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February 20, 2013

Benjamin Philip Cuny Family



Benjamin Philip Cuny was born in Rapides Parish on July 19, 1804 to the marriage of Richard Edmond Cuny and Tabitha Judith Wells.  He moved to Sicily Island where he married Jane Catherine Lovelace in 1832.

Jane was born on August 15, 1814 to the marriage of George Washington Lovelace and Sophia Dorcas Wells.  Sophia was a sister to Tabitha.

Benjamin was a planter and served as a constable in Sicily Island from 1846-1857.  He died on April 18, 1883 and Jane died after June of 1900.

Benjamin is buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island.  Jane's date of death and location of burial are unknown at this time.

The Benjamin Philip Cuny Family Papers are part of the Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections housed in the Hill Memorial Library at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Cuny Family Papers



The following children were born to the marriage of Benjamin Philip Cuny and Jane Catherine Lovelace:
  1. Alexander Hamilton
  2. Stephen Edmond
  3. Maria A.
  4. Henry Thomas
  5. Theodore Cholett
  6. Mary Jane
  7. Fannie Lovelace
  8. Emma Tabitha
  9. Richard Roland  
1.  Alexander Hamilton Cuny was born circa 1835.  On November 15, 1855, he married Sarah Jane Smith.  Both died after 1870 but no confirmation of dates of death or location of burials are known at this time.  Census records for 1860 and 1870 indicate only one child was born to the marriage of Alexander and Sarah.
Emma Elizabeth, abt 1862-aft 1900 (m. Peter Herriff, abt 1842-after 1900).  Emma and Peter Herriff were married on April 27, 1880 and had one child, Amy Elizabeth (1886-1973; m. Joseph Earl Boyle, 1904-1966).  Peter and Emma also raised three daughters born to Peter and his first wife, Elisa J.  These daughters, Carrie (b. 1868), Mamie (b. 1873; m. J. P. Clark) and Alta (b. 1878, m. Wiley Shamblin) were born in Illinois between 1868 and 1878. 
2.  Dr. Stephen Edmond Cuny was born circa 1837.  In 1861, he is listed as a medical student at the University of Louisiana.


Dr. Cuny had two sons from his first marriage (wife's name unknown).
William Benjamin, Sr., 1865-1948 (m. Alice Fenella Ensminger, 1878-1945); Both are buried in the Old Winnsboro Cemetery in Franklin Parish.  (Editor's note:  tombstone photographs are courtesy of Shirley Burks Wells at FindAGrave.com)
Stephen Edmond, Jr., 1869-1933 (m. Delia May, 1875-1910)
In 1874, Dr. Cuny married Rosa Morris (1856-abt 1880) in Franklin Parish.  No children were born to this marriage.

After Rosa's death, Dr. Cuny married a third time to Martha "Mattie" Ditto (1853-?).  Mattie was born to the marriage of William Lego Ditto, Jr. and Levinia A. Holstein.  One son was born to this marriage.
Marion Ditto, 1882-1887; Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island.

The dates of death and location of burials for Dr. Cuny and his three wives are unknown at this time.

3.  Maria A. Cuny was born on September 28, 1839.  Her first marriage was to William Henry Gillespie.  William died on September 3, 1878 and is buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island.



Two children were born to this marriage.
George Lovelace, January 10, 1868-March 8, 1869
Laura, circa 1869
William Henry, Jr., February 8, 1872-1940 (m. 1.  Ellen Claudia German, 1876-1950; m. 2. Edith C. Wales, 1890-1959)
Maria's second marriage was to John W. Whansley*.  The location of John W. Whansley's burial is unknown at this time.

One child was born to this marriage.
Thomas Benjamin, February 7, 1880
Maria A Cuny Gillespie Whansley is buried in the Rapides Cemetery in Pineville, Rapides, Louisiana.  (Editor's note:  tombstone photograph is courtesy of Karl and Paula T. Morely at FindAGrave.com; *also of note, the tombstone states 2nd husband's name was Wamsby.  Marriage records show his name as Wansley)



4.  Henry Thomas Cuny was born circa 1843.  The 1860 census shows him living with his parents in Sicily Island.  No other information is confirmed on Henry Cuny.

