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"History of DeWitt County, Illinois: with illustrations descriptive of the scenery, and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers."

Philadelphia, PA.: W. R. Brink & Co., 1882.


ANDREW M. CUMMING. (Pages 237-238)
WHEN the Cumming family came to Illinois it was then known as the frontier state, and was yet comparatively a wilderness. The family is of Scotch-Irish ancestry.

Andrew Cumming, the GRANDFATHER of the subject of this sketch, was a native of the town of Rockbridge, Rockbridge county, Virginia. He there married, and in 1812 moved to Tennessee, and there died. His son, Paxton [Cumming], father of Andrew M., was born in Rockbridge, VA., in 1801, and was a youth of eleven years when the family moved to Tennessee. He there grew to manhood, and at an early age he became converted and joined the M. E. Church. He prepared himself to enter the ministry of the church, and was regularly ordained and appointed to a circuit. His circuit extended into Carolina, and while preaching in North Carolina, he made the acquaintance of Pricella Eliza Davidson, who was a native of Haywood county, and in due course of time they were united in marriage. She was born in 1812; she was a near relative of the noted Vance family, and a full cousin of Governor Vance.

Mr. Cumming determined to leave the South and come North. He was a genuine lover of freedom, and therefore opposed to that human slavery that existed in the southern states, and which was for so many years a blot and stain on our boasted civilization. To escape its baneful influences, and that his children might be reared and educated under the broad shadow of a state and people who opposed it, he came north to Illinois, landing in what is now known as DeWitt county, in the fall of 1836. He located and entered two hundred and forty acres of land, three miles west of Farmer City, in section 31; it was raw, unimproved land. There he remained, opening up his farm and preaching, He continued in the latter for two years, when he was placed upon the list of superannuated ministers. He remained upon his farm until his death, which occurred in 1830. His wife still survives him, and afterward married Rev. David White, who is chaplain for the U.S. Army, now stationed at Fort Hays in Kansas. By the marriage of Rev. Paxton Cumming and Miss P. E. Davidson there were six children, three of whom are living. Andrew M. is the eldest; he was born in Haywood county, North Carolina, February 16, 1830, and was in his seventh year when the family came to Illinois. After his father's death, his brother took the family back to North Carolina, and there young Cumming remained until his fourteenth year, when his mother returned to DeWitt county. At the age of seventeen years he went to Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he was regularly apprenticed to the trade of a blacksmith for four years, when he again returned to Illinois, and stopped in the town of DeWitt, in this county, where he opened a shop and carried on the blacksmithing trade. Two years later he came to Mount Pleasant, now Farmer City, and here he carried on the trade for eighteen years, then sold out and engaged in the hardware business, in connection with B. P. Harrison, in which he continued until his health failed him, when he moved upon his farm and followed agricultural pursuits until 1881, when he purchased a stock of boots and shoes in Farmer City, and again entered into mercantile pursuits.

In May, 1874, he, in connection with other leading business men of Farmer City, organized and established the First National Bank of Farmer City. The success of that institution and its solidity and financial standing is well known throughout Central Illinois. Mr. Cumming is its vice-president. On the 24th of August, 1852, he was united in marriage to Miss America, daughter of Silas Waters, of Leroy, Ill. She was born in Vermillion county, Ill. By this marriage there are three children living, viz.: Ella, who is wife of William A. Whetzell, now principal of Paxton Public Schools; William, and S. M. Cumming. Both he and his wife are members of the M. E. church. He is an honored member of the ancient order of A. F.. & A. M, Chapter and Council of R. & S. M. Politically, he was originally an old line Whig; in 1856 he joined the Republican party, and has remained a member of that political organization. He has held local offices and has been a member of the board of aldermen of Farmer City. Mr. Cumming, as will be seen by the above, is an old citizen of DeWitt county. He has lived for many years among these people, doing business and acting the part of an honorable and upright citizen. His life has not been without its trials, nor has it been entirely barren of good results. He started in life poor; his only capital was industry, honesty, a determination to do right, and a knowledge of his business acquired in four years of apprenticeship. With that capital he has succeeded to a competency; and it may be added, that in the same time he has firmly established for himself a reputation for honesty, sobriety and honorable dealing, which is a far better legacy to bequeath to his posterity than great riches.


