Charles Goldberg 1820 - 1890

2nd Great Grandfather - Maternal Side

So comes an end to "Character Month". Charles was a man of "Outstanding Character" but a difficult man to write about since so much has already been written. I am still ordering documents and books with more sources but my hope is that I have enough to give you some insight.

Charles Goldberg (Date Unknown) 

Charles A. Goldberg (I am guessing that the A. stands for Alexander) was born in Prussian Poland, near the borders of Silesia. He was one of the youngest of 17 or 18 children. His father was the Chairman of the Rabbinical Council and his mother's name was Rachel. Rabbi Goldberg was a son of a Jew exiled from Prague in Bohemia and often spoke of the fact that his ancestors had been several times exiled from Spain. Charles received his education in rabbinical lore and later a German education along with a deep conviction of the divine law. When he was 10 years old, his father died and his education was continued by an uncle where he also learned Hebrew, French, and English by private tutors until he was 18. He became his uncle's traveling companion in which he was afforded the opportunity to see Germany. At the age of 20 every able-bodied man in Prussia was to enter the army for three years and then the militia until aged 32. Charles did not want to do so because it meant that he could not observe Jewish ceremonial law while in the military. He left his native country without a passport traveling by foot through Germany and arrived in the United States where he engaged in the business of "peddling". For the first 3 years he visited Canada, New York, and Ohio taking in the sites of the New World while continuing to uphold the ceremonies of Judaism in secrecy. Though he had been taught English, it was not perfect so in order to communicate clearly he started attending sermons. (See Source 1)

During his years as a peddler, he would be hosted by Christian families and would not eat meat but limited himself to only bread and butter or potatoes and eggs according with Jewish tradition. This was until he found out that the bread was made with lard. He would often engage in a conversation with his hosts on the doctrine and principals of Judaism. (See Source 1)

It was Charles' fortune, or misfortune as some may see it, that while looking for a new field of operations he booked passage on the steamer, Lucy Walker, in Cincinnati which blew up a few hundred yards from New Albany, Illinois.(See Source 6)

Lucy Walker Explosion (Public Domain See Source 6)

The dead and dying were plucked from the water and brought to town, Charles was among them. Witnessing how they were cared for made a deep impression on him. After re-stocking his pack Charles went to the northern part of Missouri. He considered himself to be jovial, careless, and a good for nothing Jew in 1844 who thought little of the future except to see different parts of the world but at the same time did not seek company in taverns or grog-shops. He sought company at camp meetings and the occasional ball or corn-husking. He went to church for social meetings but not for worship at this point. Charles had frequent offers to enter the medical profession or to take charge of language classes at seminaries, but was content at making a dollar a day just to spend it on lodging. The fall of 1844 finds him in Clay County, Missouri where he became ill and had to pay for his board at different houses from the wares in his pack. Here is where he learned the difference between professing a religion and those who did not. He soon learned that he would stay with Christians and lead to a turning point in his life. He stayed in Missouri for about 2 more years and wrestled with his faith. Charles feared being cast out from Jewish people and did not feel that he would be accepted among Christians. (See Source 1)

Charles returned to New York City and married Mary Ann Doe on February 23, 1846. It appears that her mother sold wares to peddlers and this is how they met. He then returned to Missouri in April for another year.  While he was in Missouri, his son, Levi Henry Goldberg was born in New York on December 8, 1846. Having become disenchanted with being a peddler or maybe he felt the need to support his family Charles removed to Texas intent to teach English to the numerous Germans who settled in Fisher and Miller's colonies. Arriving in Galveston, he again grew ill with fever. Protestants visited him daily especially a Methodist minister. August of 1847 found Charles on what he believed to be his death bed and after recovering was lead to become a minister. (See Source 1) Reverend Charles Goldberg was admitted to the Texas Methodist Conference at it's 8th session which convened at Chappell Hill on December 27, 1847.  While traveling back to Galveston he, Bishop Andrew, and the Bishop's nephew stopped at a German hotel near Cypress Creek in Harris County. Charles wrote that it was miserable conditions and that it costs $1.25 each, an outrageous sum, to stay there. The Bishop later reported the incident to the Christian Advocate. (See Source 2)

