Cornwell, Lewis W.

Birth

Lewis W. Cornwell was born in October of 1820 in Albany, NY. His exact birthplace and parents are unknown however he was related to Harvey Cornwell of Rensselaerville. His surname has also been spelled Cornwall.

Marriage & Children

In about 1843, he married a woman named Elizabeth (B. Nov 1824), who was known as Betsy and whose maiden name was probably Peck. They had a total of six children including:

• Stephen H. Cornwell (B. abt 1843 Westerlo, D. May 30, 1864)
• Lucy Cornwell (B. abt 1849, D. after 1860)
• Elizabeth Cornwell (B. abt 1853, M. bef 1870 unknown Coon, D. after 1870)

By 1900 only two of their six children were alive.

Military Service

Name:	Lewis W. Cornwell or Lewis W. Cornwall
Residence:
Enlistment Date:	22 July 1862 or 28 June 1862
Enlistment Place:
Enlistment Rank:	Private
State Served:	NY
Regiment:	7th Regiment NY Heavy Artillery
Company:	Company G
Promotion Date:	18 August 1862
Promotion Rank:	Sergeant
Wounded Date:	16 June 1864
Wounded Place:	Petersburg, Va.
Muster Out Date:	10 May 1865
Muster Out Place:

Additional Remarks: His son Stephen H. Cornwell enlisted in the same regiment two years later and was killed on May 30, 1864.

Sources Used: Keating, Robert, Carnival of Blood: The Civil War Ordeal of the Seventh New York Heavy Artillery, Published by Butternut and Blue, Baltimore, Md 1998; Civil War Pension Index, www.ancestry.com, Ancestry’s Military Databases, www.ancestry.com; 1890 US Veterans Census

Life

Lewis was born in Albany County, but the exact location is unknown. In 1843, Lewis married and his son Stephen H. Cornwell was born in Westerlo. In 1850, Lewis and his young family were living in Rensselaerville, where Lewis was working as a farmer. By 1860, they were living in Ward 7 of the City of Albany where Lewis and his eldest son Stephen were working as laborers. They were living in a two family house. Lewis enlisted in the Civil War in 1862 at the age of 41 years and was quickly promoted to Sergeant. Two years later on January 26, 1864, his son Stephen enlisted in the same regiment and company and was promoted to Corporal. On May 30, 1864, Stephen was killed at Totopotomoy Creek, Va. It is hard to imagine how a father carries on after that, but Lewis did until he was wounded two weeks later on June 16, 1864 at Petersburg, Va. Lewis survived and remained with the regiment until the end of the war. By 1870, Lewis and his family had moved to Nassau, Rensselaer Co, NY where Lewis was working as a farm laborer. Living with Lewis and his wife Elizabeth or Betsy, were Elisabeth Coon (B. 1853), who was their daughter and Lucina Peck (B. 1802) who was Elizabeth's mother. In 1880, Lewis was still living in Nassau and working as a farmer and his wife Elizabeth had taken a job "making cuffs". Still living with the family was Elizabeth's mother Lucina Peck (B. abt 1802) and their grandson Northrop Northrop (B. abt 1867). Lewis and Elizabeth continued to live in Nassau for the remainder of their lives. In 1890, Lewis was recorded in the US Veterans Census. The same year he filed for an invalid pension based on his Civil War service. In 1900 the US census recorded Lewis and Elizabeth living alone in Nassau in their own home which they owned free of a mortgage. Lewis died about 4 years later at 83 or 84 years of age. His wife Elizabeth filed for his Civil War pension on Sept 10th 1904.

Death

Lewis W. Cornwell died sometime before September 10, 1904 probably in Nassau, Rensselaer Co, NY where he and his wife lived. His wife Elizabeth filed for his Civil War pension on September 10, 1904.
Lewis is buried in Nassau, Rensselaer Co., NY at the Radley Road cemetery: 1821-1904.

Additional Media

Sources