SOURCE: Biographical Sketches
http://www.rootsweb.com/~ildewitt/biographies.htm

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:
Portrait and Biographical Album of DeWitt and Piatt Counties, Illinois.
Chicago: Chapman Brothers Publishing Company, 1891.



"ANDREW M. CUMMING (Page 518)
There are various reasons why this gentleman deserves representation in a volume of a biographical nature. First, he is an old settler of DeWitt County and has spent the greater part of his life in assisting in its progress in diverse ways; second, from the position of a poor youth he has risen to that of a man of solid finances; third, he has a character and a reputation second to none, and will leave to his posterity a legacy of honor far better than silver and gold, the stocks and real estate which he has won.

We find that the GRANDFATHER of our subject was Andrew Cumming, a Virginian, whose parents had come from Scotland to America prior to the Revolutionary War. Some years after his marriage Mr. Cumming, the grandfather, removed to Tennessee, the country to which he went being wild and unbroken. His son Paxton was twelve years old when the removal took place and he grew to manhood amid the pioneer associations of the new home. Being converted to Christianity he became an itinerant minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church. While traveling a circuit in North Carolina he made the acquaintance of Priscilla E. Davidson, to whom in due course of time he was married. She also was descended from the old Scotch stock and her family was one of the first in the state. Her parents were Mitchell and Elizabeth (Vance) Davidson, her mother belonging to the noted Vance family and being an aunt of ex-Governor, now Senator, Vance.

After their marriage Paxton Cumming and his wife made their home in her native State until 1835, the husband following his calling as a minister. He was a genuine lover of freedom and in order to escape the baneful influences of human slavery and rear his children amid a people who opposed it, he came North, landing in what is now known as DeWitt County, Ill. He was accompanied by a brother, William [Cumming], who is also a minister and both labored in the Gospel vineyard in the frontier to which they had come. Paxton Cumming located two hundred and forty acres of land near the present site of Farmer City and opened up a farm. He died about 1839 at the early age of thirty-eight, having been born in 1801. His wife survived him, and some years after his decease married the Rev. David White, who was a Chaplin in the Civil War and later in the regular army, but is now retired. They make their home in Lawrence, Kan., the mother of our subject being now nearly eighty years of age. She bore her first husband three sons and three daughters, and by her second marriage became the mother of seven children.

The gentleman whose name introduces these paragraphs was born in Haywood County, N.C., February 16, 1830, and was therefore in his sixth years when his parents came to this State. After the death of his father he spent part of his time with his mother and a part with his grandfather Davidson in North Carolina. The later years of his youth were spent in DeWitt County and most of the years that have passed since he reached his majority have found him a resident of Farmer City. He was for many years connected with the business affairs of the place as a dealer in hardware and afterward in the boot and shoe business, and as a tradesman has made considerable money. He, however regards himself as a farmer and stock-raiser. He formerly owned a large farm adjoining Farmer City, a part of which was eventually laid out in city lots and brought a good price when placed on the market. At present Mr. Cumming is chiefly engaged in real-estate transactions at Portland, Ore.,--both city and outlying lands--and in money-loaning. He continues to make his home, however, in Farmer City.

At the bride's home in DeWitt County, the marriage rites were solemnized between Mr. Cumming and Miss America Waters. This lady was born in Vermillion County, this State, November 9, 1828, being the eldest daughter of Silas and Christiana (Conway) Water, natives of Virginia and Kentucky respectively. Mr. Waters became a resident of the Blue Grass State when a young man, was married there, and in 1828 came to Illinois, joining the early settlers in what is now Vermillion County. A year or two later he changed his place of abode to McLean County, settling on a part of the Government domain near Le Roy. There he and his wife built up a fine home, living to see the country well improved and dying full of years and honor. They were prominent in pioneer circles and active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They had two sons and two daughters, all of whom are married; the sons are retired farmers living in Le Roty and the daughters reside in Farmer City. Mrs. Cumming was carefully reared by her intelligent parents and was given as good an education as the schools of McLean County could furnish.

