James P. Cummings

JAMES P. CUMMINGS, banker, Carrollton, was born in Archer Township, Harrison Co., Ohio, in September, 1820. Here he attended the common schools, and, his father being a farmer, did his share of work on the home place until 1837, when he moved to Carrollton, Carroll county, and here clerked in the store of Isaac Atkinson for several years, when he entered into partnership with Mr. Atkinson and the latter's son, Robert, the young men carrying on the store, while Mr. Atkinson himself operated a carding mill, etc. This continued some years, when, Robert Atkinson, having turned his attention to politics, securing, through the influence of his friend, Gov. Chase, a seat in the Senate, our subject was left to carry on the business alone. Robert Atkinson studied law, and finally secured a lucrative position in Washington. The partnership being now dissolved, Mr. Cummings opened out a general store in Carrollton, with Wilson L. Akers as partner, but the partnership was soon after dissolved. Mr. Cummings had in all eleven partners at different times, the last one being Mr. Couch.

Selling their interest in the business at Carrollton, they moved to Columbus, Ohio, where they opened out in the wholesale and retail grocery trade, and Mr. Cummings then went into the same line of business along with Judge Jamison. In 1870 he returned to Carrollton, and established his present banking institution, in company with Mr. Couch (already referred to in this sketch), which partnership continued till May, 1888, when Mr. Couch died, leaving our subject to carry on the business alone.

In 1844 Mr. Cummings married, in Carrollton, Phiniah, daughter of George and Mary Beatty, former of whom was the first auditor of Carroll County, and brother of the first sheriff. By this union five children were born, viz.: Addie (deceased), Mary, wife of M. M. Marshall, in Omaha, Neb., Robert and Lucy (both deceased), and Emma, at home.

Mr. Cummings is a representative, self-made man, having commenced life a poor farm boy, and his enviable success is due to his own indomitable perseverance, business ability and shrewdness. In politics he is a Republican, but no office seeker; in religion he is a Methodist.

Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Harrison and Carroll, Ohio, containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, and of Many of the Early Settled Families, Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co., 1891

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