Zerilda was the daughter of Robert and Apphia Cunningham, she had 14 brothers and sisters. She was born in Clark County, Indiana, and in 1829, when she was 4, the Cunningham family came to Cheney's Grove, McLean, Illinois. At Cheney's Grove the family began farming, and a few years afterwards Robert Cunningham built a water mill on Sangamon Creek.
The Cunningham family were members of the Antinomian, also known as "Hard-shell" Baptists. Their house was used for church services. Rev. John Darnell, of Indian Grove, was for years the regular preacher there.
Obituary
Zerilda Cunningham was born in Clark County, Indiana, June 15, 1825 and died Nov. 10, 1913--at the age of 88 years, 4 months, 25 days.
Her parents came west while she was yet a child and settled in McLean county, Illinois, where she was married to Elijah Debord in 1843. To this union, eight children were born, five of whom, with Mr. Debord passed away after moving to Madison county, Iowa in 1854. Those living are Mrs. W.F. Guillams of Harrisonville, MO, Mrs. W.H. Doan and T.H. Debord of Patterson.
On Nov. 11, 1883, she was married to Rev. R.D. Tisdale, and to this union three children were born of whom Mrs. H.C. Beerbower is the only surviving one, and with whom she made her a nice home since the death of the father and husband, which occured Mar. 22, 1904. In 1908 she went to Warren, Ark., with Mr. & Mrs. Beerbower, where she has since made her home. She was converted in 1867 and united with the Baptist Church and lived a faithful Christian life until the end.
The body was accompanied from Arkansas by Mrs. Beerbower and a lady friend, arriving in Patterson Thursday morning and taken to the home of her daughter. Funeral services were held at the M.E. Church at Patterson Nov. 14th, conducted by Rev. L.F. Davis, assisted by Rev. F.V. Warner. Intermnet in the McGinnis Cemetery, Patterson (findagrave.com)