Henry Harrison Cumings (1840 - 1913)

Ancestors Descendants

Contents 1 Biography 2 Books 2.1 In Memoriam: Henry Harrison Cumings, Charlotte Sink Cumings 2.2 Service from The Story of a Thousand 3 Newspapers 3.1 Recruiting Office, “Western Reserve Chronicle”, 1864-Feb-24 3.2 Promotions in the 105th Regt., “Western Reserve Chronicle”, 1864-Feb-24 3.3 Col. Perkin’s Guests, “Akron Daily Democrat”, 1900-Oct-08 3.4 Death Notice, "Adams County News", 1913-May-24 3.5 Death Notice, "The Forest Republican", 1913-May-21 4 Papers 5 Titles - functions 6 Sources 6.1 Census 6.2 Military Related 6.3 Death Certificate 6.4 Gravesite 6.5 Children's Marriage 6.6 Children's Death

Biography

Captain Henry Harrison Cumings was born in Monmouth, Illinois to Charles Cumings, a Methodist Minister and Abolitionist, and Emily (Amsden) Cumings, soon to be joined by sister Lucy Mehitable Cumings. After their mother's death in 1851, the family returned to Lake County, Ohio, closer to the Cumings extended family. In 1852, they settled on a farm in North Madison, Lake County, Ohio, where his father married second wife Rebecca Sullivan, the family's longtime nanny and housekeeper, a common practice of the day. Cumings attended various schools, including the Madison Seminary and the Grand River Institute at Austinburgh. He later enrolled at Oberlin College, graduating in 1862.

Capt. H.H. Cumings

He was graduated with honors in absentia, as he cut his college career short to enlist in the 105th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, receiving a commission as a 1st Lieutenant of Company D. In 1864, he was promoted to the rank of Captain of Company A, later transferring to Company K. During the war, Cumings and the 105th Regiment saw action in the battles of Perryville, Kentucky (1862); Milton, Tennessee (1863); Hoover's Gap, Tennessee (1863); Murfreesboro, Tennessee (1863); Lookout Mountain, Tennessee (1863); Missionary Ridge, Tennessee (1863); and Atlanta, Georgia (1864), and participated in General Sherman's March to the Sea.

After the war, Cumings settled in Tidioute, Warren County, Pennsylvania, for the remainder of his life. In 1867, he married Charlotte J. Sink.

Cumings Residence, Tidioute, PA

Cumings was active in various oil refining companies, served as a bank president, and also held elected offices ranging from School Board President to State Senator.

At the Department of Pennsylvania, Grand Army of the Republic’s Thirtieth Annual Encampment held at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania on June 3-4, 1896, “a suitable testimonial expressive of our fraternal regard and appreciation of his labors” was presented to Comrade Henry Harrison Cumings in the form of a wood encased, leather bound, engrossed tribute book. To view that tribute book, click here.

Books

In Memoriam: Henry Harrison Cumings, Charlotte Sink Cumings

This tribute, written by family friend the Rev. J.N. Fradenburgh, includes Henry Harrison Cumings' War Diary almost in its entirety, as well as a detailed accounting of his lineage, business career, and government career. The book didn't leave out the final perspective that Captain Cumings added to his diary 25 years later, when he was asked to compile it in typeface for the G.A.R. in the 1890s:

I will not dwell upon the march through Virginia to Washington — the Grand Review where our regiment received the unusual compliment of a bouquet thrown at our colors by General Sherman from the reviewing stand — the journey home by rail, halting at Altoona. Pa., nearly famished, and yet the people would neither sell or give us any food because it was Sunday —arriving at Pittsburgh at 10 o'clock at night and being marched to Old City Hall and filled with an excellent supper and splendid coffee, not forgetting cigars by the ladies of Pittsburgh. God bless them forever for it — then on to Cleveland and she was there, dear creature, waiting for us and so were mother and father and sister and brother and how they surrounded us and hugged us and kissed and wept over us and we over them as we struggled along the street — my heart swells and my eyes moisten now as I think of it — and so we marched to the camp we had left almost three years before. Nearly eleven hundred strong we marched out; less than two hundred and fifty strong we returned. A day or two of the details of paying off and mustering out and our soldiering was over. This sketch, already too long, has opened to me the flood gates of recollection. I see again the old familiar faces, I hear again the well known tunes. The whole panorama passes before my mind and fills it with mingled emotions of sorrow and pleasure. I thank God that it was my privilege to be a soldier of the Republic.

^[1]

--Captain Henry Harrison Cumings

Service from The Story of a Thousand

Enlisted into Company D of the 105th Ohio Volunteer Infantry on July 25, 1862 at age 22 as 1st Lieutenant. On February 18, 1864, he was promoted to Captain of Company A. ^[2]

A portion of Cumings' Civil War diary can be found on pages 310-316 of Albion Winegar Tourgée's The Story of a Thousand.

Newspapers

Recruiting Office, “Western Reserve Chronicle”, 1864-Feb-24

Lieut. Cummings, of the 105th Ohio, has opened a recruiting office in this city for that regiment, at 124 Superior Street. This regiment was raised mainly in Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties, and has in it the best stuff of the Reserve, as its honored record in the campaigns of Kentucky and Tennessee most amply proves. — Cleveland Leader.

