Alexander Cummings (abt. 1739 - 1818)

Born about 1739 in Scotland

Descendants

Died 11 Dec 1818 at about age 79 in Nova Scotia

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Biography

Sergeant Alexander Cummings served with 71st Regiment of Foot during the American Revolution.

Alexander was born before 1763, probably in Scotland. He was a sergeant in the 71st Regiment, Fraser's Highlanders, during the Revolutionary War.^[1]. He arrived with his wife Catherine at Guysborough in June 1784 with the Loyalists and disbanded soldiers of the "Associated Departments of the Army and Navy"^[2] and received a land grant of 250 acres, plus a Town Lot and Water Lot at Guysborough.^[3][4]

Alexander's wife Catherine McMaster died 12 Dec 1784, ten days after giving birth to their son George.^[5][6] Alexander subsequently married May Fraser, widow of William Fraser, in 1790, and they had the following children: Christina (b. 11 Oct 1790), Hugh (b. 7 Mar 1793), Jane (b. 22 Apr 1795), John (b. 12 Mar 1797), Alexander (b. 1798), and Dugald Edward (b. 29 Mar 1803).

In 1791 Alex Cummings acquired 140 acres from the Hallowell Grant.^[7] and another large lot later that year^[8]

He is listed in the tax assessment records for Guysborough in 1792,^[9] 1794,^[10] 1795,^[11] and the 1817 Census at Manchester, Sydney County (now Guysborough County).^[12]

He passed away in 1818.^[13][14]

Sources

1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/71st_Regiment_of_Foot%2C_Fraser%27s_Highlanders
2. ↑ Alexander CUMMINGS, in Muster Roll: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/loyalists/loyalists-ward-chipman/pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=4420&
3. ↑ Alexander Cumming, in Land Grant: https://archives.novascotia.ca/land-papers/archives/?ID=594&Doc=warrant&Page=201105584
4. ↑ Alexander Cumming, 250 acres, Guysborough Township, 1785, Alexander Cummin, Town Lot and Water Lot, Guysborough, 1790, in Marion Gilroy, "Loyalists and Land Settlement in Nova Scotia", Public Archives of Nova Scotia, Publication No.4, 1937, p.123
5. ↑ "Alexander and Katherine Cumming have issue George Cumming, born Dec 2nd 1784", in Manchester-Guysborough Township Book: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSMZ-YSSJ-K?i=228&cat=250053
6. ↑ "Katherine Cumming died Dec 12th 1784", in Manchester-Guysborough Township Book: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSMZ-YSSJ-K?i=228&cat=250053
7. ↑ Guysborough. Deed Records 1788–1796: 20 Dec 1791: https://www.familysearch.org/records/images/image-details?page=1&place=8133326&rmsId=TH-909-70797-160423-60&imageIndex=346&singleView=true
8. ↑ Guysborough. Deed Records 1788–1796: 14 Dec 1791: https://www.familysearch.org/records/images/image-details?page=1&place=8133326&rmsId=TH-909-70797-160423-60&imageIndex=522&singleView=true
9. ↑ Alexander Cummings, Guysborough, Guysborough County - 1792, in Commissioner of Public Records Nova Scotia Archives RG 1 vol. 444 no. 46: https://archives.novascotia.ca/census/polltax/returns/?ID=5024
10. ↑ Alexander Cummings, Assessment at Guysborough, Manchester, and Crow Harbour, Guysborough County - 1794, in Commissioner of Public Records Nova Scotia Archives RG 1 vol. 444½ no. 22: https://archives.novascotia.ca/census/polltax/returns/?ID=13650
11. ↑ Alexander Cummings, Assessment at Guysborough, Manchester, Crow Harbour, and Canso, Guysborough County - 1795, in Commissioner of Public Records Nova Scotia Archives RG 1 vol. 444½ no. 65: https://archives.novascotia.ca/census/polltax/returns/?ID=18392
12. ↑ Alexander Cummings, Manchester, Sydney County - 1817, in Commissioner of Public Records Nova Scotia Archives RG 1 vol. 445 no. 28: https://archives.novascotia.ca/census/rg1v445/returns/?ID=2765
13. ↑ Alexander Cummings, died 9 Dec 1818, in Christ Church Guysborough burial records: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSMZ-YSSJ-K?i=228&cat=250053
14. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed ), memorial page for Alexander Cummings (1739–11 Dec 1818), Find a Grave Memorial no. 214891779, citing Christ Church Anglican Cemetery, Guysborough, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Canada ; Maintained by Doug Nelson (contributor 48680782) .

• A.C. Jost, "Guysborough Sketches and Essays, revised edition," pp.328, 350-352
• Ed Brumby, 71st Fraser Highland Regiment in The American War of Independence, ISBN-13 : 978-1907540592, ASIN : B08XNRWH6B (Amazon UK or Kindle)

Notes

In the Muster Roll, Alexander is grouped on the first page with William Browne, Patrick Paton[Patton], George Ross, and Alexander Ferguson, suggesting these men are likely connected. Certainly Cummings, Paton, Ross, Ferguson were all sergeants in the 71st Regiment of Foot. Patrick Patton became the schoolmaster at Guysborough.

The fact that Alexander received a larger grant suggests he was an NCO, or other higher-ranking person - each single man got 100 acres, plus 50 acres per dependent (spouse, child, and sometimes servant). Higher ranking men (non-commissioned officers, officers, etc., received larger grants)