Posted on: HALIFAX CO, VA QUERY FORUM Reply Here: http://genconnect.rootsweb.com/gc/USA/Va/Halifax/12307 Surname: Cuningham, Wilson ------------------------- Alexander Cuningham of Petersburg, Va (1776 -1849) was the owner of Cunningham Store in Person County. His father was also named Alexander Cuningham and was from Edinburgh, Scotland. He ran a wholesale merchandise business in Petersburg, Va with his brother Richard. and speculated in land in many states. He imported goods from England for distribution to retailers in the southeast. In 1814 He married Mary (Patsey) Wilson (1792-1886) daughter of John Wilson who built Dans Hill near Danville, Va. In the early 1820's he opened Cunningham's Store along the border with Halifax County, Va and Person County, NC. He built his home called Waverly near the store was on the mainline of the stagecoach route from Petersburg, Va to Hillsborough, NC. In the late 1800s it was the location of the train stop on the Norfolk, Va to Danville, Va rail line. It also served as the post office for the area till 1908 when Alton, Va became the post office. Alexander and his son John Wilson Cuningham (born Petersburg, Va 1820- 1887) built up the plantation to include 8000 acres and became one of the wealthiest planters in the area. He owned at one time 193 slaves. The Cuningham home called Waverly still exists on Cuningham Road in Person County along with the cemetery where Alexander Cuningham and 7 generations are buried. Waverly was built from 1824 to 1834. The chapel on the grounds of Waverly was used by the Episcopal Church and by travelers passing on the stage line.