Cummings of Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts

My 4th great grandfather seemed to be a man who didn't like to file records, so it seems to make things much tougher lol

He was born Sampson CUMMINGS c Jan 1805 supposedly in Lynn, Ma. I've
not been able to find a birth record for him. He changed his name to
Thomas Clarkson CUMMINGS on May 10, 1848.

As "Sampson", on 3 Jun 1830 in Lynn, he married Elizabeth Chapman,
daughter of John CHAPMAN and Elizabeth TREADWELL. She was born 1 Feb
1807 in Ipswich. I've had more luck with her family, aside for some
Treadwell connections I still need to make.

They had 7 Children that I know of:

William Wirt CUMMINGS, born 8 Oct 1832 in Lynn (found no death or marriage for his yet)
Mary Elizabeth, b 29 Sep 1834 in Lynn. (She married William Wallace
VELLA, who i've done much research on). She died 15 Mar 1909.
M Antoinette, b c 1836 in Mass. No birth/marr/death found yet. Tried under Marie too, in case that was what the M stood for.
Charles S, b c1838 in New York. no birth/marr/death found here in Mass. No opportunity to search NY yet.
Hester A, b c 1843 in NY. no records found yet.
Catherine B, b 28 Dec 1845 in Lynn.She married George Henry CARR 21 Jul
1869 in Lynn.They had 2 chil i know of and have been able to research
desc). She appears to have died in 1895 in Peabody, from the looks of
the index, but I havent had a chance to look up the record yet.
John H(enry?), b supposedly 08 May 1841 in Batavia, Genessee, NY. I've
not yet found the birth record in NY, his dob was estimated. John was a
Civil War veteran, serving 2 tours, first as a private, then as a
sargent. He was wounded in the leg at the battle of Wellington Railroad
(Globe Tavern). He died 1 Sep 1898 at the Soldiers home in Chelsea,
Mass.

John is my 3rd ggrandfather. He married Lucinda Caroline ORR 27 May
1860 in Lynn. She, a Mayflower Descendant) was born 7 Dec 1843 in Lynn
to Daniel ORR and Olive BISBEE. She died 2 May 1912 in Lynn. her burial
remains a mystery. She is supposed to be buried at Greenlawn in Nahant,
Mass, but someone else, not family, is buried in the lot that is listed
on her purchase card, and she is not anywhere else.

They had 4 known children:
George H CUMMINGS, b 4 Jan 1861 in Lynn. d 20 nov 1865 in Lynn
William Arthur, b c1867 in Lynn. no birth record found. He died after
1919, when I seem to have lost track of him. He married Minnie V Keene
4 nov 1897 in Lynn. They had 3 chil i know of, all passed now, and
where i'm stopped at for this line.
Henrietta, b c 1871 in Massachusetts. d bet 1880-1912. no records found yet.
Nellie May, b c20 Jun 1873 in Lynn. Date is estimate, because, of
course, i cannot find a birth record. She died 15 Dec 1852 in Lynn.

Nellie was my gg grandma. She married first to John ALEXANDER (which is
a whole nother headache for another time.), then second to John
Augustine SCHIER.

I've checked all census records I could find them on, which is the only
way i know about a nunber of children from both generations. I've
looked up obits for all desceased adult that I had a death date for,
except for Catherine, which I havent confirmed the date on just yet. I
don't yet have John's military pension record, which i'm dying for, but
at 75 bucks its just not in the budget anytime soon. I'm hoping it
might have a gem for me in there, but i'm not holding my breath. I
don't know much about military research yet, so i'm not sure of my
other options in that dept (i do have the pension card, and know where
his military burial is, but thats it). He served in the Company I, 29th
Infantry Regiment Massachusetts. Oh, i also found him in the American
Civil War Soldiers and U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles
publications. I learned more about his "Distinguished Service" from
that. dates and such.

I learned from Thomas' obit, that he was an Alderman in Lynn in 1860,
though i'm not sure how to find out any more about that aspect either,
if there is anything to learn. I've located him in a number of Lynn
directories, but never found any from Batavia to search. I've found
absolutely NOTHING so far about his time in New York. I don't have
access to get the birth records I'm seeking for NY, and have found to
volunteers to help.

I've looked at various online sites, Ancestry, Rootsweb, etc, but found
no other information to help out as to his origins.I'm not sure where
else to try and look for more information.Thomas has been my brick wall
since early on in my research, nearly 10 years now. But so much more is
available now to search, but i just don't know about alot of it.

Oh, a local prominent CUMMINGS family, is that of Isaac in Salem, Mass,
but I've found not proof of connection to them. An isaac testified in
the Salem Witch Trials. it was over 100 years before Sampson was born,
but maybe he was part of that family, and a stigma remained, so he
wanted to hide his roots. It's a possibility, but pure speculation. It
does seem though that he didnt like to record vital records and such,
nor share anything of his origins. son John seemed to inherit the
dislike of filing records too lol

another thought. I did indeed check variants of the name as well.
Cumming, Coming, etc. And also all those Cummings buried in the
prominent Lynn cemetery, and found no other of these. I know the burial
only of Thomas/Elizabeth and their daughter Mary (in Swampscott with
Mary's Vella family), John H (in the GAR lot in Pine Grove in Lynn),
and Nellie May, buried with her son and second husband, in Nahant.

I'm open to any suggestions, and especially any cousins. lol