Edward Cummings

CUMMINGS, GARFIELD

Posted By: Diane (email)
Date: 2/24/2002 at 19:33:50

Edward Cummings, a native of Vermont, was born in Windsor county, August 25, 1824. He attended the district school and one term at Kimball Union Academy, at Meriden, New Hampshire. When quite a young man he went to Ohio, where he spent a year; then returned to Vermont and remained one year with his parents. He then went to Wisconsin, where, on account of ill health, he remained but one year and went to Ohio.
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In 1844 he located in Iowa county, Iowa, being among the early settlers. He made some improvements on a claim and one year later sold out and returned to Ohio, there learning the carpenter’s trade. In 1850 he started across the plains with two horses and five oxen, in company with three others, for California. The company broke up before he got there, and he joined another. He finally sold his interest in the team, and buying a horse and saddle completed his journey on horseback, arriving at Placerville after about one hundred days. He there engaged in mining eight years; then went to Humboldt, where he engaged in the lumber business two years, and then to Los Angelos (sic) where he engaged in farming one year.
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He then started on his return by the southern route, passing through Arizona and New Mexico, making short stops on the way. He arrived in Texas and spent the winter near Sherman. In the spring he started for Missouri, intending to spend the summer there. As it was in war times, he found it rather hot for him there, so he removed to Iowa, where he spent the summer. In the fall he returned to Ohio, and in the spring went into the government service, in the quartermaster’s department, going to Cincinnati; then to Cattlesburg, where they joined Garfield’s command; then to Flat Lick, via Louisville. In four months he returned to Ohio. In 1866 he came to Tama county, Iowa, removed from there to Butler county, and bought his present home on section 35, Bennezette township.
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Source: History of Butler and Bremer Counties, Iowa
Union Publishing Co., Springfield, IL, 1883
Pages 485-486