William Cornelius

M, #100052, b. 1750, d. 16 October 1827
  
Reference 3G Grf, B52
Charts Pedigree starting with Jack (representing the grandchildren) - incorporates the branches below - largest chart
Pedigree for Dorothy Beck
Birth*1750 William Cornelius was born 1750 at Wales. 
Marriage*2 July 1783He married Elizabeth Rees on 2 July 1783 at Llansamlet, Glamorgan, Wales, Llansamlet Parish Register (per Debrett Ancestry Research report Jan 1982). 
Anecdote*17 November 1794In a June 2009 email, Michael Case said: Not sure if you were aware but I think the William Cornelius on your website was involved in the building of Lock no 3 on the Swansea Canal at Hafod.
     I used the digital express service of the UK national archives to download a copy. The contract dated 17 November 1794 was between Gabriel Jeffries of the Swansea Canal Navigation Company and Henry Maliphant and William Cornelius (Masons of Llansamlet) and is a four page handwritten document detailing works to be done and how much Henry Maliphant and William Cornelius were to be paid per 3 shillings and 6 pence per perch (*) of masonry. It is signed only by Gabriel Jeffries and Henry Maliphant; the lock is known as the Maliphant Locks.
     I was looking at this as my wife is a descendant of a George Maliphant who was born in Ireland in a canal side warehouse during the United Irishmen rebellion of 1798; his father being a mason working on building canals in Ireland at the time. My guess (lacking any other canal building Maliphant) is that Henry Maliphant would be his father.
     (*) Perch - in masonry work, as late as the 20th century, 24¾ cubic feet, or a section of wall 16½ feet long (1 perch), 1½ feet thick, and 1 foot high. Sometimes considered to be 25 cubic feet.1 The conventions for estimating and billing for a masonry job varied by region, but some trade customs were universal: the estimate was based on the surface of the walls (which meant masonry in the corners was knowingly counted twice), and no deductions were made for any opening less than three feet wide.
     
