Minerva
Melinda Higbee was born August 16, 1845 at Nauvoo, Illinois, to Isaac Higbee
and Charlotte Woods Higbee. She came to Salt Lake City with her parents in
1848, walking a great deal of the way with the other hand-cart pioneers.
She was a beautiful woman about 5’ 4”, 135 lbs., with beautiful, soft, hazel eyes, light brown hair and a divine disposition.
She was married September 13, 1862 at Camp Floyd, Fairfield, Utah to John Cunnington, a young, handsome drummer, who came from New York with the Walker Brothers and was affiliated with them. Her wedding dress was of calico and cost $1.00 a yard.
John Cunnington soon became very successful in mining and merchandising and opened his own large merchandise store called ”The Elephant Store”, a well-known pioneer landmark. He built a number of homes on West Temple and Fifth South in Salt Lake City, Utah, and he and Minerva lived in one of the two-story ones and raised seven of their eight children. Their first, a little girl, died in infancy.
John provided Minerva with ample help, a cook, nurse, wash-lady and a footman-gardener. It was a very busy household for they entertained a great deal. Minerva was a charming and gracious hostess but took time out to help the needy and sick. She was a wonderful wife and mother who deplored quarrels or upsets and kept her home one of harmony and happiness. During conference especially, their home was filled to capacity and more with relatives and friends from out of town. Grandma Higbee made her home with them and was a constant delight with her stories and sweet disposition. Their rose garden was one of the most beautiful in the state and John’s pride.
Minerva believed in good education and her girls were sent east to private schools and the boys to college. I believe Minerva received her education from her older sister, Emma, who taught school in the early days. She was very well read and a brilliant conversationalist. She loved opera, the theatre and was an ardent scholar of Shakespeare, her favorites being Hamlet and Othello, from which she could spout passages from memory. She also loved “Thanatopsis”, which she recited on occasion.
John died in 1890 and Grandma Higbee died in 1899. Minerva disposed of the store and finally her homes and real estate. Her time was spent with her children now married, and in traveling. Whenever a new grandchild was born, she was on hand to help and a better nurse never lived. She gave one a feeling of great comfort and well-being. She loved people in general and especially children. She would tell her grandchildren fascinating stories of the Indians and pioneers. To avoid any jealousy on their part, she would assure them that “each was the prettiest and smartest for his size and age”, an example of diplomacy. One never heard her make an unkind remark about anyone. She always made excuses for anyone in trouble and was generous to a fault.
In her later years, she wore her hair in a bun on top of her head and her glasses far down on her nose. She looked over her glasses mostly, even as she read, crocheted or pieced beautiful quilts. Most of her grandchildren have some of her beautiful work and treasure it greatly.
Minerva usually dressed in black satin or taffeta with a soft, frilly collar or jabot and a long, white waist apron of fine material trimmed with crochet. Most of her life she was blessed with excellent health and could out-walk most of her grandchildren.
Pneumonia was her worst enemy and she had it seven times. After that, her winters were spent in San Francisco with her daughter, Frances Bowles and her son, Will. A granddaughter, Frances Cunnington Cumberledge attended art school several terms in San Francisco and lived with Minerva and her son, Will Cunnington. During the World’s Fair, Minerva and Frances walked miles there many times and she never seemed to tire but loved the crowds and excitement.
She became ill with acute nephritis at Frances’ home and during the several weeks of her illness, she stayed there and with her daughter, May Sholes, at whose home she passed away in her sleep, November 25, 1932. She is buried beside her husband, John, in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Salt Lake City.
Many lives have been made much richer having known her and she is missed very day as she was loved dearly.
Children of John and Minerva M. Higbee Cunnington, born in Salt Lake City: (1) Martha M., born 25 November 1863; died 28 January 1864. (2) Rosie E., born 24 October 1864; married Henry Fitzhugh. (3) James William, born 23 June 1866; died 8 March 1918; married Carrie Braizure. (4) Maribah Elizabeth, born 23 March 1870; married Rue High Sholes. (5) Winifred H., born 23 August 1874; married Maurice E. Kaighn. (6) John Robinson, born 10 December 1875, married Nora Wadsworth. (7) Isaac Alexander Patrick, born 17 December 1877; married Mabel Britt. (8) Frances Woods, born 27 September 1881; married Eugene Pettit Bowles.