To Mr. and Mrs. Cumming four children have come, one of whom, Paxton, died in infancy. Luella M. is the wife of Prof. William Wetzell, Superintendent of Schools in Multnomah County, Ore., and an educator well known on the Pacific Coast; Dr. William A. married Nettie McCord and practices dentistry in Portland, Ore.; Shannah M. is the wife of Martin Jones, a banker and grain dealer in Belle Flower, McLean County.

Mr. and Mrs. Cumming have a leading place in the social circles of Farmer City and are prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Cumming has held an official position in that denomination since he was of age. He takes an active interest in political affairs and in the local councils of the Republican party is conspicuous. For many years he was connected as a stock-holder, Director and Vice President with the First National Bank of Farmer City. He and his wife are the oldest married couple living within the limits of the town, and the long years they have spent there have given them a thorough acquaintance with the people, among whom they are firmly established in reputation. ...."



SOURCE:
BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM INDEX
http://www.rootsweb.com/~ildewitt/id153.htm

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The Biographical Record of DeWitt County, Illinois, Illustrated.
Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1901.


ROBERT VANCE CUMMING. (Volume 1, Page 132)
Robert Vance Cumming, the well-known and popular proprietor of the New Commercial Hotel of Farmer City, is a native of DeWitt county, born in Santa Anna township, December 11, 1838, and is a worthy representative of one of its oldest and most influential families, being a son of Rev. Paxton and Priscilla Eliza (Davidson) Cumming. His paternal great-grandfather was born in Scotland of Scotch-Irish ancestry and was the founder of the family in America. The grandfather, Andrew M. Cumming, was born in Rockbridge township, Rockbridge county, Virginia, and was there married and became the father of seven sons, namely: Paxton, James, William, Harvey, John, Joseph, the name of the last is not known, all of whom became preachers. At an early day the grandparents removed to Tennessee and spent their last years near Knoxville.

Rev. Paxton Cumming, the father of our subject, was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, in 1801, and was reared and educated in Tennessee. When a young man he became converted to Christianity and entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal church. While traveling as a circuit rider in the Holton conference of North Carolina, he met Miss Priscilla Eliza Davidson, who became his wife on the 27th of December, 1828. She was born in Haywood county, that state, September 20, 1811, and was a daughter of William Mitchell and Elizabeth (Vance) Davidson, the latter an aunt of Senator Vance. Her paternal grandparents were William and Margaret (McConnell) Davidson. In a letter she wrote a short time prior to her death she said that the schools of her locality were very poor, but that her dear mother did the best she could to educate her children. She also said that she was always religiously inclined, and in her sixteenth year united with the Methodist church on probation, and was made a full-fledged member the following year. Mr. Cummings continued his ministerial work in Tennessee until 1835, when he came to DeWitt county, Illinois, to escape the baneful influences of human slavery and to rear his children among the people who opposed it. On his removal to this county, he was accompanied by his brother, Rev. William Cummings. He was the first regular minister to locate in Santa Anna township, and preached for many miles around, services being held in log school houses and dwellings. He exerted a great influence for good in the new settlement, being one of the men whose judgment was supreme, and was often called upon to advise his neighbors and settle disputes. He brought with him to the county the first set of blacksmith's tools ever brought to this section of the state, and often assisted the pioneers in repairing their rude machinery. Mr. Cummings bought land grants and entered land in this county, becoming owner of considerable property, but his life was mainly devoted to his religious duties. During the erection of the preacher's stand at the camp meeting grove where Mr. McCord now lives, he assisted in digging the post holes and thus contracted a severe cold, which developed into typhoid fever, from which he died August 21, 1839, honored and respected by all who knew him. In the spring of 1840, his widow drove back to North Carolina, being familiar with the way, as she had driven a horse and wagon on coming to this state. There she was again married, August 21, 1842, her second husband being Rev. David White, a native of North Carolina, and together they returned to Farmer City by team. During the Civil war he served as chaplain of a regiment and later was chaplain in the regular army. He finally located in Lawrence, Kansas, where Mrs. White died March 27, 1901, at the advanced age of ninety years. She was a devout Christian and was a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church for almost three-quarters of a century. She always took an active part in the class meetings and love feasts, often speaking and praying in public, and conducted family prayers in her home half of the time when her husband was there and all the while he was away. She was a faithful attendant at Sunday-schools, and hundreds of children owe their religious teaching to her. By her first husband she was the mother of six children, Andrew M., Jane Elizabeth, James H., Ruth, Celia A. and Robert V., and by her second marriage she had seven children, Amanda, Wilbur F., Harriet, Sarah, John, Etta and Emma.

