Family History
Cornelius
Van Horn
I have collected a number of stories
from around the web of a distant ancestor who was one of the founders
of my home town, Meadville Pennsylvania.
There is duplication of some of the information because some of the
stories were recounted by several people for various publications and
then reprinted in others.
Some add information found in none of the others so I have included all
that I have found.
This History of Meadville Pennsylvania has a picture of Cornelius
One of the more complete histories is from Our
County Its People 1899
Was it Cornelius or a descendant of his who was the lawyer listed in Warren County History?
This section from Crawford County History gives a brief account of the events surrounding the Indian attack.
The construction of a feeder canal made possible a canal from the Ohio river to Lake Erie.
An account recorded in 1846 in Fitz-Randolph’s
in Crawford County
This account about the French Creek settlement has pictures of the blockhouse and Stripe Neck memorial.
This brief account from Linesville History mentions a successful Supreme Court case about his prior claim lands at Wyoming.
Frontier Forts of Western Pennsylvania gives a few more details of his capture by the Indians.
The Gazetteer of Crawford County, 1874 has a fairly long report of some of Cornelius's adventures from 1788 through his capture and escape.
The Historical Collections of Pennsylvania adds a little to the story. I have included both an image of the original text and a more readable version.
The most detailed of the stories I have found is from Incidents in the Early History of Crawford County, Pennsylvania.
A very brief discussion of the early days of Meadville found in The Little List.
Mead Genealogy 1939 has a very brief description of the founding of Meadville. I have again included images of the original text.
There is very little added to the stories reported above in the history of Mead Township.
This report includes a quote from Scotch Jemmy "Non coom on wi’ your wee axe," To see the situation click on: Pioneer History of Pennsylvania.
A school was established in 1817.
A brief textual Sketch of Cornelius tells a little about his life prior to his adventures in western Pennsylvania.
If you remember the line "daring and hearty men" from one of the prior reports there is little new in this excerpt from Venango Genealogy
A history of Vernon Township has a brief account of the early days.
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