A·6 
Lowellville Has 
;Its Cunninghams 
By KAREN GUY 
Vindicator StalT Writt1; 
In a 1939 Vindicator colum'n, Esther Hamilton 
posed the question: "Who lives in L0'l'ell v ille, any· 
way?" ! 
. 'Answering the question, t ure Dealers, Funeral Di 
Miss Hamilton provided a rectors and Originators or 
roll of famil y names, with Low Prices." \ 
'I:Cu nningh,aTT)" heading the According to the nyer 
1St, and rightly so on many the furniture store offered 
counts, considering (he the "choicest assortment" of 
family lived and prospered furniture, carpets, mattings, 
in and around Lowellville lace curtains, brass and iron 
for many. many years. beds and many other "use-' 
, 'According, to a 1940's (ul and ornamenta'" house 
Vindicator article by Bob hold items. 
Cunningham. published on The piece also boasted: 
the 25th ,anniversary of the "During the past seven 
v iJlage's incorporation, years we have built up an 
lowellville was seWed in enormous business on its 
1800 by John McGilL own merits, of which we are 
,The village was actually justly proud, and now in our 
called McGill's Mills until new store we enter upon a 
1836, when the name was new career and ask our 
officially changed with the friends to rejoice with us." 
establishment of a post of· The store was' open from 
rice. 7 a.m. to 1 t p.m., with music 
. Whil e McGill and his provided from 7 to 10 p.m, 
prother" Robert, are cred- Readers ,were promised a 
ited '3S the first settlers, "ha~dsome souvenir" as a 
Jesse Cunningham, recog- remembrance. 
nized as the first Cunning· From 1920 to 1932, the 
ham in the village, arHved business was owned by J. 
!n.J:::~ was an ~ncl~ of ~~~~~;}~~he;h~a~;~drei~al\~ 
Ralph. ' Cunningham who~ his father' cashed / in insur· 
with his daughter a~d 'son· ance policies ' and used life 
in'- Iaw, Kathy and Paul savings to make the pur· 
yeoushan of Poland, now chase. " 
owns and operates a ,Low- Jessie founded .the funeral 
ellville furniture business. service at the turn of the 
Ralph became involved be· century. Ralph saId that the 
cause his father, Arthur M., business, now located at 219 
lIth of 12 children, had E. Wood St., was at the time 
lived with and worked rol" of its fo':!nding represenla 
Jesse. .tive of its, day in that it' of 
, The J. Cunningham Fur- fered a livery service and 
niture Store was founded at coffin selection. -
w.haUs_now_ 123_E._Wat.er_ JDdies..were shown "at ttae 
\ St., moved to the first noor time in the home of the de-
of the old opera house, and ceased,. Cunningham said. 
still later moved to jts pre- Embalming, however, was 
sent'location. done for a lo~g time In the 
In 1903, the store was homestead section of the 
f~5'th~~es~~~~e~!~~v~~ ~~ ~~~~t~;e w:;of~~at:~dt~~~: 
have been built by either as well. ! './ 
the McNevin or Watson He added that before his 
families. death, Jesse had embarked 
In the Oyer advertising on .one of his little kn,own 
the grand opening at the bUSiness ventures, promot· 
present location, slated for ing a hemorrhoid treatment 
May 25, 1903, Cunningham he had invented himself. 
and his 'partn~r at the time, ' One of the .chief ingre-
9aniel Davidson. who dients in the treatment was 
found ed Davidson-Becker - of course - formalde· 
Funeral Homes of Struthers hyde. Jesse did well with it 
billed themselves as "Furni: until the Great Depression, 
Whet sales "*droPP:d drasti-
cally. I ' 
Although he said he is ' 
hfsou~is~~n~a~~d mi~m!:ilia~! 
\ ~ ~~i~ypro~Jlgr oni! or~Tsh:~~ 
cestors, Alexander Wright, 
~iO~~lle~~~ev!~t~~~. Constitu-
\ The family has some of . 
Wright's letters and pOints 
out that he was among those 
who demanded that a bill of 
rights be added to the Con· 
stitution. 
Ralph's brother, Arthur, 
owns Cunningham Furni· 
ture in Alliance, and the 
ramil y also has a runeral 
home in Poland, which it 
opened in 1963, 
, Ralph and his wife, the 
fOI,'mer Charlotte Miller, live 
at 1212 Bedford Road whil e 
his mother, Mrs. Marcia 
Cunningham, li ves in 
Struthers. 
In additi on to Kathy, the 
Cunninghams have two oth· 
er daughters, Marcia Sieg of 
Birmingham. Mich., and 
Suanne Rowe or Rockville, 
Md. They also have seven 
grandchildren. 
