Biographical Sketch of John Cummins, Dent County, Missouri

>From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas,
 Pulaski, Phelps & Dent Counties, Missouri, Published 1889, Goodspeed
 Publishing Company.

Transcribed by: Penny Harrell (Incog3678@aol.com)

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John Cummins, another farmer and stock raiser of Spring Creek Township,
was born in Washington County, MO., in 1831, and is the son of Samuel
and Elizabeth (Cole) Cummins, both natives of Lawrence, KY., where 
they were reared, married, and in an early day removed to Washington
County, MO.  (This happened soon after the War of 1812).  There they
spent the remainder of their lives.  The father died about 1875, at
the age of eighty-four, after a life of probably over sixty years on 
one farm.  At the age of nineteen he enlisted in the War of 1812.  His
parents were from Ireland.  The mother died about 1870.  John Cummins
is the youngest but three of eleven children born to his parents.  He
was educated in the common subscription schools of Washington County,
and in 1851, was united in marriage to Miss Angeline Millsap, daughter
of Joseph and Mary Millsap, natives of Tennessee and Illinois, respec-
tively.  Her parents were married in Illinois, where Mrs. Cummins was
born in 1834, and where she remained until about four years of age.
They then moved to Franklin County, MO., and then to Washington County,
where the father died about 1844.  The mother died in St. Francois
County in 1880.  After the death of Mr. Millsap she had married again.
To Mr. and Mrs. Cummins were born six children, three now living: 
Mary J., wife of Enoch Spriggs; Julia A., wife of James Gayhart, and
Eliza, wife of John Copeland.  In 1854 Mr. Cummins came to Dent County
settling in the woods on his present farm, in a hunter's cabin, and
there remained two years.  After some years he used this cabin for a
smoke house, and now has moved it to his barn, and uses it for a corn
crib.  He has 320 acres of land, with about ninety acres under culti-
vation, all the result of his own hard labor.  In 1859 Mr. Cummins 
went to Pike's Peak, where he spent some months in the mines, and met 
with fair success.  He expected to return the following year, but did
not on account of the approaching war.  During the war he was three
years in the Federal army, enlisting on August 11, 1862, in Company D,
Thirty-second Missouri Volunteer Infantry, and operated in Missouri,
Arkansas, Mississippi, etc.  He was in the battles of Haines' Bluff,
Arkansas Post, and the last two years of the war he was at Camp
Burnside, Ind., guarding prisoners, where he was mustered out at the 
close of the war.  He is now one of the prominent farmers and stock
raisers of the county, and spares no pains for the improvement of his
stock.  He is a Democrat in his political opinions, and his first
presidential vote was cast for Pierce in 1852.  Mr. Cummins is a member
of the Agricultural Wheel, and Mrs. Cummins and the eldest daughter are
members of the Presbyterian Church.  The other two daughters are members
of the Christian Church.

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