David S. Cummings 1815-1880

CUMMINGS, CHADDOCK

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 11/11/2016 at 22:19:14

Daily Herald, February 24, 1880

Death of David S. Cummings
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David S. Cumming, notice of whose death appears in this issue of our paper, was born in Warsaw, Wyoming County, New York, Jan. 13, 1815. In 1845 he came west and traveled through the mining regions bordering on the upper Mississippi, and after a short sojourn he returned to New York State, where he engaged in the manufacture of agriculture implements. In 1850 he again came west and settled in Milwaukee, in which city he continued the same business. In 1854 he determined to make Dubuque his home, and established a factory of the same kind of machinery on the same lots now occupied by the Novelty Iron Works, whose extensive establishment owes much of its success to the good character earned by the shops first established by Mr. Cummings, in 1855 he married Miss Lucy A. Chaddock, of Leroy, New York, who, we are happy to say, survives him, and who has during their married life gone hand in hand with him in the promotion and furtherance of many a good work in our midst, the object of which was ever the relief of the needy, and carrying comfort to those who wanted it. In 1862, his friends in the Third Ward elected him a member of the City Council, and so well did they appreciate his faithful and honest administration of the city affairs they elected him to serve two additional terms.

Amongst the many improvements in which he took a special interest was the establishment of the Hill and West Dubuque Railroad, of which company he was a lifelong resident. In Mr. Cummings the home for the Friendless had a constant and efficient friend, though his assistance was ever given in an unobstructed and modest manner so indicative of his genial character. So much for his public life but the writer of these lines feels how inadequate are his powers to convey to those who knew him not (as those who for many years have enjoyed his warm and lasting friendship) even an imperfect estimate of the many sterling qualities he possessed. It may be truly said of him, “He was a noble work of God,” for he was an honest man.