Record Numhers Seek 
,Salvation:Army's Help 
~te:lwo~k~rs r~nning out of ~enerits, and people "The need is unbelieva· 
The Vlndicnor/Pl ul R. Schell 
LUnn'nRlha,n. who with his daughter and son-In-law owns and operates Cunnlng-
Water from the Furniture Slore which the family has opera led since the 
co!~~~c~nf~I:~::\lC~~~n:c;:~gham businesses - furniture slore and a mortuary - 'have 
Ad Salf 
Schell 
Is Pro 
COLUMBUS (P 
scheme involving I 
. advertising in pi 
enforcement journ 
der investigation 
Ohio attorney ge" 
fice. 
Ri chard C. rarri 
~~~ti~~~r~~~~leln~~ 
businesses are the 
target':; of the scam 
HWe had the sal 
lem about five ye 
Farrin said. "The. 0 
are usually condt 
ther through an 
telephone campai~ 
mail or by a comb. 
both," 
Farrin explained 
vidual or organizat 
ating. lhe campaigl 
say they're calling 
of Han orricial -sour 
tional policf.'orficer 
tion - such as tI 
Officer Associat 
America - and in: 
local affi liation." 
According to F a 
businesses ar~ tol· 
pitch thal ,the org, 
is conducting thei 
or q1Jarterly driv( 
advertiSing in the jc 
"It is also ill1plied 
funds are gOing to I 
sist officers or wid 
~~ld~~ns of slain orfi 
"Just the word 
causes a lot or p 
give without , any 
questions. The busi 
or woman is usual. 
to write a check an 
body will stop by t 
up." 
The most Sl 
scam, however, 
ducted by · the 0 
sending a series or 
type statements thr 
mail. 
"Sometimes, th~ 
nesses are repeatf 
voiced - either 
salJle journal or 
journals, II Farrin 
"Some guys buy i 
time. 
"Typically, thes! 
ments look like Be 
voices. Often, 
businessman is so 1 
just signs the invo 
• thorizing payment, 
really knowing what 
'doing." 
Farri n said the < 
or the billings an 
small, ranging rrom 
$50, and usually 
scrutiny. The scherr 
on additional' credibi 
,cause the journal ca 
official -sounding Ilaf 
A·I; 
Lowellville Has 
Its Cunninghams 
By KAREN GOY 
Vindicator Staft' Write, 
In a 1939 Vindicator column, Esther Hamilton 
posed the question: "Who lives "in Lowellville, any-
I _ u " 
way?" . 
Answering the question, 
Miss Hamilton provided a 
roll of family names, with 
~'Cunningham" heading the 
list, and rightly so on ma,ny 
counts, considering the 
family lived and prospered 
in and around Lowellville 
for many, many years . 
. According ' to a 1940's 
Vindicator article by . Bob 
published on 
ture Dealers, Funeral Di 
rectors and Originators of 
Low Prices." , 
According to" the flyer, 
the furniture store offered 
the "choicest assortment" of 
furnitur.e, carpets, mattings, 
lace curtains, brass and iron 
beds and many other "use 
ful and ornamental" house-
hold items. ' 
The piece also boasted: 
the 
"iIlage's years we up an 
Lowellville was settled in enormous business on its 
1800 by John McGill. own merits, of which we are 
,IThe village was actually justly proud,. and now in our 
called McGill's Mills until new store we enter upon a 
1836, when . the name was new career and ask our 
officially changed with the friends to rejoice with us." 
establishment of a post of- The store was open from 
fice. . 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., with music 
,While McGill and his provided from 7 to 10 p.m. 
brother, \ Robert, are cred- Readers were promised a 
'ited 'as" the first settlers, "handsome souvenir" as a 
Jesse Cunningham, recog- remerribrance. 
nized as the first Cunning- From 1920 to 1932, the 
ham in the -village, arrived business was owned by J. 
in 1896. Marquette, who sold it to 
'Jesse was an uncle of Ralph's father. Ralph recalls 
Ralph Cunningham, who, his father cashed , in insur 
with his daughter and son- ance policies ' and used life 
in'-iaw, Kathy and Paul , savings to make the pur-
¥eoushan of Poland, now chase. \ 
owns and operates a Low- Jessie founded the funeral 
' ell ville fumiture business. service at the turn of the 
Ralph became involved be-~eiltl!ry. Ralph_sl,lid that tbe 
cause his father; Arthur M., business, now located at 219 
11th of 12 children, had E. Wood St., was at the time 
lived with and ' worked for of its founding representa 
Jesse. .tive of ,its day in that it of-
The J. Cunningham Fur- fer,ed a livery service and 
niture Store was founded at coffin selection. -
what is now 123 E. Water Bodies were shown at 1t1e 
St.,moved to the first floor time in the home of the de 
of the old opera house, and ceased" Cunningham said. 