On May 6, 1848 Reverend Charles Goldberg opened the German Mission or "The First German Methodist Church of Houston" which eventually became Bering Memorial United Methodist Church that it is today. A state historical plague in his honor is located at the front of the church. Mary Ann moved to Texas with their son to be with him at last. It is not clear how long he and the family stayed in Houston. (See update 2) According to a letter written in 1854 after he arrived in Clarksville, Texas Charles praises the hospitality of Texans. The family was relocating from Milam County to Red River County when his wagon broke down on the Brazos River and his wife became ill. He and his family were treated very kindly. (See Source 2) One of my theories, of which I have nothing to back it up with, is he was moving from The Nashville Circuit of Methodist Churches to Clarksville. The First United Methodist Church of Caldwell has been in operation since 1840 so Charles might have been coming from there.(See Source 10)

But I am getting ahead of myself just a bit. Charles and Mary Ann had the following children:

1. Levi Henry Goldberg (1846 - 1918) pharmacist; married Mary John Patton
2. Mary Elizabeth "Molly"Goldberg (1848-1919) teacher at McKenzie College; married 1st John A.Ballard, 2nd Eli Jospeh Dawson
3. William Alexander Goldberg (1850-1857) buried in Paris, Lamar County, Texas
4. Anna Jane Goldberg (1855-1919); married DeWitt Clinton Van Wey, a grange farmer

Levi, Molly, Anna Jane

Charles had been invited to teach Hebrew and Modern Languages at the McKenzie Institute (See Source 4) outside of Clarksville, which was a Methodist College. Around this time he became a representative of the Red River Presbytery at the Texas Synod meeting held in Quitman in August, 1855. He preached at the First Presbyterian Church located in Clarksville  which is the oldest Protestant church to be in continuous existence since 1833.

Reverend Charles Goldberg was the founding preacher at the Union Chapel Methodist Church in 1858 which served as a church, school, and cemetery. It is currently located in Douglasville, Texas 20 miles west of Atlanta, Texas and still has it's Homecoming every 3rd Sunday in May. The Reverend is mentioned in it's program.

Mary Ann Goldberg died on February 8, 1859 at the age of 39 in their home 6 miles north of Clarksville. She was born and married in New York. (See Source 5 & 9) She is buried in the Fairview Cemetery, Clarksville but there is no marker. It is believed that she is buried in the "Goldberg Plot" beside Levi and Mary Patton Goldberg. Note: There seems to be some disagreement on where Mary Ann was born, some say England. More research is needed on her.

Charles next marries Sarah Elizabeth "Sally" Huffine on August 8, 1859 in Cass County, Texas. In the 1860 Census it states that Charles, Sally, Levi, Molly, and Anna Jane are living in Linden, Cass County, Texas and that Charles is a preacher. This is while he was also a professor of languages at Daingerfield College, a Cumberland Presbyterian school, where he wrote "A Veil Removed". At this point it appears that he was no longer affiliated with the Methodist, but I could be mistaken.  The couple had the following children:

1. Johnny Goldberg (1860-?)
2. Mattie Alexandria Goldberg (1861-1948); married Wilson Polk Wallace
3. Emma Goldberg (1862-1863) twin
4. Kate Goldberg (1862-1863) twin

Mattie Goldberg

Charles might have been living in Jefferson in May of 1862 (still looking for documentation) when he enlisted in the 18th Texas Infantry, Ochiltree's Regiment as a chaplain and a nurse. He was present at battles throughout Louisiana and Arkansas where his duties included carrying the wounded. Charles held services, distributed literature and attended to the spiritual needs of the regiment. 

October of 1865 until January 1866 Charles was the postmaster for Clarksville, Texas. He is listed on the 1867 Voter's List in Red River County, Texas.

December 15, 1868 Missionary Bulletin: "In reporting upon colored schools, General Reynolds says:

At Clarksville, Red River county, a school in charge of the Reverend Charles Goldberg, a Presbyterian clergyman, was broken up by a band of young men styling themselves Ku-Klux, and Mr. Goldberg compelled to leave the State."

