Person:Gabriel Cunningham (1)

The 1871 Census for Townsend Township shows Gabriel Cunningham age 22, Ma ry age 18 (incorrect), Jonathan and John 1/12 (one month). The twin so ns were born April 17, 1871 in Hartford, Ontario. Their mother Mary di ed April 30, 1871 of inflamation of the bowels. She is buried in Hartfo rd Cemetery.

Gabriel Cunningham married a second time, about 1873 to Armintha Ann Broug hton. Armintha was born about 1847 in Hartford, Ontario, probably the dau ghter of Amos and Rachael Broughton. The 1861 Census for Gainsboro Townsh ip shows the following: Broughton, Amos, 56 years, Rachael 43 years, Arma tha 15 years, Sarah 13 years, Jacob 6 years, Hannah 3 years, and Asa 20 ye ars. Family stories say that Armintha was a first cousin to Mary Catheri ne Broughton, Gabriel's first wife. If this is the case, then their respe ctive fathers Amos and Wm were brothers. The Broughton research is i ncomplete at this time, so this relationship has not yet been proved, alth ough it is reasonable to assume such a relationship is valid.

The 1881 Census for Townsend Township has this on Gabriel's family: Gabri el 31 years, Baptist; Armintha 32 years; Maggie L. 9 years; Rachel A. 5 ye ars; Clara M. (no age given). You will notice that the twin sons are n ot living with their father.

There is a story around that Armintha was married prior to her marria ge to Gabriel, but no proof of this has been found. Armintha's final illn ess was "remittent fever complicated with convulsions". She was attend ed by Dr. Osborne. The Waterford Star printed this notice on Sept. 8, 188 7: "Mrs. Gabriel Cunningham of Hartford is very ill." She died Sep t. 9, 1887 and is burried in Boston Cemetery, Ontario.

After Armintha's death, Gabriel moved, in 1888, to Sandusky CO OH w ith his children. His sister Hannah Fisher had migrated ther in 1865 a nd his brother Daniel in 1879, and it is probable that Gabriel moved to jo in them. On Sept. 22, 1888, Gabriel married for a third time, to Candi ce Emma Reeves Hardman.