Marriage Puzzle

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David Cornell

Marriage Puzzle

Legg inn av David Cornell » 17 feb 2007 19:07:37

As far as I know, my great-grandfather, Nelson Cornell, lived his entire
life (1849-1932) in Lewiston, NY. He had two wives, both of whom lived
in different parts of Canada before they married him. What has been
puzzling me is how a man who lived in
Lewiston managed to meet and marry two woman who lived in McGillivray,
Middlesex, Ontario, and Toronto, respectively. Nowadays, it would not
be difficult to meet someone through a dating service or over the
internet, but how did this happen in the 19th century? Were
there mail order bride services between the US and Canada then?

The first wife was Elizabeth Paxton of McGillivray, who married Nelson
in 1879 in Lewiston and died in 1891 in Lewiston. The rest of her family
apparently stayed in McGillivray or moved to British Columbia.

About a year after his first wife died (leaving him with four small
children), Nelson married Harriet Minchin, who born in Ireland about
1858 and was living in Toronto
with her mother and (apparently) illegitimate son as late as 1891. The
next place she appears is in the 1900 census in Lewiston, married to
Nelson, with two children by him and the four children from Nelson's
first marriage farmed out to other relatives in New York or Canada.

My great-grandfather was raised in the Catholic Church, but both of his
wives were Protestants, so it is unlikely he met them at church. For
that matter, there is no evidence of either of his wives living in or
near Lewiston until after they married ny great-grandfather.

My great-grandfather worked as a baggage handler, so he may have met
them at the Lewiston railroad station, but that raises of question of
why they would be going to Lewiston in the first place.

Does anyone have any idea how Nelson and his wives may have met?

Thanks.

David Cornell

Huntersglenn

Re: Marriage Puzzle

Legg inn av Huntersglenn » 20 feb 2007 19:55:26

I replied to this yesterday, and the post has not yet shown up (I've
even checked over at googlegroups), so I'll try again. If I end up
posting twice, please forgive me.

Going over what I could find on Benjamin Cornell (Nelson's father) on
the internet, there's a possibility that he was born in Canada, which
could mean that Nelson had relatives still living in Canada. While
visiting them, he could have met one or both of his wives.

I also saw that Lewiston was a major steamboat port for ships bringing
passengers to and from Canada - there was also an upscale hotel/inn that
catered to the fishermen and afforded a great view of the Niagara River.
The wives could have been visiting Lewiston on holiday and met Nelson
that way, or they could have been visiting friends or relatives in
Lewiston and met Nelson during that time. Back then people didn't visit
just for a weekend, the visits would be at least a week long (since it
took so long to get there in the first place).

There's also the possibility that Nelson and his second wife were
somehow related since his mother and his wife both came from Ireland -
have you researched their families? I also noticed that the wife of
James Kelly (Nelson's uncle), was from Canada, and Nelson's first wife
could have been a relative of hers.

Unfortunately, without any of them leaving a diary or telling their
children how and when they met, all you can really do is guess.

Cathy

David Cornell wrote:
As far as I know, my great-grandfather, Nelson Cornell, lived his entire
life (1849-1932) in Lewiston, NY. He had two wives, both of whom lived
in different parts of Canada before they married him. What has been
puzzling me is how a man who lived in
Lewiston managed to meet and marry two woman who lived in McGillivray,
Middlesex, Ontario, and Toronto, respectively. Nowadays, it would not
be difficult to meet someone through a dating service or over the
internet, but how did this happen in the 19th century? Were
there mail order bride services between the US and Canada then?

The first wife was Elizabeth Paxton of McGillivray, who married Nelson
in 1879 in Lewiston and died in 1891 in Lewiston. The rest of her family
apparently stayed in McGillivray or moved to British Columbia.

About a year after his first wife died (leaving him with four small
children), Nelson married Harriet Minchin, who born in Ireland about
1858 and was living in Toronto
with her mother and (apparently) illegitimate son as late as 1891. The
next place she appears is in the 1900 census in Lewiston, married to
Nelson, with two children by him and the four children from Nelson's
first marriage farmed out to other relatives in New York or Canada.

My great-grandfather was raised in the Catholic Church, but both of his
wives were Protestants, so it is unlikely he met them at church. For
that matter, there is no evidence of either of his wives living in or
near Lewiston until after they married ny great-grandfather.

My great-grandfather worked as a baggage handler, so he may have met
them at the Lewiston railroad station, but that raises of question of
why they would be going to Lewiston in the first place.

Does anyone have any idea how Nelson and his wives may have met?

Thanks.

David Cornell

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