By 1874, Reverend Goldberg was living in Washington, Arkansas no doubt opening a new church. It appears that Rev. Richard Lee stopped at his home and told him of a new town that had been established on the Texas and Arkansas line, Texarkana. Goldberg agreed to go and begin a new Cumberland Presbyterian establishment. The little church languished and sold it's property but the good Reverend was not deterred. In one record dated October 14, 1888 he and several parishioners signed an agreement to form a church which the "gates of hell should not prevail". He decided two things should happen 1.) a younger man would be it's pastor and 2.) to erect a church building to the glory of God. The Pine Street Cumberland Presbyterian Church opened it's doors in April of 1890 and continuously operated until 2016. The Reverend Charles also opened the first public school in Texarkana.

The 1880 U.S. Census shows Charles is listed as a clergyman, Sally as an invalid, and Mattie is keeping house in Texarkana, Bowie County. Texas.

Charles is listed on the 1887, 1888, and 1889 Tax Rolls in Texarkana. The real estate is appraised at $400 and it is unclear to me if this is the church land or his home.

1877 U.S. Bowie County, TX Tax Roll

Traveling across Texas in it's infancy opening or preaching at churches would have shown him to be of extraordinary character. When Charles moved to Texarkana he noticed that the small Jewish population did not have anyone to hold High Holiday services. Reverend Goldberg performed services and continued preparing young men for their bar mitzvahs from 1876 until 1885 when the community brought in an official Rabbi. He was adored by both Christians and Jews of the area.(See Source 7) 

Over the next decade, Dr. Reverend Charles Goldberg seems to have been content with a quieter life, enjoying his studies, and I am sure traveling to the different churches in the area. He died on November 30, 1890 and Sally, died in January of 1891. They are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Texarkana, Texas under the same headstone. His tribute in "The Cumberland Presbyterian" by the Rev. J.B. Crawford is two columns long which states in part "I would not do justice to the character of Dr. Goldberg should I forbear to speak of the simplicity of his life. His mental attainments easily gave him rank with the first scholars of the age; yet he bore a simple unsophisticated heart."
 The article ends with the following poem:
"He taught and worked undaunted by the night;
His steps were eager in the path of right;
He shunned the evil, loving what was pure;
His faith had purpose, and his crown was sure.
The world is better for his work of good;
He smoothed the path of sorrow where he could;
He plucked the thorns of grief with tender touch,
And followed truth and Him he loved so much." (Source 8)

Rev. Charles A. Goldberg (date unknown)

UPDATE:
I have been able to locate several documents. One is the Fisher & Miller Colony Certificate dated June 25, 1850. Charles his family lived near San Saba, Texas until February 1, 1853 when he sold the land and as close as I can tell moved to Clarksville.

The Round Grove Academy was located 6 miles east of Clarksville on the road to Mill Creek. Tuition was $20 to $40 per 10 month session depending on course. This was printed on July 24, 1855 in The Clarksville Times.

UPDATE 2: According to Harris County Records, Charles bought land in Houston that was recorded on February 19, 1849. He and his wife, Mary, sold these lots in February 1851 to James M. Wesson. The Goldbergs were living in San Saba County at the time they sold this land.

I could not have written as much as I have without the assistance from my lovely sister Nancy Jordan, my brother Hank Cornelius and our cousins Cora Standley, Elizabeth Brister, Robbie Fortune, Eva Ross, and Lucy Antone supplying different documentation.

Note: Charles Goldberg has 4 files in the Texas General Land Office for University & Asylum Lands of which I have placed an order.  


Sources:
1. "The Veil Removed, A Narrative of the Conversion of a Jew" by Reverend Charles Goldberg, Published by the American Tract Society, New York
2. Texas Methodist History, txmethhistory.blogspot.com/2013/01/this-week-in-texas-methodist-history.html
3. http://www.beringumc.org/berings-campus/
4. https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/kbm15
5. The Texas Northern Standard Newspaper, February 12, 1859
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_Walker_steamboat_disaster
7. "Corner of the Tapestry: a History of the Jewish Experience in America 1820s-1990s" by Carolyn Grey LeMaster, The University of Arkansas Press, 1994
8. "The Cumberland Presbyterian", February 19, 1891, Volume 49, Number 32, page 2
9. "The Texas Historian", Volume 46, Number 5, May 1986 Page: 22
10. https://www.txhistoricalmarker.com/marker/7080
11. Ancestry.com
12. FamilySearch.org

Amos Aaron Cornelius 1786-1852

3rd Great Grandfather - Paternal Side

As you can imagine, this is another Cornelius Character - surprise! I contemplated the similarities between my grandfather, Fess, since we all knew what a character he was and his great grandfather Aaron whom he never met. It is remarkable. I would say without a doubt that we have inherited some strong genes.

