Vermilion county Illinois, WILLIAM O. CUNNINGHAM

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p. 249-250

WILLIAM O. CUNNINGHAM, an extensive stock shipper of Newell Township 
was born on the 15th day of December, 1838, in this township, and is 
the son of James and Mary (Andrews) Cunningham, the father a native of 
Kentucky. The mother of the subject of this sketch was born in New 
York, and is deceased. The father is now retired and living at State 
Line, Ind.

  William O., of whom we write, is the third child of a family of four 
children. He spent his boyhood days at home on the farm until he was 
about eighteen years of age when the restless spirit of the typical 
American youth seized him and he concluded to see more of the world; 
accordingly he went to Nebraska where he worked for a time breaking 
prairie sod, but this being too slow work for him he made up his mind 
that he would go to California, which he did. He started from Nebraska 
City for Pike's Peak in 1859, and from there went overland to 
California. Here he was engaged in mining and farming alternately, and 
worked with some degree of success in this manner for about four years, 
when he returned to Nebraska where he worked for a short time and then 
came back to Illinois with $1,200 in his pocket, every cent of which 
was gained by reason of his industrious and prudent habits. He invested 
his money in land, buying his father's farm of 200 acres which was 
really the nucleus of his present fortune. He then married Feb. 22, 
1865, Martha J. Chandler; she is the daughter of James and Elizabeth 
(Frazier) Chandler, who both died in one week from milk sickness, also 
two children; at that time Mrs. Cunningham was only five years old. Mr. 
and Mrs. Cunningham became the parents of nine children, of whom seven 
are living, viz; Irwin, Alice, James, Porter, Sophia, Minnie and Roy. 
Stella, the oldest child, died in infancy, and a baby boy died unnamed, 
and the balance are at home. Mr. Cunningham is giving his children the 
benefit of a good education.

  Mr. Cunningham is the owner of a large farm of 556 acres of as good 
land as there is in Illinois, estimated to be worth at least $70 per 
acre. His residence and buildings are models of convenience and of 
these he ought to feel proud. He has displayed a great deal of common 
sense in all of the improvements he has made and in none more than in 
the erection of his buildings. Mr. Cunningham makes a specialty of 
Cotswold and Shropshiredown sheep, of which he always keeps a large 
flock. He is also engaged in buying and shipping live stock to Chicago, 
a business which he has prosecuted with success, all due to his shrewd 
judgment as a buyer. He supplements his other business by dealings in 
superior grades of fine horses, and it is said that he is a most 
excellent judge of this noble animal.

  Politically, Mr. Cunningham believes that the party that obliterated 
slavery from the American continent is right, and he therefore votes 
and works for the Republican party and never omits an opportunity to 
forward its success. He has never been an active aspirant for political 
honors, but by reason of his superior judgment has held the office of 
Assessor of this township. While he was living in California he made an 
endeavor to enlist during the War of the Rebellion, his motives being 
based wholly upon the love he bore his country. But being disabled he 
was refused admission to the ranks of the Union army, though he was 
always in hearty and active sympathy with the objects for which it 
fought. Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham are active members of the Christian 
Church and are always alive to any move that will uplift humanity and 
make life happier.