Gelyam or Giiilliame Cornelise, the common ancestor of the Flatbush and Kings Co. families of Cornell, emigrated to this country at an early period (was probably a Huguenot), settled at Flatbush, and d. prior to July 1666. Aug. 9, 1658, he procured from Director Stuyvesant a patent for a plantation in Midwout (Flatbush), as per p. 591 of Vol. 2 of O'Callaghan's N. Y. In 1661 he and his s. "'Pieter Geliamse " bought of Jan Evertse Bout a bouwery in Flatbush on the W. side of the highway, 600 rods in length and 48 rods and 8 ft. in width, cong. 48 morgans and 480 rods; also two pieces of salt meadows of 5 morgens; two pieces of plain land of 5 morgens; 2 house or building plots on the W. side of the highway, of 16 rods in length and 12 rods in breadth, with the houses and barns thereon; and also 2 black draw-oxen, 3 milkcows, a wagon, plough, iron chain, and a cramp-iron to hold saw-teeth when filing—all for the sum of 4500 gl., as per p. 73 of Lib. B of Flatbush rec. Issue:—Pieter Gilliamsen; Willem Gillemse; (sup.) Cornells; Jacob; and Maria. The surname of his descendants for more than a century was pronounced Cornale, with the accent on the e (from Cornelise son of Cornells), and but lately changed to Cornell. What Guilliame's proper surname was (if he had any) has not been ascertained, but from his name it is evident he was a Frenchman. His descendants reside in Bucks Co., Penn., E. N. J., and in Kings Co.
