Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

3134 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSGAIT. HENRY GUMMING CUNNINGHAM. Distinguished not less as a businessman and citizen than as a lawyer, Captain Cunningham has for a great manyyears been one of the forceful individuals in the civic life of Savannah. Hecame out of college to enter the Confederate army, and after a long and faithful service in the war became actively identified with the Central of GeorgiaRailway, subsequently studied law, and is now senior member of the firm ofLawton & Cunningham, a firm that is one of the oldest in continuous existenceat the Savannah bar.Born at Savannah April 5, 1842, Captain Cunningham is a son of DoctorAlexander and Anna Frances (Mayhew) Cunningham. He was educated inthe city schools and in 1858 entered the South Carolina College, which is nowthe University of South Carolina, where he was graduated with the class of1861. The ink on his diploma was hardly dry before he had enrolled as aprivate in the Confederate army. A year later, upon competitive examination, he was appointed first lieutenant of artillery. He was assigned to ordnance duty upon the staff of Gen. William B. Talliaferro, then stationed atSavannah. He was subsequently at Charleston, South Carolina, and wentout with the army from that city, and for a time was on the staff of Gen.Stephen Elliott, participating in the battles at Averysboro and Bentonvilleand other engagements of the Carolina campaign. He was paroled at the closeof the war at Greensboro.With his return to Savannah at the close of the war Captain Cunninghambecame a clerk with the Central of Georgia Railway Company, and subsequently rose to position of treasurer. In the meantime he had devoted himselfassiduously to the study of law, was admitted to practice in 1872, and is nowone of the oldest members of the Savannah bar in point of continuous service.For four years he was partner with Charles N. West, but from 1876 until 1881was alone. In the latter year he formed a partnership with Gen. A. R. Lawtonand A. R. Lawton, Jr., at which time the firm of Lawton & Cunningham cameinto existence. For thirty-five years that firm name has stood with a wealtnof associations for its success and prominence at the Atlanta bar. When General Lawton withdrew from the firm Captain Cunningham became senior member, though the firm name remains unchanged. Besides an extensive generalclientage, the firm is general counsel for the Central of Georgia Railway Company, and thus Captain Cunningham has charge of the important legal interests of the road which he once served as a clerk.Mr. Cunningham was one of the original stockholders of the Chatham RealEstate and Improvement Company, and has been president of that corpprationsince 1895. This is one of the strongest institutions of its kind in the Southand has resources of approximately $1,000,000, its assets having increasedmore than 50 per cent in the last five years. Its capital stock is half a milliondollars, and it has outstanding more than $900,000 in loans secured by firstmortgages on Savannah real estate. This company was organized in 1885,and besides its. chief business of handling loans on real estate, and also operating a general brokerage business in the handling of real estate, the company conducts a savings department. Mr. Cunningham is president, WilliamKehoe, vice president, W. Horace Stillwell is secretary and treasurer, and thefirm of Lawton & Cunningham are attorneys for the company. In a largedegree the success of this trust company is due to the responsible and ablemanagement of Captain Cunningham.In the earlier years of his practice, from 1880 until 1887, Captain Cunningham was corporation attorney of Savannah. He is president of the UnionSociety of Savannah, a society made up of many of the leading citizens, andhaving for its chief object the training and education of worthy young peoplewho do not have sufficient means for proper training. He is also one of theboard of managers of the Georgia Historical Society, and is senior warden ofthe Christ Episcopal Church.