Dr. William Wallace Cunningham, M.D.[1]
1857 - 1924 (66 years)-
Name William Wallace Cunningham Prefix Dr. Suffix M.D. Born Jun 25, 1857 Georgetown, El Dorado county, California, USA 
Gender Male Census Jun 01, 1880 De Soto, Jefferson county, Missouri, USA [2] Census Jun 19, 1900 Beaumont, Jefferson county, Texas, USA [3] Census Apr 22, 1910 Beaumont, Jefferson county, Texas, USA [3] Census Jan 14, 1920 Beaumont, Jefferson county, Texas, USA [4] Died Feb 05, 1924 Beaumont, Jefferson county, Texas, USA Notes - William Wallace Cunningham spent his early adult life working as a shipping clerk for various railroads, and eventually for the Southern Pacific Lines at Columbus, TX. It was in Columbus, that WWC met a doctor named Robert Henry Harrison Jr. who encouraged him to go to medical school. WWC went to the Medical College in Cinncinatti, Ohio and graduated in 1884, with an MD. After graduation, he practiced for a short time in Columbus, TX and then moved to Orange, TX. It was in Orange that he met, and later married Bettie Morris White.
In 1890, WWC and his wife, Bettie moved to Beaumont, where WWC started his own practice. He was instrumental in building a hospital in Beaumont, called the "Hotel Dieu" which was constructed with the help of WB Sharpe, a wealthy oil man.
In addition to being Beaumont's doctor for most of is life, WWC was also member of the local Masonic Faternity, the Knights Templar, the Shrine, and a Master of Beaumont Lodge. He organized the Beaumont Chapter of the Red Cross during the first World War (his granddaughter, Nena Cunningham Dahling, has a letter written to him by Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross). He was a member of the American Medical Association, the Jefferson County Medical Society, and was a director of the American National Bank in Beaumont.
He was the Wiess family doctor and delivered Pauline Priddie, who later married his son Kenneth.
"...His funeral was the most beautiful tribute--there was not a seat in the church. Spilling into the streets, the people stood, rich and poor, Catholic, Jew and Protestant. The mother of the hospital and six sisters followed our carriage. The two priests and the Rabbi stood together. He always said, a good name is more to be desired than great riches. He died with the best of names..."
Person ID I44091 mykindred Last Modified Jan 29, 2008
Father Peter Wallace Cunningham, b. Jul 24, 1825, Blairsville, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, USA , d. Aug 25, 1875 (Age 50 years) Mother Mary Sophia Mendell, b. Jan 17, 1830, Ligonier, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, USA , d. Dec 06, 1901 (Age 71 years) Married Oct 05, 1854 Ligonier, Pennsylvania?? Notes - 1880 census, MO, Jefferson, De Soto, p. 26, sd 1, ed 189, (T9-695, p. 13)
June 1, 1880, Lewis(?) Street, HH 211/237
Cunningham, Mary, W, F, 50, keeping house, PA, Mass, Md
" , John, 24, son, CA, PA, PA
" , William, 22, son, CA
" , Carrie, 20, dau, CA
" , Florence, 18, dau, CA
" , Davis, 15, son, CA
" , Grace, 13, dau, CA
Family ID F15796 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Bettie Morris White, b. Oct 09, 1865, Virginia, USA , d. May 07, 1935, Beaumont, Jefferson county, Texas, USA (Age 69 years) Married Dec 13, 1888 Notes - 1900 census, TX, Jefferson, Beaumont, ed 32, 38-A, (T623-1650, p.64)
June 19, 1900, 787 Calder Avenue, HH 701/772
Cunningham, W.W., head, W, M, Sept 1854, 45, m 11 yrs, VA, VA, VA, physician
" , Bettie, wife, W, F, Oct 1862, 37, m 11 yrs, 4/4 children, VA, VA, VA
" , Donald, son, Oct 1890, 9, TX
" , Louis, dau, Oct 1893, 6, TX
" , Keneth, son, Oct 1896, 3, TX
Carroll, J.S., boarder, W, M, Apr 1865, 35, single, TX, TX, AL, store clerk
Bullock, A.K., boarder, W, M, Feb 1865, 35, single, TX, IL, IL, furniture laborer
Jensen, A., boarder, W, M, May 1849, 51, single, TX, KY, KY, carpet salesman
1910 census, TX, Jefferson, Beaumont, ed 70, 9-A, (T624-1568, p.70)
April 22, 1910, 717 Calder, HH 125/131
Cunningham, William W, head, M, W, 52, m1 21 yrs, CA, PA, PA, doctor
" , Betty, wife, F, W, 45, m1 21 yrs, 3/3 children, VA, VA, VA
" , Donald, son, 19, TX
" , Lois, dau, 17, TX
" , Kenneth, son, 14, TX
1920 census, TX, Jefferson, Beaumont, ed 88, 14-B, (T625-1823, p.160)
Jan 14, 1920, 787 Calder, HH 159/310
Cunningham, W.W., head, M, W, 63, CA, CA, CA
" , Bettie, wife, 54, VA, VA, VA
" , Lois, dau, 26, TX
" , Kenneth, son, 23, TX
1930 census, TX, Jefferson, Beaumont, ed 123-11, 1-A, (T626-2361, p.127)
April 2, 1930, 355 Willow(?) Ave, HH 4/7
Cunningham, Betty, head, F, W, 65, widowed, VA, VA, VA
" , Lois, dau, 35, single, TX, MO, VA
Children 1. Donald Kenna Cunningham, b. Oct 05, 1890, Beaumont, Jefferson county, Texas, USA , d. Dec 25, 1913 (Age 23 years)2. Lois Cunningham, b. Oct 18, 1893, Beaumont, Jefferson county, Texas, USA , d. Sep 06, 1987 (Age 93 years)3. Kenneth Wallace Cunningham, b. Sep 23, 1896, d. Jul 1981, Grosse Pointe, Wayne county, Michigan, USA (Age 84 years)Family ID F15798 Group Sheet | Family Chart
- William Wallace Cunningham spent his early adult life working as a shipping clerk for various railroads, and eventually for the Southern Pacific Lines at Columbus, TX. It was in Columbus, that WWC met a doctor named Robert Henry Harrison Jr. who encouraged him to go to medical school. WWC went to the Medical College in Cinncinatti, Ohio and graduated in 1884, with an MD. After graduation, he practiced for a short time in Columbus, TX and then moved to Orange, TX. It was in Orange that he met, and later married Bettie Morris White.
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Sources - [S816] Gedcom - Lukrich, Sue.
- [S135] 1880 US federal census, 1880 census, MO, Jefferson, De Soto, p. 26, sd 1, ed 189, (T9-695, p. 13).
- [S3961] 1900 US federal census, 1900 census, TX, Jefferson, Beaumont, ed 32, 38-A, (T623-1650, p.64).
- [S3967] 1920 US federal census, 1920 census, TX, Jefferson, Beaumont, ed 88, 14-B, (T625-1823, p.160).
- [S816] Gedcom - Lukrich, Sue.
