Atkinson, Cornelius

Summary of Cornelius ATKINSON - 5 May 2010
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Name: Cornelius ATKINSON
Sex: Male

Individual Facts
Birth abt 1732
Death Apr 1815 (age 83) Dauphin Co., PA
Burial Apr 1815 (age 83) Halifax Twp., Dauphin Co., PA

Marriages/Children
1. Mary CROSS
Marriage Jan 1757 (age 25) Lancaster Co., PA
Children
... Charles ATKINSON (abt 1760 - 23 Apr 1834)
... James ATKINSON (abt 1762 - abt Sep 1841)
... William A. ATKINSON (abt 1763 - )
... Robert ATKINSON (1765 - )
... Mary ATKINSON (1766 - )
... Margaret ATKINSON (5 Jul 1769 - 9 Dec 1814)
... Isaac ATKINSON (1771 - 1853)
... Jane ATKINSON (1772 - )
... Keziah ATKINSON (1774 - )
... Rebecca ATKINSON (1775 - )
... Mitchell ATKINSON (1776 - )

Notes (Individual)
General:
Cornelius Atkinson

HISTORY:
ADAMS TOWNSHIP - Organized March 6, 1826

"Atkinson's run, which drains the northeastern part of the township, and Hurd's run the southern, empty into Sunfish at Cameron."

"Who were the first settlers of the township is not now certainly known. Of the *five brothers Atkinson - Charles, James, Mitchell, William and Isaac* - who settled at the mouth of Sunfish, about the beginning of the century, or before, Charles and James soon removed farther up the creek, James on the bottom, where the town of Cameron now stands, and Charles, the father of Stephen Atkinson, senior, on the farm now owned by Michael Boughner. Mitchell and Isaac removed to Seneca township. William is believed to have been, at one time, a resident of the territory now within the limits of Adams, but afterward removed to Greene, on the farm now owned by Christian Roth. Other early settlers were Gilbert and Mitchell McCoy, Elias Conger, senior, Christian Hartloine, Philip Noland, Robert Norris, Samuel Bracy, the Melotts, Powells, and others, whose names have escaped the memory of the writer."

"The town of Cameron was laid out in 1837, by James Atkinson, and called Jamestown. It is situated on Sunfish creek, near the eastern border of the township. Stephen Atkinson made an addition to the town next to the creek. At this place was established the first postoffice, called Rocky Narrows. The names of the town and postoffice were subsequently changed to Cameron...."
(Source: From "History of Monroe County, Ohio," H. H. Hardesty; page 219 - furnished by Linda (Cunningham) Fluharty)

BIOGRAPHY:
Lt. Cornelius Atkinson, Revolutionary Patriot, was born abt. 1732, possibly in England. Most records say he was born in Ireland, but at that time there was a quota set by the King of England on the number of persons that could leave England. Anyone in a hurry could go to Ireland and leave from there if they said they were born in Ireland.

Cornelius is said to have been the son of Robert Atkinson but there is no supporting evidence at this time.

Cornelius arrived in America about 1756. Soon after his arrival, it appears he served in a Pennsylvania militia unit in the area that became Northumberland County. (Northumberland County formed 1772 from parts of Berks, Cumberland, Bedford, & Northampton; all, at one time or another, were part of Lancaster County.)

... *Penna. Archives, 5th Series*, Vol. I, page 59, "A Muster Rool of
... Capt. Shippen's Com'y in the First Regiment of Foot in the Pay of
... the Province of Pennsilvania. (d)" "April 3d, 1756. Cornelius
... Atkinson." (The ages of some of the men are given but not that of
... Cornelius Atkinson.)

... Vol. I, page 65, "An Acco't of the Provincial Clothing, &C.,
... Delivered out to the Soldiers of Captain Shippen's Company by
... Himself and the Several Commissarys of Stories at Different Times to
... the 1st Oct., 1756. (d)" Cornelius Atkinson received "1 Coat, 1
... Leather Breeches, 1 White Shirt, 2 Pairs of Shoes, 1 Blanket."

... Page 74: "Captain Joseph Shippen's Company - 1756-57. (a.) - [From
... Joseph Shippen's account Book of his Company in a Regiment of Foot
... in the Pay of the Province of Pennsylvania, under the command of
... Colonel William Clapham, 1756. The Regiment in Garrison at Fort
... Augusta, Shamokin.]" "Cornelius Atkinson, April 20, 1756." Then on
... page 80, "Account of Clothing, Etc..... Cornelius Atkinson, 1 Coat,
... 1 Breeches, 1 White Shirt, 3 Shoes." ("Shamokin" is in
... Northumberland County, Pa.)

