died Nov 1783 in Henrico Co, VA. It is thanks to the original 1852 work of Francis N. Watkins of Prince Edward County, Virginia, that so much is known about Thomas. Francis Watkins' work, entitled 'A Catalogue of the Descendants of Thomas Watkins of Chickahominy, VA' is one of earliest known examples of Virginia family histories written before the War. As cousin Eugenia says, it might not be 100% correct, but you can credit him with being one of those who started our modern genealogy work in the U.S.! The Catalogue is invaluable to those of us descended from this line. I won't repeat, here, all that Francis says about Thomas, but it is transcribed in it's entirety in the notes attached. Thomas Watkins lived on Swift Creek, Cumberland County, VA (part that was later cut off to form Powhatan Co.). He is said to have been the eldest son of Thomas Watkins 'of Swift Creek,' (the older children being daughters). 'Thomas farmed his father's land in southeastern Henrico County and he reached out for new lands in what are now Charlotte and Prince Edward Counties.' In 1735: Thos. Watkins, of Henrico parish, lands joined those of Joseph Woodson, Wm. Porter, Sr., Col. Harrison, Wm. Lewis, Thos. Binford, Edward Mosby and George Freeman, and were on the Chickahominy swamp. [Giles Carters] In 1746, Thomas and "Frances his wife" sold some land in Henrico County. In 1752, "Thomas Watkins Junr." bought 773 acres "on south side of Chickahominy Swamp." In 1768 he, with others, appointed to select a new site for Curl's Church - (St. John's Register). In the same year he was a vestryman of St. John's Church, Henrico. He would remain on that land in northeastern Henrico County close to the Bottom's Bridge crossing of the Chickahominy for the rest of his life.' The following quote, to me, seems to sum up Thomas Watkins: "Of Thomas Watkins, of Chickahominy," said Mr. Leigh, "I have heard very full accounts from my mother and from my uncle Thomas, both of whom knew him very well; he was a man of the highest respectability in every point of view, and in particular, a man of the most indefatigable industry. He reared a large family of children (four sons and seven daughters), with limited means, and when they entered upon the active duties of life, he seems to have made but little, if any advancements, to his sons at least, leaving them, either from necessity or prudential considerations, to depend mainly on their own energy and resources. I have seen his will, and find among the papers of his executors, in relation to its execution, evidences of a very affectionate regard among the children for the wishes of the father, and of their great integrity. There is a codicil attached to his will, in which he designed to devise real and personal estate, of a value I infer, equal to my bequest in the will to persons not members of his family. There was no proof of the execution of the writing, purporting to be a codicil to the will, and it never went to record. By the operation of the then existing law, the old man died intestate as to the property mentioned in the codicil, and the real estate descended to the eldest son, Henry, and the personal assets, by virtue of the will, went to the brothers and sisters. The sons, daughters, and sons-in-law appear to have been anxious to carry out the old gentleman's wishes, although it deprived them of interest of some value to them. There being infants interested (the children of Thomas Jr., who had died) some difficulties occurred in carrying out the intentions of the testator. The children not only relinquished to the intended beneficiaries their right and title to the property in questions, but made liberal contributions to the intended devisees." Thomas ?Chickahominy? Watkins married Frances Anderson (born about 1715, death date not known, but after 1750) the daughter of Henry Anderson and Prudence Stratton. Henry Anderson mentions his daughter, Frances Anderson, in his will which was proven in 1734, so Frances married Thomas Watkins after that date, (the exact date of their marriage is unknown). Also, the exact dates of birth for most of their children are not known, but they were obviously married after 1734/35, and their children began arriving by the late 1730?s. Thomas Watkins and Frances Anderson had the following children: 1) Henry WATKINS (4th of the name) (b.Aft 1735-Prince Edward County,VA d.Abt 1798) | sp: Temperance HUGHES of Chesterfield, VA (b.1739 m.28 Jan 1760 d.Bef 1798) 2) Elizabeth (Betsey) WATKINS (b.Abt 1739 d.Bef 1783) | sp: Nathaniel MASSIE 3) Col. JOEL WATKINS (b.Abt 1737-Henrico County,VA d.2 Jan 1820-Charlotte County,VA) | sp: Agnes (dau of Joseph & Agnes) MORTON (b.26 Feb 1747-Charlotte County,VA d.1814-Henrico County,VA) 4) THOMAS * WATKINS (called "Jr.) (b.Abt 1738/1741-Powhatan Co,VA d.1778-Henrico County,Virginia) | sp: Sarah "Sally" * WALTON (sister of signer) (b.1746-Swift Creek,Goochland/Cumberland County,VA m.8 Feb 1762 d.20 Nov 1805-Kentucky) 5) Susan (Susanna) WATKINS (b.Abt 1744-Henrico County,VA d.Abt 1814-Charlotte County,Virginia) | sp: Col. William MORTON (b.27 Nov 1743-Charlotte County,Virginia m.29 Oct 1764 d.29 Nov 1820-Charlotte County,Virginia) 6) Mary WATKINS (b.Abt 1742) | sp: Stephen, Jr. PANKEY (b.1742/1752 m.4 Jun 1788 d.1 Dec 1799-Campbell Co.,KY) 7) Nancy WATKINS (b.Abt 1743) | sp: Smith BLAKEY of Henrico Co., VA 8) Jane WATKINS (b.Abt 1744) | sp: Charles HUNDLEY 9) Francis WATKINS (Sr.)of Poplar Hill (b.15 Jul 1745-Henrico County,VA d.1826-"Poplar Hill" Prince Edward County,VA) | sp: Agnes (dau of Richard & Ann Michaux) WOODSON (b.4 Oct 1748-"Poplar Hill",Henrico co.,VA m.9 Jan 1765 d.Jul 1820-Henrico County,VA) 10) Prudence WATKINS (b.Abt 1745) | sp: William ROYSTER of Goochland (VA) 11) Sally WATKINS (b.Abt 1748 d.Abt 1765-Charlotte County,VA) [S46] Marriage Record/Certificate, https://books.google.com/books?id=K1g11k0MKCwC&pg=PA68&lpg=PA68&dq=Philip+Carter+%2B+Sarah+Gunn+%2B+Caswell&source=bl&ots=SQuj79jAX4&sig=j_RFP9TveSCUj3VRHIzCNRSUYBQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjbwYeju9_OAhWGKB4KHfjRBugQ6AEIHjAA#v=onepage&q=Philip%20Carter%20%2B%20Sarah%20Gunn%20%2B%20Caswell&f=false. Jesse Carter as Bondsman