Robert V. Cummings, whose name introduces this sketch, grew to manhood in DeWitt county amid pioneer scenes and was educated in the public schools. As the best method of obtaining money during his early life was by breaking prairie, he turned his attention to that occupation. Although he had no money his reputation was such as to enable him to buy eight yoke of oxen on credit, only two of which had been broken. He attached one yoke of the broken oxen just in front of the plow and the others ahead of these, driving them as best he could. The plow was a rude affair made of iron with no handles, but heavy enough to keep its place and turned a furrow twenty-six inches wide. Mr. Cummings hired a man to do the plowing at fifty cents per day. He entered land on sections 5, 14 and 21, Santa Anna township, consisting of two hundred acres, known as the Rowland Wheeler tract at Weedman Station. At that time he usually worked sixteen hours per day.

When the Civil war broke out he laid aside all personal interests and enlisted in August, 1862, in Company I, One Hundred and Seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, as a private, and was promoted to first lieutenant July 30, 1865. During the battle of Kenesaw Mountain he was shot near the right eye, shattering the bone and leaving a scar which will remain with him to his dying day. He fell as dead and was so reported at home, but was taken to the hospital, where his eye was saved, and as soon as possible he retuned to DeWitt county.

Mr. Cummings continued to follow farming quite successfully until the fall of 1888, when he removed to Farmer City and rented the Commercial Hotel. When it was burned in 1895, he bought property and erected what is now known as the New Commercial Hotel, which is a brick structure, containing thirty-five rooms with all modern conveniences, being supplied with hot and cold water, nicely furnished and lighted by electricity. The cuisine is exceptionally good, and it is by far the best hotel in DeWitt county. As a hotel proprietor Mr. Cummings has met with marked success and is widely known as a most agreeable and obliging landlord. In this work he has been ably assisted by his estimable wife, who is one of the most popular ladies of the city.

In December 27, 1866, Mr. Cummings married Miss Jennie Anderson, a daughter of Mitchell and Mary (Clements) Anderson. Her father, who was a farmer by occupation, lived for a time near Peoria, Illinois, and later near Ottawa, and died at a comparatively early age. His children were Amelia A., Hugh, Amanda, Reed, Hiram, Henry, Emma, Martha, William, Jennie and Mark, only four of whom are now living. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Cummings were born four children: Marvin L., who married Laura Newell and is now a dentist of Clinton; Annie Lucile, who married Arthur H. Smith and has two children, Robert and Mainard; Maud, who died at the age of thirteen months; and H. Bert, a popular young man, who is now assisting his father in the hotel. Mr. Cummings is a member of the blue lodge of the Masonic order, and both he and his wife are members of the Eastern Star Chapter. They also belong to the Methodist Episcopal church of Farmer City, and Mrs. Cummings sings in the choir.

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SOURCE:
Portrait and Biographical Album of DeWitt and Piatt Counties, Illinois. Chicago: Chapman Brothers Publishing Compa
http://www.rootsweb.com/~ildewitt/id488.htm#robert_vance_cum...

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