San Diego County
Biographies
ABSALOM B. CUNNINGHAM
Coming to California from the
Buckeye state as a young man of thirty-one, Absalom B. Cunningham entered the
office of the auditor of San Diego County, with which he has been identified
for an extended period, and has served as chief deputy auditor for twenty-two
years. He was born in Zanesville, Ohio,
November 23, 1855, a son of William H. and Rebecca (Fell) Cunningham, who were highly esteemed residents of that city. The father also figured prominently in public
affairs, serving as deputy auditor of Muskingum County, Ohio, from 1865 to
1868, as clerk of that county during 1868 and 1869, and as recorder of the
county in 1869 and 1870.
It has been said of Absalom B.
Cunningham that he was reared in or around a courthouse and his identification
with public affairs was a natural outcome of his early environment. His initial experience in that field was
gained as a lad of twelve, when he became a messenger boy in the courthouse at
Zanesville. After his graduation from
high school he was a teacher for a time and in 1876 obtained a situation with a
Zanesville hardware concern, continuing in their employ until 1887, when he
traveled westward to California. In
June, 1887, he joined the clerical force in the office of the auditor of San
Diego County then occupied by E. G. Haight, was next connected with the tax
collector’s department and later was with the county assessor. Since 1911 he has been chief deputy auditor,
a position for which he is exceptionally well qualified by reason of his
experience and ability, and he enjoys the distinction of being the dean of the
courthouse staff, for he has continuously served the county for a period of
forty-five years. His labors have
greatly aided those of Chief Auditor Hammond, who is loud in his praise of his
chief deputy auditor and other assistants.
Mr. Cunningham has been married
twice but is a widower and resides at 5157 Hawley Avenue, San Diego. He has six children, all of whom reside in
California and keep in close touch with their father. His fraternal affiliations are with the
Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Foresters of America. Although seventy-seven years of age, he
remains an active factor in the world’s work and his long life of usefulness
and rightly directed endeavor well entitles him to the esteem in which he is
uniformly held.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: California of the South
Vol. III, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 119-120, Clarke Publ.,
Chicago, Los Angeles,
Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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NUGGET'S SAN DIEGO BIOGRAPIES