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Col James Hampton Roads Cundiff

James Hampton Roads Cundiff

James Hampton Roads Cundiff was the son of Layton S. and Hannah Cundiff and brother of Harriette Cundiff Pfouts. He was born in Hampshire County, Virginia on November 20, 1832. The family emigrated West in 1840 for the purpose of advancing the county and settled in Buchanan County (a part of the “Platte Purchase”) in Western Missouri. James was only fourteen when his father returned to the family home in Virginia on business and died in the house where he had been born. James’ grandfathers on both side of his family had served in the Revolutionary War. His paternal grandfather was descended from French Hugenots.

There were few facilities for education in this area, and up to age fifteen, James had never attended school. He was schooled in the hardships of pioneer life. At this time he apprenticed himself to the printing business. He went through every phases of the business, including being a traveling compositor visiting almost every metropolis in the United States at that time.

At age 21, he made his first venture into the publishing business with the small Parkville, Missouri, country newspaper. He was moderately successful in the venture but sold out in 1854, and purchases the St. Joseph Gazette, a weekly paper, in connection with Paris Swayze Pfouts. In May, 1855, Paris became his brother-in-law when he wed James’ sister, Harriette Virginia Cundiff. In 1857, the two men saw the necessity for a daily newspaper and began publishing the Gazette as such. Since it was the first in St. Joseph and in Northwestern Missouri as well, it was extremely successful.

In 1861, James joined the Confederate, serving from the beginning to the end of the Civil War and progressing from the rank of private all the way to a Colonel. He fought battles in the state of Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri. After the ware, in 1865, he went to Mexico and engaged in agriculture for a time but did not find it to be profitable. He remained in Mexico until August 1867, during which time he traveled over much of the then Mexican empire. In 1866 he worked for the Imperial Railway Company operating a road from Mexico City to Vera Cruz.

He eventually returned to St. Joseph and revived the Gazette, picking up where he had left off in 1861. Although this enterprise was started without capital, it was so successful that the paper was worth $25,000 when he sold it in 1873. In 1874, he became a Clerk of the Circuit Court of Buchanan County and served many years on the Democratic State Central Committee and on various county and city central committees as well.

During his lifetime, he traveled through 37 of the states, Mexico and Cuba. He was married to Cecilia E. Keedy, daughter of Dr. Daniel G. Keedy, in October 1855. Despite his lack of formal education, he became a successful entrepreneur and self made man.

*Taken from The United State Biographical Dictionary and Portrait Gallery of Self-made Men

1850 Census
Name: James Cundiff
Age: 19
Birth Year: abt 1831
Birthplace: Virginia
Home in 1850: Washington, Buchanan, Missouri
Gender: Male
Family Number: 206
Household Members:
Name Age
Hannah Cundiff 52
William Cundiff 27
Thomas Cundiff 23
Whitfield Cundiff 21
James Cundiff 19
Samuel Cundiff 13
Harriet Cundiff 12

James and Samuel got counted twice in 1850. Mr Livermore's occupation is listed as an editor and James and Samuel are both listed as printers.

Name: James Cundiff
Age: 17
Birth Year: abt 1833
Birthplace: Virginia
Home in 1850: Washington, Buchanan, Missouri
Gender: Male
Family Number: 102
Household Members:
Name Age
Emory Livermore 41
Elizabeth Livermore 40
James Cundiff 17
Samuel Cundiff 13
Mary Frand 14

1855 Marriage
Name: Maj James H Cundiff
Marriage Date: 11 Oct 1855
Marriage Place: St Joseph, Missouri, United States
Spouse: Celia C Keedy

1860 Census He is married with 2 children listed as Editor. Barnes and Merlat are listed as servants.

Name: J H B Cundiff
Age in 1860: 28
Birth Year: abt 1832
Birthplace: Virginia
Home in 1860: St Joseph, Buchanan, Missouri
Gender: Male
Post Office: St Joseph
Household Members:
Name Age
J H B Cundiff 28
C E Cundiff 21
C Cundiff 4
C Cundiff 1
M Barns 24
E Merlat 16
E Merlat 12
J Merlat 10
P Merlat 8
B Merlat 6
E Merlat 4

Ironically he appears in the July 1863 draft list as a Printer nativity of Ohio and is exempt as being a "non-resident"
Name: James H R Cundiff
Residence: Missouri
Class: All
Congressional District: 7th
Age on 1 July 1863: 35
Estimated birth year: abt 1828
Race: White
Marital Status: Married
Place of Birth: Ohio

1870 Census He is back in St Joe listed as a newspaper editor.
Name: J H R Cundiff
Age in 1870: 38
Birth Year: abt 1832
Birthplace: Virginia
Home in 1870: St Joesph Ward 3, Buchanan, Missouri
Race: White
Gender: Male
Post Office: Saint Joseph
Value of real estate: View image
Household Members:
Name Age
J H R Cundiff 38
Celia Cundiff 32
Carrol Cundiff 14
Corra Cundiff 12
James Cundiff 10
Linda Cundiff 5
Warren Cundiff 2
Mary Doogin 17

The History of Buchanan County(1915) tells the story of the St Joseph Gazette (started 1845 by William Ridenbaugh and the role Cundiff played. He and Pfouts bought the paper in 1854 and made it a daily in 1857. Publication was suspended in 1861 about the time Cundiff enlisted as a private. On Feb 4 1862 Rees and Child purchased the paper from Ridenbaugh who held the mortgage and whom had foreclosed on Cundiff and Pouts. Publication was suspended again in July of that year. The paper was revived on June 28, 1868 under the partnership of Ridenbaugh, Cundiff, and Peter Nugent. It was sold to Nugent and Peter Corby for $25,000 in the fall of 1873 and Cundiff moved to St. Louis.
1880 Census finds him now in St. Louis listed as an editor. This would be after he sold the paper in St. Joseph.

Name: James H. Cundiff
Age: 48
Birth Year: abt 1832
Birthplace: Virginia
Home in 1880: Saint Louis, St Louis (Independent City), Missouri
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relation to Head of House: Self (Head)
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Ceilia Cundiff
Father's Birthplace: Virginia
Mother's Birthplace: Virginia
Occupation: Editor Of Paper
Household Members:
Name Age
James H. Cundiff 48
Ceilia Cundiff 42
Carrol Cundiff 24
Cora Cundiff 21
James Cundiff 19
Linda Cundiff 15
Warren Cundiff 13
Hannah Cundiff 7

1880 St Louis business directory lists him as president of the St Louis Times with James Jr as secretary, directors being James HR Cundiff Sr, Samuel B Cundiff (brother I assume - JJR) and B.M. Chambers.

St Louis City Directories list him as Editor of the "Republican" in 1882 and 1883.
Name: James H R Cundiff
Residence Year: 1883
Street address: 3018 Pine
Residence Place: St Louis, Missouri, USA
Occupation: Editor
Publication Title: St Louis, Missouri, City Directory, 1883

James HR Cundiff died in 1885 and is buried in St Joseph MO. see
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=90691134&ref=acom

His wife has relocated back to St Joseph by 1887 and then Madison Wisconsin between 1904 and 1907,(Living with daughter Cora) lived to be 95 passing away in 1934 in Madison Wisconsin.

John R

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