Who was she before she was Eugenia Cornell?

February 25, 2016February 25, 2016 / Brandy Heineman / 3 Comments

Our family trees don’t always yield their secrets readily, and I’m glad. There’s little as satisfying as ending a six-year-search—or rather, turning a corner for the next leg of the journey.

I’ve written about Hamilton Townsend Cornell on this blog plenty of times—how he never missed the opportunity to claim his nebulous connection to Cornell University founder Ezra Cornell, how he stayed in trouble’s way, how he chased the sunset from New York to California in search of his fortunes.

But he’s not the star of this post—not today. No, today I’m here to talk about his third wife, though I’d be hard pressed to tell her story independent of his. Finding Eugenia _____ Cornell has been one of my mother’s pet projects for years, and thanks to her research and tenacity, Eugenia’s day in the sun has finally arrived.

I’ve linked liberally in this post. Other researchers, go behind me and verify my conclusions to your own satisfaction.

Starting with the known…

There wasn’t much to work with at first. Eugenia is found on three censuses: 1870, 1875, 1880

And then she’s gone.

The census details tell us that her father was born in Connecticut and her mother in Vermont, and they construct a partial timeline of her life (shown in green). Newspaper mentions of both her and Hamilton (blue) and related records (purple) illustrate a turbulent life, particularly at the end of 1874.

1845 or 1846 – Eugenia was born in New York State.
1865 – Son, George, born in Minnesota.
15 November 1866 – Henriett Cornell (Hamilton’s second wife) published a summons against him in the Shawano County Journal, Shawano, Wisconsin.
1867 – Daughter, Emma, born in Minnesota.
September 1869 – Daughter, Maud, born in Minnesota.
1870 – Enumerated in Oakland, Freeborn county, Minnesota.
29 December 1870 – Hamilton had a suit against their neighbor, Adam Christie. (See it on Ancestry.)
November 1871 – Hamilton runs testimonial-style newspaper ads selling a patent medicine called “The Oil of the Tree of Life.” (See one on LOC’s Chronicling America.)
1873 – Son, Guy H., born in Minnesota.
September 1874 – Hamilton brings suit against the Asher Estate for $2000 in unpaid debts for wheat and Oil of the Tree of Life, though he has no proof the amounts are due. The Asher Estate answers that the claims fraudulent. (See it on Ancestry.)
26 October 1874 – Brayton (a son from Hamilton’s first marriage) died at age 26. (See it on FamilySearch.)
25 November 1874 – Son, George S., died at age 9. (See it on FamilySearch.)
3 December 1874 – A newspaper item regarding George’s burial speculates that he died of typhoid fever like his brother Brayton had. (See it on LOC’s Chronicling America.)
24 December 1874 – Public notice of mortgage default action against Hamilton and Eugenia. (See it on Ancestry.)
1875 – Enumerated in Freeborn county, Minnesota.
22 July 1875 – Eugenia’s name is listed (among many others) for taxes due on property in Oakland, Township 102, Range 19, Section 32. (See it on Ancestry.)
11 November 1875 – At least part of the same piece of property named in the mortgage default is mentioned in a real estate transfer, H Cornell to J K Strver for $500. (See it on Ancestry.)
25 May 1876 – Public notice of another mortgage default action against Hamilton and Eugenia. (See it on Ancestry.)
1880 – Enumerated in Spruce Gulch, Lawrence county, Dakota territory (now South Dakota). Their household includes boarder John Sailor.
9 February 1881 – “Saylor accuses him of assault and battery.” (Article mentions Hamilton; abstracted here.)
10 February 1881 – “Case of assault against Saylor continues.” (Article mentions Hamilton; abstracted here.)

Tragedy, conflict, and the precipice of financial ruin. The more details we gathered about Eugenia’s life, the more we wanted to know who she was, this third woman to be caught up in Hurricane Hamilton. For all the drama in their lives, no clues about Eugenia’s family or background emerged.

