James Cunningham (1801-1870)

He was a Scottish-born commission merchant who made a fortune in steamboat ventures in New York, Boston, and from 1850, San Francisco, where he developed Cunningham's Wharf and was involved in the early development the city. By 1860, his real estate alone was valued at $500,000. In 1865, he built a stone villa (see images) with 18 lavishly decorated rooms on 8-acres at Irvington-on-Hudson. It was situated on the east side of Broadway, south of today's Sunnyside Lane and north of Abbott House. After he died "Castle Cunningham" remained empty until his daughter, Mary, and her husband, Heber R. Bishop extended it but it burned down the day before they were to move in. His elder daughter married Darius Ogden Mills, Founder and President of the Bank of California.