Biography of Andrew M. CUMMING, DeWitt County, Illinois Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives Copyright 1999 Earliene Kaelin Source: People in History 1882 History ANDREW M. CUMMING 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 l8l2 moved to Tennessee, and there died. His son, Paxton, 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 the 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 De Witt 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 atFort Hays,in Kansas. By the marriage of Rev. Paxton Comming 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 De Witt 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 be 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 all old citizen of De Witt 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 some 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. ------------------------------------------------------------------ USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organiza- tions or persons. 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