JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK


PIONEER DANIEL CORNWELL FAMILY OF CAPE VINCENT


1. DANIEL CORNWELL, son of Revolutionary War veteran ISAAC CORNWELL and his wife CANDACE LOIS SMITH, was born 10 Jul 1781 in New Hartford Litchfield, CT. His mother was a daughter of Lt. Col. SETH SMITH and DELIVERANCE CADWELL. Settling with his family to Leray in Jefferson County shortly after 1800, Daniel moved to the town of Lyme (later known as Cape Vincent) following his marriage, and died there on 12 APR 1853. He served in the War of 1812 and saw action in the Battle of Sackets Harbor. His immigrant ancestor, William Cornwall, is first recorded in New England church records in 1633. William Cornwall was one of the original founders of Middletown CT in 1650.

Daniel married in about 1805

ELIZABETH (BETSEY) FARR, daughter of STEPHEN FARR and LOIS RANDALL of Stow, Middlesex, MA. Betsey's birth date of 17 JUN 1786 was recorded at Panton, Addison, VT. She died 30 SEP 1859 in Cape Vincent, Jefferson, NY. Daniel and Betsey are buried at the Saint Lawrence United Church Cemetery (Union Burial Ground) in Cape Vincent.

Children, CORNWELL:

2 i     MORRIS CORNWELL married JANE B. TUCKER

3 ii    HORTENSIA CORNWELL married HENRY TUCKER

4 iii    MILES CORNWELL married HULDAH REEVES

5 iv    ELIAS CORNWELL married AMY JANE RANDALL

6 v    JOHN CORNWELL married LOUISA BENTLEY

7 vi    ADOLPHUS CORNWELL married (1) SARAH ANN VanNESS;
(2) SARAH JANE JACKSON;
(3) ROSETTA C. CROSBY

8 vii     FRANCIS CORNWELL married (1) PRISCILLA LEEPER
(2) MARY/POLLY (-----)

9 viii    PRISCILLA CORNWELL (twin) d.y.

10 ix    EQUILLA CORNWELL (twin) d.y.

11 x   LOIS CORNWELL married STEPHEN CURTIS

12 xi     STEPHEN A. CORNWELL married (1) MARTHA MARY TERPENING;
(2) ELIZABETH PLUMER

13 xii EDWIN W. CORNWELL married LETITIA ELLIOTT


2. The Reverend MORRIS or MAURICE CORNWELL was born 24 JUN 1805 in Leray, Jefferson, NY.

He married on 08 NOV 1827

JANE B. TUCKER, daughter of CALEB TUCKER, SR. and CATHERINE (KATE) BILLINGS. That same year, Jane's brother HENRY TUCKER married Morris Cornwell's sister Hortensia (see below). Information about this Tucker family is found in an 1896 biography of Caleb's nephew Nelson R. Tucker of Sandusky, Ohio:
"The great ancestor of this TUCKER family [Revolutionary War veteran Jedediah Tucker, Jr., lived]… in Massachusetts. He was a farmer. One of his sons, Caleb Tucker, married Miss Kate Billins, at Shrewsbury, Mass, where he afterward carried on farming. Here, according to the custom of the times, be bought a colored man-servant to assist him in farming, and a colored female-servant to help his wife about the housework. They treated these slaves kindly, finally giving them their liberty. Caleb Tucker afterward bought a farm near Johnstown, N.Y., where he reared a family of eleven children, namely; Nathaniel B., Melinda, Hiram, Caleb, Katie, Parmelia, Henry, Harriet, Thomas, Jane and Ezekiel."

The Reverend Morris and Jane Cornwell founded the First Methodist Class in Cape Vincent. Morris died there on 25 August 1883; his death notice appeared in the Watertown Daily Times on 01 Oct 1883. Jane died there on 02 Nov 1890. They are buried at the Saint Lawrence United Church Cemetery (Union Burial Ground) in Cape Vincent.

Children, CORNWELL

13 i ORSANUS/ORSAMUS CORNWALL married MARY C. POWELL

14 ii EDWARD/EDWIN J. CORNWELL Co K 10th NY HA d. 1865?

