Illinois:  History of Cass County, Illinois, ed. William 
Henry Perrin. O. L. Baskin & Co. Historical Publishers, 
Chicago, 1882.  Cass County.

CHARLES H. CUMMINGS, photographer and real estate agent, 
Beardstown; was born in Scott County, Ill., Dec. 6, 1842; 
son of Henry B. and Ruth Anna (Freeborn) Cummings.  Henry 
B. Cummings, was born in Maysville, Ky., and moved to 
Exeter, Scott Co., Ill., in 1840, where he engaged in 
mercantile business until his death, which occurred in the 
spring of 1850; he left two children.  Charles H. received 
his education at Exeter, Ill., and at the age of fourteen 
became a brakeman on the Great Western Railroad, and after 
a few months, was promoted to conductor, and ran a 
passenger train until 1862.  He then began learning 
photography in Fairfield, Iowa, thence went to Des Moines, 
Iowa, where he remained until 1864, thence to Indianapolis, 
Ind., working as an operator there until 1866; then 
operated in a gallery in St. Louis until 1870; then 
conducted a photograph gallery in Mattoon, Ill., two and a 
half years; and at Charleston, Ill., three years.  After 
spending a year in Jacksonville, Ill., and conducting a 
gallery in Virginia, this county, three years; he came to 
Beardstown in the fall of 1879, where he bought his present 
photograph gallery, which he has since conducted with good 
success, employing one operator, two assistants, and a 
clerk.  He was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1880, re-
elected in 1881, and resigned the office in the spring of 
1882, and was elected Police Magistrate for four years; he 
was also commissioned a Notary Public in 1882.  He carries 
on a large real estate and collecting business.  At 
Charleston, Ill., in 1874, he married Carrie Poorman of 
that place.  He is a Democrat.

Cummings Freeborn Poorman
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Scott-IL KY IA IN MO