William Cornelius 1754-1842

4th Great Grandfather - Paternal Side

The formatting is off near the end of this post. Try as I have, it's just going to have to be that way!

Out of the 89 members of William Cornelius DNA Circle on Ancestry, I match 17 known 4th Cousins.

William was the son of Moses and Ann Dodson Cornelius. He was born in Virginia, probably in the Richmond area as this was where his mother’s family owned property. After Moses died, Ann married George Phillips (her 1^st cousin) and he was pronounced guardian over William and Jeptha. The family lived in Henry and Pittsylvania Counties, Virginia (see Ann Dodson blog post) before moving to Greenville, South Carolina where on June 5, 1774 he married Lettice Cargill. (Her parents are still waiting to be discovered but are rumored to be John Cargill and Rachel Tinsley.) Over the next 32 years William and Lettice would have 10 children together.

The children of William and Lettice Cargill Cornelius were:

1. Ann Cornelius (1776-1847), married Cornelius Cargill III
2. F. Ilsie “Jesse” Cornelius (1778-1850), married ?? Marsh, 2nd Sarah Biggs  
3. Elizabeth “Betsey” Cornelius (1781-1842), married Calvin Waid
4. Moses Cornelius (1784-1846), married Cythia Bynum
5. Aaron Cornelius (1786-1852), married Eleanor Fortner
6. William "Billy" Abner Cornelius (1789-1864), married Bethia Robbins
7. Champion Cornelius (1792-1871), married Jane Bailey
8. Beverly Cornelius (1794-1880), married Nancy Euphemia Smith
9. Lettice Cornelius (1797-1856), married Alexander Cook
10. Tabitha Cornelius (1800-1852), married Ruben Hayes

On July 15, 1776 William enlisted in Kingsbury’s Company, North Carolina Artillery as a Matross for the duration of the War. They were camped near York, PA and he was reported as wounded and released from service in June 1778. Further research is needed to determine which campaigns he was active in.

Military Roll

In 1779, William, Jeptha, and his mother sell their interest in 202 acres in Pittsylvania County, Virginia for 100 pounds to Daniel Kreyder (See Source 1). They are also found to be on the Rent Roles that year.

The census for 1790 (See Source 2) shows William living in Greenville, South Carolina with 9 people in the dwelling, William Cornelius Head of Household, males >16 - 1 (William); males <16 - 4, (Jesse, Moses, Aaron, Billy); females <16 - 4 (Lettice  Anne, Elizabeth, ???).  On the same census there is a Cornelius Cargal (possibly Lettice’s brother) who lives 3 domiciles away and further on is Jeptha Cornelius (William’s brother) with 4 persons living there.

The 1800 census for Greenville, South Carolina (See Source 3):  William Cornelius Head of Household, males under 10 - 3 (Champion, Beverly, Billy); males 10-16 - 2 (Moses, Aaron); males 45 - up -1 (William); females under 10 - 2 (Lettice, Tabitha); females 26-45 - 1 (Lettice).

In the 1810 Greenville County, South Carolina census,(See Source 4):  William "Cornealons" Head of Household, males under 10-1 (Abner); males 10-16 - 1 (Beverly); males 16-26 - (Probably Champion, Billy); males 45 - up - 1 (William ); females 10-16 - 2  (Lettice, Tabitha); Females 45 - up = 1 (Lettice).

The older children married in South Carolina before the family moved to Tennessee.  While there they lived in the 12th District. William sold this land to John B. House in March, 1825 before moving to Blount County, Alabama where he had received Bounty Land for his service in the Revolutionary War. 

Land Warrent from North Carolina

On 4 September 1825 he bought an additional 40 acres in Township 12 South, Range 1 East, Section 36 of Blount County. 

The 1830 Census (See Source 5) shows William and Lettice as both being over 70 years old. They had 9 slaves working for them at the time: males 70-80 - 1 (William), females 70-80 - 1 (Lettice) male slaves 10-24- 5; male slaves 24-36 - 1; female slave under 10 - 1; female slaves 10-24 - 2; female slave 24-36 - 1. Lettice dies in 1834 and is buried not far away from their cabin in the family cemetery.

William Cornelius Grave Site - Oneonta, Alabama

There were 2 white males living on the farm, as per the 1840 Census (See Source 6), plus 6 slaves: Head of household W. Cornelius Jr, male 20-30 1; 1, male 80-90 - 1(William); male slave

10-24 - 1; female slaves 10-24 - 2; female slave 24-35 - 1. 

William departed this life on 27 July 1842 and was laid to rest beside Lettice on the homestead not

very far from his cabin along with his wife, some of their children, and at least one grandchild.He left

a will which describes the distribution of his estate including his 16 slaves. (See Source 7)

Corner stones of William Cornelius Cabin

Another view of the Corner Stones

Sources:

1. Pittsylvania County, Virginia Deed Book 8, Page 526-527
2. Year: 1790; Census Place: , Greenville, South Carolina; Series: M637; Roll: 11; Page: 95; Image: 74;
3. Year: 1800; Census Place: Greenville, South Carolina; Series: M32; Roll: 47; Page: 252; Image: 489; Family History Library Film: 181422
4. Year: 1810; Census Place: Greenville, South Carolina; Roll: 62; Page: 522; Image: 00120; Family History Library Film: 0181421
5. Year: 1830; Census Place: , Blount, Alabama; Roll: ; Page: .
6. Year: 1840; Census Place: Eastern Division, Blount, Alabama; Roll: ; Page: .
7. 19 Sep 1842; Blount County, Alabama, USA; familysearch.org - Alabama, Probate Records, 1809-1985 Blount Minutes 1820-1845 - images 197-198 

Additional Sources:

1. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M246, 138 rolls); War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records, Record Group 93; National Archives, Washington. D.C.
2. familysearch.org - Alabama, Probate Records, 1809-1985 Blount Minutes 1820-1845 - images 197-198
3. United States. Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records. Automated Records Project; Federal Land Patents, State Volumes. http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/. Springfield, Virginia: Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 2007.
4. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M246, 138 rolls); War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records, Record Group 93; National Archives, Washington. D.C.
5. Blount County Museum; Oneonta, Alabama
6. Blount County Courthouse; Oneonta, Alabama
7. Francis Cornelius Douglas
8. Ken Cornelius
9. Charles "Chip" Cornelius
10. Robert Johnston, Jr.