15 iii AMELIA A. CORNWELL d.y. about age 5

16 iv HELEN J. CORNWELL married WILLIAM ABBEY

17 v CATHERINE L. (KATE) CORNWELL m. ANDREW JACKSON DILLENBACK

18 vi ADELAIDE AMELIA (ADDIE) CORNWELL m.
JAMES HENRY COMINS


3. HORTENSIA CORNWELL was born in Leray, Jefferson, NY on 27 JUN 1807.

She married on 15 MAR 1827

HENRY TUCKER, son of CALEB TUCKER, SR. and CATHERINE (KATE) BILLINGS. (See immediately above under Morris Cornwell for TUCKER family history). Henry and his sister Harriet were twins. His mother Kate was a sister of early American composer Nathaniel Billings, and an aunt of hymnist Sylvanus Billings Pond. Her father, SYLVANUS BILLINGS, was one of the more visible participants in Shay's Rebellion in Western Massachusetts and is also credited with Patriot service during the Revolution, as is his father Thomas. Both were initially Loyalists who at one time were confined to their farms and later imprisoned by the town of Northborough, Worcester, MA for their Loyalist sympathies. Sylvanus twice petitioned the town for reconciliation, which seems to have been granted, as he was later elected surveyor of highways and collector of highway taxes. He and his family lived in nearby Shrewsbury, Worcester, MA after the war. Before 1800 Sylvanus removed to Weathersfield, Windsor, VT where he lived out the remainder of his days.

After their marriage Henry and Hortensia Tucker resided in Cape Vincent, Clayton, and Alexandria, Jefferson, NY. During the 1850's they left for the Midwest, residing for a few years adjacent to Henry's brother Nathaniel in Fremont, Rice Township, Sandusky, OH until proceeding before 1870 to Bethel, Branch, MI. Henry died there on 21 JUN 1882 and Hortensia on 10 SEP 1886. They are buried at Grub Cemetery at Ovid, Branch, MI. One of their children, Mariette Tucker Evans, did not follow them west, but remained in Jefferson County for her entire life. She outlived all of her siblings, dying in Theresa in 1921.

Children, TUCKER:

19 i ROCKWELL TUCKER 25 Dec 1828 - 30 DEC 1908 Bethel MI

20 ii MARIETTE TUCKER married LOUISA BENTLEY, daughter of JAMES BENTLEY and MERCY BAXTER. A mechanic, John died 01 OCT 1884 in Adams, Jefferson, NY. Louisa, born in Leray in JUN 1815, died at age 98 on 10 DEC 1913 in Adams. The couple is buried at the Rural Cemetery in Adams. Louisa's obituary appeared in the Watertown Daily Times as well as the Jefferson County Journal.

Children, CORNWELL

41 i WILSON J. CORNWELL Sgt 10th NY HA, d 1863; m ZILPHA M. RIPLEY

42 ii ORRIN DANIEL CORNWELL married THEODA GOODALE, Adams NY

43 iii NETTIE C. CORNWELL married (1) ASHLEY HANCOCK;
(2) OSCAR F. THOMAS, Attica NY

44 iv MARY LUCINDA CORNWELL married GEORGE PIERSON

45 v WASHINGTON A. CORNWELL m FRANCES A. FLINT, Adams NY/FL

46 vi SARAH L. CORNWELL married ROBERT HAMPTON, Adams NY

47 vii ORVIS B. CORNWELL married ADA M. FLINT, Watertown NY


7. ADOLPHUS CORNWELL was born 02 FEB 1816 in Leray, Jefferson, NY. He died 27 NOV 1899 in Pamelia, Jefferson, NY and is buried at Brookside cemetery in Watertown.

He married on 30 SEP 1837

SARAH ANN VanNESS, born c. 1814 in Jefferson County. She died 29 SEP 1866 and is buried at Brookside cemetery in Watertown.

Children, CORNWELL

48 i CHARLES D. CORNWELL born c. 1840 in Saint Lawrence County

49 ii MARY CORNWELL born about 1846


Adolphus married second on 08 Oct 1867

SARAH JANE JACKSON, born 1835, died 06 Mar 1875, buried at Brookside.

Children, CORNWELL

50 iii GERTRUDE MAY CORNWELL, d age 23 in Pamelia, buried at Brookside.

51 iv BIRDIE JANE CORNWELL married ROBERT B. HODGE, Pamelia NY.

Adolphus married third in Rutland, Jefferson, NY on 03 JUL 1877

ROSETTA C. CROSBY, daughter of JEREMIAH CROSBY and widow of Simeon Oaks. She was born c. 1827 in Martinsburg, Lewis, NY.


