USA > Pennsylvania > Chester County > Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsylvania : comprising a historical sketch of the county, by Samuel T. Wiley, together with more than five hundred biographical sketches of the prominent men and leading citizens of the county > Part 73
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ROBERT THOMPSON CORN- WELL, commonly known as Captain Cornwell, is a prominent lawyer of West Chester, residing on the northwest corner of Virginia avenue and Darlington street.
He was born in Orange county, New York, January 29, 1835. His father, Daniel Corn- well, died May 29, 1883, aged eighty years. His mother, Elizabeth (Thompson) Cornwell, is still living and resides at Port Jervis, Orange county, New York. He received his education at public and private schools, at the Monticello academy in Sullivan county, New York, and at "The University of Northern Pennsylvania," an academy situ- ated at Bethany, Wayne county.
His early occupation was teaching. He was, in 1853 and 1854, an instructor in both the above mentioned academies, In April, 1855, he was called from the Monticello
Robert Thompson Comoel.
615
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
acadmy to Millersville, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, to teach grammar and mathe- matics in a three months' Normal institute, held underthe auspices of the late Dr. James P. Wickersham, then superintendent of con- mon schools in that county. This institute was so successful in its results as to lead to the establishment in the fall of that year of "The Lancaster county Normal school," in the same place ; and Mr. Cornwell became a member of its faculty. He occupied this position until the fall of 1858, when he and J. Willis Westlake, A. M., from the same fac- ulty, resigned to accept an invitation to open what proved to be a very useful and success- ful academy and normal school at Indiana, Indiana county, Pennsylvania.
In April, 1861, at the breaking out of the civil war, he raised a company, under the first call of President Lincoln for troops, many of his students joining it. But the company was not accepted, as a great many more troops were offered by Pennsylvania than were necessary to till her quota of the call; and Mr. Cornwell disbanded his com- pany and again resumed his school work. 'lu August, 1862, he raised another com- pany, which joined the 67th Pennsylvania infantry. This regiment organized at Phil- adelphia in October, 1861. A part of his men joined company 1, and the remainder company K of that regiment, filling both to a maximum; and Captain Cornwell was mustered as the commanding officer of the former. He shared the services of his com- pany and regiment in 1862, guarding the navy yard and railroads at Annapolis, Mary- land; in 1863 as a part of the Eighth corps in. West Virginia; and in 1864 as part of the Sixth corps in front of Petersburg. Vir- ginia, at Monocacy, Maryland. and with General Sheridan in his great campaign in
the Shenandoah' valley. On the 13th of June, 1864, at the time of General Milroy's disaster in the Valley, Captain Cornwell was captured while siek with typhoid fever in the hospital, and remained a prisoner of war (most of the time in Libby prison, at Richmond,) until May 2, 1864, when he was specially exchanged. Early in July, 1864, while in front of Petersburg, he was de- tailed as provost marshal of the Third di- vision of the Sixth army corps, on the staff of Gen. James B. Rickets, commanding that division, where he served until the expira- tion of his company's term of service, Oc- tober 25, 1864, when he was honorably dis- charged.
Upon quitting the service he came to West Chester, where his wife and child were. and at once entered upon the study of the law in the office of Hon. William B. Wad- dell, now president judge of the courts of Chester county. He was admitted to prac- tiee on the 10th of December, 1866, since which time he has devoted himself continu- ously to his professional work. He was for ten years (1868-1878) associated in the prac- tice of the law with the late Hon. William Darlington, under the firm name of Darling- ton & Cornwell.
Captain Cornwell for five years ( 1873- 1878) held a commission in the National gnard of the State, commanding the Wayne Fencibles of West Chester, an organization which always enjoyed a superior record. During the fierce railroad riots of 1877, he with his command guarded the engines and train which took Governor Hartranft and staff over the mountains to Pittsburg, and almost immediately upon arriving there. Captain Cornwell, in command of a battal- ion consisting of the Wayne Fencibles and C'o. H, of Chester, Pennsylvania, was en-
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
trusted with the responsible duty of guard- ing one of the first two freight trains started east from Pittsburg on the Pennsylvania railroad.