Moving from the known to the unknown…

Since the last sighting of Eugenia was the census record in Spruce Gulch, my mom searched hard for Cornell references in the area. She was one to find Hamilton connected to Deadwood, South Dakota.

I was following her lead and looking for untapped Dakota Territory resources when I tried several general Google searches, including this one: “Hamilton Cornell” Deadwood

This search string brought up “An Interview With Millie Cornell: An Oral History produced by Robert D. McCracken.” This PDF file is a transcript of an interview with Millie Cornell and was a Nye County Nevada Town History Project. It is a lengthy file, but the relevant passages can be found on pages 32-33. I don’t want to take quotes directly from this work, but allow me to abstract the most germane points:

Millie Cornell was the wife of Bob Cornell, son of John Henry Cornell, who was born in Austin, Minnesota.
John Henry Cornell’s father was reportedly “John Hamilton Cornell.”
Family papers indicated a connection Ezra Cornell, founder of Cornell University.
John Henry Cornell’s mother died in Deadwood, South Dakota.
The family eventually relocated to Los Angeles and then Anaheim, California.
John Henry Cornell didn’t get on well with his father and left home young.

The interview also mentions a little boy who died of scarlet fever. Although the details are unclear, it may be a reference to George Cornell’s death in 1874.

I encourage researchers interested in Hamilton Cornell and Eugenia to take a closer look at this interview. The alignment of Millie Cornell’s knowledge with recorded facts about Hamilton (like his presence in Anaheim, where he was enumerated not once but twice in 1910) had the smell of a breakthrough—but not without first reconciling one impossible-to-overlook detail.

Moving from the unknown to the completely unexpected…

The name John Henry Cornell is not found in Hamilton and Eugenia’s family groups. I had to find out who he was and where—or really, if—he fit into the birth order timeline.

Happily, I found him rather quickly, and along with him, a few surprises about Eugenia. Ancestry’s U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, gives important details about John Henry Cornell:

Birth Date: 12 August 1876
Birth Place: Austin, Minnesota
Father’s Name: Hamilton Cornell
Mother’s Name: Elizabeth E. Goodrich

Goodrich.

Of course, since Elizabeth E. does not necessarily equal Eugenia, I couldn’t stop there. And if John Henry was born in 1876 and lived to adulthood, why wasn’t he listed on the 1880 census?

One question at a time… If she was out there, then first I had to find Eugenia Goodrich.

She was, and I did. In 1850, she’s in Edwards, St. Lawrence, New York, with a father born in Connecticut and a mother born in Vermont. In 1857 and 1860, she’s with her mother and siblings, first in “Town 106, Range 13” Olmstead county, Minnesota, and then in Otisca, Waseca county, Minnesota.

Next, I searched marriage records on FamilySearch, but I was unprepared to find that on 29 March 1862, at age 17 or 18, “Eugena Goodrich” married… Richard G. Eno.

What?! Her story had grown richer already. I thought her first husband must have died by the time Hamilton rode into town, but no. No, as it turns, Richard G. Eno was a horse thief (source, source), indicted for larceny by 5 December 1862. His case remanded for sentencing by 1 December 1863. I’ve not yet found what the actual sentence was, but according to one of the sources, the village of Otisca experienced an economic downturn not long after Eno’s arrest. Not that there’s ever a good time to be the teen bride of a horse thief, but much less so when a boom ends.

What was her frame of mind when she met smooth-talking and greener-grass-chasing Hamilton? Brokenhearted? Ashamed? Desperate?

Hamilton’s paper trail makes it too easy to infer that he was a cad, but I so dearly hope he was good to her. He didn’t run out on her, after all, or marry again after she died. Maybe, hopefully, he really loved her, and she him.

A closer look at the linchpin…

The question of John Henry Cornell’s absence from the 1880 census is one we can only speculate on for now, but Mom came up with a good theory.