Amos "Aaron" was the 5th child of William and Lettice Cargil Cornelius. He was born on August 12, 1786 in Greenville, South Carolina where he spent his formative years. Grandmother Anne lived not far away so it assured that the 10 children had her guidance at the very least.

Cornelius Bible Letter (Source 1)

The family moved from South Carolina to Tennessee. While living there Aaron met a young woman, Eleanor (Ellender) Fortner (Faulkner) and they married in Jefferson,Tennessee on December 17, 1808.

Tennessee State Marriages 1780-2002

Aaron and Ellender lived in Tennessee until between 1818 and 1819 when they followed the family to just outside of present day Oneonta, Alabama. According to land records, Aaron sold his land in 1816 which was in Franklin County. Together they had the following children:

1. Abner Cornelius (1809-1864); married Rachel Reneau
2. Miriam Ellender Cornelius (1810-1858); married Bradcus Gallion
3. Elizabeth Mahalla Cornelius (1812-1852); married Daniel J. Bynum
4. Devastus Cornelius (1813- 1866); married Caroline Tillman
5. William Cornelius (1815-1876); married Hannah Allred
6. John W. Cornelius (1818-1879;) married Elizabeth "Eliza" Blackwood
7. Zion Cornelius (1819-1853); married Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Jones
8. Jefferson Harvey Cornelius (1820-1882); married Rosamond Williams
9. Tabitha Cornelius (1822-1887); married William Blackwood
10. Bradford Cornelius (1825-1892); married Cerena Williams
11. Cargill Cornelius (1825-1885); married Nancy Blackwood
12. Nancy Cornelius (1833-1905); married John Fennester Tidwell

In 1830 U.S. Census, there are a total of 11 free white people and 3 slaves listed. This would account for the children except for Abner, Miriam, & Nancy. Aaron and family lived next to William Cornelius, Sr. By 1840, seven people resided in the household. (See Sources 3 & 4)

Aaron was one of the executors of his father's will in 1842 of which states, "Also I have given my Son Arron Cornelius one Negro Girl named Leah and hur two children one Girl named Harlot and one Boy named Lewis this to be his full portion of my estate." I do not know what became of these people because in Aaron's probate records he has 3 others listed as Siah, George, and Isiah who were sold outside of the family.(*See note below.)

In the 1850 Census there were only three people listed - Aaron, Ellender, & Nancy and it shows that Aaron is a farmer. He owned 75 acres of land (45 acres unimproved) which had a value of $150 plus $60 of farming implements, 3 horses, 7 milch cows, 2 working oxen, 10 other cattle,7 sheep, and 60 swine all valued at $220 plus 700 bushels of Indian corn.(See Sources 5, 6 & 7)

1850 Farm Schedule

Ellender died after November 1850 and Aaron married Sarah "Sally" Stephens around 1851 to which there was born one son:

1. Jeremiah Aaron Cornelius (1852-1920); married Frances

So the fact that Aaron had 13 children and came from Revolutionary War stock does not make him a character. If in fact this was all that I had to go on, I would say that he was the just most normal run of the mill grandfather of the time. BUT when you take into account what the newspapers (seems to be the bane of my grandfathers existence doesn't it) you will see why I call him a "character" like Papaw Fess!

Now being a farmer, he had to take care of his land and animals so one could not be shocked by the events that occurred when rabies was running throughout the county. One would think that rabid animals would act in a certain way but being the man that he was, Aaron was obliged to take it upon himself to rid the county (at least his homestead) of stray dogs so naturally when a yellow dog came by Aaron grabbed his long gun and properly dispatched the Hell Hound to a death sentence. It appears this was someone's hunting dog so Aaron was slapped with a hefty $50.00  fine. Being of Cornelius mind the only proper thing to do was hire a couple of lawyers and challenge it in court. The owner followed and he hired lawyers for the trial which lasted an entire day. There was much debate and it was finally declared that a good dog was the proper thing to have but no good dog was worth more than livestock. In the end Aaron had to pay a fine of $8.07 and a grand funeral procession was held on Main Street and the dog's valiant reputation was restored (See Source 10). I'll bet that was a sight to see!

