Arthur Jacob Cornish (1884 - 1966)

Born Dec 1884 in Talbot, Maryland, United States

Ancestors

Died Oct 1966 at age 81 in Easton, Talbot, Maryland, United States

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Biography

Arthur Cornish is a part of US Black heritage.

Arthur Jacob Cornish was born on 30 Dec 1884. It is assumed that he was born in Maryland, but the exact location is not known. His mother was Jane R. Cornish (abt.1847-) and his father is not known. Arthur's known siblings are Lillie Cornish (b@1871), May C. Cornish (b@ 1875), William Cornish (b@ Aug 1876/78), and Charles Cornish (Jan 1889). As his mother named all of her known children with her maiden name of Cornish, it is not known which of the siblings share the same father nor are the surnames of the father or fathers known.

Arthur's grandmother was Catherine (Roberts) Myers (abt.1824-bef.1920). Catherine was married/partnered three times. The first is assumed to be surnamed Cornish and from the union came Thomas Cornish (1845), and Arthur's mother, Jane Cornish (1847), both of whom were living with his grandmother, Catherine, in 1850. Arthur's grandmother then married Edward Fields and that union produced George E. Fields (1856), Arthur's uncle. By 1860, however, Arthur's grandmother was partnered with Jacob Myers and the census for 1860 lists his mother Jane and uncle George with the surname Myers, although that is known to be an error.

Arthur Cornish first appears in the census record for 1900 as a 15 year old boy living in the household of his grandmother Catherine Myers in St. Michaels. With them are John Cole, identified as his grandmother's brother (see Catherine's profile for discussion of this), Arthur's older brother/step-brother William (b@ Aug 1876/78) and his younger brother/step-brother Charles Cornish (Jan 1889). His mother, Jane, is not in the household and no 1900 census has yet been found for her. Arthur and his older brother William are working as farm laborers and his younger brother Charles is attending school. His grandmother, Catherine is widowed, as is her brother John Cole. She owns the home free of mortgage.

NEIGHBORS OF INTEREST IN 1900?

In the Baltimore Sun newspaper on 24 Sep 1908, there is a marriage announcement for Arthur J. Cornish 22 (@1886) and Mary A. Leonard 20 (@1888). Further research shows no evidence of this marriage as Arthur remains with or near his mother and/or grandmother during his entire life and is always listed as single. While tis marriage may be for the correct Arthur J. Cornish, it appears that the marriage did not last and no record of Mary A. Leonard Cornish has yet been found.

In 1910, Arthur remains living with his now 86 year old grandmother Catherine Myers. His mother is again in the household and she is working as a cook for a private family. Arthur is listed as single and working as a farm laborer. Also in the household and identified as Catherine's great-granddaughter is Elsie A. Rictor (b. 1902 in PA) and her parentage is unknown.

Next door is Arthur's uncle George Fields and his family. George E. Fields (1856), his wife Sarah (1862), and their children--Arthur's cousins-- Virgie V. (1886), Arbury M. (1895), and Lewis L. 1904. Their home is also owned and free of mortgage.

OTHER NEIGHBORS OF INTEREST?

In Sep of 1918, Arthur registered for the WWI draft. His birth date is listed as 30 Dec. 1884 and his address is simply Royal Oak. His contact person is listed as his mother-Jane R. Cornish of Royal Oak.

In 1920, Arthur and his mother Jane are alone in the household. The home on Hopkins Neck Rd. is owned and free of mortgage and is presumably the home Jane inherited from her mother Catherine. Jane is listed as 71 and widowed, although she was never previously listed as married. She is working as a cook for a private family. Arthur, 35 and single, is working in an oyster house.

Still listed as a neighbor is the George Fields household, which was discussed in connection to the 1910 census. The Fields household is now headed by Sarah Fields (1862), a 58 year old widow, suggesting that Arthur's uncle George died after 1910 and before 1920. With Sarah are her daughter Virgie Bently (1886), son Irney Fields (1896) (=Arbury by YOB), her daughter-in-law Mildred Fields (1896) and their two children Mary Fields (1916) and Virginia Fields (1918) and another son Augustus Fields (1904) (=Lewis by YOB).

OTHER NEIGHBORS OF INTEREST? In 1930, Arthur J. Cornish 45, is still single and working as a farm laborer, but he is listed as the head of household, with Jane R. Cornish, 82, listed as his mother. The address is not known but the home is owned and free of mortgage and thus assumed to be the same property,

LOOK MORE AT NEIGHBORS neighbors on the same page: Edward Bently 40 (1890) and wife Elenora 30. (george's dau Virgie married Bently), later on page Howard W. Bently 73 (1857) and wife Emily & children/grands On the previous census page is Edward Fields 65 and his wife Emma 41.

At first, no 1940 census for Arthur could be located, which seemed odd since since Arthur had stayed in Talbot County his whole life in what is presumed to be the same owned home and was found in 1950 census. However, he was located and had not come up on routine searches because the census enumerator had written his surname as Cannisk. Arthur was actually found pursing the following information in his WWII draft registration.