8. FRANCIS CORNWELL was born on 11 FEB 1818 in Leray, Jefferson, NY. A farmer, he died 25 DEC 1887 in Sandy Creek, Oswego, NY.

Before 1847 he married

PRISCILLA LEEPER, born c. 1817, died 23 JUL 1865. She is buried at Brookside cemetery in Watertown, Jefferson, NY.

Children, CORNWELL

52 i MATTISON DEWITT CORNWELL m MARY CATHERINE HUNT, Richland, NY

53 ii OLIN D. CORNWELL m ROSA J. BISHOP, Pulaski, Oswego, NY

Francis married second, after 1865

MARY/POLLY (----). Born c. JUL 1818, she died 25 NOV 1908 in Sandy Creek, Oswego, NY.

11. LOIS CORNWELL was born in Leray, Jefferson, NY on 20 May 1821, which was the one year anniversary of the birth of her twin sisters Priscilla and Equilla. The twins lived for only one week.

Lois married in Leray on 29 DEC 1842

STEPHEN CURTIS of Virginia. Born in about 1817, he died between 23 Oct 1873 and 28 Oct 1878 in either Three Mile Bay or Cape Vincent, Jefferson, NY. Lois died at age 94 on 01 Jan 1916 in Watertown, Jefferson, NY. The couple is buried at Saint Lawrence United Church Cemetery (United Burial Ground) in Cape Vincent. Lois Cornwell Curtis' obituary appeared in the Watertown Daily Times on 03 Jan 1916.


Children, CURTIS

54 i ALBERT D. CURTIS married (1) LYDIA E. PARKER;
(2) FLORENCE STANLEY

55 ii BYRON W. CURTIS married (1) ELIZABETH L. KLOCK;
(2) ELLA LOWELL


12. STEPHEN A. CORNWELL was born in Leray, Jefferson, NY on 01 AUG 1823. Before 1850 he removed to Sheboygan County, WI. Stephen served as a private, Co B 8th Infantry Regiment WI, enlisting at Greenbush, and was credited with distinguished service. He fought in the battles of Corinth, Vicksburg and Mechanicsburg MS. He died on 07 JAN 1900 at River Falls, Pierce, WI.

He married by 1846

MARTHA MARY TERPENING, daughter of VALENTINE TERPENING and POLLY LADD. Born c. 1821 in Manheim, Herkimer, NY, she died 16 Oct 1847 and was buried at Brookside Cemetery, Plessis, Alexandria, Jefferson, NY.


Child, CORNWELL

55 i JOHN DAMIEN CORNWELL TERPENING (raised by maternal grandparents).

Stephen married second on 04 JUN 1848 in Pamelia, Jefferson, NY

ELIZABETH (BETSEY) PLUMER, who was born May 1823 in Pamelia, Jefferson, NY. She died 05 MAY 1902 in River Falls, Pierce, WI.

Children, CORNWELL

56 ii MARTHA MARY CORNWELL d.y., age 3

57 ii WILLIAM ALBERT CORNWELL married ELLEN ARMINDA WHITE

58 iv JOSEPHINE CORNWELL d.y., age 13

59 v SARAH ARVILLA CORNWELL married CLAYTON FILLMORE ENSIGN

60 vi GEORGE GRANVILLE CORNWELL married CORA MARIA KINGSLEY

61 vii CALISTA CORNWELL WINTERS adopted by Mr. WINTERS of Medina, OH


13. EDWIN W. CORNWELL was born in Theresa, Jefferson, NY on 28 MAR 1826. He served as a private, Co E, 186th NY Infantry Regiment, enlisting at Clayton in the late summer of 1864. He was a farmer at the time of his enlistment. In 1865 he removed to Ontario, Canada.

Before 1855 he married

LETITIA ELLIOTT, who was born 08 Aug 1825 in Quebec, Canada. She died at North Crosby, Leeds, Ontario on 10 May 1900. Edwin appears to have survived her.

Children, CORNWELL

62 i JENNIE E. CORNWELL

63 ii DANIEL CORNWELL married MARY ANN GOOD, Olden, Frontenac, ON

64 iii CYNTHIA CORNWELL married GEORGE GOOD, Parham, Frontenac, ON

65 iv WILLIAM CORNWELL

66 v FRANCIS THOMAS ADOLPHUS CORNWELL married ALZINA HAMILTON

67 vi MARY M. CORNWELL died at age 20 in Bedford, Ontario, Canada


For further information, contact:
Roberta D. Calhoun-Eagan


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