Cornelius Smith’s Story

Cornelius Smith entered the world on April 7, 1794, in the rolling hills of upstate New York. The young nation was still in its infancy, and Cornelius grew up amid the echoes of the Revolutionary War and the promise of a country finding its footing. His boyhood was likely spent among fields and farms in Paris Township, Oneida County, where the Smith name appeared frequently on early census rolls.

By the time Cornelius was a teenager, America once again found itself at war. In April of 1813, when he was just nineteen years old, Cornelius enlisted for a five-year term of service. Standing among other young men from Oneida County, he answered his country’s call during the War of 1812. Though details of his service are scarce, one can imagine the courage it took to leave behind familiar fields for the uncertainty of military life.

When he returned home, Cornelius began to build a new chapter of his life. On February 3, 1817, in the little town of Paris, he married Hulda (Huldah) Austin, a woman three years his junior. Hulda, the daughter of Reuben and Tryphena Austin, had been raised in the same community, and their union was likely celebrated among neighbors and church friends who had watched the two families grow side by side.

Together, Cornelius and Hulda welcomed two children into their family. Their son, Reuben Earl Smith, was born in 1822, followed three years later by their daughter, Wealthy Ursula (“Welthy”) Smith, in 1825. These were joyful years for Cornelius and Hulda—young parents navigating the challenges of raising a family while dreaming of opportunities on the expanding American frontier.

But Cornelius’s story ended too soon. Family records state that he died on April 18, 1827, when he was just thirty-three years old. Tradition suggests that he may have died while traveling westward, perhaps on the way from New York to Michigan in search of new prospects along the developing railroad lines. His final resting place is unknown. What is certain, however, is that his death left Hulda a young widow with two small children to raise.

Hulda’s life after Cornelius reflects resilience and quiet strength. She remained rooted in her faith, joining the Congregational Church in New Haven, New York in 1834 along with her father, sister Almira, and Uncle Edmond. Later, she lived with her son-in-law, B.M. Goodwin and her daughter, Welthy in New York and Wisconsin. The only surviving photograph of her tombstone in the Portland City Cemetery offers a glimpse of the determined woman who carried forward Cornelius’s legacy.

Note:  Listed in burial records as “Hilda Smith, id# 4306, lot West 569.  Buried in the same plot as Burnett and Weltha Goodwin, her son-in-law and daughter.

Though Cornelius’s life was brief, the path he set in motion continued through his children and generations beyond. His descendants carried the Smith name westward, following the railroad and the promise of new beginnings in Michigan. Today, Cornelius stands as the earliest known Smith ancestor in this family line—a reminder that even a life cut short can leave a lasting mark on history.