CORNELL-L Archives

From: "Jeffrey Chace" <>
Subject: Famous New York Families
Date: Fri, 22 Dec 2006 16:58:25 +0100

*From the Cornell Alumni News**Vol. IV, No. 3**October 16, 1901****FAMOUS NEW YORK FAMILIES. *
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*The Cornells. *
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(Reprinted from N. Y*. *Evening Post.)


The pioneers of the early colonies were from the first divided into twoclasses, one marked by a strong family feeling which expressed itself in theformation of estates, the use of the law or custom of primogeniture, and theclose connection of the members of a stock to the land or district on whichthey were born, and the other by an intense individualism which promptedeach child upon reaching manhood's estate to begin life for himself andstart his own family irrespective of ancestral relations or of fraternalinfluence.


In the main the Dutch belonged to the former and the English to the lattertype. The patroons were the highest development of the one, while the otherflowered in soldiers, inventors, philanthropists, and great professionalmen. An apposite example of the latter class is the Cornell family of NewYork state. It is of English origin, and according to genealogists came toEngland in the Norman period from Brittany in France. Like most families ofAnglo- Norman origin, there was but little uniformity in the spelling of thename for many generations.


Among the variants found in the records are Cornell, Cornhill, Cornil,Cornehill, Cornwell, Cornewell, Cornwall, and Cornewall. When the founder ofthe New York branch came to Long Island, he spelled his name Cornhill andthereafter Cornwell, and it was not until the eighteenth century that themajor portion of the Long Island family adopted Cornell as their patronymic.



The first generation consisted of two brothers and a cousin, who came to NewEngland about 1635.


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Thomas (1620?) of this generation remained at the homestead inPortsmouth, RhodeIsland, where he married and raised a large family. He was the ancestor ofEzra Cornell, the philanthropist, and of Gov. Alonzo B. Cornell.


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The fifth generation produced many actors in the War of Independence. Herethe Cornells were strongly divided. Three of the Queens County men wereloyalists and two, especially Capt. Thomas, won distinction by theirbravery. After the war, he and his brother removed to Annapolis, while hisoldest son, who had been a revolutionist, remained on Long Island. Thecondition of the family during that long struggle must have been verydramatic. In one branch two brothers were arrayed against each other, and inanother a father and grandson were revolutionists, while the son was aloyalist.


It made the struggle all the more bitter and terrible, but at the same timeenabled the combatants to display touches of gallantry and chivalry. Thus onone occasion, tradition says, when Capt. Thomas was ordered to forage uponthe estates of his kindred upon a certain date, he sent a trusted messengerin advance notifying them of the fact and begging them to take to the woodsthat day and have a picnic. Lieut. John, on the other hand, sent a note tohis cousin William that the latter's post was exposed to the rifle-fire ofthe minute men and entreating him as a matter of affection to move hisquarters behind a small hill in the immediate neighborhood.


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The seventh generation was numerous, and took an enviable place in thepublic eye. The greatest of all was Ezra (1807), of the Westchester branch.His education was that of the public schools, but his patience and talentmade him one of the greatest scholars of the country. He settled when ayoung man in Ithaca, N. Y., where he began life's labor as a mill manager.His first noted achievement was the designing and construction of a tunnelat Fall Creek, N. Y., for the utilization of water power, it being the firstof its kind in the United States. Shortly after this, he became associatedwith Morse, the electrician, and was soon an expert in what was then avirgin field of enterprise. He superintended the erection of the firsttelegraph line, which was between Washington and Baltimore (1844). Itssuccess brought him hundreds of orders, and the new business which he hadbegun under the most discouraging auspices rapidly brought him a greatfortune. With a number of friends and business acquaintances he founded theWestern Union Telegraph Company, and for twenty years was one of itsdirectors. He was liberal and progressive in his policy, and was largelyinstrumental in making the corporation the vast power it subsequentlybecame. His life was intensely active.


Beside keeping in touch with the rapid development of electrical science andindustry, he was at the head of political and agricultural movements. Hisstatesmanship was shown by his record as Assemblyman in 1862-1863, and asState Senator in 1864-1868. His monument is Cornell University, whichexpresses his conception of the highest type of an educationalestablishment. This, according to his own words, should be "an institutionwhere any person can find instruction in any study." The growth of thisfamous school is memorable. Founded in 1868, it now has 3,000 students, alibrary of 250,000 volumes, productive funds of about $7,000,000, and anannual income of over $800,000.


The eighth generation produced many celebrated characters. The foremostpolitically was Alonzo B. (1832), son of Ezra. He began life as a telegraphoperator and electrician, from which he went into finance and politics. Heheld numerous positions of honor, being Supervisor, nominee forLieutenant-Governor, member of the Assembly (1873), Chairman of theRepublican State Committee, Naval Officer for the Port of New York, andGovernor of the State of New York. His gubernatorial administration won himthe love and esteem of all, excepting professional spoilsmen andpoliticians. He cut out the sinecures made numberless economies, vetoed allquestionable appropriation bills, recommended the creation of a State Boardof Health and a State Railroad Commission, and urged the eligibility ofwomen for school officers, the establishment of a reformatory for women, anda common-sense modification of the usury laws.


Other members of distinction in this generation are Dr. Edward Everett ofthe Cornwall branch, who was graduated from Wesley (1887), and from theCollege of Physicians and Surgeons (Columbia), 1890; Dr. James Leίferts, whowas graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons (Columbia), 1890,and who was a surgeon in St. Mary's Hospital, Brooklyn; George Birdsall, whowas graduated from Columbia School of Mines (1877), where he took the doubledegree of E.M. and C.E., and who achieved distinction as the chief engineerof the East River Bridge Company; Judge Robert Clifford, who was graduatedfrom Columbia (1874), and the Columbia Law School (1876), and who is amagistrate of New York city.


The Cornells have been good examples of the typical Americans. From thefirst, they have been marked by mental and physical vigor, industry,patience, and practicality. Their work has been directed towards theamelioration of daily life. They have tended to those callings in whichthere is a visible or actual return for energy expended. They have beengreat inventors, organizers, politicians, manufacturers, and students. Theirgospel has been that of labor, and their reward has been great. They haveleft a deep impression upon New York city and State, and have contributedlargely to the progress and prosperty of the Commonwealth.

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