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"Clan Cunningham is a Scottish clan. The traditional origins of the clan are placed in the 12th century. However, the first contemporary record of the clan chiefs is in the thirteenth century. The chiefs of the Clan Cunningham supported Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Clan Cunningham feuded with the Clan Montgomery. Historically, the chief of Clan Cunningham held the title of Earl of Glencairn. However, in modern times the chief of the clan is Cunningham of Corsehill. ...
Fredric van Bassen stated that in the year 1059, King Malcolm rewarded Malcolm, son of Freskin with the Thanedom of Cunninghame. The progenitor of the family known as Cunningham was Warnebald, who received a grant for the land of the Manor Cunningham between 1135 and 1140. The story that related to King Malcolm says that the son of Friskin, obtained the lands from Malcolm III of Scotland after he had sheltered him under hay in a barn and this is said to have given rise to the family's coat of arms which is of a shake-fork, as well as the motto "Over Fork Over". Sir George Mackenzie states that the coat of arms allude to the office of Master of the King's Stables."⁴

Many years ago a small boy, perhaps about twelve years old, was standing on the quay side of the River Liffy, in Dublin, watching the dock hands and sailors load cargo on the lighters which were to convey it out to the vessels lying at anchor in mid-channel. One of the sailors picked up the boy and took him on the lighter, which put off for the ship’s side. The little fellow, whose name was Daniel Cunningham, thought the trip a delight, and was in great glee when the man suggested his going on board. When discovered by some of the crew, Daniel was not unnaturally regarded by the captain as a stowaway; and stowaways were of frequent [occurrence] and had to be dealt with after a summary fashion. The captain compromised matters in a way that was quite the custom in those days. He decided that to pay the passage money he would sell the boy as an apprentice, when the ship reached New York. A Friend [Member of the Society of Friends; Quaker] stood by and saw the boy while the sale progressed. He conceived a liking for his handsome features and well-bred bearing, and felt great pity for his distressed condition. He bid, and fortunately for Daniel, bid the highest price.
Daniel, at first, was placed among the other servants, but his superior nature and breeding could not but be recognized by the good Friend and his wife. They decided to take him from the kitchen and rear him with their own family, which consisted of an only daughter.
When Daniel was received at the board of his master and friend, he began the romance of his life. Having received a good education, and being endowed with a good brain and bright mind, he won, not the affections alone, but the confidence of his master, and thrived prosperously in business, being made a partner in the firm. If his progress in the well won esteem of his master was great, his hold on the affections of his master’s daughter proved strong enough for her to become his wife.
...He was one of the survivors of the massacre at Fort Henry...
Some few years later, the Revolutionary War (the War of Independence) broke out, and Daniel was pressed to take up arms. But no matter what threat, what deprivation he suffered, he would not carry the “instruments of war”. His aggressors might tie and lash the arms to his body, but he would not voluntarily carry them; and under no consideration could he be made to use them.
Seeing that these endeavours were utterly hopeless, it was thought that by placing him on board a man-o’-war he could be compelled to participate actively in some form of warfare. But he does not seem, even then, to have violated his principles, for after sailing for some time along then American coast he was imprisoned in the [jail] at Richmond Virginia, where he died after a couple years confinement.
We aren’t told what year Daniel Cunningham was born...or what year he came to America. In fact we can’t corroborate much of this story – it must be based on family traditions handed down and collected by whoever wrote or edited "Pioneer Life on the Bay of Quinte."
The last two paragraphs above are rather disjointed, as though perhaps someone was telling the story and kept remembering things they should have mentioned earlier, while someone else was writing it down verbatim.
The only way I can make sense of it is to rearrange the events thus – the dates are mostly firm:
Daniel Cunningham had been a survivor at Fort Henry in 1757. (But what was a pacifist Quaker doing in the fort?).
...
In the War of Independence (1775-1783) Daniel refused to fight (on the American side), was placed on board a warship, still refused and eventually died in [jail] in Richmond, Virginia.