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Gerothman W. Cornell |
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Gerothman W. Cornell |
He received a fair common-school education while young, but at the age of thirteen, on account of the straitened circumstances of his parents, he went into the busy world to care for himself. He became a clerk for his uncle, in New York, where he remained for two years, and subsequently ws a clerk in a general merchandise store, at Buskirk's Bridge, for four years.
In the year 1836 he came to Lansingburgh, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., and served as clerk for Alexander Walsh for a while, but soon after established himself in business as a general merchant and dealer in grain, etc., which business he has carried on with varying success for many years. Mr. Cornell has been an interested party in all matters of local interest, and a very active member of the Republican party.
He has been honored with positions of trust and responsibility by the citizens of his town and county, and has always endeavored to discharge the duties incumbent upon him with justice to others and with credit to himself.
He has been trustee of the village of Lansingburgh, and represented the town in the Board of Supervisors for four years in succession. In 1858 he was elected sheriff of Rensselaer County, and re-elected to that office in the fall of 1864.
He was appointed postmaster of Lansingburgh in 1874, during the presidency of U. S. Grant, and reappointed to that office in 1878.
GEROTHMAN W. CORNELL is the eldest in a family of six children of Govit and Phebe (Almy) Cornell and was born in Cambridge, Washington Co., N. Y., Jan. 4, 1817. His ancestors were from New England.
