John B. Cornwell- Man of Mystery

When I started researching I wanted to take my Cornwell line back as far as I could. I soon hit a roadblock. John Burl Cornwell my Great-Great-Great-Grandpa is shrouded in mystery. John was married five times, had five children and raised a hand full of step-children. He also fought in the Civil War. I have had a lot of leads but little luck!   

John Burl Cornwell   

I knew my Great-Great-Grandpa William Hayden Cornwell was born to John and Rebecca Cornwell in 1878 in Clay County, TN. I soon found the family in the 1880 census still living in Clay County. The family is listed as John B.  Cornwell, a cabinet maker, age fifty. His wife Rebecca age thirty-seven, sons Thomas age five and William age two. Also step-son Robert PeDigo age fourteen. I knew John had to have had something note worthy in his life before he was 50. Also I now knew that Rebecca was married before to have had a son.

The Cornwell/York/PeDigo Family  abt 1880 

I found the marriage record for John B. Cornwell and Rebecca  M. PeDigo they married in Clay Co, TN on the 28^th of November in 1874. John had one more son with Rebecca named Benjamin in 1880. Rebecca died young (the date is still unknown).

Rebecca and Wm. Hayden Cornwell 

                                                        

As I look farther into John’s past I find a wife named Delaney Henderson. Now Delaney and John’s story is one from a story book. (As a writer, I love this part) They married in Clay Co., on the 14^th of May 1871, John was forty-one and Delaney was about thirty-eight. I wondered what I could find on Delaney that would help lead me to understand John’s story. I was rather shocked at what I found. In 1870’s census I found Delaney Henderson in Jackson County, TN. She was an indentured servant for Dr. Parrish Sims, Dr. Sims sold Delaney to John for $1250.00. I wonder how John met Delaney? An answer I may never know.  

Sadly Delaney’s death date is unknown, I believe she must have died before November of 1874. Making her time with John short.  

I still needed to know what happened before Delaney, ten years before the country was torn apart by the Civil War. John would be in his thirties, surely he fought. 

Yes the Civil War would be a big part of John’s story. John enlisted in Columbia, KY on the 23^rd of November 1861 serving with the 9^th KY, company B.  John was discharged do to his heart in November of 1864 in Nashville, TN. Only to reenlist a few days later, this time with the 23^rd KY, company D.  He severed until the end of the war.  I need to know what happened before the war? I look to the census before, 1860 and I find him! In Jackson county TN John age twenty-nine a laborer listed with a Nancy Cornwell age thirty-three, I assume this to be wife number one. Also in the home a Selina Dunchan, maybe Nancy’s sister? That census record is the only record of John and his life with Nancy.  

What of John’s childhood? I know from pension files he was born in Nashville, or around Nashville. He lived in Jackson co. TN where there is a 1850 census listing for a widow Lucinda Cornwell with two young sons, in the age bracket that would match John B. Cornwell, sadly as all genealogist know the 1850 census only lists the name of the tax payer and then everyone else is just a number.     

Life after Rebecca. Between 1880 and 1890 John moved to Missouri.  After the death of Rebecca Melvina(York)PeDigo-Cornwell.  John married a widow Martha E. “Belle” Rollins (nee Haney) I find Belle’s widow pension. Also receiving a pension was John Cornwell in the County of Laclede, MO.  John married Belle on the 3^rd of July 1890, he raised her two daughters Elizabeth and Cynthia.  Belle Cornwell died around 1893.

On the 22^nd of May 1895 John married yet again to Wealtha Ann “Bessie” Farquer-Sparks, a divorced mother with two young children Maude and William Harrison “Harry”. Bessie’s children were given the Cornwell name.  Together John and Bessie had one son Samuel in 1896 and one daughter that died in infancy named Maggie.     

John and Bessie in the Middle, her brothers and sisters in-laws. 

John died at the age of 75 on the 14^th of January 1906 while living in Richland, Missouri. Finding a photo taken in the 1920’s of John’s resting place, helps locate Rebecca and zones in on her place of death. I called the Pulaski county historical society and the lady I talked with went to the cemetery and found John.  She looked in the books and found the grave next to him was not opened, but there is no record of who is buried there other than a Cornwell. Having photographic evidence helps put that to rest.