5.  Theodore Cholett Cuny was born circa 1844.  On October 27, 1880, he married Lillie Alice Harper who was born in 1858 to the marriage of Dr. Miles Hampton Harper and Letetia Ann Lum.

Theodore died on November 29, 1897.  The location of his burial is unknown at this time.  Lillie remarried to C. F. Perry and died on October 27, 1940 in Mobile AL.  No children were born to this marriage.

6.  Mary Jane Cuny was born circa 1848.  She married J. D. Blount on November 22, 1871 in Catahoula Parish.   J. D. Blount died before 1880.  His date of death and burial location are unknown at this time.  Jane is shown in the 1880 census as a widow living with her parents and two children.
Fred, 1873
Charley, 1875

7.  Fannie Lovelace Cuny was born on August 17, 1849.  On January 10, 1872, she married Thomas M. Clarke in Franklin Parish.  Thomas died in 1885.  His date of death and burial location are unknown at this time.  Fannie died on December 3, 1933 and is buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island.






The following children were born to the marriage of Fannie Lovelace Cuny and Thomas M. Clarke:

Rosa Lovelace, 1875-1958; Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island.



Fannie Jeanette "Nettie", 1875-1960; Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island.


8.  Emma Tabitha Cuny, 1851-1854; Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island.  (Editor's note:  tombstone photograph is courtesy of Karen Klemm Pinckard at FindAGrave.com)


9.  Richard Roland Cuny, 1853-1855; Buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island.  (Editor's note:  tombstone photograph is courtesy of Karen Klemm Pinckard at FindAGrave.com)



Additional information on Maria A. Cuny family was provided by her descendant, Heather Lee.

5 comments:

  1. This information is wonderful. BP is my 4th great grandfather his daughter Maria Augusta Gillespie is my 3rd great grandmother. Unfortunately, I'm running into the big block that my family actually came out of Maria and Captain William Gillespie's only surviving son William Gillespie. There is just no information on the Captain other than the information of what role he played in the war :( I have had no luck figuring out his family information.But thank you for all of this.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Heather, Thank you for commenting. I certainly know about those big blocks (I often call them brick walls) and have several of them on both my maternal and paternal sides. If I run across more information on Captain William Gillespie, I will update the blog post. Good luck with your research and thank you for reading my blog!

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    2. Heather, I found a newspaper article from 1869 that mentions the death of Capt. Gillespie's child in 1869. I'm wondering if this child is Laura but Laura shows up on the 1870 census. Was there a 3rd child born to the marriage of Maria and William? Please email me at rootsfromthebayou@gmail.com.

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    3. HI D.E.B,
      I'm so sorry i never saw your response and only wandered back on to your posting tonight. I'm so glad to see you found more information about my grandfather Captain William Gillespie's role in war. I have looked through the family bible and do not see any information about "Laura". I do show there was a George Lovelace Gillespie son to M.A and W.H. Gillespie born on Sicily Island Jan 10th 1868 and departed this life on March 8th 1869. Then of course I see my second great grandfather William Henry Gillespie born on Sicily Island February 8th, 1872 and his half brother Thomas Benjamin Whansley Born February 7th, 1880. I don't know if you would like to update your information for future family members but Captain William Henry Gillespie departed this life on Sept 3rd 1878. Maria A. Cuny was born on Sicily Island, LA September 28th, 1839.

      Hopefully I can make my way to Sicily Island soon to see where my family began.

      Thanks again for all your help!

      Heather Lee

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    4. Heather, Thank you for the additional information. I have updated the post accordingly. I'm really curious about the daughter, Laura. I have Laura listed as their child due to the 1870 census. What are your thoughts on this census? Different William H and Maria, possibly?

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