Cunningham, Fred O.

CUNNINGHAM, NOBLE, SEARL, ISINHOUR, JACKSON

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 11/5/2011 at 19:23:34

History Of Poweshiek County Iowa (1911)

FRED O. CUNNINGHAM

Edgewood Farm is the name of the homestead of Fred O. Cunningham, one of the successful stockmen and agriculturists of Madison township. He was born in Jefferson township, Poweshiek county, Iowa, on the 6th of April, 1863, a son of James R. and Mariah (Noble) Cunningham. The father, who was born in Indiana, migrated to Mercer county, Illinois, with his parents in 1863, and later they removed to Iowa, locating in Jefferson township. They crossed the Mississippi river at New Boston on a flatboat, and owning to the strong current were carried six miles down stream before they could make a landing. The trip from the river to Jefferson township was made with three yoke of oxen, one week being consumed in the journey. Mr. Cunningham continued to reside upon the old homestead until 1901, when he retired to Belle Plaine, Iowa where he passed away the following year. He had been very successful in his undertakings and had acquired four hundred and forty acres of land in Jefferson township and one farm in Tama county, which he sold just before his death. After the death of her husband Mrs. Cunningham made her home with her children and was living with her son, Fred, at the time of her demise on the 17th of June, 1910.

The first twenty-six years of Fred O. Cunningham's life were spent on the old homestead, his education being obtained in the district schools of his native township. Afterward he assisted his father until 1889, when he removed to his present farm on sections 23 and 26 of Madison township. Subsequent to his marriage he purchased a portion of the farm and the remainder was owned by his wife. Mr. Cunningham has always made a specialty of raising and feeding stock, in which he has met with most gratifying success. He keeps an excellent grade of both cattle and hogs, which he ships to the Chicago market. In 1908 he shipped one hundred head of hogs, averaging three hundred and fifty pounds each, and there were only three sales that day which exceeded his average. Two years later he shipped a carload of steers which averaged one thousand and four pounds each. He fattens his stock in the cornfield before husking the grain and finishes with one or two weeks' feeding in the yards, having found this to be a very satisfying method.

Mr. Cunningham married Miss Grace Searl, the youngest daughter of Peter H. and Sarah (Isinhour) Searl. The father was born in Greene county, Ohio, on the 7th of August, 1821, and the mother at Tioga, Pennsylvania, on the 19th of February, 1827. Mrs. Searl in the maternal line was of New England extraction while her father's people came from Virginia; her grandmother, Zilpha Jackson, was a cousin of Andrew Jackson. Mr. and Mrs. Searl were married in 1844, while residing in the vicinity of Princeton, Bureau county, Illinois, where they had moved with their parents when children. They resided there until 1866 when they came to Madison township, locating upon a farm, in the cultivation of which the father engaged for five years, then removing to a place a quarter of a mile south. Ten years later they returned to their former home and there Mrs. Searl passed away in June, 1884. Mr. Searl was killed by lightning on the 9th of May, 1889, while working about the barn of his homestead, which is the place now occupied by his daughter and her husband. Mr. Searl had become quite an extensive landowner, having acquired six hundred acres in various parts of the county, and was considered to be one of the subsantial farmers of his township. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham have been born two children: Gail, who is seventeen years of age and a graduate of the Brooklyn high school, class of 1911; and Edward, aged eight, who is attending the school in district No. 7 of Madison township.

Mrs. Cunningham and her daughter are members of the Presbyterian church in Brooklyn and the mother also belongs to the Rebekahs of Brooklyn, Mr. Cunningham being a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. A republican in politics he gives his support to the candidates of the party and is now serving as a director in school district No. 6 of Madison township. Mr. Cunningham is regarded as one of the competent agriculturists and capable business men of the county whose success is the well merited reward of careful and intelligent effort.