Joseph Lewis Cunningham

Joseph Lewis Cunningham (1784–1843) or J. L. Cunningham worked as an auctioneer in Boston, Massachusetts, in the first half of the 19th century.[1] Among the many lots he sold were birds, horses, real estate, furniture, sea captains' charts, telescopes, American and European artworks, fishing line, feathers, fabric, guns, musical instruments, fruit trees, flower seeds, printers' equipment, and books.

Biography

Furniture and 100 pounds of Bologna sausages, 1825

His business partners included John J. Linzee (Linzee & Cunningham, India Wharf)[2][3] and Lemuel Blake (Blake & Cunningham, "respectable auctioneers and commission merchants").[4][5]

In the early 1820s he conducted his auctioneering from nos. 2-3 Liberty Square; a fire in 1825 forced him to move.[2][6] In 1826 he built Corinthian Hall, at the corner of Milk Street and Federal Street, and used "the first floor of the building for his extensive auction rooms."[7] "Mr. J. L. Cunningham has erected a noble building... where formerly stood the mansion... of Judge Paine. It has a number of fine halls in the second and third stories, and on the lower floor, is a spacious and commodious auction room; adjoining which, on each street, are several neat and elegant shops. The halls will be much wanted, and Mr. Cunningham is entitled to some thanks for thus arranging his costly building to the public convenience and accommodation."[8]

Portrait of Sarah Inman Linzee (1st wife of J.L. Cunningham), by Gilbert Stuart, early 19th century

He married three times, in 1807 to Sarah Inman Linzee (1787-1820), in 1821 to Mary Ann Inman (d.1825), and in 1828 to Catherine Amory.[9] He lived in Boston on Somerset Street (c. 1807)[2] and Bedford Street (c. 1823).[10] He attended Trinity Church.[11]

He died in 1843, and was "buried in vault no.32 under old Trinity Church, Boston, afterwards removed to Mt. Auburn cemetery in Cambridge."[12] A trade auction of "books, stereotype plates and stationery, formerly held by J.L. Cunningham" brought in an "amount... unusually large, between 80 and 100,000 dollars."[13]

Auctions conducted by J.L Cunningham

Canary birds, 1824
"Nautical instruments, charts, &c... of the late Capt. Charles S. Winship," 1824

References

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  1. ↑ Massachusetts directory: being the first part of the New-England directory. Boston: John Hayward, 1835. Google books
  2. 1 2 3 Boston Directory. 1807
  3. 1 2 Boston Gazette, 1812-1815
  4. ↑ Lemuel Blake (1775-1861). Cf. "Quarterly obituary." New England historical and genealogical register, July 1861
  5. ↑ Blake & Cunningham, auctioneers, no.5 Kilby. Cf. Boston Directory. 1823
  6. ↑ Very destructive fire. National Aegis (Worcester, Mass.), April 13, 1825
  7. ↑ Corinthian Hall also had space "which was finished for an assembly room, has become a fashionable place for the meeting of cotillion parties. It was first opened by Mons. Lebasse, for his Dancing Assembly, on the 4th of October, 1826." Cf. Bowen's picture of Boston, 3rd ed. 1838.
  8. ↑ A new hall. Boston news letter. Sept. 2, 1826. Google books
  9. ↑ Henry Winchester Cunningham. Andrew Cunningham of Boston and some of his descendants: a brief genealogy. Boston: 1901
  10. ↑ Boston Directory. 1823
  11. ↑ John William Linzee. The Lindeseie and Limesi families of Great Britain: including the probates at Somerset house, London, England, of all the spellings of the name Lindeseie from 1300 to 1800. Boston: Fort Hill Press, 1917. Google books
  12. ↑ Linzee. 1917.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Daily Atlas (Boston), 1841-1843
  14. ↑ The Repertory; Date: 05-11-1815
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 Boston Commercial Gazette, 1820-1826
  16. ↑ Boston Daily Advertiser, June 20, 1822
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Independent Chronicle & Boston Patriot, 1823-1825
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Columbian Centinel, 1823-1825
  19. ↑ Executor's Sale. Catalogue of Valuable Cabinet and other Oil Paintings; and a large number of superior engravings; to be sold at Public Auction, on Wednesday & Thursday, March 30th & 31st, at 9 and 3 o'clock each day, at Joy's Buildings, Cornhill Square, by the Order of the Executors of the late N. Delvaltooth, Esq.
  20. ↑ "Smithsonian Inst.".
  21. ↑ New England Farmer, Nov. 13, 1829
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