Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Cornelius, James 
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Author: Past & Present Will County, 1907

JAMES CORNELIUS. No richer or more productive land in Illinois can be found 
than is embraced in the agricultural districts of Will county, and a fine farm 
of two hundred and sixty acres situated in Wilmington and Channahon townships 
gives illustration of the thrift and energy which has characterized the life 
of James Cornelius in his earlier years, so that he is now able to live in a 
beautiful home in Wilmington, from which place he supervises his farming 
interests. He is a native son of Wilmington township, his birth having 
occurred November 11, 1843. His parents, Charles and Catharine (Dunn) 
Cornelius, were both natives of the Emerald isle, the former born in County 
Kings, while the latter was born in County Queens. The father emigrated to the 
new world in June, 1836, making the voyage across the Atlantic on a sailing 
ship. Reaching New Orleans, he there remained for a year or two, and in 1843 
he located in Wilmington, Illinois. He worked on the construction of the 
Illinois and Michigan canal for two or three years, during which time he 
carefully husbanded his resources so that he was finally enabled to purchase 
one hundred and sixty acres of land in Channahon township. He cleared the land 
of the timber and prepared it for the plow, and he likewise erected a log 
house. He removed to his property in 1848, and throughout a long period was 
there engaged in general agricultural pursuits. He was married in Cincinnati, 
Ohio, to Miss Catharine Dunn, and their union was blessed with three daughters 
and two sons but only two of the number are now living, the sister of our 
subject being Eliza, the wife of Daniel Fisher and a resident of Joliet. The 
father was a Jacksonian democrat and was a communicant of St. Rosa Catholic 
church at Wilmington. He died in Will county in August, 1896, at the age of 
seventy-four years, having for many years survived his wife, who died in July, 
1863, at the comparatively early age of thirty-six. James Cornelius was reared 
to agricultural life, assisting his father in the operation of the home place 
during the summer seasons, while in the winter months he pursued his studies 
in the district schools. He began earning his own living at the early age of 
fourteen years, being first employed as a farm hand, receiving for his 
services thirty-five dollars per month. He was thus engaged until he attained 
his majority, when he returned home and assumed the management of the 
homestead property until the death of his father in 1896, subsequent to which 
time he began farming for himself. He is now the owner of two hundred acres of 
well improved land in Channahon township and sixty acres in Wilmington 
township, all of which has been improved and placed under a high state of 
cultivation. He engaged in general agricultural pursuits and stock-raising for 
several years, but in 1905 he purchased four lots in the city of Wilmington, 
whereon he erected a beautiful residence, in which he has since lived retired, 
his only business connection being that of the supervision of his farming 
interests. His rest is well merited for from an early age he has provided for 
his own support and during his active connection with farming interests worked 
earnestly and persistently in his efforts toward success. Mr. Cornelius was 
happily married, October 6, 1897, to Miss Mary A. Whalan, who was born in 
Wilmington township, March 17, 1857, a daughter of Michael and Mary (Ryan) 
Whalan, both of whom were natives of Ireland, the former born in County 
Queens, while the latter was born in County Tipperary. They were married in 
Cincinnati, Ohio, the father having come to this country in 1849, on a sailing 
ship, from which he landed in New Orleans on the 1st of April of that year. He 
remained in that city for three or four years, being in command of a steamboat 
which plied the Ohio river. He later followed farming in Ohio, and it was 
during his residence there that he was married, subsequent to which time he 
located in Will county, where he purchased wild prairie land in Wilmington 
township, on which he built a log house and made many improvements. He was a 
Jacksonian democrat and was a communicant of St. Rosa Catholic church at 
Wilmington. Both the father and mother are now deceased, the latter passing 
away in 1887, at the age of fifty-one years, while the father survived for a 
long period and passed away in June, 1901, at the age of seventy-four. Of 
their family of thirteen children, six are now living, namely: Daniel, a 
resident of Flanagan, Illinois; Mrs. Cornelius; Catharine, the wife of Jacob 
Seston, and a resident of Will county; Nora, the wife of William McGinnis, a 
resident of Reddick, Illinois; Michael, who makes his home in Denver, 
Colorado; and Patrick, a resident of Minooka, this state. Mr. Cornelius is a 
stanch advocate of democratic principles and has served as pathmaster, while 
for twenty-five years he filled the office of school director. He is a 
communicant of St. Rosa Catholic church at Wilmington. Both Mr. and Mrs. 
Cornelius are honored residents of Will county and have spent their entire 
lives within its borders, so that they are widely and favorably known and they 
now occupy one of the most beautiful modem residences of Wilmington, where 
they are surrounded by a host of warm personal friends.

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

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