Genesee County MI Archives Biographies.....Cornwell, Mary J. Woolfitt 1848 - 
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Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

MRS. MARY J. CORNWELL. We are pleased to represent in this RECORD one of the
prominent women farmers of Genesee Township, Genesee County, who is a native of
this township, being born here January 26, 1841, and has done credit to her
native home and the abode of her life time by successfully carrying on farming
operations on her fine estate, which is situated on section 30. Her father, John
Woolfitt, is one of the foreign-born citizens who have helped to make Genesee
County the splendid agricultural district that it is to-day, and he brought
hither from his native England those sterling qualities of an English farmer
which have made England the garden spot of the world. Thoroughness and system
mark English farming and while the conditions surrounding agricultural life
there and in the wilds of Michigan are vastly different, those same qualities
are just as valuable and even more essential among pioneer people.

  Mr. Woolfitt had reached mature years before leaving Lincolnshire, England,
where he was born, and it was in 1834 that he came to Michigan. Here he took up
Government land in Genesee Township, Genesee County, and built a log house upon
the place. This was his home throughout the remainder of his life as he lived to
the good old age of eighty-seven years, His good wife, Jane Allen by name, was a
native of Canada and was early bereaved of both parents as her father died when
she had completed only half of her first decade and her mother was taken from
her when the little girl was only eight years old. She was a little lassie of
thirteen years when she came to Michigan and she was brought up by Mr. J.
Berryman, and here met and married in Flint City the father of our subject. She
is still living and now in her old age she has about her eight of her nine
children, all of whom, six daughters and three sons, grew to man's and woman's
estate.

  The brothers and sisters of our subject are Elizabeth A., wife of Robert
Barkley of Otisville; Eber Allen who resides in Thetford Township; Caroline B.
who married Charles Johnson, who is now deceased; Charlotte F., who is Mrs. O.
Kingman, of Charlotte, Mich.; Emma R., married William Curtis and lives near
Clio; Amos, who resides at Bay City; William E. lives on the homestead; Matilda
H. Kingman lives in Genesee. Mrs. Cornwell has a fine farm of one hundred and
forty-eight acres which she carries on by the help of hired men. Here she
pursues general farming and upon her estate she keeps an excellent grade of stock.

  The children of our subject are Charles E., who married Ida Woodruff and lives
in Saginaw; Ella M., who died at the age of twelve years; Edgar L.; William C.
and Jennie M. who all live in Saginaw where the latter is attending school as
are also Elmer J. and Leroy W., while the youngest son, Tryon A., resides with
his mother and attends school in Flint. Mrs. Cornwell has one grandchild Arthur
B., the. son of Charles E.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan,
Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens,
Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of the 
Presidents of the United States

Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1892

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