Aaron was caught distilling illicit liquor (sound familiar) which was dismissed due to lack of evidence. Hmmm, will the hills of Oneonta just as the rumored Oklahoma hills blow up one day due to the liquor buried there? Wondering minds would like to know.

Aaron was not a Godless man for he attended and was a member the United Baptist Church of Christ at Mount Pisgah along with his children. If a member was absent more than 3 times one would be contacted by the church and if excuses were not satisfactory, then the church would admonish them. Aaron was shown to have tithed $25 dollars to the church between 1836 and 1852. In June of 1838 he and his brother, Jesse, were appointed as delegates to an August church conference. He was excused for absence due to being deceased in 1851.

Church Minutes Book Source 8

Aaron died without a will, his probate papers show his estate to be worth $3,989.46 and listed his heirs and property. He is believed to be buried near his parents in the abandoned William Cornelius Cemetery, Oneonta, AL.

Many, many thanks goes to Charles "Chip" Cornelius for spending hours in the Blount County Courthouse basement looking for documents with me! Also to Linda Cornelius Atkins for being brave enough to battle spiders, snakes, and bulls to get to our roots.

Further information about the Cornelius clan can be found at www.fourfamiliesreunion.com, their Facebook page, Volume Two, Genealogy of the Bynum Family, Compiled and Edited by Mary Lou Boazman Howard, and the Four Families newsletter compiled by Bruce & Linda Jordan.

*Note: The slaves named in this story is for historical context only. I will not hide something that I am uncomfortable with since this blog is about my ancestors and perhaps gives us a tiny glimpse of their lives.

Sources:

1. Cornelius Bible Letter - Alabama Records Vol. 204(? last number is chopped off); Blount Co. - Gunrud 976.172 C Vol. 1
2. Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002 by Ancestry.com
3. Year: 1830; Census Place: , Blount, Alabama; Roll: ; Page: .; Ancestry.com
4. Year: 1840; Census Place: Eastern Division, Blount, Alabama; Roll: 3; Page: 91; Image: 858; Family History Library Film: 0002332; Ancestry.com
5. Year: 1850; Census Place: Subdivision 18, Blount, Alabama; Roll: M432_2; Page: 101B; Image: . Ancestry.com
6. Alabama State Census, 1820-1866; Ancestry.com
7. Selected U.S.Federal Census Non-Population Schedules 1850-1880; Ancestry.com
8. "Records of the United Baptist Church of Christ at Mt. Pisgah, Blount County, Alabama"; Transcribed by Rita Allgood Tubbs, Compiled by Dr. H.M. "Mac" Stiles
9. Alabama Probate Records, pages 208-230, Vol. (Sorry, I didn't copy the volume number down but if you are interested in a copy contact me)
10. Sketches of Blount County by Mary Gordon Duffee; "People and Things from The Blount County News-Dispatch 1890-1897"; Compiled & Edited by Robin Sterling  He has many books on the area so if you are searching for information on ancestors Google his name and it will populate his works.

.

Benjamin Franklin Hutsenpiller 1839-1898

2nd Great Grandfather - Maternal Side

You can call me "Josephine Friday" because I am just stating the facts ma'am. I am taking one liberty here and that is to state that Benjamin's middle name is Franklin, this is not a fact as I have only seen Benjamin F. in records. Other than that, I have records to back up all other matters stated.

Any way you look at it Benjamin was a character. I am sure his parents, Hillias & Sophronia Lindsey Hutsenpiller, had hopes for their 2nd child and oldest son of 9 children. He was born in Highland County, Ohio around 1839 since the 1840 U.S. Census only states that he is under 5 years old. On the 1850 U.S. Census it shows been as being 10 or 11 and that he attended school that year. I can not find him on the 1860 census but he enlisted in the Union Army, 22nd Infantry Ohio Regiment, Company B as a private on September 2, 1861 (age 23) and served from November 1, 1861 (age 21) through November 18, 1864 when he mustered out. (See Sources 1 & 2) How he had grown 2 years younger in 2 months is incredible. His regiment was in some of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War and I have no doubt this changed his life forever.

After the war, Benjamin married Hester A. Evans on May 7, 1865. She was the daughter of John G. & Rebecca Storer Evans.