In Lancaster County, Pa., Cornelius married Mary Cross, or Mary (Stephens) Cross, in January 1757. Where did this marriage date come from? Was Mary a widow? Or was her middle name Stephens?

Interesting among the names of the other men in the aforementioned roll of Capt. Shippen's Company, are those of Christopher Cruiss and Alexander Stephens. The latter is probably the same who married Catherine Baskins, of the family closely aligned with the Atkinsons. Catherine's sister, Elizabeth, is our direct ancestor, wife of Thomas McCoy. - And might there be a connection to Mary (Stephens) Cross?

Cornelius and his sons, James and Charles are variously listed in "Penna. Archives, 3rd Series", Vol. 23, pp. 245, 338, 711, 797. William is listed in the same volume, page 196.

... *Rangers on the Frontiers, 1778 to 1783* (Includes aforementioned
... pages 196, 245, 338):

... [Prefactory Note: The list of Revolutionary Soldiers which follows
... is copied from a volume recently discovered of payments made to the
... individuals noted for services chiefly on the Frontiers as Rangers,
... between the years 1778 and 1783. As the majority of the names appear
... more than once upon the list, this is owing to the fact that they
... were paid for different tours of duty. It is to be regretted that
... the Company designation is not attached to each individual, for had
... that been the case the men might have been arranged into companies.
... No year is given for the specified service.]

... Page 196: Rangers on the Frontiers, 1778-1783. "Robinson Volunteers
... - Wm. Atkinson."

... Page 245: Northumberland County Rangers of the Frontier, 1778-83.
... "Cornelius Atkinson, Lieut." Charles & James are also listed.

... Page 338: Northumberland County Rangers of the Frontier, 1778-83.
... "Cornelius Atkinson's Comp.- Cornelius Atkinson, Lieut."

... *Muster Rolls, Cumberland County Militia, 1780*:

... Page 711: "Second Class. Cornelius Atkinson." "Fourth Class. James
... Atkinson." (This is duplicated in Penna. Archives, Fifth Series,
... Volume 6, page 622, under "Muster Rolls Relating to the Associators
... and Militia of the County of Cumberland.")

... *Muster Rolls, Cumberland County Militia, 1782*:

... Page 797: Lieutenant Beatty's Company. Class Roll of Captain McCoy's
... Company, Made out by Lieutenant Beaty, the Captain Being Dead, for
... the Years 1781 and 1782. "Second Class. Cornelius Atkinson." "Fourth
... Class. James Atkinson." "Fifth Class. Charles Atkinson." (This is
... duplicated in Penna. Archives, Fifth Series, Volume 6, page 359,
... under "Muster Rolls Relating to the Associators and Militia of the
... County of Cumberland.")

... *Fifth Series Vol. IV*. Depreciation Pay, Cumberland County Militia.
... Page 295 - "James Atcheson ... William Adkinson ... Thomas McCoy."

The Revolutionary War service of Cornelius, James and Charles has been accepted by the Daughters of the American Revolution. As yet, no one has applied for membership based on William's service.

... *D. A. R. Patriot Index, Centennial Edition, 1990*:

... *ATKINSON:*
... Charles: B 1760 PA d 4-23-1834 OH m (1) Sarah McNight (2) Elizabeth
... Stevens Pvt PA
... Cornelius: b 1732 IR d 4- -1815 PA m Mary Cross Lt PA
... James: b c 1762 PA d 1845 OH m Mary Brown Pvt PS PA -

Legend is that in one battle of the Revolutionary War, Cornelius was wounded several times and survived. He lived out his days in Pennsylvania and died in April 1815 in Dauphin County, Pa.; Mary died in 1807. Both are buried in Halifax Township, Dauphin County.
(Biography furnished by Linda (Cunningham) Fluharty)

REFERENCE:
Catharine Foreaker Fedorchak wrote a serious of articles about the Atkinson family which appeared in the pages of "Spirit of Democracy," published in Woodsfield, OH: 2 Mar 1972; 9 Mar 1972; 3 Sep 1974; 9 Sep 1974; 16 Sep 1974