William Cunningham of Tarbolton
- Born: Abt 1788, Tarbolton, Ayrshire, Scotland 2
- Married: 8 Aug 1826, Tarbolton, Ayrshire, Scotland 1
- Died: 21 Jun 1854, Burnside, Tarbolton, Ayrshire, Scotland 3
 Orthographic variation: CUNINGHAME.
General Notes:
3 x great-grandfather
Research Notes:
Occupation: forester, agricultural labourer, farmer
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William was the son of John Cunningham. Recent research has shown that there were two John Cunninghams living in Tarbolton during the same period, both married to Margarets. On the one hand, John Cunningham (innkeeper, living 1841) who married Margaret Grieve in Jul 1786 in Tarbolton, and on the other hand, John Cunningham (a farmer, died before 1841) who married Margaret Gilmour on 16 Jul 1776 in Dunlop, Ayrshire and moved to Tarbolton by the late 1780s. Both families had daughters named Jean born in 1794 in Tarbolton. On 1 Mar 1856, Jean Cunningham, daughter of John Cunningham and Margaret Gilmour, died in Tarbolton, her nephew John Cunningham being the informant. The only John Cunningham in Tarbolton at this time was William's eldest son, John, aged about 29 in 1856, who lived in Knowhead Tarbolton until the 1860s by which time he had removed to Dumfriesshire. Hence William was the son of John Cunningham and Margaret Gilmour. This makes sense of one family tradition which claims that John (senior), wife unknown, was the son of Thomas Cunningham and Margaret Gilmour. Margaret Gilmour was the wife of John Cunningham (snr), not John's mother (who is unknown).
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At the time of the 1841 Scotland Census William Cunningham, aged about 50, born in Ayrshire Scotland, agricultural labourer, and wife Elizabeth, aged about 40, were living in Burnside, Tarbolton Ayrshire. With them were children Janet (12), Margaret (5), Adam (10), and Thomas (2).
At the time of the 1851 Scotland Census William Cunningham, aged [about] 60, born in Ayrshire, labourer, and wife Eliser, aged 49, born in Tarbolton, labourer's wife, were living in Bigrie Burn, Tarbolton. With them were children (born in Tarbolton): Janet (22), labourer's daughter, Thomas (12), David (9), Elizabeth (5); granddaughter Elizabeth McHutchen (9 months).
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William Cunningham died aged 66 years (tombstone).
Marriage Information:
William married Elizabeth WILSON (twin), daughter of Adam WILSON and Janet COWAN, on 8 Aug 1826 in Tarbolton, Ayrshire, Scotland 1. (Elizabeth WILSON (twin) was born on 22 Apr 1800 in Knowhead, Tarbolton, Ayrshire, Scotland 4, christened on 27 Apr 1800 in Tarbolton, Ayrshire, Scotland and died on 11 Feb 1882 in Whitelees, Symington, Ayrshire, Scotland.)
Marriage Notes:Banns published 28 Jul 1826.
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