Together they had three children:

1. John William "Willie" (1867-1935); married Rose Etta Turner
2. Charles E. (1870-1920); married Catherine Sherman
3. Lulu  (1876-1891) died before marriage

Benjamin was by trade a blacksmith. In the 1870 U.S. Census he is shown to have $400 in real estate and $150 in personal estate. I would have to say that he was doing alright by the standards of the day. He owned $250 in iron and 250 pounds of coal valued at $25, He did not own a machine as he performed his work by hand. (See Source 3)

All was not well between Benjamin and Hester. I do not know the circumstances surrounding what lead to this event but by February, 1879 Hester was filing for divorce. She accuses him of running off and living with Ellen McKinney, as per The Portsmouth Times.

Apparently she was granted the divorce since she and Ben went on to marry others. Ben did not marry Ellen, but did wed another lady of whom I believe was named Mary Ann Carr. I really can't say much more about Bad Ben because records from after 1870 are scarce or non-indexed. I show that he died February 27, 1898 and is buried in Oliver, Adams County, Ohio. But here my facts have turned into faith from other records.

UPDATE: Cousin Cora has come through again! Benjamin and his family were living in Scioto County, Ohio during the 1860 Census. It appears that the census taker really botched the Hutsenpiller name. Cora and Betty spent an entire day looking through all of the Scioto Co. Census records at the Clayton Library and this was how he was found. Many Thanks!


Sources:

1. "U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865" by The National Parks Service; Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.Original data - National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, online <http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/>, acquired 2007.Original data: National Park Service, Civil War

2.  http://www.civilwarindex.com/armyoh/rosters/22nd_oh_infantry_3years_roster.pdf

3.  Selected U.S. Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880; Census Year: 1870; Census Place: Nile, Scioto, Ohio; Ancestry.com

Moses Cornelius 1732 - circa 1770

5th Great Grandfather - Paternal Side

After a frustrating month of digging into any information that I could find, buying more books with little information in them it gives me great pleasure to introduce "Characters Month". Not that they were necessarily bad (well, maybe one or two were misguided) but these gentlemen stick out in my mind for one reason or another.

As of the date of this post I have no knowledge of where Moses Cornelius began his life or who his parents were. There has been speculation all over the place but nothing can be proven. The descendants of this family have DNA roots from Great Britain, West Europe, Scandinavia, & Ireland.

Moses married Anne Dodson Fowler before August 1767 but the exact date is unknown. They had two sons:

1. William Cornelius (1754-1842) married Lettice Cargile 
2. Jeptha Cornelius (1758-1818) married Margaret "Peggy" Everett

The first appearance of whom I believe was our Moses is on two jury lists in Halifax, Virginia during the September 1760 court. The first case was John Owen vs Thomas Terry and the second case was Cornelius Cargill, Sr. vs Thomas Cobb and wife. This would have meant that Moses was a productive member of society and would have been paid with 30 pounds of tobacco for each appearance (See Source 1).

In the 1767 List of Tithables for Pittsylvania County, VA taken by John Dix, Moses Cornelius is listed as having paid one (1) tithe. He would not have been taxed for his wife or sons but could have been taxed for any livestock.

Note: This William Cornelius is not Moses' son but could be an uncle or father of Moses.

Later in the same year, December 17, 1767, Virginia Gazette Newspaper, Pg. 3 “Committed to the Publick Gaol (note: public jail), on Friday last, Moses Cornelius, from Charlotte for passing bad money”(See Source 2). This seems to have been the start of a trend in his life. Just a few months later on April 21, 1768, Virginia Gazette Newspaper, Pg. 2 “Moses Cornelius, from Charlotte, for felony, lies over until June court”. I presume this was from the previous mentioned article: June 16, 1768, Virginia Gazette Newspaper, Pg. 2, “Moses Cornelius, from Charlotte, for felony, recommitted.” There were two court cases filed against him in Pittsylvania County days after: Pittsylvania County Court Book 1, June 24, 1768 Richard Conner vs Moses Cornelius and on June 25, 1768 William Wynne vs Moses Cornelius.  Again, Moses seems to be in ill favor of someone on July 1768 in Pittsylvania County, there was another legal action of William Cornelius** vs Moses Cornelius.

