An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The
Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, pages 385-386 
	
	HON. JAMES M. CORNWELL, an early pioneer of the Pacific coast and one of the
present substantial men of Walla Walla county, is the subject of the following
sketch. He was born in Orange county, Indiana, August 7, 1834, but his father,
Clayton Cornwell, was a native of Kentucky. When a young man the latter went to
Indiana and settled in Orange county and there married Miss Elizabeth Moyer, a
native of North Carolina. About 1846 they removed to Illinois, where he followed
the trade of hatter and lived there until his death, in 1878, at the age of
seventy years, his wife having passed away many years before -- in 1849.
	Our subject was the third child in the family and received his education in
the common schools of Illinois. At the age of eighteen years he desired to make
his way to Oregon, his mind having been attracted in that direction by much
reading. Accordingly, he and his elder brother Francis collected sufficient
means and prepared for the long journey. The contribution which our subject
could make to the common purse was but two dollars in money, but he had a new
suit of clothes and plenty of pluck and courage, and in the spring of 1852 the
two started. They fortunately were able to make an arrangement with an emigrant
train from Ohio, by which they were to receive their passage across the plains
for their services in driving the oxen and assisting in a general way.
	The long looked for morning of the 10th of April, 1852, came and the
brothers said a long farewell to friends and kind and interested neighbors and
started, reaching Portland, Oregon, October 7, of the same year. By miracles of
economy the means of our subject had held out and he still had twenty-five cents
left, and very soon the two brothers found work by the day nine miles west of
the city of Portland. They thus worked for a time and then entered into a
contract to make rails by the hundred, which occupation they followed for the
first year. Then our subject took up a claim of 160 acres, commencing to improve
it immediately, and living on it one year, when he married. His wife had also
taken up a claim and thus between them they had 320 acres, which they afterward
disposed of. Mrs. Cornwell died two years after her marriage. In 1861 Mr.
Cornwell purchased 160 acres five miles north of the city, where he remained two
years, then sold and went four wiles east at the foot of the hills where he
purchased 120 acres and began making for himself a home. Here he worked and
saved until he now owns 1,500 acres of fine land, eight miles northeast of Walla
Walla, on Dry creek, where he lived for many years, until he concluded to retire
from farm life.
	Mr. Cornwell then purchased a plat of ground about 200 feet square on the
corner of Sumach and Tonchet streets, in Walla Walla, and there erected a fine
residence, at a cost of $4,000. He was married in 1860 to Miss Mary A. Stott, an
accomplished lady, a daughter of Thomas and Nancy Stott, now of Walla Walla. She
was born in Indiana and crossed the plains in 1851 when a small girl and came to
Oregon. Her parents are now living at Walla Walla, at the age of fifty-seven
years.
	Mr. and Mrs. Cornwell have had seven children born to them as follows:
Laura, the wife of Cassius Robinson, of Walla Walla; Oliver T. resides in the
city of Walla Walla; Charles is attending school in Ohio; Nancy is the wife of
A.M. Cation, of this city; Arthur is farming in the locality of Dry creek;
Minnie is in California; and Raleigh is at home with his father.
	Although Mr. Cornwell has been an industrious man he started at the ground
floor, as it were, and when a boy in years he found himself 2,000 miles from
home with but twenty-five cents in his pockets he did not get discouraged but
bravely went to work. He has been encouraged and assisted in all of his labor by
his faithful wife, who married him when he was still poor.
	In 1889 our subject was elected to the State Legislature, the first that
ever convened, and so efficiently did he serve his constituents that he was
returned in 1890. Since the organization of the party he has been a Republican.
	
Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in September 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer
	
	
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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project.  Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.