Bio provided by Janice Williams:

James Cunningham and his twin, Rebecca, were born to David Cunningham and Unity Ryan Cunningham in Warren County, Tennessee, on April 8, 1816. At age 18, he married Susannah Tate, the daughter of Aaron Tate and Elizabeth Connelly Tate, on February 14, 1835, in DeKalb County, Alabama.

James served in the Army during the Florida Indian wars and was discharged July 21, 1838 at Fort Payne, Alabama.

James and Susannah had two children in Alabama and the family of four moved to the Republic of Texas in 1839 or 1840. Moving first to what is now Morris County, they moved on to Bastrop County, Travis County and Williamson County before settling in Comanche County in 1855 on Mountain Creek. In Texas, their family grew with ten more children.

Captain James was noted for his community leadership. He was among the original members of the first Baptist church in Comanche County which was organized at the old Tuggle School House 1856 about 10 miles south of Comanche.

The Cunningham men gained greatest fame in Central Texas as aggressive and fearless Indian fighters. From 1856 to early 1870, the Cunninghams were involved in virtually every Indian battle that took place in and around Comanche County. In 1861, James Cunningham was elected Captain of the Comanche County Company of the 2nd Frontier District commanded by Major George B. Erath.

James and Susannah Cunningham were the parents of Aaron, Elizabeth, David Houston, Richard Tankersley, John Valentine, William Henry, James Washington, Joseph Jackson, Thomas Anderson, George Washington, Mary Jane, and Unity Ann, all who survived to old age.

Captain Cunningham operated a ranch of 9000 acres until his death on July 8, 1894, at the age of 78 years old, in his home. He was survived by his wife and all twelve children. He was buried in the Newburg Cemetery and his grave was marked with a Texas Historical Marker in 1968.