Written by Frances Cunnington Cumberledge, granddaughter.
Source: Higbee Family Magazine 1957
She was a beautiful woman about 5’ 4”, 135 lbs., with beautiful, soft, hazel eyes, light brown hair and a divine disposition.
She was married September 13, 1862 at Camp Floyd, Fairfield, Utah to John Cunnington, a young, handsome drummer, who came from New York with the Walker Brothers and was affiliated with them. Her wedding dress was of calico and cost $1.00 a yard.
John Cunnington soon became very successful in mining and merchandising and opened his own large merchandise store called ”The Elephant Store”, a well-known pioneer landmark. He built a number of homes on West Temple and Fifth South in Salt Lake City, Utah, and he and Minerva lived in one of the two-story ones and raised seven of their eight children. Their first, a little girl, died in infancy.
John provided Minerva with ample help, a cook, nurse, wash-lady and a footman-gardener. It was a very busy household for they entertained a great deal. Minerva was a charming and gracious hostess but took time out to help the needy and sick. She was a wonderful wife and mother who deplored quarrels or upsets and kept her home one of harmony and happiness. During conference especially, their home was filled to capacity and more with relatives and friends from out of town. Grandma Higbee made her home with them and was a constant delight with her stories and sweet disposition. Their rose garden was one of the most beautiful in the state and John’s pride.
Minerva believed in good education and her girls were sent east to private schools and the boys to college. I believe Minerva received her education from her older sister, Emma, who taught school in the early days. She was very well read and a brilliant conversationalist. She loved opera, the theatre and was an ardent scholar of Shakespeare, her favorites being Hamlet and Othello, from which she could spout passages from memory. She also loved “Thanatopsis”, which she recited on occasion.
John died in 1890 and Grandma Higbee died in 1899. Minerva disposed of the store and finally her homes and real estate. Her time was spent with her children now married, and in traveling. Whenever a new grandchild was born, she was on hand to help and a better nurse never lived. She gave one a feeling of great comfort and well-being. She loved people in general and especially children. She would tell her grandchildren fascinating stories of the Indians and pioneers. To avoid any jealousy on their part, she would assure them that “each was the prettiest and smartest for his size and age”, an example of diplomacy. One never heard her make an unkind remark about anyone. She always made excuses for anyone in trouble and was generous to a fault.
In her later years, she wore her hair in a bun on top of her head and her glasses far down on her nose. She looked over her glasses mostly, even as she read, crocheted or pieced beautiful quilts. Most of her grandchildren have some of her beautiful work and treasure it greatly.
Minerva usually dressed in black satin or taffeta with a soft, frilly collar or jabot and a long, white waist apron of fine material trimmed with crochet. Most of her life she was blessed with excellent health and could out-walk most of her grandchildren.
Pneumonia was her worst enemy and she had it seven times. After that, her winters were spent in San Francisco with her daughter, Frances Bowles and her son, Will. A granddaughter, Frances Cunnington Cumberledge attended art school several terms in San Francisco and lived with Minerva and her son, Will Cunnington. During the World’s Fair, Minerva and Frances walked miles there many times and she never seemed to tire but loved the crowds and excitement.
She became ill with acute nephritis at Frances’ home and during the several weeks of her illness, she stayed there and with her daughter, May Sholes, at whose home she passed away in her sleep, November 25, 1932. She is buried beside her husband, John, in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Salt Lake City.
Many lives have been made much richer having known her and she is missed very day as she was loved dearly.
Children of John and Minerva M. Higbee Cunnington, born in Salt Lake City: (1) Martha M., born 25 November 1863; died 28 January 1864. (2) Rosie E., born 24 October 1864; married Henry Fitzhugh. (3) James William, born 23 June 1866; died 8 March 1918; married Carrie Braizure. (4) Maribah Elizabeth, born 23 March 1870; married Rue High Sholes. (5) Winifred H., born 23 August 1874; married Maurice E. Kaighn. (6) John Robinson, born 10 December 1875, married Nora Wadsworth. (7) Isaac Alexander Patrick, born 17 December 1877; married Mabel Britt. (8) Frances Woods, born 27 September 1881; married Eugene Pettit Bowles.
Written by Frances Cunnington Cumberledge, granddaughter.
Source: Higbee Family Magazine 1957
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