750 understand that he was born in Pennsylvania, and in early manhood was united in marriage to a Miss Deam, a sister of Henry H. Deam. We have made some effort and inquiry to learn something of his family and of his life work, but our information has been very meager indeed. We do not know just when he embraced the gospel; but he was among the first who became interested in the movement to reorganize the church. He was one among the first chosen to the office of apostle in the Reorganization, and was ordained on April 8,1853, by J. W. Briggs, H. H. Deam, and Z. H. Gurley.
In the summer of 1854, there occurred a division among the leading men of the church in regard to the subject of rebaptism. Elder Cunningham, with Elders Aaron Smith, H. H. Deam, Ethan Griffith, and others urged the necessity of all being rebaptized. This view was opposed by the other party under the leadership of J. W. Briggs and Z. H. Gurley. The advocates of rebaptism were overruled. This finally terminated in what was known as the Deam party, of which Elder Cunningham was one. They formed some kind of an organization, and at the October Semiannual Conference of 1854, they were disfellowshiped, and Elders Cunningham and Deam were expelled from the Quorum of the Twelve. The minutes of the Semiannual Conference held at Zarahemla, Wisconsin, in October, 1855, contains this information: "John Cunningham, one of the expelled apostles, made application to be received back into the church. The conference decided by vote that he could be reinstated by baptism." The conditions were probably rejected by Elder Cunningham, as we have no further information of his having been in fellowship with the church. We are informed that he died some years ago at Blanchardville, Wisconsin.
GEORGE WHITE.
Of George White, but little is known. He was an Englishman by birth. He was identified with the Reorganization in its beginning, and was one of the first seven who were ordained apostles. He was ordained to this office on April 8, 1853, by J. W. Briggs, H. H. Deam, and Z. H. Gurley.
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