still later moved to jts pre- Embalming, however, was 
sent location. . done for a 10I,lg time in the 
In 1903, the store was homestead section of the · 
physically connected to an furniture store, and 'the 
1.853 homestead believed to morgue was located there 
have been built by either as well. 
the McNevin or Watson He added that before his 
families. . death, Jesse had embarked 
In the flyer ' advertising on one of his little known 
the grand opening at the business ventures, promot 
present location, slated for ing a hemorrhoid treatment 
May 25, 1903, Cunningham he had invented himself. 
and his 'partner at the time, ' One of the .chief ingre 
Daniel Davidson. who dients in the treatment was 
founded Davidson-Becker - of course - formalde 
Funeral Homes of Struthers, hyde. Jesse did well with it 
billed themselves as "Furni- until the Great Depression, 
THE YOUNGSTOWN VINDICATOR, PNDA Y, DECEM I 
COMPREHENSIVE BUSINESS ..... A horse-powered hearse'vas proullc!: 
Iy displayed ' in front ,of tbe Lowellville store when it alsG the 
mortuary. Picturell above are Jesse Cunningham, the busi-
'** * 
when sales dropped drasti-
cally. ' ; :' , 
Although he said he is 
proud of many 'members of 
his distant and immediate 
- family, Ra'lph is perhaps 
most proud of one of his an 
cestors, Alexander Wright, 
a delegate to the Constitu 
tional Convention. 
The family has some of 
Wright's letters and points 
out that he was among those 
who demanded that a bill-of  
rights be added to the Con-
stitution. . 
Ralph's brother, ' Arthur, 
owns Cunningham Fu·rni 
ture in Alliance, and the 
family also has a funeral 
. home · in "Poland, which 'it 
opened in 1963. ' 
Ralph and his wife, ' the 
fot:'mer'Tharlotte Miller, live 
at 1212 Bedford Road while 
his mother, Mrs. Marcia 
Cunningham, lives in 
Struthers. ___ 
In' addition. to Kathy, the 
Cunninghams have two oth 
er daughters, Marcia Sieg of 
Birmingham, Mich., and 
Suanne Rowe of Rockville, 
Md. They also have seven 
grandchildren. 
nes! 
RecordN umbers Seek 
.SalvationArrnv's HelD 
\ 
STILL GOING STRONG - .Ralph Cunningham, . 
L __ 'r''' ____ !! A. _____ .... __ ..:11 __ • ___ ....., _ _ ... ...... . .. . .... . • 
* Iropped drasti-
he said he is 
:ly members of 
md immediate 
Ih is perhaps 
f one of his an 
:ander Wright, 
I the Constitu 
Ition. 
. has some of 
~rs and points 
IS among those 
!d that a bill of 
ed to the Con-
;>ther, Arthur, 
19ham Furni 
.n!:e, 3r!C -- t-n c 
has a funeral 
and, which it 
l. 
his wife, the 
tte Miller, live 
rd Road while 
Mrs. Marcia 
lives in 
to Kathy, the 
have two oth 
VIarcia Sieg of 
Mich., and 
of Rockville, 
) have seven 
~k 
elp 
s unbelieva 
mo said. Yet, 
f1 n 6,. .... ,"",,,, ~ ... 
The Vindicator/ Paul R. ScheU 
Ralph Cunningham, who with his daughter and son-in-law owns and operates Cunning-
ham Furniture, stands East Water Street from the Furniture store which the family has operated since the 
turn of the century. F by an uncle, the Cunningham businesses - furniture store and a mortuary - 'have 
been leaders in Lowellv~le commerce for many years. . . 
au 
S 
I~ 
COLl 
scheme 
adverti 
enforce 
der in 
Ohio at 
fice. 
Rich" 
the ch; 
section, 
busines: 
targets 
"We 
lem ab( 
Farrin ~ 
are USl 
ther th 
telephOl 
mail or 
both." 
FarriI 
vidual a 
ating th 
say the~ 
of "an ( 
tional p< 
tion -
Officer 
America 
local affi 
Accol' 
; business 
pitch tho 
is condl 
or qUar1 
advertisi 
"It is " 
funds ar' 
sist offic 
~~d~~ns. 
"Just 
causes" 
give Wi1 
questiom 
or woma 
to write 
body wil 
up." 
The 
scam, h 
ducted 
sending c 
type stat, 
mail. 
"So met 
nesses ,a 
voiced -
sa~e jo; 
journals," 
"Some gl 
time. 
"Typic; 
ments .10' 
voices. 
businessn 
just sigm 
· thorizing 
really knc 
'doing." 