Mr. Cornwell was married May 9, 1859, to Lydia Aun Jackson, of West Chester, Pennsylvania, a daughter of Joseph and Mary Jackson, and a granddaughter of the late Gibbons Gray, of the same place. They have five children : Gibbons Gray, Martha Jackson, Mary Elizabeth, Ada Westlake, and William Darlington Cornwell. Gibbons Gray, the eldest son, is a graduate of Yale university, class of 1886. He read law with his father, was admitted to the bar on the 10th of June, 1889, and since that date the father and son have been associated in prac- tice under the firm name of Cornwell & Cornwell.
In adopting the law as a profession Cap- tain Cornwell did not lose his interest in educational work. He served as school di- rector in West Chester about twenty-five years, during the greater portion of which time he was president of the board ; and he has been one of the trustees of the West Chester State Normal school almost eontin- uously since its organization in 1871. He has moreover taken a leading part in other enterprises and charities of his vicinage. He has been president of the Electric Light Company of West Chester from the date of its organization in 1885 : is president of the West Chester hospital; chairman of the executive committee of the Dime's Saving bank of Chester county ; and is in the man- agement of the Assembly association of West Chester, the West Chester Street rail- way and Oaklands cemetery. Of the latter he has been secretary and treasurer for twenty-five years.
Hle is a republican in politics. Attain-
ing his majority with the birth of that party in 1856, he cast his first vote for its then candidate for president, John C. Fremont. He is a member of McCall Post, No. 31, Grand Army of the Republie, and also of the Union Veteran Legion.
HARLES L. COOK, a retired manu- facturer residing at Coatesville, is a man who has led a busy life, seen much of the world and been almost uniformly successful in whatever he has undertaken. He was born April 15, 1818, in London Grove town- ship, Chester county, Pennsylvania, his par- ents being Thomas and Hannah ( Edwards) Cook. The Cooks are of English antece- dents. John Cook (grandfather) was born in Chester county, where he passed his eu- tire life engaged in agricultural pursuits. He owned a farm in London Grove town- ship, was a member of the Society of Friends, married Elizabeth Davis and reared a family of two sons and two daughters: Caleb, Thomas, Hannah and Sarah Cook. He died about 1825, aged eighty-nine years. Thomas Cook (father) was born in London Grove township, this county, October 30, 1785, and after attaining manhood engaged in farming, and followed that occupation all his life. He died July 3, 1868, at the ad- vanced age of eighty-two years and seven months. In politics he was first a whig, but on the advent of the Republican party he identified himself with that po- litical organization. Following the relig- ious traditions of his family he early be- came a Quaker, and lived a useful and con- sistent life. He was active and industrions, possessed sound judgment and strict integ- rity of character, and became one of the most prosperous and progressive farmers of
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
his township. He married Hannah Ed- wards in 1807, and to them was born a fam- ily of eight children. She was a native of London Grove township, and a member of the orthodox Society of Friends, and died in 1866, aged eighty-one years and two months. Her father, John Edwards (ma- ternal grandfather), married Lydia Roberts, owned a fine farm, and in olden times ran a distillery. He was of English antecedents, the family coming to this country in 1600.
Charles L. Cook grew to manhood on his father's farm in London Grove township, and acquired his educacion in the connnon schools of that early day, which found their home in the "little log school house" so familiarto early generations, but now known to our young men and women principally through literature and tradition. After leaving school he engaged in teaming and soon became familiar with all parts of the surrounding country, having driven over all the roads in this section. He was energetic and aspiring, and it was not long until he was engaged in running three threshing machines among the farmers, to him belong- ing the honor of having introdneed the first threshing machine ever seen or used by the farmers of his neighborhood. About the same time he began to deal in live stock, purchasing cattle, sheep and horses in the west, and driving them through to markets in Philadelphia and among the farmers in castern Pennsylvania. While engaged in this business he made twenty-six trips over the Allegheny mountains. In 1851 he lo- cated in Philadelphia and embarked in the mercantile business, conducting two large re- ' tail stores in that eity with P. E. Jefferis until 1852, when he bought a farm above the fork of Brandywine, in Pocopson township. and removed to Coatesville, this county, where he
has ever since resided. After coming to this place he began the manufacture of phos- phate, and successfully carried on that en- terprise for a period of sixteen years. Eu .1878 he retired from active business with a handsome competency, and has since lived a quiet life, finding recreation and pleasure in superintending the operations of the two tine farms which he still owns in this county.
