Alonzo B. Cornell
Encyclopedia
Alonzo Barton Cornell was a New York
politician and businessman who served as 27th Governor of New York from 1880 to 1882.
, he was the eldest son of Ezra Cornell
, the founder of Cornell University
and Mary Ann (Wood) Cornell. He was educated at the Ithaca Academy, and at the age of fifteen began a career in the field of telegraphy
, later serving as a manager in telegraph office in Cleveland, Ohio
. Afterwards, he owned steamboats on Cayuga Lake
from 1862 to 1863. From 1864 to 1869 he was a bank official with the First National Bank of Ithaca.
He was married to Ellen A. Covert, a native of Auburn, New York
on 9 November 1852. They had four boys together between 1855 and 1874.
Telegraph Company, which had been co-founded by his father, from 1868 to 1876 and was its Vice President from 1870 to 1876. He was the Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York
in 1868, but was defeated by Democrat Allen C. Beach
. He was appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant
as Surveyor of the Port of New York.
From 1870 to 1878 he was chairman of the state Republican Party
. He was a member of the New York State Assembly
in 1873 and was elected Speaker
, one of the very few times a first-term member was chosen. He was influential at the 1876 Republican National Convention which nominated Rutherford B. Hayes
. Hayes, upon becoming president, sought to oust Cornell from his position at the Custom House, but was initially frustrated by the Tenure of Office Act. He was eventually successful with Democratic help.
Cornell was Governor of New York
from 1880 to 1882, elected in 1879
. He established the state board of health and the state railroad commission. He also made women eligible to be school-officers. The division of his party by the conflict between the Stalwarts and the Half Breeds
prevented his re-election. He wrote a biography of his father in 1884.
during his latter years, Cornell died in Ithaca, New York
, aged 72, and was interred with his father and mother in Sage Chapel
on the Cornell University
campus. His papers are held in Cornell University Library's Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
politician and businessman who served as 27th Governor of New York from 1880 to 1882.
Early years
Born in Ithaca, New YorkIthaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
, he was the eldest son of Ezra Cornell
Ezra Cornell
Ezra Cornell was an American businessman and education administrator. He was a founder of Western Union and a co-founder of Cornell University...
, the founder of Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
and Mary Ann (Wood) Cornell. He was educated at the Ithaca Academy, and at the age of fifteen began a career in the field of telegraphy
Telegraphy
Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages via some form of signalling technology. Telegraphy requires messages to be converted to a code which is known to both sender and receiver...
, later serving as a manager in telegraph office in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. Afterwards, he owned steamboats on Cayuga Lake
Cayuga Lake
Cayuga Lake is the longest of central New York's glacial Finger Lakes, and is the second largest in surface area and second largest in volume. It is just under 40 miles long. Its average width is 1.7 miles , and it is at its widest point near Aurora...
from 1862 to 1863. From 1864 to 1869 he was a bank official with the First National Bank of Ithaca.
He was married to Ellen A. Covert, a native of Auburn, New York
Auburn, New York
Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 27,687...
on 9 November 1852. They had four boys together between 1855 and 1874.
Career
He was a director of the Western UnionWestern Union
The Western Union Company is a financial services and communications company based in the United States. Its North American headquarters is in Englewood, Colorado. Up until 2006, Western Union was the best-known U.S...
Telegraph Company, which had been co-founded by his father, from 1868 to 1876 and was its Vice President from 1870 to 1876. He was the Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York
Lieutenant Governor of New York
The Lieutenant Governor of New York is a constitutional office in the executive branch of the government of New York State. It is the second highest ranking official in state government. The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four year term...
in 1868, but was defeated by Democrat Allen C. Beach
Allen C. Beach
Allen Carpenter Beach was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:...
. He was appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
as Surveyor of the Port of New York.
From 1870 to 1878 he was chairman of the state Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. He was a member of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
in 1873 and was elected Speaker
Speaker of the New York State Assembly
The Speaker of the New York State Assembly is the highest official in the New York State Assembly, customarily elected from the ranks of the majority party....
, one of the very few times a first-term member was chosen. He was influential at the 1876 Republican National Convention which nominated Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...
. Hayes, upon becoming president, sought to oust Cornell from his position at the Custom House, but was initially frustrated by the Tenure of Office Act. He was eventually successful with Democratic help.
Cornell was Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
from 1880 to 1882, elected in 1879
New York state election, 1879
The 1879 New York state election was held on November 4, 1879, to elect the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer and the State Engineer, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly and the New York...
. He established the state board of health and the state railroad commission. He also made women eligible to be school-officers. The division of his party by the conflict between the Stalwarts and the Half Breeds
Half-Breed (politics)
The "Half-Breeds" were a political faction of the United States Republican Party that existed in the late 19th century. The Half-Breeds were a moderate-wing group, and they were the opponents of the Stalwarts, the other main faction of the Republican Party. The main issue that separated the...
prevented his re-election. He wrote a biography of his father in 1884.
Death and legacy
Although he lived in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
during his latter years, Cornell died in Ithaca, New York
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
, aged 72, and was interred with his father and mother in Sage Chapel
Sage Chapel
Sage Chapel is the non-denominational chapel on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York State and serves as the final resting place of the university's founders, Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, and their wives...
on the Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
campus. His papers are held in Cornell University Library's Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections.
External links
- Cornell University Library's Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections - link to his papers
- Alonzo B. Cornell at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...