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Jeremiah Cummings

Written by Ron Amick, Mountain Home, AR

Jeremiah Cummings was born in 1776 at Westford, MA, the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Hildreth)

Cummings and died at Dunn County, WI in August 1859. His father was a Fifer in the American Revolution. In the early 1800s, the father and son, Hezekiah Cummings settled at Oneida Co., NY where Jeremiah settled at the neighboring county of Oswego. While residing at Oswego Co. Jeremiah was twice married and had nine children. By the first wife he had four children: Orin b. 1817, John b. 1818, Jane b. 1820, and Eliza b. 1821. In 1823 he married secondly to Fanny Hoisington, daughter of Verlina and Hannah (Green) Hoisington. Five children were born to this union: Sanford b. 1831, Washington Lafayette b. 1833, Rachel b. 1835, Mary b. 1837 and Hannah b. 1839.

In 1848, his children, Orin, John and Eliza migrated to Sheboygan Co., WI where Eliza and her husband, Samuel Reed would remain. By 1857, Orin and John joined their brothers, Sanford and Lafayette along with the father, Jeremiah and settled in Springbrook Township, Dunn County. Jeremiah's wife and youngest daughters remained in Oswego Co. until a proper home could be provided them. Before the home was prepared, Jeremiah died while living with the son, John and wife, Fidelia. He was buried in the "Yellow Banks" by the Chippewa River but later his sons brought his remains to the then available cemetery at Forest Center. His grave is properly marked with a military gravestone citing his service in the War of 1812. He applied for a military pension prior to coming to Dunn County but it was not approved until later on when his widow, Fanny Cummings, received it.

For several years, the area they all lived at was called "Cummings" but was later named Forest Center. Orin, Lafayette and Sanford all remained at that place but John moved to Weston Township. The Forest Center Cemetery now has Jeremiah Cummings and many generations of his descendants buried there.

The four sons of Jeremiah Cummings that settled in Dunn County all married: Orin Cummings to Catherine Coleman in 1849 at Sheboygan County, John W. Cummings to Fidelia Dunn in 1852 at Calumet County, W. Lafayette Cummings in 1853 to Margaret Rogers at Oswego Co., NY and Sanford Cummings in 1863 to Martha Brown at Dunn County.

In a letter dated June 8, 1857, Fidelia Cummings writes: "John's father has been living with us this year. He is eighty-two years old but does as much work every day as John does. He is a very pleasant old man and never finds fault."

In addition to the challenges of pioneer life, the Cummings have a remarkable record of military service, Jeremiah Cummings father, Thomas III, grandfather Thomas Jr., and great-grandfather Thomas Sr. all served in the American Revolution as documented in DAR records. The Dunn County News dated May 12, 1883 includes brief notes of Springbrook residents; included are: Lafayette Cummings . . . was drafted (Civil War) and honorably discharged, Sanford Cummings . . . was in the late Civil War.

This page last updated: 04 July 2006 12:29 PM -0400