On November 11, 1841, Mr. Cook was married to Hannah E. Jeffries, a daughter of James Jeffries, a farmer of Newlin town- ship, this county. They have no children. In politics Mr. Cook is an independent re- publiean, but has never taken a prominent part in political contests, preferring to de- vote his time and attention to matters of business during his more active life, and in later years to the enjoyment of that rest and relaxation which is earned by a busy and successful carcer.
F RANCIS ALLISON, D. D., a fine classical scholar and noted Presbyterian divine of Chester county, was born in County Donegal. Ireland, in 1705, and in 1735 came to this county, where he was pastor of New London Presbyterian church for fifteen years, and principal of New London acad- emy from 1743 to 1752. He then removed to Philadelphia, where he had charge of Philadelphia academy until 1755, in which year he was appointed professor of moral philosophy in the university of Pennsyl- vania, and became assistant pastor of the First Presbyterian church of that eity. He died November 29, 1779, and of him it is said that "to his zeal for the diffusion of knowledge Pennsylvania owes much of that taste for solid learning and classical liter- ature for which many of her principal char- acters have been distinguished."
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BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
SAMUEL RHOADS DOWNING is
the only son of Sandwith and Lydia (Smedley) Downing, and a native of Chester county, being born in East Fallowfield town- ship, September 3, 1833. He was educated principally in Anthony Bolmar's private sehool at West Chester, and after complet-
ing his studies spent some four years in the real estate and conveyancing business with his guardian, Thomas Williamson, of Phil- adelphia. Mr. Downing subsequently be- came proprietor and editor of the Chester County Times, a weekly republican news- paper published at West Chester, which he conducted until 1863, when he disposed of his journal and retired to a farm in East Goshen township, to the management of which he has ever since devoted most of his time. Ile now controls two fine farms in that township, aggregating two hundred and fifty acres of very valuable land. These farms mainly descended from the ancestry of Mrs. Downing, and have been in posses- sion of the family during nearly one hun- dred and fifty years. Mr. Downing is a member-at-large of the State board of agri- culture, having been appointed by Governor Beaver and re-appointed by Governor Patti- son. He was a member of the road com- mission, appointed by Governor Beaver in 1890 to formulate plans for macadamized roads in this State. Politically he is and has been an ardent republican. He has also taken an active interest in the cause of pop- ular education, and has served for thirteen years as school director in this county. In religion he and his family are Friends.
On April 25, 1861, Mr. Downing was wedded to Mary Miller Goodwin, a daughter of Thomas and Phoebe ( Miller ) Goodwin. To Mr. and Mrs. Downing were born three sons, all of whom grew to maturity. The i
eldest is Dr. Henry Miller Downing, who was educated at Swarthmore, read medicine with Dr. T. D. Dunn, of West Chester, and later matriculated in the medical department of the university of Pennsylvania, from which institution he was graduated May 1, 1886, with the degree of M. D. He subse- quently took special courses in diseases of the eye, ear, nerves and throat, at the Phil- adelphia Polyclinic hospital, in which he was graduated in the spring of 1887, and is now engaged in successful practice in East Goshen township. Charles T. Downing, the second son, was educated principally at the Pennsylvania State college in Centre county, Pennsylvania, and is now engaged in farm- ing in East Goshen township, this county. The youngest son, Prof. George M. Down- ing, was graduated in June, 1888, from the Pennsylvania State college with the degree of bachelor of science, after which he en- gaged as assistant professor of physics and electrical engineering at the Pennsylvania State college, but resigned that place, and is now taking a post graduate course at the Brooklyn Polytechnic institute, New York.
The great-grandfather of Mrs. Samuel R. Downing, Thomas Goodwin, was a native of Wales, and resided in Llandewy, Meri- onethshire, from which place he emigrated to the United States during the early settle- ment of Pennsylvania, and settled at Edge- mont, in what is now Delaware county, Pennsylvania, on property since occupied by Everard Passmore, becoming the founder of the Goodwin family of this section. Ile was originally a minister of the church of England, but became a Friend and was no- frocked abont the time of his settlement here. His son, Thomas Goodwin, married Ann Jones, also of Welsh descent, and a daughter of Richard Jones, of Goshen town-
Samuel Rhoads Downing.
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OF CHESTER COUNTY.
ship, this county, and had a son, also named Thomas Goodwin, who married Phoebe Miller in 1838, and had one child, a dangh- ter named Mary Miller Goodwin, who be- came the wife of Mr. Downing. She was born in East Goshen township. January 8. 1839. Her grandfather, Richard Jones, pur- chased the property now occupied by Mr. Downing, and settled here about 1749.
