Kent N. Cunningham was the brother of E. Coen Cunningham, the popular Lawrence County Superintendent of Schools in the 1920-30’s. He was the son of Silas and Laura E. Cunningham, born Sept 1891. Without this letter a family genealogist would not know why Kent had registered for the WWI draft in Little Rock, Arkansas on June 5, 1917 because both the 1910 and 1920 census show him as being a resident of Lukin township, Lawrence Co. In fact both he and Grace died in Lawrence Co, and are buried in the Lawrenceville Cemetery. His employment as a loan agent for J. R. Hopkins in Little Rock would be undiscovered. His wife wrote an interesting letter for the 1916 edition of the Pink Letters.
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(Mrs. Leati Jennings Donnelly)
Biographical Note:
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(G. R. Dunphy)
Biographical Note:
Guy Russell Dunphy was born in Sumner, on October 9, 1873, to William and Elizabeth Dunphy. He was united in marriage to Jessie M. Couchman in 1896. She was born in Sumner on August 8, 1873 to Andrew Jackson and Elizabeth (nee Sherraden) Couchman. Born to this union was a daughter Florence Ernestine Dunphy (b. Aug 1896). Guy was a grocer in 1900 and was a traveler for the Harvester Company in 1910 and a salesman for a farm implement company in 1920. Guy died in 1945. Jessie died in 1966 and they are both buried in the Sumner Cemetery.
Little Rock, Arkansas
January 16th 1915
Dear Editor:
I will write a few lines for the non-resident issue of the Press for 1915.
My wife, Grace (Daily) Cunningham and I formerly were residents of Lukin Township, near Bethlehem Church, both having been born and raised there. We left there about three years ago and came to Little Rock, Arkansas where we now live. We like our southern home and friends fine. I am employed by a loan broker having been with the company one and one half years. We take the Press and enjoy reading it even better than when we were in Lawrence County.
Twenty years ago I moved to southeast Missouri and lived there 13 years. During that time lost my husband and our child. I then moved to California, lived there five years, in and near Bakersfield, and spent two winters in Los Angeles. I have six sons, three in California, one in Texas, two in Oklahoma, two daughters in Campbell, Missouri where I make my home. I have made a number of visits to my first home and still have many relatives and friends that hold a dear place in my memory.
Wishing all many happy years and with great desire to see all and dear old Sumner again, I am,
Yours very truly,
Mrs. Leati Jennings Donnelly
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Cincinnati, Ohio
January 14, 1915
Editor Press:
You deserve hearty congratulations for the thought which prompted you to publish the non-resident issue of the Press. There are, no doubt, a host of Sumnerites, who like myself, take a keen delight in reading of the exploits of Sumner sons and daughters.
Although it has been 12 years since I left Sumner, I have always spent my summer vacations there and my family and I have never failed during one of those years to eat Christmas dinner there at the home of my parents. We live in Walnut Hills, one of Cincinnati's oldest and most beautiful hilltop suburbs. Cincinnati, called the Queen City of the West, has many advantages not to be found in more populous cities. It now boasts of possessing the tallest and handsomest office building, which is 34 stories high. The University of Cincinnati, a city institution is considered by prominent educators as a model municipal University.
There are many other advantages and valuable assets that I might mention, but which would only serve to confirm the opinion in the minds of those who read this, that Cincinnati is just another of those great rushing cities where men are swallowed up in the whirl of industry, like towns and cities in many states. My business, though thriving, is never placed above good fellowship. My memories oft return to Sumner’s trim streets and pleasant homes, its radiant firesides and happy faces. I have found no place yet to compare with that sunny spot in southern Illinois that we love and call Sumner.
I see you would like to hear from all who have made their home in Sumner and as I am one, I will drop you a line.
I have lived at several different places since I left Sumner but have found none that I like better or had more friends.
I usually stop when passing through the town, but there are so many of the dear faces gone that it does not seem like home to me anymore.
I now make my home with my daughter, Mattie Webb, and when any of my friends are in the city of Danville they will find me at 228 Cunningham Avenue where I shall be pleased to see them.
Respectfully,
Jenny Foster
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Golden Gate, Illinois
January 15, 1915
Dear Sirs:
In compliance to your request of non-residents, who once made old Lawrence County their home, (I) will endeavor to write a few words in regard to family and self.
I am the eldest son of the late Bascom French, Sr. (better known in Lawrence County as Polk French) and Margaret A. French. I was born in the year 1869, in Lukin Township, 4 1/2 mile south of Sumner, on the Sumner and Lancaster Road. I lived there with parents until the year 1890, when I became united in marriage to Anna Hillis, the daughter of the late Joseph Hillis also of Lukin Township. We then moved to Christy Township about four miles southwest of Sumner, lived there until the year 1892, when we moved to Belmont, Illinois Wabash County at which time engaged in the grain and milling business with my father, who had moved to Golden Gate, Illinois, Wayne County, where we purchased an elevator and we are still engaged in the grain, feed and livestock business.
We feel very thankful to our Maker, as we have been blessed with good health and prosperity all these years.