According to some sources (here, here), John Henry Cornell was born in 1873, not 1876. His 1918 draft registration card, in particular, gives his birth date as 12 August 1873, and says that he was of medium height and stout build, with blue eyes and black and gray hair.

According to the 1900 Federal census, Guy H. Cornell was born in August 1873. His 1898 voter registration (in Inyo county, California) also puts his birth year at 1873, and further describes him as 5’9”, with fair complexion and blue eyes. (The hair color is illegible.) I don’t find a draft registration for Guy.

Mom thinks Guy Hamilton is John Henry, and the two recorded physical descriptions don’t rule it out. Perhaps, when “John Henry” left home and the father he didn’t get along with so well, he also changed his name. It’s just a theory, but one that fully explains why John wasn’t listed on the census returns. He was—but as Guy.

That’s not to say he forgot where he came from, however. With a little more checking, I found that John Henry Cornell and his wife, Nellie Goldbach, named one of their sons Eugene Goodrich Cornell. (Sources: here, here.)

It’s fair to guess that he didn’t want his mother to be forgotten. Today, I’m glad to say that she hasn’t been. There’s undoubtedly more to her story, and with her name restored to her, we can finally begin to tell it.

Introduction to Onomastic Evidence in Genealogy

January 18, 2016January 28, 2016 / Brandy Heineman / 6 Comments

#52Ancestors: Delilah Townsend Cornell and her namesake [Tweet this]

Onomastics, or the study of the origin, history, and use of proper names, is sometimes a useful indicator of relationships in genealogy research, but in stories where identities and relationships are well established by other documented facts, a naming pattern may end up overlooked as mildly interesting but irrelevant. Do those cases warrant a closer look at the onomastic evidence?

According to the place history Landmarks of Steuben County, New York, Delilah Townsend was the first wife of Smith Cornell and died in 1829. The 1830 Federal Census indicates five sons and two daughters, but so far, I only know the identities of four of the sons: Smith, Hiram, Socrates, and Hamilton.

Hamilton T. Cornell lived an adventurer’s life—or perhaps a scoundrel’s life, depending on your perspective—but either way, the word “wanderlust” was coined for such as him. He left his wife and six of his eight children behind in New York to seek his fortunes—fortunes that involved lawsuits, miner’s camps, miracle elixir sales, and making it all the way to California with two more wives and at least five more children (see: 1850, 1855, 1860, 1860, 1870, 1875, 1880) in his wake.

One of them, he named Delilah.

Onomastic evidence can take many forms. Traditional naming patterns can provide clues to parents names. Names might hold clues to the parents’ priorities (as with Biblical names, for example). Namesakes can hint at the regard parents may have held for the honoree.

I find it fascinating that long after Delilah Townsend Cornell passed away, and far from the eyes of his family, Hamilton the Adventurer would name a daughter for his mother.

With limited details in genealogy, I think it’s sometimes easy to forget that people are complex. The details Hamilton Cornell left in officials records and in print form one composite picture, and it’s easy to overlook the details that don’t support it–details that suggest that the footloose adventurer loved and missed his mother.

Other views

I’m no expert on onomastic studies, but it is one area that I’m hoping to learn more about throughout this year. I’ll definitely write more on this topic in the future! In the mean time, here are some resources you can view!

W hat’s in a Name? via Digging for Ancestors
Ancestors in the Records: Naming Patterns via Understanding Your Ancestors
Genealogy: Look for cultural naming patterns by Barry J. Ewell via Genealogy by Barry
Comments on Naming Patterns via Bob’s Genealogy Filing Cabinet

What about you?

Ever had a breakthrough that began with clues seeded in a personal or family name? Tell me your amazing discoveries related to onomastic evidence in the comments below!

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It’s all fun and games until your genealogy research uncovers something terrible. Next week, we’ll talk about what to do when it happens to you.

