Ebenezer E. Cunningham was born April 6, 1839 in Marion County, Missouri. He received his education in the public schools of Iowa. At the age of 18 years he emigrated to the Territory of Nebraska. He enlisted in the Civil War and served as 2nd Duty Sergeant in Co. C, 2nd Nebraska Cavalry and in the 48th Missouri Infantry as 1st Lieutenant of Co. K. In 1868 Mr. Cunningham was elected to the Nebraska State Senate from the first district (Richardson County) and re-elected in 1870, was elected President of the State Senate and presided at the impeachment trial of Governor David Butler, session of 1870 and 1871.
In March 1871 Ebenezer was appointed U. S. Surveyor General for Nebraska and Iowa. which position he held until the spring of 1876 when he resigned to take up the work of U. S. Surveys in the field. Judge Cunningham followed mining for 15 years and in 1886 came to San Francisco. In 1892 he removed to South San Francisco, and in April of that year was appointed postmaster, a position he has held continuously to the present time. For fourteen years he was also Justice of the Peace for the First Township of San Mateo County, which latter office he gave up when the post office was raised to the third class.