Cornelius Wilson (1829-1911)
FATHER: Daniel Wilson
MOTHER: Martha
SPOUSE: Rachel Wilson (nee Reed), m. 1850
BURIAL SITE: St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, Roxborough
MOTHER: Martha
SPOUSE: Rachel Wilson (nee Reed), m. 1850
BURIAL SITE: St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, Roxborough
Cornelius Wilson was born in England on December 17, 1829, and baptized/christened on January 30, 1830. When he was 21, in 1850, he married Rachel Reed in Yorkshire, England. Rachel was probably the sister of Margaret Euphemia Reed (Mackenzie Heath)'s father, Robert Reed. At some point Rachel and Cornelius moved to Inverness, Scotland, and Margaret (their niece) came to live with them. There, Margaret met and married William MacLeod MacKenzie.
Cornelius and Rachel immigrated to the United States sometime around 1880-1882. According to Effie's oral history: Cornelius owned a large store in Inverness, which sold silks and brocades. The store suffered a disastrous fire, and that is what caused Cornelius and Rachel to migrate to America. Once there he supposedly owned and operated a hotel tavern at the corner of Green Lane and Main Street. When Rachel fell sick, Cornelius sent for Margaret (with Hector) to help nurse her. Rachel died and Margaret stayed to help her uncle, and there she met and married Abel Heath.
I have no idea if Cornelius really owned a store in Inverness that burned down. I am also unsure if he owned a hotel at Main Street and Green Lane. His address is listed as 4326 Main Street, which is between Grape and Cotton, and quite a few blocks down from Green Lane. The City Directories, which normally list occupations, lists (liquors) and (furniture) next to his name, though the 1900 census does give his occupation as "Landlord." So, research inconclusive.
I also don't quite buy into the story of Rachel being sick, and Cornelius sending for Margaret to help nurse her, which would have been some time between 1880-1883 (Margaret's appearance in the 1880 Missouri census, and her marriage to Abel Heath in 1883). Rachel did not die until 1895. More likely is that Margaret's husband, William MacLeod MacKenzie, died, and Margaret, who could have stayed with her brother's family in Missouri, chose instead to join her aunt and uncle in Philadelphia (or, Cornelius and Rachel came to the U.S. to help the widowed Margaret. But why choose Philadelphia?).
Cornelius Wilson does certainly seem like a cool guy - posing casually with his dog in Inverness, and smiling like he's chuckling at a good joke in the photo in his later years. He must have been cool, because his nephew, John Reed, named a son "Wilson"; and his niece Margaret's son, Hector MacKenzie Heath Sr., also named a son "Wilson"; and that Wilson Heath in turn continued the use of the name with his son as well. Even his death record notes that he died a "Gentleman."
Cornelius and Rachel immigrated to the United States sometime around 1880-1882. According to Effie's oral history: Cornelius owned a large store in Inverness, which sold silks and brocades. The store suffered a disastrous fire, and that is what caused Cornelius and Rachel to migrate to America. Once there he supposedly owned and operated a hotel tavern at the corner of Green Lane and Main Street. When Rachel fell sick, Cornelius sent for Margaret (with Hector) to help nurse her. Rachel died and Margaret stayed to help her uncle, and there she met and married Abel Heath.
I have no idea if Cornelius really owned a store in Inverness that burned down. I am also unsure if he owned a hotel at Main Street and Green Lane. His address is listed as 4326 Main Street, which is between Grape and Cotton, and quite a few blocks down from Green Lane. The City Directories, which normally list occupations, lists (liquors) and (furniture) next to his name, though the 1900 census does give his occupation as "Landlord." So, research inconclusive.
I also don't quite buy into the story of Rachel being sick, and Cornelius sending for Margaret to help nurse her, which would have been some time between 1880-1883 (Margaret's appearance in the 1880 Missouri census, and her marriage to Abel Heath in 1883). Rachel did not die until 1895. More likely is that Margaret's husband, William MacLeod MacKenzie, died, and Margaret, who could have stayed with her brother's family in Missouri, chose instead to join her aunt and uncle in Philadelphia (or, Cornelius and Rachel came to the U.S. to help the widowed Margaret. But why choose Philadelphia?).
Cornelius Wilson does certainly seem like a cool guy - posing casually with his dog in Inverness, and smiling like he's chuckling at a good joke in the photo in his later years. He must have been cool, because his nephew, John Reed, named a son "Wilson"; and his niece Margaret's son, Hector MacKenzie Heath Sr., also named a son "Wilson"; and that Wilson Heath in turn continued the use of the name with his son as well. Even his death record notes that he died a "Gentleman."
Documents:
1830, January 24 - Baptism/Christening Record - to Daniel and Martha Wilson, Batley, York, England
1850 - July/Aug/Sept - Marriage Record - to Rachel Reed
1885 - City Directory (bound volume at HSP) - 4326 Main Street, Manayunk (liquors)
1890 - City Directory (bound volume at HSP) - 4326 Main Street, Manayunk (furniture)
(NOTE: The 1890 census was unfortunately mostly destroyed by fire in 1921)
1895 - City Directory (bound volume at HSP) - 4326 Main Street, Manayunk (with Abel and Hector Heath listed here as well)
1895, January 28 - Death Record - for Rachel Wilson, died of heart disease, buried in St. Timothy's Episcopal churchyard
1900 - Census Record - 3818 Dexter Street (living with Abel and Margaret, Hector and Laura and their children)
1905 - City Directory (bound volume at HSP) - 176 Lauriston, Wissahickon , Roxborough (with Abel and Margaret Heath)
1910 - Census Record - 429 Pensdale Street, Roxborough
1830, January 24 - Baptism/Christening Record - to Daniel and Martha Wilson, Batley, York, England
1850 - July/Aug/Sept - Marriage Record - to Rachel Reed
1885 - City Directory (bound volume at HSP) - 4326 Main Street, Manayunk (liquors)
1890 - City Directory (bound volume at HSP) - 4326 Main Street, Manayunk (furniture)
(NOTE: The 1890 census was unfortunately mostly destroyed by fire in 1921)
1895 - City Directory (bound volume at HSP) - 4326 Main Street, Manayunk (with Abel and Hector Heath listed here as well)
1895, January 28 - Death Record - for Rachel Wilson, died of heart disease, buried in St. Timothy's Episcopal churchyard
1900 - Census Record - 3818 Dexter Street (living with Abel and Margaret, Hector and Laura and their children)
- Boarder; Born Dec. 1829, 70 yrs old; widowed; 0 children; Born in England. Mother/Father: England; Immigrated 1882; Landlord
1905 - City Directory (bound volume at HSP) - 176 Lauriston, Wissahickon , Roxborough (with Abel and Margaret Heath)
1910 - Census Record - 429 Pensdale Street, Roxborough
- In this record, Abel, Margaret and Cornelius are listed at 429 Pensdale, apparently living next door to Hector, Laura, and their children at 431. Here Cornelius Wilson's immigration date is given as 1880. Cornelius has retired, and has no occupation listed.
Cornelius and Rachel had no children.