Capt. Dan Cornwall was born in Connecticut about the year 1753. He married Rachel Hall and came to Cornwallsville, and settled on the farm now owned by Benamin Hubbard, in 1788. His first log house he built some 30 or 40 rods S.W. of the present house.  He experienced some trouble in getting good title to his land, being obliged to pay for it twice over, before his right was undisputed. They were two weeks coming from New Haven in a sail vessel to Catskill, and when they reached their new home, they were far away "out west" to their friends they left behind. But they brought their faith and their religious principles with them. They were both members of the Congregational Church in Connecticut, and very soon after the formation of the Presbyterian Church in Durham, they both united by letter on the 13th of January, 1793.  He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and commanded a company of Connecticut volunteers, and drew a pension as long as he lived.  When he became old and venerable, he was often appointed Moderator at the annual town meetings. He died on Christmas Eve 1843, and Rachel, his wife  died May 8, 1855, nearly one hundred years old. They had six children---David, Amos, Dan, Rachel, Nancy and Vina.  David married Mary Johnson, a sister of the late Edward Johnson. He went to California, and traveled somewhat in Mexico; received fatal injuries in Mexico during an earthquake there, returned to California where he died.  Amos married Elizabeth Hand, a sister of Alfred Hand Esq., of Durham. He became a merchant in Catskill, and died there.  His family now live in Catskill. One of his daughters married Hon. Lyman Tremain of Durham, and another daughter married Robert E. Austin Esq., of Catskill.  Dan never married, lived and died in Cornwallsville. Rachel married Charles Baldwin and lived and died in Volney, Oswego County. Nancy married Charles S. Hitchcock, and lived and died in Cornwallsville. Vina was never married---lived and died in Cornwallsville.

 

John and Paul Percival were among the first settlers of Cornwallsville. I cannot tell much about them, especially John; probably he was Paul's brother; he may have lived with his brother on the Charles Wetmore place, perhaps as joint owner. Paul lived there, and sold the place in 1806 to Moses Austin.  His son Elkannah owned the farm now owned by William Borthwick, and lived there until he became an old man, when he moved to "Broadway", near Durham, and finally he and his wife went to live with their adopted daughter, Gertrude Ames, who married Mr. William Pierce of Durham, where they both died in a good old age.

 

Moses Austin was born in Wallingford, Conn., about the year 1768; came to Durham at the age of 20 years, and bought land near where Asbury Strong now lives. The farm still goes by the name of the "Austin Place"; the house, long since disappeared, and the barn was destroyed by a fire two or three years ago. His neighbors were Charles Johnson, and a Mr. Ford who lived in the same house.  Mr. Ford was taken violently ill, and Mr. Austin rode on horseback, and in the night, to the city of Hudson for medicine. But it was in vain. Mr. Ford died, and Mr. Austin was often heard to say that it was one of the most melancholy recollections of his life.  In 1806 he bought the farm now owned by Mr. Charles Wetmore, and built the large house now standing; occupying in the meantime the old block house which stood nearby.  He was a prosperous business man, ---owned a woolen factory in Cairo,---was engaged in various business enterprises, and became very wealthy. He held several offices in the town, was at one time Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and, in 1819, 20, 21, and 22 he was one of the members of the New York State Senate from the Middle district. The whole State at that time was comprised in four Senatorial districts under the Constitution of 1777, and they were called the Southern, Middle, Eastern and Western districts. The Middle district, by an Act of 1815, was represented by nine senators, and consisted of the following ten counties, viz: Albany, Chenango, Columbia, Delaware, Greene, Orange, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster.  The senators from this large district in the year 1819 were: Moses Austin, Jabez D. Hammond, John Lounsbury, John Noyes, Isaac Ogden, William Ross, Peter Swart, Martin VanBuren and Abraham VanVechten. in 1822 under the new Constitution, the Senatorial districts were very much changed.

 

Mr. Austin was twice married. His first wife was Elizabeth Cooper of Chatham, Conn.  She was the sister of Miles Cooper, who married an aunt of Dr. J.B. Cowles of Durham, and lived in Western New York.  Mr. Austin's second wife was Salie Humphreys of Derby, Conn.  She was a niece of the Hon. and Gen. David Humphreys, who was a U.S. Minister to the Court of Spain and Portugal.  Mr. Austin had quite a large family. One of his sons, Elias, lived on the farm, and was at one time Supervisor of the town; he has two daughters and one son now living in Cairo.  His brother Aaron lived  on the "old Austin place," and died in Cornwallsville. Another brother lived in Durham, and his descendents now live in Windham. Aaron's children, mostly daughters, married and settled in Durham. Mr. Austin spent the evening of his life at Cairo, and died there on the 2nd of May, 1848, aged 80 years.

---