I've sent a correction to the online catalogue entry to the National Archives & also appended the following details to the catalogue; it currently reads "Contract, to build the no. 3 lock at Hafod, between Gabriel Jeffries (for the Swansea Canal Navigation Company) and Llansamlet masons Henry Maliphant & William Cornelius. Details works to be done and conditions to be fulfilled for agreed payment of 3 shillings and 6 pence per perch of masonry. Includes some details of prior meetings held in relation to the Canal. Gabriel Jeffries and Henry Maliphant sign."
     That way people will be able to pick it up easily in an olnine search and order a copy online.
     Description Transcript of contract for the mason’s work on the lock number 3 on the Swansea Canal dated 17 November 1794.
     Llansamlet, Glamorgam, Wales Henry Maliphant (1757 - ?) William Cornelius (1750 - 1827)
     Articles of agreement intended, made, concluded and agreed upon this Seventeenth day of November in the thirty fith year of the reign of our Sovereign King George the third by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland King Defender of the faith and so forth And in the year of our Lord One thousand and seven hundred and ninety four Between Gabriel Jeffries of the town of Swansea in the County of Glamorgan Gentleman as well in behalf of himself and also in behalf of the rest of the Company of Proprietors of the Swansea Canal Navigation of the one part and Henry Maliphant and William Cornelius of the Parish of Llansamlet in the County of Glamorgan aforesaid Masons of the other part as follows ~
     Wheras at a meeting of the Committee of the said Company of Proprietors held at the Mackworth Arms in the said town of Swansea on Tuesday the seventh day of October last, pursuant to an Act of Parliament made in the thirty fourth year of his Majesty’s Reign entitled “An Act for making and maintaining a navigable canal from the Town of Swansea in the County of Glamorgan into the Parish of Ystradgynlais in the County of Brecon.
     It was among other things resolved that a Committee thereby nominated and appointed or any three of them should agree for making the Locks on the said Canal and the hallage thereto; And whereas at a meeting held in pursuance thereof at the dwelling house of William Bennet known by the name of the Smiths Arms situated within the said parish of Llansamlet on Thursday the ninth day of the same month of October the said Henry Maliphant and William Cornelius did propose to the said Committee appointed as aforesaid that they would do all the Mason’s workto the lock number 3 on the said canal, situated at or near a certain place called Craig Hafod within the Parish of Saint John’s in the said County of Glamorgan at the rate of three shillings and six pence for every Perch which said proposal the said Committee have agreed to accept. Now those present writing __ and the said Henry Maliphant and Willian Cornelius for themselves their and each and every of their Heirs, Executors and Administrators thereby covenant, promise and agree to and with the said Gabriel Jeffries his Executors and Administrators in behalf of himself and on behalf of the rest of the said Company of Proprietors and their sucessors that the said Henry Maliphant and William Cornelius shall and will well and truly do or cause to be done all the Mason’s work to the said lock and the Trunks and other parts of the same in a good substantial and workmanlike manner agreeable to the directors and to the satisfaction of the Engineer to the said Company of Proprietors, signified by his certifying the same in writing under his hand, and according to the following particulars that is to say the hollow L__insto be cut to such figures as the Engineer shall appoint; the Lock boxes to be sunk in the _nions. The top Sill to be sunk in the head of the lock and the tops bottoms and sides of the trunking to be let into each other in such a manner as shall be appointed by the Engineer. The whole of the invert arch to be drafted to the radius of a circle to be given, the joints of which must average ten inches in the bed, the stone to be twelve inches deep; the whole of the face work to be laid in even,regular courses, to be well bedded in in the best beat mortar, the backing course to be kept the same height, to be well filled in in stone in the inside laid in mortar and each couse grouted up in Lime and Sand. The whole of the mortar to be sifted through a riddle, lime and sand together, to be then beaten with such beaters as the Engineer shall direct.
     And the said Henry Maliphant and Willian Cornelius do further promise and agree that they shall carry and convey or cause to be carried and conveyed at their own proper cost and charge from the highest water mark on the west side of the River Tawy to the lock all the stones and sand that shall or may be wanted or required for building the same. And further also that they the said Henry Maliphant and Willian Cornelius shall not employ a less number of men than five in building of the said Lock who are to be approved of by the said Engineer. And the said Gabriel Jeffreys in consideration thereof doth hereby on behalf of himself and of the rest of the said Company of Proprietors and their successors covenant, promise and agree to and with the said Henry Maliphant and Willian Cornelius their Executors and Administrators that they shall be paid for the same by the Treasurer of the said Company of Proprietors when done and certified as aforesaid and ordered by the Chairman of the Committee of the said Company of Proprietors at the rate of three shillings and six pence for every perch of Masonary done and completed as aforesaid. And it is hereby mutually covenanted and agreed upon by and between the said Parties to these present in case the said Lock or any part thereof shall not be built erected and completed to the satisfaction of the said Engineer that it shall and may be lawful to and for such Engineer to order and direct that such part or parts thereof as shall be found deficient and contrary to the Plans in any respect whatever be pulled down and rebuilt in a proper manner at the cost and charge of the said Henry Maliphant and Willian Cornelius their Executors and Administrators.
     IN WITNESS THEREOF the said parties to these presents have hereto set their Hands and Seals the day and year first within written ~/~
Sealed and delivered being first duly stamped in the presence of
     Gab: Jeffreys (Black wax seal - initials GJ)
     Henry Maliphant (1st Red Wax seal - indistinct)
     (No signature for William Cornelius; 2nd Red Wax seal - indistinct).1 
Death*16 October 1827William Cornelius died on 16 October 1827 at Llansamlet, Glamorgan, Wales. 
Burial*He was buried at Llansamlet Graveyard, Llansamlet, Glamorgan, Wales, "16 October 1827 William Cornelius buried near the church, aged 77", Llansamlet Parish Register (per Debrett Ancestry Research report Jan 1982)
     In memory of Cornelius the son of William and Elizabeth Cornelius of this parish died the 22nd of May aged 2 years also Morgan, the son of the above named died the 15th of January 1796 aged 1 year and 5 months also the above William Cornelius died October 16th 1827 aged 77 years.
WhoIsThis*Who is this couple? - 1871 census parish of Llamsamlet Lower, St David Ecclesiastical District (SLC 848046-848-048) pg 20, entry #186 is an entry for a W. Cornelius 60 (mason, born Llamsamlet) & Elizabeth M Cornelius 56. 

Family

 Elizabeth Rees
Children 1.Esther-Hester Cornelius b. 6 Feb 1785
 2.John Cornelius+ b. 4 Jun 1786, d. 1873
 3.Martha Cornelius b. 1 May 1788
 4.William Cornelius (Immigrant 1832)+ b. 3 Nov 1790, d. 9 Mar 1839
 5.Cornelius Cornelius b. 8 May 1792, d. 22 May 1792
 6.Morgan Cornelius b. 28 Aug 1794, d. 15 Jan 1796
Last Edited 24 Aug 2010

Citations

  1. [S363] Michael Case, "correspondence between Michael Case and Gwen's researcher Kathryn, Michael citing UK National Archives Ref RAIL 876/28 as the source," e-mail message from email private to Kathryn Bassett, 2009.
Close