Ritchie VA
(formed 1843 from Harrison, Lewis & Wood Counties)

(notes received from Janet Armstrong  regarding Cunningham line)

Quoting from "Ritchie County In History and Romance"  by Minnie Kendall 
Lowther, originally published 1911, p. 26 - John Drake lies in the Murphy 
Burial Ground ... not even a stone is there, and the site has long been an 
open pasture field.


"The Monongalia Story" by Earl Gore, 1976,   p. 23: 1774 settlers on Jones 
Run, a branch of Ten Mile Creek, took refuge in Harbert's Blockhouse in 
February.  On March 3, John Murphy was wounded at the door.  Edward Cunningham 
engaged another attacker who fled when Mrs. Cunningham hit him with an axe ... 
a lad, Joe Cunningham, carried away, was said to have returned sixteen years 
later, at the age of 24.

From:  "Four Generations of Cunninghams of Ireland" by H.C Farwell.

I have known for some time that Elizabeth Cunningham (2-i on your Thomas 
Cunningham report) married John Murphy of Annsvale (b. 1728 d. 29 Mar 1801).  
Their children were John and Walter Murphy, and 4 daughters.  I have tired to 
locate "Annsvale" but I don't know if it was in Ireland or in the US. I wonder 
if this could be the same John Murphy mentioned above, which could explain why 
he was with Edward Cunningham.  If this is the same John, then his son John 
Murphy may be the John Murphy who was hunting with Injun Joe when they were 
attacked by a bear.  The story was related by Norman F. Kendall, at the 
Robinson-Cunningham Reunion Fairmont WV, August 8, 1937: 

Joseph Cunningham, better known as Injun Joe was captured by the Shawnee Indians, 
while hiding under the treadles in the loom house, when he was a lad of 8 years 
and was adopted by an Indian family and remained among them for 16 years or until 
a short time after General Wayne's treaty with the Indians.  He became a great 
hunter while among them, and after his return home, he served as pilot for the 
pioneer surveyors in Ritchie and other adjoining counties: and on one of these 
expeditions, with John Murphy, he experienced a dreadful hand to hand encounter 
with a huge black bear, which he finally succeeded in killing with his knife; and 
then pried its jaws open to relieve his knee, which had been the victim of bruin's 
last struggle, and which lamed him for the remainder of his life. (The scene of 
this fight was on Bear Run, a branch of Goose Creek, in Ritchie County, VA, hence 
the name of that stream; this bear weighed 600 pounds when dressed.)

According to "Chronicles of Border Warfare" by Withers 1895, " In 1785, six Indians 
came to Bingamon creek and made their appearance upon a farm occupied by Thomas and 
Edward Cunningham.  A this time the two brothers were dwelling with their families 
in separate houses, but nearly adjoning.   The story continues to tell what happened 
to Thomas' wife and children.  I have a copy of Phebe Cunninhams's pension records 
where she tells the same story.



4/12/02 - from the files of:	Ritchie VA
Beverly Cunningham White