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Janet “Jessie” <I>Wood</I> Cumming

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Janet “Jessie” Wood Cumming

Birth
Garvald, East Lothian, Scotland
Death
1872 (aged 75–76)
Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama, USA
Burial
Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama, USA Add to Map
Plot
Square 19-Lot 153
Memorial ID
View Source
Janet Cumming, known as "Jessie," was the mother of Kate Cumming, buried nearby at Magnolia Cemetery. Kate followed the action at southern battlefields during the Civil War, nursed wounded and dying Confederate soldiers, and wrote about her experiences. Though Jessie and her husband David Cumming did not fully approve of Kate's work, they relied on her to bring back any word on the family's youngest child, James ("Jamie"), a member of Ketcham's, later Garrity's Artillery Battery, Alabama State.

Jessie Wood was born in 1796 (from her christening record although her grave marker says 1799) to George Wood and Janet McCarter in Garvald, East Lothian, Scotland. She was this couple's only child. Jessie's mother, Janet McCarter died from yellow fever when Jessie was a baby. Her father then married Agnes (Anny) Nicholson and they provided Jessie with many half-siblings.

Jessie's husband David Cumming was born in Aberdeen, Scotland in about April of 1799 to Thomas Cumming and Catherine Gavin. He was christened on April 17th 1799 at Saint Nicholas Church in Aberdeen and the church register spelled his surname "Cummine." David had a twin sister, Christina.

David's father, Thomas Cumming, had a long career at sea in the British Navy. He died at sea and was buried at sea.

David Cumming was educated at Robert Gordon's College in Aberdeen where he became proficient in mathematics. This talent, his knowledge of the sea and a favor owed helped him land a job as a shipping agent in Leith, Scotland when he was about 20. This is where he met Jessie. They married on November 7, 1820 in Aberdeen and had 13 children.

North Leith Parish Church recorded the christenings of their children:
Thomas Cumming, christened November 26, 1821 (died early)
William Gavin Cumming, christened May 25, 1823 (died early)
George Cumming, christened February 13, 1825 (born Jan 8, 1825). George, an engineer and successful inventor, married Marion Bain and they raised a family in San Francisco.
David Cumming and Janet Johnston Cumming (twins), were christened on Oct. 2, 1826. David was an inventor and moved from Mobile to New Jersey near New York City where he applied for patents. This is where he lived during the Civil War years. He died at his home in New Jersey.
His twin Janet, known as "Jessie," married Gavin Watson and had a son, Robert, and a daughter, Jessie.

Catharine (Kate) Cumming (Confederate nurse): She was born 5 Sept 1830, according to her diary entries. (Her diaries and other papers are kept in the Kate Cumming archive at the Alabama Department of Archives and History.)
On September 5, 1879, she wrote "My birthday. 49 years old."
On September 5, 1880, she wrote "50 years old today." (making her birth year 1830)
This is 6 years earlier than the year (1836) written on her grave marker at Magnolia Cemetery in Mobile. Kate's birth year changed from census to census. She may have been born as early as the year 1827, following the twins David and Jessie in Oct of 1826 and before the births of Jane and Mary Ann in 1828 and 1829. Kate did not marry, but was caregiver for her niece Jessie when after her mother (Kate's sister Jessie) died. Kate lived with her father in Birmingham until his death following eye surgery in Mobile.

Jane Cumming, born about 1828. Married 1st Alexander Sutherland and 2nd David Meriwether, former governor of Kentucky

Mary Ann Cumming, born about 1829. Married James Radcliffe.

In about 1830, the family relocated (with David's sisters Christina, Catharine and brother Thomas) to Halifax, Family letters refer to a farm where the families lived when they first arrive in Nova Scotia.
David Cumming worked as a clerk at the Bank of Montreal. He and Jessie had the following children whose birthdates are in the Quebec Vital and Church Records:
Alexandrina Simpson Cumming, born on July 27, 1833. Married James A.J. MacLeod and lived the rest of her life with her large family in New South Wales, Australia.
Christina Skakel Cumming, born on February 1, 1835. Married 1st Thomas Hogg; 2nd: Dr. Richard Wildman.
William Skakel Cumming, born on April 1, 1836 (died early)

David and Jessie then moved to New York City in about 1838 and had their last two children:

Agnes Cumming, born 1838. Married and divorced Darius Welch. Died in Texas.
James Rentoul Cumming, born 1840. Died in Texas. Did not marry.

The family was next seen in the 1850 US Census living in Mobile, Alabama.
David worked as a clerk and accountant at various businesses in Mobile.

During the Civil War, son James, known as "Jamie," was a member of Ketchum's, afterwards Garrity's Artillery Battery, Alabama State. Kate Cumming kept close tabs on her brother's whereabouts and health during the war as she nursed wounded Southern soldiers at many southern battle sites.

After Jessie's death in 1872, David moved to Birmingham, Alabama and lived with Kate, who had relocated there and was a teacher. He was losing his eyesight and went back to Mobile to undergo an eye operation at the home of his daughter Christina. The procedure went well and he was recuperating at Christina's house, but about a month after the surgery, David's health began to fail and he died on May 10, 1874.

