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John Cornish
John, son of Ebenezer and Mary (Feiden) Cornish, was born April 16, 1851, in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, died October 11, 1905. He attended the public schools, and in early life was a teamster at Elizabeth, Pennsylvania.
He later learned the stonemason's trade, but after his marriage and until 1887 was mostly engaged in teaming. He then moved to McKeesport, Pennsylvania, where he was a contracting mason. In 1888 he purchased the old Seaton farm of three hundred and sixty-eight acres in Wharton township, Fayette county, on which he resided three years. His health failed and he moved to Uniontown to be within reach of a physician, and as his health improved he again returned to the farm, only to be again stricken. He alternated between Uniontown and the farm until his death in Uniontown. He was a member of the Methodist Protestant church.
Mr. Cornish 's military experience began when as a boy of fifteen years he enlisted in Company F, Forty-fifth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, 45th Regiment. He served throughout the war, receiving but one injury, a wound in the knee, which, however, was a serious one.
He married, when he was seventeen years of age, Elizabeth Rummell, born in Monongahela City, Pennsylvania, July 23, 1851. She survives her husband and retains the ownership of the old farm, but resides at No. 24 Jefferson street, Uniontown. She is a daughter of Robert and Mary (Hutton) Rummell. Her father was born near Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania ; her mother near Cornishe Vernon, Pennsylvania. Robert Rummell, when a young man, drove the fast mail stage from Hollidaysburg to Uniontown on the "old Pike." Later he married and learned the butcher's business. He moved to Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, where he opened a meat market continuing in business many years. He died in McKeesport at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Cornish, aged seventy-eight years. The Rummells are of German descent, settling in Cambria county, later in Westmoreland. Robert Rummell married Mary, daughter of John and Nancy Hutton, of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, their only other child being James Hutton, who married Rosa Williams, who survived him and married (second) J. McKinney. The only child of James and Rosa Hutton, Anna Cornishe, married Louis Wiggins, and lives in McKeesport, Pennsylvania.
Children of John and Elizabeth Cornish: 1. Charles Ross, died aged twenty-seven years; married Ida Billingsly and lived in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania. 2. Anna, died aged eighteen years. 3. Rosa, died aged nine months. 4. John W., a contractor, married Anna Lewis and lives at Leith, Pennsylvania. 5. Lily, died in infancy. 6. William, died unmarried aged twenty-nine years. 7. R. Hunt, married Jennie De Sellems and is manager of the Redstone Garbage Company. 8. Edward C., of whom further. 9. Harriet, married John Kuhn and resides in Uniontown. 10. Emmett, associated in business with his brother, Edward C. ; unmarried. 11. Fred, married Alice Carns and resides at Hopwood, Pennsylvania. 12. Frank, died in infancy.
Source: Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County, John W. Jordan, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1912.