Thomas Downing, the founder of the Downing family in America, and great- great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born at Bradninch, Devonshire, England, December 14, 1691, but after mar- riage emigrated to this country and became a resident of Concord township, in what is now Delaware county, Pennsylvania, as early as 1718. There he resided until 1733, when he removed to Sadsbury township, this county, and two or three years later settled where Downingtown now stands. This place he founded, and it was so named in his honor. He was thrice married, and had eleven children, from whom have descended one of the most numerous and prominent families in the State. In religion he was a Friend, being received, together with his wife, by Concord monthly meeting on June 3, 1730. He died January 1, 1772. aged eighty-one years. Ilis third son, Richard Downing (great-grandfather), was born in Concord township. Delaware county, Fel- ruary 27, 1719, and died July 8, 1804. On March 21, 1741. he married Mary Edge, who was a daughter of John and Mary Edge, of Providence, and was born July 2, 1721, and died December 13, 1795, Richard Down- ing was a mill owner and maltster, being assessed in 1787 with a grist mill, falling mill, two saw mills and a malt house. Ile was the father of twelve children. his eighth child and fourth sou being JJacob Downing
(grandfather). The latter was born at Down- ingtown October 25, 1756, and passed from earth October 2, 1823, aged sixty-seven years. In early life he removed to Phila- delphia, and resided in that city most of his life. He was engaged in the iron business at Atsion. New Jersey, where he owned a forge and rolling mills. In polities a whig and in religion a Friend, he lived an active and useful life, and became widely known in the business circles of this country. He married Sarah Drinker, a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Drinker, of Philadelphia, by whom he had a family of six children : Henry, died in infancy ; Elizabeth, married Robert Sharpless; Mary, wedded George Valentine: Sarah, who became the wife of Renben Valentine; Henry, and Sandwith. Sandwith Downing ( father) was born in the city of Philadelphia October 24, 1799, lived most of his life at Downingtown, Chester county, and died September 4, 1847, in Susquehanna county, at the home of his brother, Heury Downing. He was a miller by ocenpation, and in political faith a stanch whig. He married Lydia Smedley, a dangh- ter of Peter and Plrebe Smedley, of Uweh- lan township, this county (whose ancestors came from Derbyshire, England about 1682. and were Friends), and to their union was born an only sou, Samuel R. Downing, the subject of this sketch.
Henry Drinker, father-in-law of Jacob Downing ( grandfather), was a member of the ship-owning firm of Drinker & James, of Philadelphia, and resided on Second street, that city, daring the revolutionary war and at the time of the yellow fever plagne in 1792. He was a strict Friend. and refusing to take up arms during the war, he was incarcerated in prison at Win- chester, Virginia, together with many others
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
of like faith. After his release he returned to Philadelphia, where he died.
Of Samuel R. Downing a writer says : " He has been a pioneer in the advocacy of per- manent roads, both through the publie press and from the platform, and not only in his native county, but throughout the State of Pennsylvania. As a member of the road commission be assumed his full share of the duties thereof, with the zeal of one whose heart was in the eanse, esteeming that good roads would in their measure bring com- fort, health, and profit in dollars and cents, to the people, young or old, weak or strong, rich or poor. As a result in full part of his earnest advocacy, his resident township of East Goshen has built and is now construct- ing smooth, solid highways and permanent waterways."
H ON. ISAAC ANDERSON, a promi- nent Jeffersonian democrat, and mem- ber of Congress from 1803 to 1807, was a son of Capt. Patrick and Elizabeth ( Morris) Anderson, and was born in Chester county, November 23, 1760. ITis father was the first child born of European parents in Charlestown township, and served with dis- tinction in the revolutionary war. He op- posed the abolition of slavery, and served as a member of the legislature from 1778 to 1781.
Isaac Anderson took part in the revolu- tionary war, served as a justice of the peace, and was one of the first Methodists of Penn- sylvania. In 1802 he was elected to the assembly, and the next year was sent to Congress, in which he served until 1807. He was a presidential elector in 1816, and died October 27, 1838. He was six feet four inches high, and married Mary Lane, by whom he had eleven children.