It appears that Moses was in some sort of kerfuffle with Samuel Johnston in January, 1771:

See Source 3

Transcription of Chancery Court Causes: Moses Cornelius vs Samuel Johnson Charlotte County, Virginia 1771:

To the worshipful Court of Charlotte County Sitting in Chaneory

                                                                Humbly Complaining

Herewith unto your worships your orators, Moses Cornelious that some time past in this worshipful there was a certain suit depending and undetermined between on Saml Johnson Plf and Nathl Williams Defendant, in and concerning the taken up of your Orator, which of them was entitled to the reward of 20 pounds that was offered for the taken up of your Orator in the Virginia Gazette by the Honourable Francis Fauquier, Esq. Luitenant Governour of Virginia and while the said suit was depending for the reward aforesaid, the said Samuel Johnson came to your Orator and told him, Moses you know that I am entitled to the reward for the taken of you up and I intend to call on you as a witness and if you’l tell the truth so that I git the suit I will give you five pounds of the said money. I am to have but ten pounds of the money if I get it. If I do I’ll give you half of it which your orator agreed to John V. Henry. Now so it is may it please your worships that when the said suit was tried the said Johnson called on your orator as a witness in said suit, which your orator knowing the bargain of attended, and gave in his evidence as near the truth as he could remember, and after your orator had gave in his evidence the jury returned and found for the said Samuel Johnson, the Twenty Pounds of and as your orator has been informed the said Saml has recd the money of the said Nathaniel Williams.

But now so it is the said the Samuel hath not made payment to your orator of the five pounds according to his bargain of only let your orator have a horse. Some time ago your orator thought, and also as the said Samuel agrees should go in lieu of the five pounds after but to your orators great surprise has brought suit in this Worshipful Court for the horse as he gave to your orator for the money of which suit is now defending, and utterly denies payment to your orator which is no ways convenient to your orator.  In consideration where of and for as much as there is no relief in cases of this sort but in around of equity. To the end therefore that the said Samuel may on his corporal oath  true testament and parpet angr make to all and singular the premises aforesaid whether he did not bring suit of the aforesaid Nathaniel Williams for the reward aforesaid, whether he did not come to your orator and agree to give him five pounds if he would be a witness for him and tell the truth so that he could gain the suit but by of award the said Nath Williams and I get the money from him the said Nathaniel and when your orator and he did not bargain, and your Orator agreed to take the five pounds and stay be a witness, and also sit forth when there your Orator was not an evidence for him and that’s the truth as near as he could, and also set forth when then  he did not tell your orator have the horse aforementioned in lieu of the five pounds, and whether he has not since brought suit against your orator for the horse aforesaid in this Worshipful Court, also sit forth if his has no recovered the money of the said Nathaniel Williams and received the same and also set forth if he was to have any more than ten pounds of the money when got and if he did not promise your orator half when recovered, and by advice of this Worshipful Court the said Samuel Johnson may be compelled to pay to your orator the aforesaid five pounds as he agreed to pay or such other decree as to your Worships shall sum just and agreeable to Equity.

May it please your worships to grant you orator his majesties writ of Sus. Pevetes to the said Samuel Johnson commanding him to appear and answer.

Signed Williams (Mead or Hood – it is very blurred)

August 13, 1773, Virginia Gazette Newspaper, Pg. 2, “Williamsburg – The following prisoners have been brought to the publick jail: Moses Cornelius, and Richard Williamson, for theft.” Finally things begin to turn around for Moses: On October 22, 1773 they are acquitted from grand larceny charges. Does this mean he was acquitted because he had died earlier? Unless and until there can be found a record of his death we may never know for sure.

The last piece of information that I have is in the September Court of 1773 Pittsylvania County Virginia (Deed Book 2, Page 246) William and Jeptha (both under 21) are bound out, meaning their father had died or could no longer provide for them. (See Source 4) It is speculation that Moses had been branded due to his many run-ins with the law.

Further reading on the convicted criminals of the day can be found at:  https://www.history.org/Foundation/journal/Summer11/prison.cfm

Again I would like to thank Francis Cornelius Douglas & Robert Johnston, Jr. for all of their hard work and research. If not for them I would have not known where to look for any of this information.


**It is only speculation on my part that this is one of his relatives, but since his first son's name is William I would suspect it to be a close one.

Sources:

1.  http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~jcat2/18centvalaw.html

2. http://research.history.org/DigitalLibrary/va-gazettes

3, Ancestry.com

4. Virginia State Archives

5. FamilySearch.org