Cornwall Line  |
| Joseph Cornwall |
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| Joseph and Charlotte Cornwall |
Joseph Cornwall was born 27 August 1832 in
Gilford, Tullylish Parish, Down, Ireland third child of the seven born to Eliza Neal and Alexander Cornwall. The great Irish potato famine of 1846-1847 was a significant factor in the Cornwall's introduction to Mormonism and conversion. Due to the famine Joseph's older brother William and uncle Thomas went to Scotland to find work in the linen mills. While there they were contacted by Mormon Missionaries and joined the Church. They sent Mormon literature home to Ireland. Joseph's father, Alexander, read the literature to his family. Soon thereafter they were visited by David Chambers, a Mormon Missionary, who converted them. Joseph, his father and sister Mary Jane were baptized secretly in the River Bann in 1851. Joseph's mother, Eliza Neill was from a family of devout Quakers and bitterly opposed the conversion to the Mormon faith of her husband and son and daughter. She continually grieved over her daughter joining the Church and her shortly thereafter running away to America. Eliza died April 1859.(Here are a few excepts from the history of Joseph Cornwall written by one of his children in 1932. It is beautifully written and describes his love for and sacrifice for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.) "It has been said that Joseph Cornwall had a desire for the ministry. This denied, he occupied most of his spare time in the interest of self improvement. But he was born under a lucky star. Five months before his spirit was permitted to leave its birth place, the architects had hewn the small stone and given it momentum. A sentence had saluted the startled ear. They had broken their long silence. April 6, 1830 had rolled around. The worthy forerunner whose voice had been stilled for 1900 years had reappeared. The groves were still God’s temples. The prayer for light and knowledge had ascended and the petition granted. Earth kissed heaven in a grand salute. Light and knowledge had come forth. Once more earth’s inhabitants could hear a prophet’s voice. The remnants of lost and scattered Israel had their ears to the ground.
This family in Ireland was awaiting the tidings. They were to hear the story from the new world. A few short years of waiting and it burst upon them. Men clothed with the long-lost authority knocked at their door. Their language was simple but their testimony was unimpeached. Their ears heard and their hearts were touched. One by one the members of the family were converted to this absorbing story until all but three joined. The desire to leave their native land and gather with this “peculiar people” became contagious. It was now apparent that this hitherto happy family were now to be gathered or scattered.
Records have it that father was baptized August 22, 1851, being then about nineteen years old. Some time after, he was ordained an elder and enjoyed the privilege of presiding in his native land.
Ten years passed between his joining the church and leaving for America. This period was marked with such serious consequences that it required more than ordinary courage and determination for its accomplishment. The regret that his mother could not see the truth as it had impressed him; the hardships attending his church activities in the little branch; the constant dream of his leaving the land of his birth and gathering with the people of his accepted faith; the leaving behind of his beloved mother with only a stone to mark her resting place; the privations and hardships that he knew would attend his emigration weighed heavily upon his mind. His force of will power and more than human determination to accomplish this desire will excite the admiration of all future generations. "
Joseph at 30 years of age, along with
Alexander his father made the decision to leave Northern Ireland, where their family had lived for generations. The decision was as much political as religious. The effects of the famine, British rule and limited opportunity gave them little reason to not journey to the land, which the missionaries had painted as "flowing with milk and honey". The father and son set their affairs in order and sold their leaseholds. They gathered their funds, contacted the Church "Emmigration Fund" agent in Liverpool, sent the required money and arranged an ocean passage to America and overland passage to Florence (Winter Quarters). They took minimal provisions along with few bolts of Irish linen and a wooden box in which
Alexander packed his most precious books. In the spring of 1861 they left Drumaran.
Alexander at sixty-one stood on the stern of the ship as it left Belfast Bay, looking back at the green coast of Ireland, his homeland and where his wife and two sons were buried. With his sleeve he brushed the tears form his eyes as he turned his face away and joined Joseph on the prow. In Liverpool they had passage on the "packet" ship
Manchester with about 500 other saints which set sail 16 April 1861
(See Migration Registry) . The only mishap on the journey, besides the expected, fog, cold mists, rain, rough waves and rampant seasickness, was on the first day when one of the sailors fell from the rigging into the Bay of Biscay. Rough seas made them abandon their effort to recover him.
The company arrived in New York 14 May 1861 and were met by Apostle Erastus Snow. Passage was arranged from New York to Florence (Winter Quarters). On this overland leg of the journey the company "
had a good chance to view the country and new scenery ..., towns and villages very different to the Old Country; much timber, wild and uncultivated at that period." 21 May 1861 their long desire to view the great Mississippi River was gratified as the company arrived in Quincy, Ill and took a steamboat to Hannibal. Although they traveled by rail through the state of Missouri it was a rough ride on the most uneven road for a railroad any had ever traveled on. From St. Joseph they boarded a steamboat for Omaha and Florence, a journey which took two days on a turbulent stream. In Florence,
Alexander and
Joseph presented themselves to the Church agent to procure their outfit and supplies for the final leg of their journey. The agent had no record of their payment. He asked for a receipt. They had not thought to require a receipt from the Church agent in Liverpool. Without a record they could not procure equipment or supplies through the Church.* Bitterly dejected they looked about Florence and found a field of corn which was badly in need of hoeing. They located the owner, who accepted their services for a job. With money from hoeing and a fewe funds they brought with them
Joseph, using his gifts of ingenuity and bargaining obtained a double-barreled muzzle-loading shot gun, a wagon of sorts, an ox, a cow, a small iron stove and a wooden churn. They moved out from Florence 18 June 1861.
The ox and cow were slow and needed to be goaded, and the cow was milked regularly. The milk was poured into the wooden churn and the jolting wagon turned it into butter. They crossed the plains and took the old pioneer trail into the valley. The stopped at the place where 14 years earlier Brigham Young had made his historic declaration about "this place". This "place" the father and son looked upon, was a desert burned brown by the summer heat.
Alexander's thought turned back to springtime in the lovely green valley at
Drumaran. "It won't be easy
Joseph", he quietly said to his son.
Joseph replied, "You're right father, it won't be easy, but we'll make it. We'll never give up until we make it". Slowly they guided their wagon down into the valley, 21 Sept. 1861 - 3 months and 14 days since leaving Florence. The end of the journey brought a joyous reunion with daughter and sister Mary Jane.
Joseph Cornwall was red-haired and slight of stature, but a giant of determination and will power and faith.
*
Joseph turned to his father after the incident of being turned away without a receipt and said, "Never mind, father, I'll see that Brigham Young makes good the money." In the end the money was refunded and through it a life long acquaintance was made between Joseph Cornwall and Brigham Young.