JOHN Y. LATTA, a representative
farmer and stock dealer of Parkesburg, is a member of a family which has acquired considerable distinction in the religious an- nals of this section. He is a son of Rev. James and Jane (Sutton) Latta, and was born on the farm where he now resides, in Sadsbury township, Chester county, Penn- sylvania, January 31, 1827. His paternal grandfather, James Latta, was born in the north of Ireland, of Scotch-Irish parentage, and while yet a boy made his way to Amer- ica and settled in the southern part of Lan- caster county, Pennsylvania. He became a Presbyterian minister, and for many years preached regularly at Chestnut Level, that county. At his home there he died abont 1800, aged sixty years, and his remains rest in the cemetery connected with the church he so faithfully served, at Chestnut Level. He married Mary McCalla, of Bucks county, and reared a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters. The daughters were Mary, Margaret, Elizabeth and Sarah. Sarah was the only one of the four who married, and she wedded a Presbyterian minister named Thomas Love, who preached during a number of years at Red Clay creek, near Wilmington, Delaware, and had one daughter, Mary, who married Stephen Springer, and now resides near Wilmington, on the old homestead. The sons were Francis A., William, John, and James, and one after another they all entered the pulpit, and became eloquent and successful minis- tersin the church of their father. Rev. Fran- cis A. Latta, the ellest son, was born April 27, 1766. lle was ordained as a Presbyter- ian clergyman November 23, 1796, and was pastor successively of Presbyterian churches in Wilmington, Delaware, and at Lancaster and Chestnut Level, Pennsylvania, in which
623
OF CHESTER COUNTY.
latter place he also maintained a classical school for many years. In the year 1826 he removed to Sadsbury township, Chester county, and established the Moscow acad- emy, a classical and literary institution, which flourished for some years. He was a man of remarkably well cultivated mind, a poet of no mean order, a very superior elas- sical and Hebrew scholar, and one of the greatest instructors of his day. He was able in debate, discriminating and decided in judgment, and a model in the pulpit. In his manners he was social, and in his de- portment humble and unostentations. He died April 21, 1834. Rev. William Latta, the second son, was born in Bucks county. Pennsylvania, in May. 1768. He graduated at the university of Pennsylvania in 1794, was licensed by the Presbytery of New Castle, and became pastor of the congrega- tions at Great Valley and Charlestown. Ches- ter county, October 1, 1799, in which rela- tion he continued until his death, February 19, 1847, a period of over forty-seven years. Hle was created a doctor of divinity by La- fayette college, Easton, Pennsylvania. He was a student and a scholar, and his prepa- rations for the pulpit were made with close study and care. In the church he was highly esteemed, and by appointment of the general assembly held the office of trustee of that body for many years. He was also a direc- tor in the Princeton Theological seminary. The general assembly of 1847, in noticing his death, spoke of him as "one of the ven- erable fathers of the Presbyterian church." On occasion of the reception of General Lafayette at West Chester, in July, 1825. the Rev. William Latta made a prayer very remarkable for its touching sentiments, fervid eloquence, and patriotie spirit.
James Latta ( father) was the youngest
son of the immigrant, James Latta, and was born in Lancaster county. this State, about 1789. He was graduated from Princeton college at the age of twenty, and shortly afterward from Princeton Theological sem- inary. While yet a young man, about the beginning of the present century, he left his native place and eume to Chester county ; and a few years after his arrival here he purchased and settled on the farm now owned by the subject of this sketch. Here he continued to reside until his death in 1862. when in the seventy-second year of his age. His secular employment was that of a farmer, and in its prosecution he was alike energetic and successful. But he also continued bis labors for the church, and for more than forty years preached regularly in the Octoraro Presbyterian church. He was chiefly instrumental in the erection of the Presbyterian churches ut Atglen and Chris- tiana, this county, and preached at those churches for eight or ten years. He had scarcely reached his majority when he was given charge of a church, and he remained an active worker in the cause of Christ all his life, almost literally "dying in the har- ness," During his long ministry in the Oc- toraro church he beheld the birth, growth and death of a generation, assisting contin- nously in the baptismal, marriage and fun- eral rites made necessary by the changing phases of the deep current of actual life among his people. His name became a household word in all the surrounding coun- try, and he stood high both as a citizen and a preacher. Politieally he was an old-line whig, but never took any active part in . politics, preferring to find a field for his ac- tivity in the line of his religious work. He married Jane Sutton, a daughter of John Sutton, of Delaware, by whom he had a
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