In 1942, Arthur appears in the WWII registration, with his address listed simply as Royal Oak, as was the case for WWI and his date of birth is the same. He is listed as working for Mrs. Arlene Millikin of Easton on the Oak Haven Farm near Royal Oak. His contact person is listed as W.F. Seymour of Royal Oak. Research into W.F. Seymour found him in the 1940 Royal Oak census on Hopkins Neck Rd. He was listed as a white man b@ 1888 who owns the General Store and that would be a logical draft contact as someone who would always know where Arthur was. Since this strongly suggested that Arthur was still living in the area,

Looking at the nearby census pages revealed two households next to one another, both in owned homes on Hopkins Neck Rd. Arvey Fields 45 (1895) and his wife Carrie 39 (1901 South Carolina) next to Virgie Bently 53 (1897) and her cousin Arthur Cannisk (SIC) 56 (1884). Arvey Fields and Virgie Bently are the children of Arthur's uncle George E. Fields and his wife Sarah, who have been the Myers/Cornish neighbors since at least 1910. While Virgie Fields Bently will be separately profiled, it is interesting to note that both Virgie and her next door neighbor Mary Thomas, wife of Alpheus Thomas, are college educated and work as teachers.

In the 1950 census, Virgie F. Bently 64 WD and a teacher is listed as the head of household with Arthur, her 65year old never married cousin living with her.

A social security death index file lists Arthur's death as October 1966 and his last residence in Easton, which may have been at a facility there.

Research Notes

Sources

• 1900 Census: "1900 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1900; Census Place: St Michaels, Talbot, Maryland; Roll: 628; Page: 6; Enumeration District: 0089
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7602 #37827285 (accessed 15 April 2024)
  Arthur Cornish, single grandson, Farm Laborer, in household of Catherine Myers (75) in St Michaels, Talbot, Maryland. Born in Maryland, USA.
• 1910 Census: "1910 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1910; Census Place: St Michaels, Talbot, Maryland; Roll: T624_568; Page: 15b; Enumeration District: 0096; FHL microfilm: 1374581
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7884 #159697102 (accessed 15 April 2024)
  Authur J Cornish (25), single grandson, Laborer, in household of Catherine Myers (86) in St Michaels, Talbot, Maryland, USA. Born in Maryland.
• 1920 Census: "1920 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1920; Census Place: Saint Michaels, Talbot, Maryland; Roll: T625_677; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 109
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6061 #113939594 (accessed 15 April 2024)
  Auther Cornish (35), single son, Labor, in household of Jane Cornish (71) in Saint Michaels, Talbot, Maryland. Born in Maryland.
• 1930 Census: "1930 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1930; Census Place: Saint Michaels, Talbot, Maryland; Page: 17A; Enumeration District: 0008; FHL microfilm: 2340614
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6224 #120594395 (accessed 15 April 2024)
  Arthur J Cornish (45), single, Labor, head of household in Saint Michaels, Talbot, Maryland, USA. Born in Maryland.
• 1940 Census: "1940 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1940; Census Place: Talbot, Maryland; Roll: m-t0627-01560; Page: 14B; Enumeration District: 21-8
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2442 #150480912 (accessed 16 April 2024)
  William F Seymour (52), married, Store, head of household in Talbot, Maryland. Born in Maryland.
• 1950 Census: "1950 United States Federal Census"
  National Archives at Washington, DC; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Year: 1950; Census Place: St Michaels, Talbot, Maryland; Roll: 5867; Page: 17; Enumeration District: 21-15
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 62308 #60854866 (accessed 15 April 2024)
  Arthur Cornish (65), single cousin, Yardman, in household of Arthur Cornish (65) in St Michaels, Talbot, Maryland, USA. Born in Maryland.
• Death: "U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014"
  Social Security Administration; Washington D.C., USA; Social Security Death Index, Master File
  Ancestry Record 3693 #12526225 (accessed 15 April 2024)
  Arthur Cornish death Oct 1966 (born 30 Dec 1884) residing at 21601, Easton, Talbot, Maryland, USA.
• Military: "U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918"
  Registration State: Maryland; Registration County: Talbot County
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6482 #1006388 (accessed 15 April 2024)
  Name: Arthur Jacob Cornish; Race: Black; Birth Date: 30 Dec 1884; Residence Date: 1917-1918; Residence Place: Talbot County, Maryland, USA; Physical Build: Stout; Height: Short; Hair Color: Black; Eye Color: Brown; Mother: Jane R Cornish.
• Military: "U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942"
  The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War Ii Draft Cards (Fourth Registration) For the State of Maryland; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147; Series Number: M1939
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 1002 #2212008 (accessed 15 April 2024)
  Name: Arthur Jacob Cornish; Gender: Male; Birth Date: 30 Dec 1884; Birth Place: Talbot; Residence Place: Talbot, Maryland, USA; Military Draft Date: 1942; Next of Kin: W. F. Seymour.
• 1908 Newspaper: "Newspapers.com"
  The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, Maryland) Thu, Sep 24, 1908, page 7
  Newspapers Clip: 145245434 (accessed 15 April 2024)