A Wilson Family Tree
Notes for Martha Cunningham
From the Parks manuscript:
As before remarked, Martha Cunningham was nine years old when her father settled at Rock Spring, and at Rock Spring she resided until her death at about eighty years of age. She was a woman of culture, so far as mental culture could be obtained in an almost uncultivated wilderness.But although the early inhabitants of Augusta County were poor, they had Scotch perseverance and Irish sprightliness, and although they had but few books and no newspapers, they carried the Bible with them, and this was the basis of their philosophy, and very successfully did Martha Cunningham study that best of books. I have often heard my mother say that if any verse or passage of the Bible was repeated to her, my grandmother, she would instantly name book, chapter, and verse, so perfect was her memory, and so diversified that the neighbors relied on her for the ages of their children. She lived on the same spot from childhood to old age, beloved and respected, and a blessing to all within the sphere of her influence, and died lamented by all who knew her.
In a letter from Katherine Bushman to J.H. Johnson in the Katherine Gentry Bushman Papers, 1961-1997 (Accession 35743, Personal Papers Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA), she says that Martha's gravestone gives age 75 at death. This makes her birth at about 1731, and if she was nine years old when they settled at Rock Spring that would have been about 1740.
Martha Cunningham Davis's will, from the Dryden manuscript:
In the Name of God Amen, I Martha Davis of Augusta County and State of Virginia Being weak in Body but of sound mind and memory do make and ordain this my last will and Testament as for the worldly Estate with which God has Blessed me I devise and bequeath in the manner and form following Viz.
It is my will that my Property that I have not disposed of myself before my deceas shall be equally divided by my Executors without making a sale between my Daughter Margret Smith my Daughter Martha Reives the Heirs of my Son James Davis my Daughter Euphora Donley the Heirs of my Daughter Sally Ewin my Son William Davis my Daughter Elizabeth Parks and my Son John Davis and I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my Beloved Sons William Davis and John Davis Executors of this my Last will and Testament Revoking all others by me heretofore made in Testimony hereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my Seal this 26th day of December in the Year of our Lord one Thousand Eight hundred and Five.
Martha Davis (Seal)
[Augusta County, Virginia, Will Book 10, page 38]
WFT 22 # 1690:
Martha was about 9 when her parents settled at Rock Spring. She lived there until her death. She studied the Bible faithfully and could quote chapter and verse for any scripture.
WFT 22 # 1690 had her death as about 1749 (Rock Spring Farm, Augusta Co., VA), which makes no sense since her children were all born after that. Possibly confused with her mother.
Note: Some of the information in these pages is uncertain. Please let me know of errors or omissions using the email link above. ...Mike Wilson
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