J.P. Cunningham, Railway Store Keeper

November 21, 1877 embossed Windsor & Annapolis Railway envelope with contents. Addressed to Mr M Kinsman, Courier. Manuscript "with Cash Enclosed $8.10."

The letter's sender, James Peter Cunningham was born December 3, 1828, the son of George Frederick Cunningham (1787-1857) and Elizabeth Grant. He married Mary Jane Loomer (1837-1878) on September 20, 1871. After his first wife's death he married the twenty years younger Lucinda Whitman (1848-1934) on April 13, 1880. They eventually had three daughters. James was a harness maker who subsequently became Railway Store Keeper for the Windsor & Annapolis Railway, trading service to the horse for service to the iron horse. His native Kentville was the location of the railway's headquarters. Its roundhouses, freight sheds and machine shops sprung up everywhere, along with what was the grandest train station found anywhere in the Annapolis Valley. At one time, two out of five Kentville residents either worked for the railway or had close connections with it.

Kentville Railway Station

Kentville in the 1870s

1881 census for Kentville, lists Cunningham, James, 50, Methodist, Railway Store Keeper, with his wife Lucinda, 34.

McAlpine's Nova Scotia Directory, 1890-97 for Kentville lists Cunningham, James, storekeeper, W. & A. R., h. Main

The letter is addressed to Mr. M. Kinsman. This would be Marshall Kinsman, a farmer in Lakeville/Billtown. It would make sense that James Cunningham would send reimbursement for cheese purchased to a local agent to hold for the farmer who supplied it. The letter would have been taken from the train station in Cold Brook Station to Kinsman's farm by courier, perhaps a local delivery boy.

Marshall Kinsman was born 1838 in Lakeville the son of Henry Kinsman (1806- ) and Elizabeth Parker (1805-1876) . Marshall's great-grandfather, Benjamin Kinsman (1743-1817) was a New England Planter from Ipswich, Massachusetts. His wife, Hannah Pelton (1746-1824) was from New London, Connecticut.

Hutchinsons's Nova Scotia Directory 1867 for Lakeville lists Kinsman, John M, merchant.

McAlpine's Nova Scotia Directory, 1890-97 lists Kinsman Marshall, farmer, Billtown

The letter references Mr. Melbourne Marchant, a dairy farmer in Brooklyn Street who supplied 40.5 pounds of butter to the Railway store.

Hutchinsons's Nova Scotia Directory 1867 for Brooklyn Street (Cornwallis), has Marchant, Melbourne, farmer

McAlpine's Nova Scotia Directory, 1890-97 lists Marchant Melbourne, farmer, Broklyn Cr

A.F. Church map of King's County, with the Kinsman store and Marchant farm indicated. The Windsor & Annapolis Railway line is at the bottom of the map.