His funeral service was on May 11, 1874 at St. John's Church in Mobile.
Janet Cumming, known as "Jessie," was the mother of Kate Cumming, buried nearby at Magnolia Cemetery. Kate followed the action at southern battlefields during the Civil War, nursed wounded and dying Confederate soldiers, and wrote about her experiences. Though Jessie and her husband David Cumming did not fully approve of Kate's work, they relied on her to bring back any word on the family's youngest child, James ("Jamie"), a member of Ketcham's, later Garrity's Artillery Battery, Alabama State.

Jessie Wood was born in 1796 (from her christening record although her grave marker says 1799) to George Wood and Janet McCarter in Garvald, East Lothian, Scotland. She was this couple's only child. Jessie's mother, Janet McCarter died from yellow fever when Jessie was a baby. Her father then married Agnes (Anny) Nicholson and they provided Jessie with many half-siblings.

Jessie's husband David Cumming was born in Aberdeen, Scotland in about April of 1799 to Thomas Cumming and Catherine Gavin. He was christened on April 17th 1799 at Saint Nicholas Church in Aberdeen and the church register spelled his surname "Cummine." David had a twin sister, Christina.

David's father, Thomas Cumming, had a long career at sea in the British Navy. He died at sea and was buried at sea.

David Cumming was educated at Robert Gordon's College in Aberdeen where he became proficient in mathematics. This talent, his knowledge of the sea and a favor owed helped him land a job as a shipping agent in Leith, Scotland when he was about 20. This is where he met Jessie. They married on November 7, 1820 in Aberdeen and had 13 children.

North Leith Parish Church recorded the christenings of their children:
Thomas Cumming, christened November 26, 1821 (died early)
William Gavin Cumming, christened May 25, 1823 (died early)
George Cumming, christened February 13, 1825 (born Jan 8, 1825). George, an engineer and successful inventor, married Marion Bain and they raised a family in San Francisco.
David Cumming and Janet Johnston Cumming (twins), were christened on Oct. 2, 1826. David was an inventor and moved from Mobile to New Jersey near New York City where he applied for patents. This is where he lived during the Civil War years. He died at his home in New Jersey.
His twin Janet, known as "Jessie," married Gavin Watson and had a son, Robert, and a daughter, Jessie.

Catharine (Kate) Cumming (Confederate nurse): She was born 5 Sept 1830, according to her diary entries. (Her diaries and other papers are kept in the Kate Cumming archive at the Alabama Department of Archives and History.)
On September 5, 1879, she wrote "My birthday. 49 years old."
On September 5, 1880, she wrote "50 years old today." (making her birth year 1830)
This is 6 years earlier than the year (1836) written on her grave marker at Magnolia Cemetery in Mobile. Kate's birth year changed from census to census. She may have been born as early as the year 1827, following the twins David and Jessie in Oct of 1826 and before the births of Jane and Mary Ann in 1828 and 1829. Kate did not marry, but was caregiver for her niece Jessie when after her mother (Kate's sister Jessie) died. Kate lived with her father in Birmingham until his death following eye surgery in Mobile.

Jane Cumming, born about 1828. Married 1st Alexander Sutherland and 2nd David Meriwether, former governor of Kentucky

Mary Ann Cumming, born about 1829. Married James Radcliffe.

In about 1830, the family relocated (with David's sisters Christina, Catharine and brother Thomas) to Halifax, Family letters refer to a farm where the families lived when they first arrive in Nova Scotia.
David Cumming worked as a clerk at the Bank of Montreal. He and Jessie had the following children whose birthdates are in the Quebec Vital and Church Records:
Alexandrina Simpson Cumming, born on July 27, 1833. Married James A.J. MacLeod and lived the rest of her life with her large family in New South Wales, Australia.
Christina Skakel Cumming, born on February 1, 1835. Married 1st Thomas Hogg; 2nd: Dr. Richard Wildman.
William Skakel Cumming, born on April 1, 1836 (died early)

David and Jessie then moved to New York City in about 1838 and had their last two children:

Agnes Cumming, born 1838. Married and divorced Darius Welch. Died in Texas.
James Rentoul Cumming, born 1840. Died in Texas. Did not marry.

The family was next seen in the 1850 US Census living in Mobile, Alabama.
David worked as a clerk and accountant at various businesses in Mobile.

During the Civil War, son James, known as "Jamie," was a member of Ketchum's, afterwards Garrity's Artillery Battery, Alabama State. Kate Cumming kept close tabs on her brother's whereabouts and health during the war as she nursed wounded Southern soldiers at many southern battle sites.

After Jessie's death in 1872, David moved to Birmingham, Alabama and lived with Kate, who had relocated there and was a teacher. He was losing his eyesight and went back to Mobile to undergo an eye operation at the home of his daughter Christina. The procedure went well and he was recuperating at Christina's house, but about a month after the surgery, David's health began to fail and he died on May 10, 1874.

His funeral service was on May 11, 1874 at St. John's Church in Mobile.


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  • Maintained by: JP
  • Originally Created by: Tim Childree
  • Added: Aug 12, 2012
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95275280/janet-cumming: accessed ), memorial page for Janet “Jessie” Wood Cumming (24 Apr 1796–1872), Find a Grave Memorial ID 95275280, citing Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama, USA; Maintained by JP (contributor 47920306).