San
Joaquin County
Biographies
THOMAS CUNNINGHAM
It is interesting, instructive and
profitable, on occasions, to review the lives of men who have risen through
their own efforts to honor and distinction among their fellowmen. Thomas Cunningham was, perhaps, not only the
best-known man in San Joaquin County, but also widely known throughout the
state, over which his active career as sheriff in this county, for over a
quarter of a century, had carried him.
He was a native of County Longford, Ireland, where he was born on August
17, 1838, the youngest of a family of seven
children. When ten years of age he came
to the United States with relatives and located in Brooklyn, New York. There he served an apprenticeship at the
harness-making trade with his brother-in-law, and while so employed devoted his
spare time to study and in attendance at night school as he had a chance. He worked there until 1855, when he left for
California via Panama, and landed in San Francisco on June 16, 1855. Soon after his arrival there he came to
Stockton and found employment with Peachy & Baggs,
harness-makers. He afterwards worked in
the same line of business for George Ellsworth and H. T. Dorrance. In 1860 he started in business for himself,
on Main Street near El Dorado, having bought out the stock of J. W. Scott.
In 1861 Mr. Cunningham was married
in Stockton to Miss Catherine Quirk, of the Isle of Man, who died April 4,
1875. They became the parents of three
children: Mrs. Lillian May Confer,
deceased; Margaret Ella; and Katherine Q., wife of Frank S. Boggs. Mr. Cunningham was a leading member of the
old Volunteer Fire Company, and in 1857 was elected a member of the Eureka
Engine company No. 2, and he soon stood at the head of the company as its
foreman. In 1865 he was chosen chief of
the Stockton Fire Department and served in that position for several terms.
In 1865, and again in 1870, Mr.
Cunningham was elected a member of the Stockton city council from the third
ward; and was distinguished for the soundness of his views upon all matters of
public interest presented during the term.
It was at this time when the question was before the city council of
granting a franchise by which the Stockton & Copperopolis Railroad could
gain access to the waterfront through Weber Avenue. Council Cunningham stood alone in determined
opposition to the measure; contending that railroads should reach the wharves,
mills and warehouses by some obscure route, as is being done today, but when
the final vote was taken upon the granting of the franchise, his vote was the
only one recorded in the negative. He
predicted then in his final stand before the vote was taken, that if the
railroad was kept off the avenue, that it would be the main business street of
the city, extending as it did from the waterfront to the Central Pacific depot
and out toward the tributary country beyond.
One can realize now, after more than forty years, the foresight of this
man at that time. It was a long, hard
fight to get the steam cars off Weber Avenue, and the boom it has taken as a
retail street with splendid, modern buildings since they were removed and the
electric street car system substituted is remembered by many of the residents.
In the fall of 1871 Mr. Cunningham
was nominated by the Republican Party for sheriff of San Joaquin County and
unanimously elected. He took office on the
first Monday in March, 1872, thus entering upon one of the longest and probably
the most notable career of any sheriff on the Pacific Coast. Pessimists on all sides wagged their heads
and prophesied that this “harness maker” would prove a dismal failure when
confronted with the duties of his office, but this adverse criticism proved a
blessing in disguise, for it aroused all the latent energies of his mind and
indomitable will. From that time until
his voluntary retirement in January, 1899, he was continuously in office, and
during the unsettled period of the early part of his career he had many
opportunities of showing his tact and courage.
In the saddle, over mountain passes and through swamps, about the
campfire and in the stealthy watch of the silent night, on guard for the good
of the commonwealth; from the trailing of Vasquez and his band for 6,000 miles
until they were finally run to earth near Los Angeles in 1873, up to the
tracking of the train robbers in south San Joaquin Valley in 1898, just before
he retired from office, he took a prominent part in every important man hunt in
the state; was at the seat of danger wherever there was a disturbance, as in
the Moquelemos grant and other settlers’ troubles;
and was in general a tower of strength on the side of law and order over the
wide territory where his influence was felt and his determination known.
One of the leading characteristics
of this remarkable man that enabled him to hold an office continuously for such
a length of time, was his kindly sympathy for even the most hardened
criminal. His manhood life abounded in
deeds of charity, known only through the recipients of his generosity. Between Thomas Cunningham in civil life and
social intercourse with his fellowmen, and Sheriff Cunningham in his constant
and fearless efforts for the suppression of crime within his jurisdiction, the
line was sharply drawn, and one is at a loss to understand how these two
qualities could combine to such a degree in the same individual. An illustration of the peculiar tact and
strategic ability that stood this veteran sheriff in hand throughout his
brilliant career, is the following: When
in 1894, during the extreme industrial depression of that year, a branch of
that army of unemployed and impecunious men, on their way to Washington to
present their grievances to the Government, rendezvoused at Sacramento, and
remained for months, exhausting the hospitality of its citizens and disturbing
the general peace of the community; the time came when they received orders to
move on and they then commenced preparation for a descent upon Stockton. Anticipating this visit Sheriff Cunningham
appeared before the board of supervisors and submitted his plan of operation,
asking their cooperation to the extent of appropriating a comparatively small
sum of money to enable him to prevent this infliction upon the community. The supervisors heartily approved the
sheriff’s plans, and freely voted the required aid. The “army” was soon on the march; but they
had heard of “Tom Cunningham,” and approached the borders of this county with
forebodings of a hostile reception. On
reaching the county line, to their surprise, they were met by the sheriff,
wearing his blandest smile, and with assurance of his hearty sympathy for them
in their forlorn condition, and that he would do all in his power to forward
them toward their ultimate destination.
