The Cornells of Glenville, Schenectady county, New York, descend from Thomas Cornell, born about 1595, in county Essex, England, died about 1665. He married, in England, Rebecca Briggs, born 1600, died February 8, 1673. Thomas Cornell came to America about 1638 with his wife and most if not all of his nine children. He settled first in Boston, from whence he removed to Portsmouth, Rhode Island, later to New Amsterdam; afterward he returned to Rhode Island, but later removed again to New Amsterdam, obtaining there a grant of land on Long Island Sound, now within the limits of Greater New York, from which he seems to have been driven by the Indians. He returned to Portsmouth, where he died. Children:
- Thomas, married Sarah Earle.
- Sarah, married (first) Thomas Willett, (second) Charles Bridges, (third) John Lawrence (2).
- Rebecca, died aged ninety-one years; married George Woolsey.
- Ann, married Thomas Kent.
- Richard, married Elizabeth ————.
- John, married Mary Russell.
- Joshua.
- Elizabeth, married Christopher Almy.
- Samuel, see forward.
(II) Samuel, son of Thomas and Rebecca (Briggs) Cornell, was born not later than 1642, died before 1715. He settled in the town of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, just across the bay from Portsmouth. He took the oath of fidelity in 1684; was constable and seems to have possessed considerable property. He married and had issue:
- Thomas.
- Samuel (2), married (first) Deborah ————; (second) Rebecca ————.
- Comfort, a daughter, born December 4, 1691.
(III) Thomas (2), eldest son of Samuel Cornell, was born September 22, 1685, died 1763. He was a Quaker, probably the same Thomas who signs as "Clerk at Monthly Meeting at our Meeting House, 6 mo., 15 d., 1709," Apponegansett Meeting House, Dartmouth, Massachusetts. He had lands and property in Dartmouth and Portsmouth, Rhode Island. He married (first) March 5, 1716, Catherine, daughter of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Stokes) Potter; (second), 1755, Mary Russell. Children:
- Rebecca, married Edward Wing.
- Peleg, see forward.
- Susannah, married, 1750, Richard Gifford, of Dartmouth.
- Joshua, born June 22, 1724; married Susannah, sister of Richard Gifford.
- Catherine, died before her father.
- Elizabeth, born July 17, 1729, married ———— Gifford.
(IV) Peleg, son of Thomas (2) and Catherine (Potter) Cornell, was born December 9, 1719, died about 1782. (The family record says he died at the age of one hundred and seven years.) He settled in New York state, in the town of Galway, Saratoga county, and later purchased land in Glenville, Schenectady county, where he died. He married Mary Russell in Friends Meeting, Dartmouth, January 13, 1739. They had a large family of sons and daughters.
(V) Richard, son of Peleg and Mary (Russell) Cornell, was born in Rhode Island, about 1750, died at the age of sixty-three years. Although reared on the farm, he had a taste for the sea and shipped on a whaling vessel as a cooper. Later he settled in Glenville and there followed agricultural pursuits. He married Phoebe Sherman, of Connecticut, who died in Glenville, aged eighty years. She was a fine horsewoman;: she also possessed all the skill and art of the early housewife, making the clothes that her family wore from flax and wool grown on the farm. The Shermans of Rhode Island descend from Philip Shearman, of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, born in Dedham, England, February 5, 1610, died at Portsmouth in 1686. Richard Cornell and his wife were members of Center Methodist Episcopal Church. Children:
- Uriah, a farmer of Glenville.
- Susan, married Frederick Cramer.
- Oliver, married Maria Sweet, born 1802, died 1881; he was accidentally killed in 1852.
- Delana, married Israel Proctor; they removed to Ohio.
- Charlotte, married Wendell Van Antwerp; they resided in Canajoharie.
- Mary, married Cornelius Groot; children: Isaac, Elbert, Abraham, Phoebe and Sarah; Mr. Groot was a farmer of Charlton, Saratoga county.
- Richard.
- Phoebe, married John Stark, of Glenville: children: Matilda, Mary and Cornelius Groot.
- John, see forward.
- Alvira, married Garrett Muckey; children: Richard, Phoebe, Winfield.
- Abigail, died in youthful womanhood.
(VI) John, son of Richard and Phoebe (Sherman) Cornell, was born and lived his life in Glenville, Schenectady county, New York, He learned the trade of cooper from his father and followed it in early life. Later he became a farmer and followed that occupation for the remaining years of his life. He married Sarah P., born in Ulster county, New York, in 1829, died in Glenville, June, 1906, daughter of Peter and Abigail (Townsend) Crosby. One son, Frank C., see forward.
(VII) Frank C., only child of John and Sarah P. (Crosby) Cornell, was born December 6, 1849, on the farm in Glenville which he now owns. He was educated in the common schools, and has followed agriculture as a business all his life, being also a well-known breeder of fine cattle. He is an Independent in politics. He married, in Glenville, Gertrude, born in Glenville, daughter of Isaac and Sarah (Finch) Rosa, native born residents of Schenectady county. Gertrude, now the only living child of her parents, had two brothers, Lewis and Richard, the latter a soldier of the civil war, who enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, and was killed in battle at Orchard Creek. She had sisters: Deborah and Elizabeth Rosa. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Cornell:
- Blanche, born 1876; married Peter R. Hecker, a blacksmith of Scotia; daughter, Irene, a graduate of Scotia high school.
- Earl, born 1883, unmarried.