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|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]}}

'''William Peyton Cunningham, Sr.''', known as '''W. Peyton Cunningham''' (October 20, 1901 &ndash; January 27, 1971), was an [[attorney]] from his native [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], [[Louisiana]], who served as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] state representative from 1932 to 1940. Along with Leon Friedman]], he represented [[Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana|Natchitoches Parish]] in the House for two terms.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2024: Natchitoches Parish|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=February 11, 2021}}</ref>

'''William Peyton Cunningham, Sr.''', known as '''W. Peyton Cunningham''' (October 20, 1901 &ndash; January 27, 1971), was an [[attorney]] from his native [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], [[Louisiana]], who served as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] state representative from 1932 to 1940. Along with Leon Friedman]], he represented [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches Parish]] in the House for two terms.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2024: Natchitoches Parish|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=February 11, 2021}}</ref>

==Biography==

==Biography==

Born to a prominent family and reared in Natchitoches, Cunningham was the second of eight children of [[Charles Milton Cunningham]] and the former Alicia Elevena Payne (1874-1961), popularly known as "Miss Lena".<ref name=wpcsr/> Peyton Cunningham was named after his great-grandfather, William Washington Peyton.<ref name=ftmaker/> His grandfather, [[Milton Joseph Cunningham]], was a political figure in Natchitoches and [[New Orleans]], who served from 1884 to 1888 and again from 1892 to 1900 as the state attorney general.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.genealogy.com/users/m/e/t/Mildred-Methvin/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0108.html|title=Milton Joseph Cunningham|publisher=genealogy.com|accessdate=October 1, 2014}}</ref>

Born to a prominent family and reared in Natchitoches, Cunningham was the second of eight children of [[Charles Milton Cunningham]] and the former Alicia Elevena Payne (1874-1961), popularly known as "Miss Lena".<ref name=wpcsr/> Peyton Cunningham was named after his great-grandfather, William Washington Peyton.<ref name=ftmaker/> His grandfather, [[Milton Joseph Cunningham]], was a political figure in Natchitoches and [[New Orleans]], who served from 1884 to 1888 and again from 1892 to 1900 as the state attorney general.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.genealogy.com/users/m/e/t/Mildred-Methvin/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0108.html|title=Milton Joseph Cunningham|publisher=genealogy.com|accessdate=October 1, 2014}}</ref>

Charles Milton Cunningham, who was born in New Orleans where his parents were then residing, founded the still published newspaper, ''The Natchitoches Times,'' which he edited until 1930, six years before his death.<ref name=ftmaker>{{cite web|url=http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/e/t/Mildred-Methvin/index.html|title=Charles Milton Cunningham|publisher=familytreemaker.genealogy.com|accessdate=October 1, 2014}}</ref> In 1915, following the death of [[Leopold Caspari]], Charles Cunningham was elected to the [[Louisiana State Senate]] from Natchitoches Parish. He resigned the seat after seven years in 1922.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://senate.la.gov/Documents/Membership/Documents/SenateMembership1880ForwardRevisedMar2011.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana Senate, 1880-Present|publisher=senate.la.gov|accessdate=February 11, 2021}}</ref>

Charles Milton Cunningham, who was born in New Orleans where his parents were then residing, founded the still published newspaper, ''The Natchitoches Times,'' which he edited until 1930, six years before his death.<ref name=ftmaker>{{cite web|url=http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/e/t/Mildred-Methvin/index.html|title=Charles Milton Cunningham|publisher=familytreemaker.genealogy.com|accessdate=October 1, 2014}}</ref> In 1915, following the death of [[Leopold Caspari]], Charles Cunningham was elected state senator for Natchitoches Parish. He resigned the seat after seven years in 1922.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://senate.la.gov/Documents/Membership/Documents/SenateMembership1880ForwardRevisedMar2011.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana Senate, 1880-Present|publisher=senate.la.gov|accessdate=February 11, 2021}}</ref>

In 1927, W. Peyton Cunningham married Mildred Rosalind Hill (1901-1982), the daughter of Samuel Hyams Hill and the former Marie Atala Prudhomme. Prior to the marriage, she worked for the People's Bank in Natchitoches. Peyton Cunningham's uncle, [[William Tharp Cunningham]], a former state House member and a judge in Natchitoches, helped to put his nephew through law school.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.genealogy.com/users/m/e/t/Mildred-Methvin/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0185.html|title=William Tharp Cunningham|publisher=genealogy.com|accessdate=October 5, 2014}}</ref>

In 1927, W. Peyton Cunningham married Mildred Rosalind Hill (1901-1982), the daughter of Samuel Hyams Hill and the former Marie Atala Prudhomme. Prior to the marriage, she worked for the People's Bank in Natchitoches. Peyton Cunningham's uncle, William Tharp Cunningham (1871-1952), a former state House member and a judge in Natchitoches, helped to put his nephew through law school.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.genealogy.com/users/m/e/t/Mildred-Methvin/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0185.html|title=William Tharp Cunningham|publisher=genealogy.com|accessdate=October 5, 2014}}</ref>

The Cunninghams had one daughter, Lallah Hill Cunningham Methvin (1929-2012), who was the mother of five children by the [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]] attorney [[DeWitt T. Methvin, Jr.]], from whom she was divorced.<ref name=lallahh>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=121114950|title=Lallah Hill Cunningham Methvin|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=February 11, 2021}}</ref> Peyton and Mildred Cunningham had three sons, William Peyton Cunningham, Jr., a retired judge, John Hill Cunningham, and Joseph Payne Cunningham, Sr.<ref name=wpcsr>{{cite web |url=http://www.genealogy.com/users/m/e/t/Mildred-Methvin/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0094.html|title=William Peyton Cunningham, Sr.|publisher=genealogy.com|accessdate=October 1, 2014}}</ref>

The Cunninghams had one daughter, Lallah Hill Cunningham Methvin (1929-2012), who was the mother of five children by the [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]] attorney [[DeWitt T. Methvin, Jr.]], from whom she was divorced.<ref name=lallahh>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=121114950|title=Lallah Hill Cunningham Methvin|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=February 11, 2021}}</ref> Peyton and Mildred Cunningham had three sons, William Peyton Cunningham, Jr., a retired judge, John Hill Cunningham, and Joseph Payne Cunningham, Sr.<ref name=wpcsr>{{cite web |url=http://www.genealogy.com/users/m/e/t/Mildred-Methvin/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0094.html|title=William Peyton Cunningham, Sr.|publisher=genealogy.com|accessdate=October 1, 2014}}</ref>

In addition to his legal practice, Cunningham had a great interest in [[history]] and the outdoors. He purchased land in the Kisatchie National Forest, cleared the undergrowth and constructed a road to a sandy creek on the property. The family met at Kisatchie for Sunday [[picnic]]s and holidays.<ref name=wpcsr/>

In addition to his legal practice, Cunningham had a great interest in [[history]] and the outdoors. He purchased land in the Kisatchie National Forest, cleared the undergrowth and constructed a road to a sandy creek on the property. The family met at Kisatchie for Sunday picnics and holidays.<ref name=wpcsr/>

A [[Roman Catholic]], Cunningham, his wife, his parents, and daughter are interred at Catholic Cemetery in Natchitoches.<ref name=lallahh/>

A [[Roman Catholic]], Cunningham, his wife, his parents, and daughter are interred at Catholic Cemetery in Natchitoches.<ref name=lallahh/>