Fayette County PA Archives Biographies.....Cummings, David April 23, 1777 - February 5, 1848
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Marta Burns marta43@juno.com September 1, 2024, 10:28 am

Source: Gresham and Wiley, 1889: Biographical & Portrait Cyclopedia, Fayette Co, PA, pg 584
Author: John H. Gresham & Samuel T. Wiley

    Major David Cummings, who became a citizen of 
Connellsville about 1820, and lived there for several years, 
where four of his children now reside, was born in Cecil 
county, Maryland, April 23, 1777, and was a son of James 
Cummings, by birth a Scotchman of distinguished family, who 
coming to America became an officer in the War of the 
Revolution.  
    David Cummings was a gentleman of classical education, 
and in early life taught select schools.  He was an officer 
in the army during the War of 1812, and was wounded and 
taken prisoner at the Battle of Beaver Dam in Canada; with 
other captive American officers carried to England, where he 
was held for six months until exchanged, suffering great 
hardship.  After the war he became a mail contractor under 
the government, and as such first found his way into western 
Pennsylvania, and eventually settled in Connellsville where 
he soon became a man of note.  He represented Fayette county 
in the legislature at the sessions of 1823 and 1824, and was 
the first man in the legislative body who made an effort to 
establish a general system of education by common schools.  
That system being a matter of contest, he was at the next 
election defeated.
    Some years thereafter leaving Connellsville, he removed 
to Mifflin county where he was first engaged in the building 
of the Pennsylvania canal, from Huntingdon to Lewistown, he 
afterwards becoming superintendent of the canal, as also 
collector of the port of Harriburg. He died at Lewistown, 
February 5, 1848, and his remains were brought to 
Connellsville and interred in the family burying ground 
beside those of his wife, who had died some years before 
him.  
    Major Cummings was married June 30, 1801, to Elizabeth 
Cathers of Cecil county, Maryland, by whom he had six sons 
and six daughters, of whom five daughters and two sons are 
living: Hannah M Cummings who married the late Thomas R 
McKee; Margaret Eliza Cummings, widow of Thomas McLaughlin; 
Sophia Cummings, widow of Josiah Simmons, who died about 
1863; Mary Ann Cummings, who first married Dr Bresee of New 
York, now dead, and as her second husband Andrew Patterson 
of Juniata county; Ellen Cummings, wife of Robert T Galloway 
of Fayette county; and Jonathan W Cummings, one a government 
surveyor, now of Uvalde county, Texas; and John A Cummings 
who resides in Connellsville with his oldest sister, Mrs 
McKee.  
    Of the sons deceased was the late Dr James C Cummings, 
who died in Connellsville, July 28, 1872.  He was born in 
Maryland in 1802, and moved with his parents to Fayette 
county about 1820, and was educated at Jefferson College, 
and studied medicine under Dr Robert D Moore, then a 
distinguished physician of Connellsville, where he himself 
became afterwards equally distinguished in his profession.  
He was a coroner of Fayette county for several terms, and a 
member of the legislature during the sessions of 1843 and 
1844.  He was never married.  

Additional Comments:
Originally submitted 2000.

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