James Cunningham : Short Biography

James and his wife Mary (Smith) CUNNINGHAM emigrated from County Tyrone to Halton County, Ontario, Canada in about 1822.  Their son, William Smith Cunningham (c.1804-1884) came with them. Some other of their children may also have emigrated with them - Joseph?, Robert and William.  Four other Cunningham families (below) emigrated to the same area and had connections with each other in Canada.

William (b.1771?) and Frances (Noble? b.1772?) CUNNINGHAM about 1827 with their 10 children - Andrew (b.4Nov1800), Joseph?(c.1801), Rebecca Jane (c.1804), Elizabeth (c.1807), James (c.1809), William (c.1810), Sarah Ann (Apr 1812), Matilda (c.1813), Robert (c. 1813) and Mary (20Apr1821).  The next generation of these two families intermarried in Canada. 

Also from Tyrone, were Archibald (b. c1808-9) and Jane (b. c1820-21) CUNNNINGHAM who emigrated to Canada in about 1849-51 with the 3 of their 6 children who born in Ireland (Ann, John & James - b. c1844,1846 & 1848).  On the 1861 Canadian census, Archibald Cunningham's family is living on the next property to William Smith Cunningham, and listed as a farm labourer.  Perhaps he was labouring on the neighbouring farm of his relative(?) William Smith Cunningham?

There are two other Cunningham families in the same county that have looser connections to my Cunningham ancestors.  Aiken CUNNINGHAM (c. 1803) and his wife Mary (Landrum c.1815-1821?) Cunningham from Tyrone.  Their eldest child James was born in Ireland about 1839, but a later son was born in Halton County on 15 Jan 1842, so it is likely that they emigrated from 1839-1841.  The connection with Aiken & Mary is that their son James married Mary Jane Cunningham, the daughter of William Smith Cunningham 

Also, in the same area, I have found James CUNNINGHAM (c 1801) and his wife Hannah Foster (c 1811).  Although Hannah was born in Ireland, all their children were born in Ontario, so James & Hannah may have met and married in Canada.