ADRIEN CORNELL

ADRIEN CORNELL, eldest son of Gelyam and grandson of Peter Guilliamse CORNEL, was born in Flatbush, Long Island, August 22, 1713, as shown by his family Bible now in possession of Thompson CORNELL of Philadelphia, a great-great-grandson, and died July 28, 1727. He was eldest son of Gelyam CORNELL by the first marriage of Gelyam, who was a landholder in Flatbush as early as 1708. Historians have erroneously stated that he was a son of Cornelis, the brother of Gelyam. Bergen, in his "Early Settlers of Kings County," makes that statement and gives the date of his baptism as disproven by the Bible record, as well as by the will of Gilliam of Bucks county, who is shown to be a son of Gelyam and Conelia, and makes "my nephew Gilliam CORNELL, son of my brother Adrien," one of the executeors of his will. Adrien CORNELL married Mattie HEGEMAN, born at Brooklyn, Long Island, November 1, 1718, daughter of Rem and Peternella (VAN WYCKEN) HEGEMAN, grand-daughter of Elbert and Marytje (RAPPALVE) HEGEMAN, great-granddaughter of Adrien and Catharine HEGEMAN, who emigrated from Amsterdam in 1650, settling first at New Albany, but later removing to Flatbush, Long Island, where Adrien was a magistrate in 1654 and died in April, 1672. Adrien CORNELL removed to Bucks county prior to June 7, 1739, at which date he purchased 250 acres in Northampton township, where he was already a resident. In 1751 he purchased sixty-one acres adjoining his first purchase and 205 acres additional in 1772. This land was located in the heart of the Dutch settlement known as Holland, and much of it still remains the property of his descendants. He died on his plantation purchased in 1739, July 27, 1777, and his wife Mattie died July 4, 1790, both are buried at Richboro. Their children were: Gilliam, born April 26, 1741, died March 2, 1809, married Jannetje SUYDAM, daughter of Lambert SUYDAM; and Rem, born June 9, 1744, died July 18, 1825, married Peternelletje HEGEMAN, born 1751, died December 19, 1816.

Gilliam and Jane (SUYDAM) Cornell were the parents of nine children; Adrien, born May 18, 1765, died February 28, 1841, married Rachel FEASTER; Abigail, born December 17, 1769, married Henry DUBOIS; Lambert, born July 14, 1772; James, born October 20, 1774, died April 1, 1850, married first Cynthia, daughter of Rem CORNELL, and second Margaret VANDEGRIFT; Rem, born April 4, 1777, died young; Mattie born April 23, 1779, married Aaron FEASTER; Jane, born May 15, 1781, married Christopher VANARSDALEN; John, born March 29, 1783, married Elizabeth VANDEGRIFT; and Gilliam, born May 13, 1785, married Elizabeth KREWSEN, November 16, 1809. In the division of the real estate of Adrien CORNELL between his two sons Gilliam and Rem, the latter retained 203 acres of the homestead tract of 250 acres, and forty-one acres of the VANDUREN purchase adjoining, and conveyed to his brother Gilliam the balance of the homestead, fifty-six acres, and 205 acres purchased by their father of VAN HORN in 1772. These lands were devised by the brothers to their respective sons, and a portion of both tracts still remain in the tenure of their descendants of the name. Gilliam divided the homestead between his sons Lambert, James and Gilliam, settling his son Adrian on eighty-five acres purchased in 1785 of William THOMPSON, and John on 100 acres purchased of Henry DYER.

Rem CORNELL, second son of Adrien and Mattie (HEGEMAN) CORNELL, born in Northampton in 1744, married Peterneelitie HEGEMAN, and lived all his life on the old homestead in Northampton, acquiring later considerable other land in the vicinity. He was an active and prominent man in the community, and a member of the Dutch Reformed church of North and Southampton. He died July 18, 1825, in his eighty-second year. His wife died December 19, 1816, in her sixty-fifth year, and both are buried in the old graveyard at Richboro. They were the parents of three children: Mattie, born 1770, married John KROESON; Cynthia, born 1776, died June 7, 1808, married her cousin James CORNELL, and Adrien.

Adrien CORNELL, only son of Rem, was born on the old homestead in Northampton in May, 1779, and, inheriting it from his father in 1825, spent his whole life there. He was a prosperous farmer and a good business man and acquired a large estate, owning at his death in 1857 over 700 acres of farm land and a fine mill property in Northampton, and over 400 acres in Upper Makefield township. His wife was Leanah CRAVEN, daughter of James and Adrianna (KROESON) CRAVEN, and was baptised at Churchville, February 21, 1779. The children of Adrien and Leanah (CRAVEN) CORNELL were as follows:

1.James Craqven, baptised November 4, 1804, died February 1, 1865, married Judith S. EVERETT.

2. Eleanor, baptised January 10, 1807, married James KRUSEN.

3. John Lefferts, baptised January 10, 1807, died January 14, 1836.

4. Ann Eliza, baptised August 28, 1810, married James S. MC NAIR.

5. Charles, baptised March 21, 1812.

6. Lydia, January 18, 1815, married Henry WYNKOOP.

7. Cynthia, baptised August 11, 1816, married William R. BEANS. Adrian, see forward, and Mary Jane, wife of Frances VANARTSDALEN.

Adrien CORNELL, youngest son of Adrien and Leanah (CRAVEN) CORNELL, was born on the old homestead in Northampton, December 21, 1818. He was reared on the farm that had been the home of his ancestors since 1739, and in the house erected by his great-great-grandfather in 1747. This house he tore down in 1861, and erected the present mansion house. He was an active and successful business man. He was connected for many years with the Bucks County Agricultural Society, of which he was for several years president, succeeding his brother James C. CORNELL in that position. He married January 8, 1840, Mary Ann VAN HORN, daughter of Abraham VAN HORN, who survived him many years. He died on the old homestead, September 17, 1870.

Text taken from page 52-53 of: Davis, William W. H., A.M., History of Bucks County, Pennsylvania [New York-Chicago:The Lewis Publishing Company, 1905] Volume III

Transcribed June 2000 by Betty Breithaupt of  CA as part of the Bucks Co., Pa., Early Family Project, www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/bucksindex.html

Published August 2000 on the Bucks County, Pa., USGenWeb pages at http://www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/