I sent for James M. Cunningham's complete, CW, pension-benefit application a few years back. Unfortunately, I'm in CA and I believe I left the documents behind in Douglas Co, MO when I moved, so my recall is going to be coming from my sketchy memory. I will go to my storage, nonetheless, per chance I did bring the papers with me.
I did get the impression that James was bushwacked and not killed in any military scrimmage. I can't remember if he died where he fell or if he was able to move a short distance before he died. I believe he died near a creek, and it seems to me that it happened in Webster Co. He was a home guard in Webster Co.
Of course, I realize James Cunningham was never a James or a Scott. Arrena Jane Cunningham was his only child. Arrena's only known child was Homer Love (Scott). Homer's father was Gabriel Marion Scott, and Gabriel's mother was a James. It was James' only grandchild who was a Scott and reared as a James. Homer's children were all given the James name from birth.
Homer was b. 14 Sep 1880 in Springfield, Greene Co, MO...even though he started using the birth yr. of 1882 when he registered for the WWI draft, and he continued using 1882 until his death. He was buried in Tempe, AZ.
Homer's father changed his own name to Robert Franklin James some time between 1883-1888, after he had moved to NW AR from Ozark Co, MO in the early 1880s. By 1888-1889, Gabriel moved from AR to Choctaw Nation (SE OK) with his and Serilda Eslinger (Cunningham, James) Scott's five sons and Homer. By then, they were all using the JAMES surname.
Serilda is said to have died and been buried near Alma, Crawford Co, AR. No one knows for a fact whatever happened to Arrena after Homer's birth, but I'm not under the impression that she died during child birth.
My reason for sending for James' CW papers was my interest in finding any info I could about Arrena. I did learn Arrena's exact birthday and also learned that Gabriel had filed for guardianship of Arrena and filed for James Cunningham's CW, pension benefits. I'm certain the timing of Gabriel's filing was because of Arrena's pregnancy. He was her step-father and had been since 1868. He filed on 1 May, 1880 in Ozark Co, MO. Arrena was 19 yr. old at that time and 4 1/2 mo pregnant. Gabriel had to become her legal guardian before he could file for James Cunningham's CW, pension benefits.
The War Dept. in Wash. D.C. couldn't find any records to prove James was ever a CW soldier. They told Gabriel's attorney that Gabriel would have to locate James' military papers in order to go forward with the benefit application. Apparently Gabriel wasn't successful. A few yrs. later, the War Dept. closed the case and concluded that James Cunningham had never been in the CW.
I was surprised when a friend found James M. Cunningham's name in a CW index. My only concern was if this James "M" Cunningham, whose papers I received, was actually the same person as Arrena's father. However, the details seemed to fit. I just never knew Arrena's father was James "M". According to the documents, James "M" was a Sgt., but Gabriel stated Arrena's father was a Pvt. Perhaps Gabriel just didn't know. Gabriel was only 17 yr. old when he married Arrena's mother, Serilda. I wasn't able to find a second James Cunningham in Webster Co. census records, so I decided the Sgt. must have been Arrena's father.
If you ever learn anything about Arrena, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know.
Feel free to contact me at kcserna@hotmail.com.
Karen