Applying Literary Archetypes to Ancestors, and Why You Shouldn’t Do It

September 24, 2013February 6, 2015 / Brandy Heineman / 8 Comments

Are you assuming too much
about the people in your family tree?
(Image courtesy of Vlado / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

If family history is about storytelling, then our ancestors are the characters. Each and every one is a blank, a mystery. Sometimes one small scrap of information forms the basis of my entire understanding of who that ancestor was as a person. My fiction-writer’s mind makes the call: protagonist or antagonist? Hero or villain? Major or minor player?

The trouble is, genealogy ain’t fiction, and while an ancestor might be “a real character” as the saying goes, the truth is that s/he was a real person, with idiosyncrasies, conflicts and quirks. Just like me and you, they lived contradictions and didn’t always stand on their convictions. Their lives were complex, and most likely they did not choose the detail for which they are most remembered.

It’s possible that the typecasting fact is the one thing they most wished would stay buried.

Learn From My Mistakes

In view of this, let me share a few examples of how literary archetypes have colored my view of certain ancestors. (There are many lists of literary archetypes on the web. I’m using Tami Cowden’s with gratitude.)

The Chief — N. W. Heinemann built an empire in Colegrove, PA through hard work and honest dealings. That’s why it threw me for a loop when a rumor surfaced that he had cheated my great-grandmother out of his brother’s share of the fortune. Upon careful examination of the facts, this story does not appear to be true, but something fueled the rumor, suggesting unknowns that may not ever be uncovered.

The Swashbuckler — Hamilton Cornell spent 40 years making his way west from Troupsburg NY to Anaheim CA. Whether driven by the thrill of adventure or a touch of gold-fever, I have to guess by his three wives that he was a Charmer, as well. A fun character–until you contemplate the seventeen (or so) children he fathered, many of whom predeceased him. At least a few of his surviving kids never knew him at all.

The Matriarch — Sophia Tremaine Loop was a former schoolteacher when she became Dr. A. M. Loop‘s second wife. Her own sons–both of them–went on to become doctors, but her stepson (and my g-g-g-grandfather) William Loop couldn’t even read as an adult. Then again, maybe it’s wrong to accuse her of favoritism. Will had a few run-ins with the law as a young man, so it’s possible he wasn’t an apt pupil.

The Free Spirit — In one census, my g-g-g-grandaunt Irena Smith indicated “Capitalist” as her occupation. Can you imagine how quirky and fun she had to have been to say such a thing?! Never mind that she was an elderly spinster living with (probably) charitable relatives. My impulse to laugh at her occupation glossed over a life that was, at the very least, outside of societal norms, which couldn’t have been easy for her.

The Nurturer — Close birth dates suggest that one or both of Fanny Short Cornell‘s youngest sons were adopted. Perhaps she took in an illegitimate grandchild as her own? She’d already stewarded a large family for many years by then. She also died the same year as her husband, which immediately puts me in the mind of those sadly romantic stories of couples who can’t live without each other. While I’ve found nothing that suggests Fanny wasn’t a devoted wife and mother, I’ve still sketched her whole personality from dates etched into gravestones.

Question for You

Is there a relative you’ve typecast as a hero or villain? I want to hear your stories in the comments!

P. S. — Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing, liking, linking, or subscribing.

A Genealogist’s Guide to Storytelling: Facts, Clues, and the In-Between Bits

January 15, 2013February 6, 2015 / Brandy Heineman / 18 Comments

If you love genealogy, you might spend a fair amount of time baffled at your less-interested relatives. Aren’t they curious about their roots, their heritage? Don’t they care where they came from? Isn’t it fascinating to find out details about their ancestors’ lives?

In a word, no.

Unless you’ve been bitten by the genealogy bug, dusty old photos and crumbly old gravestones are not the height of entertainment, I’m sad to say. If you want to engage the rest of your family, you’ll need to frame your family history as a story. In this series, we’ll use storytelling principles to enrich our family histories — and maybe even spark some interest in those glazed-over relatives’ eyes.

