Biography

03/30/1790 - 03/28/1855

Thomas Scott Cunningham (National Republican23) Crawford, Erie and Mercer Counties 1829-1831 (D23) Crawford, Erie and Mercer Counties 1831-1837

Early Life:

Thomas Scott Cunningham, born March 30, 1790, Washington County, Pennsylvania; son of Alexander and Elizabeth Scott Cunningham; subscription school education; Washington College, 1811; read law, admitted, Washington County bar, 1813; Mercer County, 1817; appointed, deputy attorney general, Mercer County; federal appointment, Mercer County postmaster; married, Matilda Cook, 1824, daughter, Elizabeth Cunningham; elected, Federalist, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1825-1827; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1827-1828; elected, Jackson (Democrat), Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1828-1829; elected, National Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1829-1831; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1831-1837, elected, Senate Speaker, 1835; elected, Whig, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1838-1839, elected, House Speaker; teacher, normal school, Mercer Borough, 1840-1844; second federal appointment, Mercer County postmaster; associate judge, Mercer County, 1849-1855; died, March 28, 1855, Mercer, Pennsylvania; No burial information available. 

Pennsylvania Politics: 

Appointed, Governor William Findlay, deputy attorney general, Mercer County. 

Federal appointment, Mercer County postmaster. 

Elected, Federalist, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, Mercer County, 1825-1827. 

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives Mercer County, 1827-1828. 

Elected, Jackson (Democrat), Pennsylvania State House of Representatives Mercer County, 1828-1829.

Elected, National Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 23rd district, Crawford, Erie and Mercer Counties, 1829-1831. 

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 23rd district, Crawford, Erie and Mercer Counties, 1831-1837, appointed, Chairman, Judiciary Committee, elected, Senate Speaker, 1835.  

Elected, Whig, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, Mercer County, 1838-1839, elected, House Speaker, 1838. 

Second federal appointment, Mercer County postmaster. 

Associate judge, Mercer County, 1849-1855. 

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Biography:

Not currently available. 

Cited:

Cox, Harold "Senate Members "C". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

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