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; unsuccessful campaign, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, Mercer County, 1822; 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. 

Unsuccessful campaign, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, Mercer County, 1822.

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.

A New Nation Votes (tufts.edu)