Clark County WA Archives Biographies.....Cornell, H. C. 1887 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/wa/wafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com September 20, 2009, 12:45 am Source: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company H. C. CORNELL, president of the Ridgefield State Bank, at Ridgefield, Clark county Washington, is regarded as one of his community’s most useful citizens, having shown a deep and effective interest in its welfare and progress, and is now serving his third term as mayor. The Ridgefield State Bank was incorporated on February 21, 1910, by E. L. Thompson and J. L. Hartman of Portland and E. A. Blackmore, with a capital stock of ten thousand dollars. The first officers were Mr. Thompson, president; Mr. Hartman, vice president; and Mr. Blackmore, secretary and cashier, these three gentlemen, who were the only stockholders, composing the board of directors. Mr. Thompson served as president until 1919, when he was succeeded by C. H. Greely of Ridgefield and on January 1, 1926, H. C. Cornell became president and is still filling that position. The capital stock is now twenty-five thousand dollars; surplus and undivided profits, three thousand dollars; and total resources, two hundred and forty-two thousand dollars. The splendid building now occupied by the bank was erected in 1920. H. C. Cornell was born in Jackson county, Minnesota, in 1887, and secured a public school education in that state and Iowa, also taking a commercial course in a business college at Spencer, Iowa. In January, 1909, he entered the Citizens National Bank at Spencer, starting in the lowest position in the institution. He remained there a few months, and then went to Seibert, Kit Carson county, Colorado, entering the Seibert State Bank. He was connected with that institution about five years, during which period he was successively promoted until he became cashier. From there he came to Battle Ground, Washington, where in the fall of 1914 he organized and incorporated the State Bank of Battle Ground, of which he became cashier, and remained there until 1919, when he sold his interest in the institution and took an extended automobile trip through the eastern states. He spent a few months in the Farmers State Bank, at Warland, Wyoming, and came back through southern California. Stopping in Modoc county, that state, he spent one year in the Alturas State Bank, and in 1921 came to Ridgefield, Clark county, Washington, and bought an interest in the Ridgefield State Bank, of which he became a director and cashier. From that time to the present he has been the active executive officer of the bank, and now as president is directing its affairs in a manner highly gratifying to the stock holders. In 1909, in Spencer, Iowa, Mr. Cornell was united in marriage to Miss Bird I. Stauffer, a native of Illinois, and they are the parents of two children, both of whom were born in Colorado, namely: J. Yvonne, who is a student in Willamette University; and Arlo, who is in high school. Mr. Cornell’s ability and fine public spirit attracted the attention of his fellow citizens and he was elected mayor of Ridgefield, in which capacity his service was of so high a type that he has twice been elected to succeed himself. He was also a member of the school board, serving during the erection of the present school building. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the Order of the Eastern Star and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and belongs also to the Commercial Club and the Clark County Country Club. Mrs. Cornell is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, of which she is worthy matron, the Daughters of Rebekah, and the Priscilla Club, which, maintains the public library. Mr. Cornell lives in one of the oldest and most historic houses in this locality, it having been built in a very early day by a brother of Ezra Meeker. In addition to his duties as bank president and cashier, he also conducts a prosperous bond and insurance business, the latter including life, fire, accident, health, automobile, surety and burglary insurance. He possesses to a marked degree those qualities of character which commend a man to the good opinion of his fellowmen and commands the unqualified confidence and respect of the entire community in which he lives. Additional Comments: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, Pages 354-355 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wa/clark/bios/cornell75gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wafiles/ File size: 4.8 Kb