HARVEY AND MATTIE MAE CUNNINGHAM

The following bio was taken from page 169 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Shirley Koym

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

When Harvey Cunningham came to Henderson in 1941, he was a new college graduate – right out of East Texas State Teachers College. He was eager to assume his new duties as a teacher of business courses at Henderson High School.

Harvey’s grandfather, David Cunningham, had come to Texas by train in 1892 and purchased land in Lamar County. He had come with his family from Tennessee hoping for a new start in the "west." About the same time, his maternal grandfather, Jesse Lynn, had settled in the same area, having moved there from Kentucky. It was to these two families that the parents of Harvey Cunningham were born – James Evans Cunningham and Artie Lynn.

While Harvey was teaching school in Henderson that first year, he met his future wife, Mattie Mae Ballow, who came from a pioneer East Texas family. She was employed as a secretary in the school superintendent’s office. A romance began but was interrupted by World War II.

With the call of his country staring him in the face, Harvey "joined up" in the summer of 1942. He served for five years, mostly in the European Theater of Operations. After a discharge in April 1947, he returned to Henderson as business manager of Henderson Schools.

The wedding of Harvey and Mattie Mae was July 19, 1947 at First Methodist Church, Henderson. After a wedding trip to New Orleans, they returned to make their home in Henderson. They devoted their married life to their family, their church and their community.

On January 9, 1949, their first daughter, Martha Jane Cunningham, was born to the proud parents. On February 3, 1953, a second daughter joined the family and was named Elizabeth Ann Cunningham.

During this time, Harvey took time off to earn his M.A. degree from Stephen F. Austin College.

Both Jane and Ann joined the usual childhood organizations and were active in Camp Fire. They also took twirling, ballet, dancing, and music lessons. It was the music that seemed to stick with both of them through the years.

Jane finished high school and went two years to North Texas State University and graduated from The University of Texas with a B.A. Degree. She later received her M.A. from the University of Houston.

Following her graduation from high school, Ann went to East Texas State University where she received her B. A. Degree. She then went to George Williams College in Chicago, Illinois for her M. S. Degree.

When Ann finished George Williams, she went to work for the First Council of Texas Camp Fire Girls, Ft. Worth, Texas, as a Camp Director. She is now Assistant to the Executive Director of that Council. She lives in Arlington, Texas. After graduating from The University of Texas, Jane went to work in Lake Jackson where she met and married Stephen Elliot Hill, on November 26, 1971. Stephen is a biologist for Dow Chemical Company. The Hills live in Angleton, Texas. On August 8, 1980, Jessica Chesney Hill was born to Jane and Steve. She is truly the apple of her grandparent’s eyes.

Harvey is now Superintendent of Schools in Henderson, having assumed that Position July 1, 1971. Mattie Mae is Manager of Rusk County Teachers Federal Credit Union, a position she has held for over twenty years.

Submitted by Harvey Cunningham