Charles Menzies Cumming

Cumming and Son
Corsicana, TX

My Notes
Charles Menzies Cumming
(1836-1919)

Sources: Newspaper items as noted, city directories, state records, US census

1836 Sep 12
Tannadice, Angus, Scotland, C M Cumming is born to John Cummings and Elizabeth Stupard the youngest of 15 siblings
1851
Forfar, Angus, Scotland, at age 15 is working for father as a stationer’s apprentice
1857 Oct 19
Clyde, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland, C M Cumming marries Louise Payne Allison
1859 May 3
New York, NY, arrive in US as printer (Obituary says 1869)
1860 Mar 06
Augusta, GA, son Edward Roger Cumming is born
1861-1865
C M Cumming serves in the Confederate Army during the US civil war

1863 Jan 26
Georgia, son Charles Cumming is born
1865 abt
Georgia daughter Louisa Cumming is born
1868 abt
Georgia, daughter Kate Cumming is born
1870 Jun 10
Bainbridge, Decatur, GA, US census as Photographic Artist
1873 Jul 06
Bainbridge, GA state records daughter Maggie Cumming is born
1874
Bryan, TX Eagle news obituary says Cumming moved to Bremond, TX, that year (probably a guess)
1875 Oct 28
Bainbridge, GA state records daughter Alice C Cumming is born
1883 Jul 28
Corsicana, TX , state records son William Hines Cumming is born
1891
Dallas, TX, city directory NOT listed
1894
Dallas, TX city directory as music teacher; son Ed R Cumming working as a photo-printer for Weatherington Bros.

1896
Dallas, TX, city directory as photographer, music teacher; res 206 s Harwood; Son Edward at same address as photographer
1897
Dallas, TX, city directory as photographer
1900 Jun 07
Dallas, TX, US census and city directory as photographer
1910 Apr 20
Dallas, TX, US census as bookkeeper for a plumbing company
1911 Nov 13
Dallas, TX, state records, wife Louisa Payne Allison dies
1914
Dallas, TX, city directory, no occupation shown, son Edward working as photographer for R T Jones
1917
Dallas, TX, city directory, no occupation shown
1919 Dec 14
Dallas, TX, state records, death certificate, Charles Menzies Cumming dies of arteriosclerosis at age 83

It appears that C M Cumming was a photographer off and on throughout most of his life. In the US he lived in Georgia and Texas. In Texas he lived in Corsicana and Dallas.

He lived in Bainbridge, GA, between 1860 and 1875.
He was living in Corsicana, TX, in 1883 when his son William is born but there is a records gap so he could have moved there any time after 1875.

By 1894 C M Cumming is living in Dallas, TX. The 1893 Dallas, TX, city directory does NOT include a listing for him so perhaps he is still living in Corsicana, TX, that year.

This cabinet card would have been done in that period between 1875 and 1891. It is somewhat speculative but, C M Cumming and son Edward probably worked together sometime between 1883 and 1893 in Corsicana, TX.

Charles Menzies Cumming was a “part time” photographer and not a “traveling” photographer. It is doubtful that he had more than one studio at a time. His interests in religion, politics, music, and newspaper publishing probably kept him quite busy.

The (Bryan, TX) Eagle newspaper - 17 Dec 1919

photographer: Weatherington Bros
Temple, TX
example from auction site
(Weatherington is mentioned
in the timeline at 1894)

photographer: Weatherington Bros
Temple, TX
example from auction site
(Weatherington is mentioned
in the timeline at 1894)

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