Promotions in the 105th Regt., “Western Reserve Chronicle”, 1864-Feb-24

In the list of recent promotions in Ohio Volunteer Regiments, we observe the following in the 105th: ...; First Lieut. Henry H. Cummings, Captain; ... ^[3]

Col. Perkin’s Guests, “Akron Daily Democrat”, 1900-Oct-08

Col. George T. Perkins, accompanied by 10 members of his regiment, the 105th O. V. I., left Sunday evening In a special car for Chattanooga, to attend the annual reunion of the command. The veterans are the guests of Col. Perkins. Those In the party were Capt. William Wallace, Lieut. William H. Forbis, Sergeant Elverton J. Clapp, all of Warren; Capt. Henry H. Cummings of Tidioute, Pa.; Capt A. D. Braden, Canton; Capt. Hartzell, Mahoning county; Capt Daniel E. Stambaugh, Youngstown; Sergeant L. N. Parker, and Private A. G. Hutchinson, Cleveland. ^[4]

Death Notice, "Adams County News", 1913-May-24

Captain Henry H. Cumings, formerly state senator, died suddenly last Wednesday at his home in Tidioute. He was well known in Gettysburg where he visited frequently in connection with matters concerning Pennsylvania monuments on the battlefield. ^[5]

Death Notice, "The Forest Republican", 1913-May-21

Captain Henry Harrison Cumings whose prominence as a citizen has been state-wide for the past quarter of a century and who has for a much longer period been one of Tldioute'a foremost and most highly honored residents died at his home in that place on tbe morning of May 14, 1913. Although in failing health for two months past, his death came unexpectedly a few moments after eating breakfast with his family, and while reclining on a couch to enjoy a short nap. Captain Cumings was born at Monmouth, Ill., Dec. 1, 1840, and was therefore in his 73d year at the time of his death. He was educated at Oberlin college, Ohio, and graduated In 1862. After graduating he enlisted in tbe 105th Ohio Volunteer Infantry and served with distinction in the Fourteenth Army Corps, participating in all its campaigns and most of its battles. Soon after the close of the war he settled in Tidioute where he had since resided, loved and honored by all. He was actively engaged in several lines of business, including oil producing, lumbering, farming, banking and manufacturing. Besides filling the various town offices in Tidioute, he was twice elected to the State Senate, in all of which positions he served with distinction and signal ability. At the time of his death he was a member of the school board on which he had served continuously for upward of 34 years. Tidioute has lost most heavily in the deatb of Captain Cumings.

Papers

• Some original documents may be found in the Repository of the Western Reserve Historical Society. ^[6]

Titles - functions

• BET 1890 AND 1906: Pa State Senator - Commander Penna GAR. Military
• BET 1861 AND 1865: Captain 105th Ohio Infantry.
• Oil Company Entrepreneur

Sources

1. ↑ "In Memoriam Henry Harrison Cumings : Fradenburgh, J. N. (Jason Nelson), 1843-1914 : Free Download, Borrow, And Streaming : Internet Archive". Internet Archive. Accessed March 1 2019.[1]
2. ↑ The Story of a Thousand by Albion Winegar Tourgée, Appendices, published by S. McGerald & Son, 1896
3. ↑ “Western Reserve Chronicle”, (Warren, Ohio), 1864-Feb-24, page 3, https://www.newspapers.com/image/143556100/, Note his last name is misspelled in this article.
4. ↑ “Akron Daily Democrat”, (Akron, Ohio), 08 Oct 1900, page 5, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112224483/command-reunion-1900/
5. ↑ "Adams County News", Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, 1913-May-24, page 4, https://www.newspapers.com/image/9360847/
6. ↑ http://ead.ohiolink.edu/xtf-ead/view?docId=ead/OCLWHi0951.xml;query=Henry%20Harrison%20Cumings%20;brand=default

Census

• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M857-S64 : 12 April 2016), Henry H Cummings in household of Charles Cummings, Warren county, Warren, Illinois, United States; citing family 1073, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCL1-V54 : 12 April 2016), Henry Cummings in entry for Charles Cummings, 1860.

• "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ2K-1P7 : 12 April 2016), Henry H Cummings, Pennsylvania, United States; citing p. 19, family 151, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,960.

• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWVK-FXW : 15 July 2017), Henry H Cumings, Tidioute, Warren, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district ED 263, sheet 34B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1200; FHL microfilm 1,255,200.

• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M34K-XVR : accessed 30 September 2017), Henry H Cumings, Deerfield Township Tidioute borough, Warren, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 134, sheet 2B, family 184, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,492.

• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MG8B-2V7 : accessed 30 September 2017), Harry H Cumming, Tidioute, Warren, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 175, sheet 6B, family 152, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1424; FHL microfilm 1,375,437.

Military Related

• "United States General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KD54-FM4 : 3 April 2015), Henry H Cummings, 1907.

• "United States Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939K-FQ3M-YJ?cc=1832324&wc=M6RR-VW5%3A162012501 : 22 May 2014), Cullifer, Martha - Cummings, Bryant > image 512 of 676; citing NARA microfilm publication M850 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

Death Certificate

• Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission; Pennsylvania, USA; Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1965; Certificate Number Range: 047821-051190. Source Information: Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1966 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates, 1906–1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. (https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=5164&h=428802&tid=41727109&pid=19669739304)

Gravesite

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/71952348/henry-harrison-cumings: accessed 16 May 2023), memorial page for Capt Henry Harrison Cumings (1 Dec 1840–14 May 1913), Find a Grave Memorial ID 71952348, citing Tidioute Cemetery, Tidioute, Warren County, Pennsylvania, USA; Maintained by John K. Pierson (contributor 47421208).

Children's Marriage

• "Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KHNK-CVY : 24 June 2016), Henry H Cumings in entry for Harold Roe Hawkey and Abigail Lynch Cumings, 1915.

Children's Death

• "Florida Deaths, 1877-1939," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FPZN-7MS : 24 December 2014), Henry Harrison Cummings in entry for Henry Harrison Cummings, 28 Dec 1928; citing St Petersburg, Pinellas, Florida, reference 20097; FHL microfilm 2,135,289.

Memories: 1