,Farrin 
of. the ' b 
small, rar 
$50, and 
scrutiny. ' 
on additio 
cause the 
official-so 
"We've 
A-6 
Lowellville Has 
Its Cunninghams 
By KAREN GUY 
Vindicator Staff Writer 
In a 1939 Vindicator column, Esther Hamilton 
posed the question: "Who lives in L01.yellville, any 
way?" 
Answering the question, ture Dealers, Funeral Di 
Miss Hamilton provided a rectors and Originators of 
roll of family names, with Low Prices." 
"Cunningham" heading the According to the flyer, 
list, and rightly so on many the furniture store offered 
counts, considering the the "choicest assortment" of 
family lived and prospered furnitur.e, carpets, mattings, 
in and around Lowellville lace curtains, brass and iron 
for many, many years. beds and many other "use-
According to a 1940's ful and ornamental" house-
Vindicator article by Bob hold items. . 
Cunningham, published on The piece also boasted: 
the 25th anniversary of the "During the past seven 
village's ' incorporation, years we have built up an 
Lowellville was settled in enormous business on its 
1800 by John McGill. own merits, of which we are 
,The village was actually justly proud, and now in our 
called McGill's Mills until new store we enter upon a 
1836, when .the name was new career and ask our 
officially changed with the friends to rejoice with us." 
establishment of a post of-The store was open fro m 
fice . 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., with music 
While McGill and his provided from 7 to 10 p.m. 
brother,\ Robert, are cred- Readers were promised a COMP- REHENSIVE B' USINESS - A 
'ited as' the first 'settlers, "handsome souvenir" as a hOlrse,-p('w(~red 
Jesse Cunningham, reco'g- remembrance. ly displayed in front of the n,~~~~1~1~!';~~;!~ 
nized as the first Cunning- From 1920 to 193 2, the mortuary_ Pictured above are Jesse Cunnln@:ham. f( 
ham in the village, arrived business was owned by J. '* * ' * 
in 1896. " Marquette, who sold it to when sales dropped drasti· 
Jesse was an uncle of Ralph's father. Ralph recalls cally. ' " " 
Ralph Cunningha'm, who, his father ,cashed , in insur· Although he said he is 
with his daughter and son· ance pohcles and used hfe proud of many members of 
inCJaw, Kathy and Paul savmgs to make the pur- his distant and immediate 
Yeoushan. of- Poland, now _.chase... , ...• family, .Ralph is .. perhaps 
owns and operates a Low· Je:;sie founded the funeral most proud of one of his an· 
ellville furniture business, service at the turn of the cestors, Alexander Wright, 
Ralph became involved be· century. Ralph said that the a delegate to the Constitu-
cause his father, Arthur M., busmess, now located at 219 tional Convention, 
11th of 12 children had E. Wood St., was at the time The family has some of 
lived with and work~d for of its founding representa· Wright's letters and 
Jesse. .tive of its day in that it of· out that he was among those 
The J, Cunningham Fur- fered a livery ser:,yice and who demanded that a bill of 
, niture Store was founded at coffin ~electlOn. . rights be added to the Con-
--Wtmt-i~_2Tfr.-Wat-er--Bodles...lllLere.shll.JllILa~sbtution,. ..' " " 
St., moved to the first floor time in the home of the de- Ralph's brother, ' Arthur, 
of the old opera house, and ceased" , Cunnmgham said. owns Cunningham Furni· 
still later moved to jts pre- Embalmmg, however!. was ture in . Alliance, 'imd the-
sent location. done for a long, time 10 the family also has a funeral 
In 1903, the store was homestead sectIOn of , the home in .Poland, which. it 
physically connected to an furniture store, and the opened in 1963. . 
1853,homestead behev~d to morgue was located there Ralph and his w,ife, the 
have ,been built by either as well. , , former~Charlotte Millet, live 
the McNevin or Watson He added that before hiS at 1212 Bedford Road while 
families. death, Jesse, had embarked his mother, Mrs. Marcia 
In the flyer advertising on one of hiS httle knpwn Cunningham, lives in 
the grand opening at the ~usmess ventures, promot· Struthers. ~ 
present location, slated for 109 a hemorrhOldtreatment In addition to Kathy, the 
May 25, 1903, Cunnmgham he had mvented himself, Cunninghams have two oth· 
and his partner at the time, ' ,One , of the .chlef mgre· er daughters, Marcia Sieg of 
Daniel Davidson, who dlents m the treatment was Birmingham, Mich., and 
founded Davidson·Becker - of course, - formalde· Suanne Rowe of Rockville, 
Funeral Homes of Struthers, hyde, Jesse did well With It Md. They also have seven 
billed themselves as "Furni· until the Great DepreSSIOn, grandchildren. 
R pp.or.-l ,Numbers Seek 
"