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Cunningham's father, Milton Joseph Cunningham, was a political figure in Natchitoches, DeSoto Parish,  and New Orleans, where he spent his later years. After service in both houses of the state legislature, he became the state attorney general, a position which he filled from 1884 to 1888 and again from 1892 to 1900.<ref name=obit/>

Cunningham's father, Milton Joseph Cunningham, was a political figure in Natchitoches, DeSoto Parish,  and New Orleans, where he spent his later years. After service in both houses of the state legislature, he became the state attorney general, a position which he filled from 1884 to 1888 and again from 1892 to 1900.<ref name=obit/>

In 1898, Cunningham married Alicia Evelena Payne, a daughter of William Edward Payne (1830-1884) and the former Marie Eliza Blanchard (1846-1915). Alicia's brother, [[John William Payne]], was the [[sheriff]] of Natchitoches Parish from 1914 until his death in 1933. Her nephew, William "Bill" Payne, followed his father as sheriff.<ref name=aepc/>Mrs. Cunningham, known in her later years as "Miss Lena," continued to publish the paper after her husband's death. She too was a graduate of Northwestern State University and the 1893 class valedictorian. She taught school for a time in Tallulah in Madison Parish in northeastern Louisiana and in Lecompte in south Rapides Parish]. During [[World War II]], she was cited for the work of ''The Natchitoches Times'' in promoting drives for scrap iron and [[aluminum]]. [[U.S. President]] [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] recognized her work in promoting the sale of war bonds.<ref name=aepc>{{cite web|url=http://www.genealogy.com/users/m/e/t/Mildred-Methvin/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0100.html|title=Alicia Evelena Payne Cunningham|publisher=genealogy.com|accessdate=October 2, 2014; material no longer accessible on-line}}</ref>

In 1898, Cunningham married Alicia Evelena Payne, a daughter of William Edward Payne (1830-1884) and the former Marie Eliza Blanchard (1846-1915). Alicia's brother, [[John William Payne]], was the [[sheriff]] of Natchitoches Parish from 1914 until his death in 1933. Her nephew, William "Bill" Payne, followed his father as sheriff.<ref name=aepc/> Mrs. Cunningham, known in her later years as "Miss Lena," continued to publish the paper after her husband's death. She too was a graduate of Northwestern State University and the 1893 class valedictorian. She taught school for a time in Tallulah in Madison Parish in northeastern Louisiana and in Lecompte in south Rapides Parish. During [[World War II]], she was cited for the work of ''The Natchitoches Times'' in promoting drives for scrap iron and [[aluminum]]. [[U.S. President]] [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] recognized her work in promoting the sale of war bonds.<ref name=aepc>{{cite web|url=http://www.genealogy.com/users/m/e/t/Mildred-Methvin/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0100.html|title=Alicia Evelena Payne Cunningham|publisher=genealogy.com|accessdate=October 2, 2014; material no longer accessible on-line}}</ref>

   

   

The Cunninghams had six other children, Charles Milton Cunningham, Jr. (1899-1907), Joseph Blanchard Cunningham (1904-1976), Anna Mary Cunningham (1907 - c. 1992), John Hamilton Cunningham (1908-1945), killed in the [[Battle of the Bulge]] in [[Belgium]] in World War II, Charles Murray Cunningham (1912-1981), and a [[Roman Catholic]] nun, Elisabeth Cunningham (1915-2003), based at the Our Lady of the Lake Convent in [[San Antonio]], [[Texas]].<ref name=aepc/> Cunningham, his wife, and other relatives are interred at Catholic Cemetery in Natchitoches.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=121114950|title=Lallah Hill Cunningham Methvin|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=November 22, 2020}}</ref>

The Cunninghams had six other children, Charles Milton Cunningham, Jr. (1899-1907), Joseph Blanchard Cunningham (1904-1976), Anna Mary Cunningham (1907 - c. 1992), John Hamilton Cunningham (1908-1945), killed in the [[Battle of the Bulge]] in [[Belgium]] in World War II, Charles Murray Cunningham (1912-1981), and a [[Roman Catholic]] nun, Elisabeth Cunningham (1915-2003), based at the Our Lady of the Lake Convent in [[San Antonio]], [[Texas]].<ref name=aepc/> Cunningham, his wife, and other relatives are interred at Catholic Cemetery in Natchitoches.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=121114950|title=Lallah Hill Cunningham Methvin|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=November 22, 2020}}</ref>