Hugh and Agnes Cunningham The "New Addition" 1784-1817

Beethoven was celebrating his 14th birthday December 16, 1784 as Hugh Cunningham and Agnes (Tucker) Cunningham paid Abner Hughes and his mother 600 pounds for their plantation.  Hugh and Agnes had celebrated their 20th anniversary on June 12.  Crowding the new home were 9 children: Samuel (19), James (18), Hugh (16), John (13), Sarah (9), William D. (6), Robert (4), Agnes "Nancy" (2), and Rosannah (7 months).  4 years later Mary's birth brought the number of surviving children to 10 (an infant, William, died in 1773). Accommodating so many Cunninghams required space so they added a stone kitchen and two small bedrooms. Hugh served for many years as an elder in the Falling Waters Presbyterian Church.  (His son Samuel was ordained to serve with him in 1811 because Hugh was, in his own words, "past use on account of my age and infirmities.")  Agnes and Hugh's tombstones are pictured below in the church cemetery.  Many of their descendants are buried nearby.

Before moving here, Hugh had already served in the American Revolution under Capt. H. McKinney, Col. Robert Elder, and Capt. Samuel Cochran of the Lancaster, Pa. militia (4th battalion 1779, 10th battalion 1782).  60 acres in Fairfield, Oh. which Hugh's will left to his son Robert's children was part of his payment for military service. Hugh and Agnes had lived here with their family 28 years when Agnes died May 12, 1812.  The next month Congress declared war on Britain.  A son, Robert, died at Ft. Meigs, Ohio in 1813. In 1814, the Star Spangled Banner was written.  In 1817, Hugh Cunningham died.  Hugh's will left the plantation to his youngest surviving son, William D. Cunningham, provided sums of money (dollars now, not pounds) to his other sons and daughters, and "$14.00 to each of my grandchildren named Hugh."  (5 or 6 grandsons qualified.) Click to search Hugh & Agnes' descendants.

Falling Waters Presbyterian Church Cemetery is about 2 miles from the house.  The tombstone enlarged at left says, "In memory of Agness Cunningham who departed this life May the 12th, 1812 aged 70 years."  It is visible in the foreground of the cemetery (note the stain pattern to help identify it.  And yes, "Agness" is the spelling inscribed on the stone)  Hugh's stone, to the right of Agness, enlarged at right, says, "In memory of Hugh Cunningham who departed this life March the 25th 1817 aged 76 years.  All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come.  Job 14th chap. 14th v."

Brief Historical Perspective: Hugh and Agnes had lived here 3 years when Virginia and 12 other states ratified the Constitution forming the United States of America. 2 years later, George Washington was elected President. At Hugh's death in 1817, James Monroe was the nation's 5th President.

Hugh and his family were Presbyterians.  Dan Cunningham sent me an interesting clip from the Chronicles of Old Berkeley, by Gardiner and Gardiner (p.126)  The year was 1833: The Presbyterian Elders "had an interview with James C. Patton who had been charged by a public rumour with having taken part in the folly & sin of a ball, & on investigating the case were satisfied that although he was in the house when the dancing was carried on, he went there without the knowledge of the ball being there at the time, & remained there only a short time, $ that during a shower of rain.  After giving him friendly caution, the case dismissed." 1828:  "This meeting of the Session was to take into consideration a rumour which charges Robert Snodgrass, a member of this church, with having permitted dancing in his house on the 2nd of January 1828...Session adjudged it most prudent to pursue that course which is marked out in Capt. 4, Secion 9, of the book of discipline; and the Moderator was appointed to visit Mr. Snodgrass & converse with him on the subject of this rumour & report to Session as early a day as he might find convenient."