He directed them to place their blankets and luggage on wagons he had
drawn up for the purpose and after partaking of a lunch prepared for them, they
were ready for the march to the camping ground in the city the sheriff had
kindly provided for them. Arrived on
Banner Island, a grand feast awaited them, comprising all the substantial and
delicacies of the season, and the inner man being fully satisfied, they were in
excellent good humor. About this time a
tug with two barges drew up to the landing.
The sheriff then informed them he had yet one more proof to offer of his
good intentions towards them. He had
provided these barges to speed them on their journey toward their destination,
to the extent of the navigable waters of the San Joaquin River. This announcement was received with loud
acclamations of approval, and they thereupon embarked with alacrity, and were soon
ready to bid adieu to Stockton and their good friend, Tom Cunningham.
In the conduct of the affairs of his
office, nothing escaped the sheriff’s searching scrutiny and he required from
his under-sheriff to the humblest attaché of the county jail, the same orderly
system and thoroughness in the discharge of the duties assigned him, as he
observed himself. As an instance of his
reputation and influence among the criminal element is the following: A young immigrant from the rural district of
England, after working hard and faithfully for three years on a ranch in the
Sacramento Valley, without once leaving the ranch, determined to make a trip to
San Francisco and deposit his savings at interest in the Hibernia Bank; so
taking a check for his three years’ wages, he took the train for the
metropolis. Being of a trusting
disposition, his fellow boarders in the house where he stopped were not long in
finding out the reason of his trip to San Francisco. In a short time he was inveigled into a game
of chance, made to endorse the check, and had soon lost every cent. The gamblers then magnanimously loaned him
enough money to pay his way back to the ranch, where he arrived heartbroken
from the loss of his three years’ labor.
In due time the check came back with another name endorsed upon it. The case was called to Mr. Cunningham’s
attention, and on his next trip to the city he took the check along with
him. Calling upon his friend, the
captain of the San Francisco detective force, he showed him the check and related
the story. “Come along with me up the
street,” said the captain, “we will see what we can do.” Arriving at the gambler’s place of business,
Mr. Cunningham remained outside upon the sidewalk, while the captain went
inside. Upon being shown the check, the
gambler grew very indignant. “It was his
own fault,” said the gambler, “he took a chance at the game and lost his
money.” “He knew nothing about your
game,” said the captain; “you have robbed the poor man of his three years’
savings, and I want the money back.”
“Where is your evidence?” said the gambler haughtily. “Tom Cunningham is waiting outside; he has
come down especially on this thing; you know he generally gets what he goes
after. I guess I will call him in.” Like a shot the gambler was at the front door
peering out stealthily. In a moment he
returned trembling like a leaf. “What
are you going to do?” said the captain. “Well,
don’t make any disturbance and I’ll dig up this time;” and he did, in hard gold
coin to the amount of the check, such was the terror of the crooked fraternity
of the name of “Tom Cunningham.”
Sheriff Cunningham was known and
honored by every officer of the law in California, from Oregon to San Diego,
and from the mountains to the sea, for his bravery, sagacity, sterling
integrity, and self-sacrificing devotion to the duties of his high and responsible
office. For forty-five years Stockton
was his home. Anything that came up for
its betterment found him a ready supporter.
Public-spirited, always giving aid to those less fortunate than himself;
and it will never be known how much he gave away in private relief. He belonged to many orders which worked for
the benefit of man. He was a member of
the Morning Star Lodge, F. & A. M.; Stockton Chapter, R. A. M.; Stockton
Council, R. & S. M.; and Stockton Commandery, K. T. He was also a member of Charity Lodge, I. O.
O. F., having joined in 1858; Stockton Lodge B. P. O. E.; Charter Oak Lodge, K.
P.; and Iroquois Tribe of Red Men. He
died suddenly of heart disease at Tuttletown, Tuolumne County, on November 26,
1900, while on a journey to a ratification meeting at Sonora after the
political campaign of that year. His
name was known throughout the length of California, and throughout the
adjoining states, as a name that carried with it respect and honor among law-abiding
citizens and fear among the criminal element; and his name stands out with that
of C. M. Weber, the founder of the city, as one that Stockton prizes most
during her first half century of existence.
There is engraved upon his tombstone in the Stockton Rural Cemetery the
following quotation emblematic of his life and death:
“Faithful
toiler, thy work all done,
Beautiful soul,
into glory gone;
Virtuous life,
with the crown now won,
God giveth thee rest.”
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
385-386. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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