Norfolk City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Cornick, Captain James January 22, 1879 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Donna Bluemink http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00034.html#0008395 May 23, 2019, 8:59 am Virginian-Pilot, January 23, 1879 Captain James Cornick died at his residence on Bermuda Street, in this city, yesterday morning at 3 o'clock. This sad event, while it will fill this community with sorrow, was not unexpected by his wide circle of friends and acquaintances. For several months past his former sturdy frame seemed to be rapidly declining under the pressure of years, but it was only within the last few weeks that he had been confined to his house, where at last he expired from extreme old age. He was born near Linkhorn Bay in the county of Princess Anne, Va., on the 22nd day of September, 1792, and had therefore completed his eighty-sixth year, on the 22nd day of September last. When about seventeen years of age he determined to follow the sea, and made his first voyage from this port in a ship commanded by Captain Edward Chamberlain, whose son, Edward C Chamberlain, also a sea captain, died in Norfolk a few years since. Young Cornick proved to be an ambitious and daring seaman; before he attained the age of twenty-one years he was master of a vessel. He rose in his p profession rapidly and soon became part owner of the ship which he commanded. For many years he was engaged in the West India and European trade. He was a most successful sea captain and his voyages were very profitable to his owners as well as remunerative to himself. During the War of 1812 he was captured by an English man-of-war, and was kept a prisoner at Halifax, Nova Scotia, until t the close of the war. About the year 1832 he retired from his profession. He soon afterwards, in connection with the late Jno. Tunis, one of Norfolk's most successful merchants, leased the Norfolk and Portsmouth ferry and they were the first to introduce steam ferryboats between the two towns, the previous mode of crossing being by "team boats," as they were called, propelled by horse power. This turned out to be a very profitable enterprise to these gentlemen. At this time he owned a fine farm about five miles from the city limits, which he took great pride in cultivating in the most approved manner. He was one of the most successful farmers in this section of Virginia. For many years he was president of Dismal Swamp Canal Company which, under his able administration, attained its greatest prosperity. Captain Cornick was thoroughly identified with all the interests of Norfolk, and always took an active part in any effort to promote her prosperity. For a long time he sat upon the bench of the Hustings Court of this city, being associate justice with some of our well-known and most honored citizens, N. C. Whitehead, Charles H. Shield, Giles B. Cooke, N. W. Parker and others whom our citizens will remember. He was a member of our City Councils, and was a director in several of the banks of this city for many years. He was a consistent Christian and was for a long time a member of the vestry of Christ Church of this city. He was a man of great strength of character, remarkable industry, excellent judgment and unbending integrity, and in his death Norfolk loses a citizen than whom none was more highly respected or whose example is more worthy of imitation. Additional Comments: Buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery, Norfolk, VA File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/norfolkcity/obits/c/cornick523nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/vafiles/ File size: 3.8 Kb