John Cunningham was an Irish

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

-born office-holder and political figure in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

. He represented Londonderry township in the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia from 1779 to 1785.

He came to Halifax

City of Halifax

Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...

 around 1761. In 1763, he married Elizabeth Rust. Cunningham served as commissioner of Indian Affairs from 1769 to 1774 and in 1783 became superintendent of Indian Affairs. He was named a magistrate in 1776 and a judge in the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in 1778. He was elected to the assembly in an 1779 by-election held after John Morrison

John Morrison (blacksmith)

John Morrison was a farmer, blacksmith and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Londonderry township in the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia from 1770 to 1772 and from 1773 to 1778....

 left the province. In 1783, he was named receiver-general of Quit Rents.

His brother Richard

Richard Cunningham (Nova Scotia politician)

Richard Cunningham was an Irish-born farmer and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Yarmouth township in the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia from 1779 to 1783....

also served in the assembly.