Start with the Facts

I get it. You have endless pedigree charts and family group sheets and person profiles. Maybe there are a few really interesting ancestors for whom you’ve compiled whole dossiers. That’s good – that’s the backbone of your plot.

However, that’s all it is – a framework. You’re going to need to put some meat on those bones. Luckily, a list of facts will encourage us to look for relationships between those facts even if none is explicitly stated.

I can think of no example that serves to illustrate the point better than that of my 4^th great-grand uncle, Hamilton Cornell. Here is a list of his facts, without any analysis. (Note: I have linked to Familysearch.org where most census images can be viewed for free, although my initial research source was Ancestry.com.)

Birth: Between 1810-1844. Many conflicting dates reported.
1850: Lived in Troupsburg, Steuben county, NY with wife Chloe & five children.
1860: Lived in Matteson, WI with wife Henrietta & three children.
1865: Lived in Olmsted, MN with wife Eugenia & two children.
November 1866: Summons for a complaint filed at Shawano county, WI by Heneriett Cornell.
1870: Lived in Oakland, Freeborn county, MN with wife Eugenia & four children
1875: Lived in Freeborn county MN with wife(?) I. E. and three children.
1880: Lived in Spruce Gulch, Dakota Territory with wife Eugenia, three children, and two boarders.
1900: Lived in Inyo county, CA alone.
1910: Lived in Anaheim, CA; enumerated twice. April 21-lived alone; May 4-lived with daughter’s family.
1914: Died in Anaheim, CA. (Information at this link researched by Linda Cornell Reese.)

Do you hear a story roiling to the surface? Your job is to tell it, not as a list with an overflow of dates and places, but in human terms.

A word of caution here. Fiction writers can use the tendency to look for patterns to their advantage in constructing a plot, but it can be a pitfall for family history writers, because we have to maintain contact with reality. Include the right facts to avoid drawing erroneous conclusions, and where assumptions and speculations begin to fill the gaps between facts, be careful not to cast guesswork as truth.

Move on to the Clues

When you started your genealogical odyssey, the first thing you did was start asking questions and gathering clues. Details, memories, family legends, general impressions. In some cases, even the thing no one knows (or is willing to talk about) can be a clue.

Then you started your research, and if your experience was anything like mine, you probably saw that not every clue is 100% accurate. However, armed with your facts, you can return to those early impressions and let them inform your storytelling.

One of the family legends I knew going in was the story that we were related to Ezra Cornell, the founder of Cornell University, and supposedly, his descendants could attend school there for free. (The blog Ithacating in Cornell Heights has the scoop on that here.) Still, it was definitely a story to take with a grain of salt, especially since I couldn’t find the link between our family and his.

Then I found an entry for Hamilton Cornell’s grandson and namesake in a digital copy of Landmarks of Steuben County (link requires subscription access; originally published 1896). The short paragraph makes mention of the family’s connection to Cornell University. Not so coincidentally, it was also mentioned in Hamilton Sr.’s obituary, published in an Anaheim CA newspaper in 1914. When I finally found the family tie, I had to laugh. I won’t take the space here to explain it, but it was what you might call “distant” 100 years ago. Today, I’m as related to Ezra Cornell as I am to anyone who might happen to read these words.

That a rumor crossed five generations to get to me is a testament to something worth interpreting. It’s a clue, and it informs the story of Hamilton Cornell with the braggadocio and smooth talking that I’ll just bet he was famous for.

Fill in the Gaps

And another thing, too. I’ve never seen a picture of him and don’t know if one exists, but I’d venture to guess that Hamilton Cornell was one handsome son of a gun, and if anyone ever got the better of him, it was by exploiting his obvious weakness for greener pastures, wherever they may lie.

Your histories will also have gaps, places where you can fairly project and suppose. The in-between bits are the places where you shade in the colors and details, as much as you can, to create interest for your audience.

Next week, we’ll continue A Genealogist’s Guide to Storytelling by talking about Character, Conflict, and Cost.