In his will, John names 1) his third wife, Mary (Findley), 2) nine of his 11 children: Mitchel, Joseph, Polly, William, Andrew, Elizabeth, Nancy, Hannah (#54), and James, 3) two of his grandchildren: Rufus Sims and Milton Cunningham, 4) two sons-in-law Edward Sims and Erwin Donnell (#53) and 5) Ten Negroes: Tom, Abram, Mime and child, Nathan, Willis, Jacob, Looce, Beck, Barbara.
[Note: Two of John's children preceded him in death. Isabella had been wife to a Mr. Sims (likely Edward Sims) and she must have died prior to 1820. John's son John died in 1817.]
[Note: Five of John's children were minors when he died. John specifically designated that the money that resulted from the hiring of William's slave (Nathan) and Andrew's slave (Wilis) be used to cloth and educate William and Joseph. Guardianship of Andrew (over the years) was by Samuel Mitchell, Adam Mitchell, and William Pritchett. William's guardian was Samuel Donnell. Elizabeth and Polly's guardian was Erwin Donnell (#53) and Nancy's guardian was James Findley.]
Below is John Cunningham Jr.'s actual will dated January 15, 1820, and recorded in February 1821. Below the copy of John's will is a transcript of same by this webmaster, Susan Leach Snyder, a fourth great granddaughter of John and his second wife, Mary Mitchell (#108), and a third great granddaughter of Hannah (#54) and her husband Erwin Donnell (#53).
Contact person for this website is Susan Snyder: susanleachsnyder@gmail.com
