"The Telephone", Milton Junction, Wisconsin, Thursday, Apr. 11, 1912, p 4.
Charles Wesley Cornwall was born near Hartsville, N. Y., July 3, 1827. The family of four girls and two boys in the home of Hiram and Hannah Palmiter Cornwall, included Prof. A. R. Cornwall, for many years the principal of Albion academy. Only one of the number now remains, Mrs. Fannie Marsh of Wausau. The next month after he became twenty-one years of age, Mr. Cornwall was married to Miss Sabrina Olin, August 31, 1848. Fifty-five years ago next fall they moved west and settled at Albion, eleven years later coming to the Ezekial Rogers farm near Milton. Twenty-five years ago they moved into the village where he has been such a familiar figure. For over twenty years he was janitor of the S. D. B. church. His erect form, patriarchal beard and keen, kindly face are remembered by hundreds of students as well as townspeople.
Of the three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Cornwall, one, a little girl of six, was killed upon the railroad track. A son, Marshall A., died eleven years ago. At the home of the only remaining child 'Ollie,' the wife of Frank Summerbell, the aged father and mother have been tenderly cared for in their last declining years. There are two grandchildren, Mrs. Lewis Maxson of Walworth, and Charles, bearing his grandfather's name. Mrs. Cornwall, although considered of a delicate constitution, enjoyed over sixty years of wedded companionship, and passed away a little over two years ago.
Mr. and Mrs. Cornwall were baptized a little before their marriage and joined the Hartsville church, of which they were charter members, and of which he was one of the first deacons. Elder Hiram Cornwall, came through a thorough study of the Bible, to believe that the Seventh day was the Sabbath. With characteristic conscientiousness they began to live what they believed. It is said of Elder Hiram that 'his daily life was of the character to commend the Christian to everyone's regard. The ungodly felt him to be a man of piety, and spoke of him as such. His neighbors were the better for his having lived among them.'
His son Charles was of the same sturdy fiber. His convictions were sturdy, his faith was strong, his life was clean and steady. At the Old Folks' Day in 1910 his testimony was: 'The Lord has been merciful and good to me in permitting me to live to old age. I have always been temperate, never drank anything stronger than tea or coffee, never used tobacco. I have always worked hard.' Even at eighty-three years of age, he prided himself in doing his share of the chores with promptness. He was deeply interested in all movements for the uplifting of mankind. He watched what was going on in the world. No one rejoiced more sincerely than he over the No license vote at Milton Junction.
His deepest love was to the church, and back of this lay his personal allegiance to Christ. He was the oldest deacon of the church, and, with one exception, its oldest member. No communion occasion was complete without him. With his flowing grey beard, his earnest face, his benignant attitude, his fatherly solicitude for the work of God, he seemed a link to bind us to the noble generation of men and women who labored to prepare the new day in which we live.
There were tears in many eyes last Sabbath when Deacon Cornwall was missed from his accustomed place. The young people of this generation cannot contemplate too much or cherish too highly the virtues of the pioneer men and women to whom we all owe so much.
They were reverent towards God, they were loyal to the core to the truth they knew, they labored unselfishly and unstintedly to prepare the highway over which the King should come into his kingdom in the hearts of men. Let us receive reverently the trust which comes to us from their hands.
Deacon Cornwall has been in failing health on account of the infirmities of age. On the morning of April 5 there came a stroke of apoplexy. The hope of his heart was realized, and he passed from the Church Militant to the Church Triumphant. Brief services were held at the home April 7, followed by the funeral at the church at 2:30. The same songs which were rendered at the funeral of his wife, were beautifully sung: 'Lead, Kindly Light' and 'Sunset and Evening Star.' Pastor Randolph's text was Paul's Triumphant Farewell in II Tim. 4: 6-8. The interment was in the family plot at Milton Junction.
