Edward R. Cummings was the son of John and Catherine King Cummings. He married Nancy "Nannie" Jane Emmons, circa 1887.
Dr. John Robert Cummings (a nephew), stated Ed and his family moved to Illinois. He had originally lived in Poplar Plains (Fleming County) and worked as a blacksmith. According to Dr. Cummings,
Edward fell out of favor with his mother because of his marriage to a non-Catholic and his excessive drinking.
According to the 1900 census of Farmer City, DeWitt County, Illinois, Edward was born in December, 1860. Nannie was born in February, 1871 in Kentucky (her father was born in Kentucky, her mother in
Iowa). Willie in March, 1888; Nellie in Dec. 1891; Eddie in Dec. 1893;and Clyde in April of 1896. All the children were born in Kentucky. It also lists Edward's occupation as a blacksmith.
James J. Cummings (also a nephew of Edward), heard a story growing up which involved either Edward or his brother Thomas—he could not remember which, that one of these uncles was a pugilist who would fight others. This fighter would deliberately focus his blows on his opponent's neck instead of his face, in the hope that it would inflict more damage. Additionally, as the story goes there was a house in Flemingsburg that had a ferocious guard dog. This dog was fenced in and protected its domain and on a wager the fighter was challenged to open the gate, walk up to the front door and knock on it. The challenge was accepted, the threshold of the gate crossed, and the canine was killed with his bare hands, and the door struck and bet won.
Since Ed Cummings was a blacksmith and yielded a hammer from his early 20s on and thus stronger than most men, it is reasonable to assume he was the boxer of the family. It is unknown if the fighting and alcohol contributed to his separation from his wife, Nannie, and his residency and subsequent death at a county farm.
It should be noted that in the Champaign Ward 2 1910 Census, Nannie Cummings is listed as a "widow" though Edward was still alive and would not pass away until 1917.
Edward R. Cummings was the son of John and Catherine King Cummings. He married Nancy "Nannie" Jane Emmons, circa 1887.
Dr. John Robert Cummings (a nephew), stated Ed and his family moved to Illinois. He had originally lived in Poplar Plains (Fleming County) and worked as a blacksmith. According to Dr. Cummings,
Edward fell out of favor with his mother because of his marriage to a non-Catholic and his excessive drinking.
According to the 1900 census of Farmer City, DeWitt County, Illinois, Edward was born in December, 1860. Nannie was born in February, 1871 in Kentucky (her father was born in Kentucky, her mother in
Iowa). Willie in March, 1888; Nellie in Dec. 1891; Eddie in Dec. 1893;and Clyde in April of 1896. All the children were born in Kentucky. It also lists Edward's occupation as a blacksmith.
James J. Cummings (also a nephew of Edward), heard a story growing up which involved either Edward or his brother Thomas—he could not remember which, that one of these uncles was a pugilist who would fight others. This fighter would deliberately focus his blows on his opponent's neck instead of his face, in the hope that it would inflict more damage. Additionally, as the story goes there was a house in Flemingsburg that had a ferocious guard dog. This dog was fenced in and protected its domain and on a wager the fighter was challenged to open the gate, walk up to the front door and knock on it. The challenge was accepted, the threshold of the gate crossed, and the canine was killed with his bare hands, and the door struck and bet won.
Since Ed Cummings was a blacksmith and yielded a hammer from his early 20s on and thus stronger than most men, it is reasonable to assume he was the boxer of the family. It is unknown if the fighting and alcohol contributed to his separation from his wife, Nannie, and his residency and subsequent death at a county farm.
It should be noted that in the Champaign Ward 2 1910 Census, Nannie Cummings is listed as a "widow" though Edward was still alive and would not pass away until 1917.
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