Cornelius Atherton

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Cornelius Atherton (1737–1809), was an iron manufacturer, an inventor and a gunmaker[1] for the American Revolutionary War.[2][3] He became closely involved in the first large scale production of "American Steel"[4][5] in 1772. He is recognized as the founder of the borough of Taylor, Pennsylvania.[6]

Cornelius Atherton
BornMay 8, 1737[7]
Harvard, Province of Massachusetts Bay, British America
DiedDecember 4, 1809
Afton, New York
NationalityAmerican
OccupationIron manufacturer, inventor and gun maker

Early life[]

He was the son of John Atherton (1709-1755) of Harvard, Massachusetts. His paternal grandfather was James Atherton (1654-1718) of Lancaster, Massachusetts. His great grandfather James Atherton, emigrated to America, and was one of the founders of Lancaster, Massachusetts.

Career[]

Atherton was a blacksmith by trade and was the first to forge steel in Colonial America. As resourceful blacksmith, he made the first pair of clothier sheers in America and was also a gun maker. In 1762 Atherton discovered the process of converting iron into ‘American steel’ [8] The following year, he relocated to Amenia, NY[9] Atherton entered into a contract with two brothers, James and Ezra Reed, merchants of Amenia, to superintend the erection of steel works, and to instruct their workmen in the art of making steel. The steelworks were erected at Dover Iron Works. A successful operation, a decade later it supplied muskets for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.[10][11][12]

Atherton relocated temporarily to Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1769, after entering into a partnership with Samuel Adams, John Adams and John Hancock[13] He superintended an existing armory and commenced the manufacture of cutlery and firearms. 6 months later it was burned down by an incendiary, likely to have been placed by British troops who were quartered in Boston, since the colonial authorities suspected their patriotic intentions arming the local population during the time of the Boston Massacre. Hancock's signature would later become the most prominent on the United States Declaration of Independence.

In 1770 he returned to Amenia and announced in the local paper that he would be serving the Great Nine Partners Patent area. [14] Atherton played a role in preparing for the siege of New York during the New York and New Jersey campaign.[15][16] In November 1775 Atherton in his role as a gunsmith in Amenia, NY concluded an agreement with Alexander McDougall and Peter T. Curtenius of the City of New York, acting with authority of the New York Provincial Congress. During September 1776, he petitioned the provincial congress for an exemption from military duty for his workmen, whilst they engaged in the manufacture of firearms under Atherton's contract with Congress at the Dover Steel Works.[17]

Cornelius Atherton & the treason of Benedict Arnold (1780)[]

On September 21, 1780, during the American Revolution, American General Benedict Arnold met with British Major John Andre to discuss handing over Fort Clinton, now known as West Point, New York, to the British, in return for the promise of a large sum of money and a high position in the British army. The plot was foiled and Arnold, a former American hero, became synonymous with the word “traitor.”

His son Cornelius Jr recounted the incident:[18]

“I was informed by my mother years ago, when I was a young man, that on his learning the British ship Vulture was anchored in the river below West Point, my father Cornelius Atherton, with another man (name forgotten) went to a Colonel Livingston, in command of a small battery , five or six miles below West Point, asking him to send a small detachment up on the Heights, and drive the Vulture away, but the Colonel dare not weaken his small force. He finally gave them a twelve pound carronade and two gunners, with ammunition a plenty. In a short time they had their gun in position on the highland banks, within easy range of the Vulture and perfectly safe from her guns. After trying a cold short a few times without effect they improvised a furnace and made the balls red hot, and at the first fire struck a red hot ball in the deck of the vessel. A second and third were equally successful. She cast her cable and took her way down river, out of the way of the guns on the heights. This I believe to be a true statement of the cause of Major Andre’s capture, and saving West Point from falling into the hands of the British. Cornelius Atherton”

Colonel James Livingston of the 1st Canadian Regiment was in command of Verplanck's Point on the Hudson River in September 1780, and played a crucial role in the unmasking of Benedict Arnold's treachery. While on guard duty, his troops fired on the British sloop of war HMS Vulture, forcing it to retreat southwards. This ship had brought Major John André to meet with General Benedict Arnold, who was then in command at West Point, New York. Since the ship was driven off, André was forced to attempt travel by land onto the city of New York, when he was captured not far from the British lines near Tarrytown, NY. André mistook patriots for loyalists, and was caught with incriminating papers upon his possession and was tried and hanged as a spy, and Arnold, his plot now discovered, fled to the British lines. Such events occurred due to the efforts of Atherton, as an astute minuteman who proposed moving a suitable cannon to fire upon HMS Vulture.[19]

Personal[]

Atherton married Margaret “Mary” Delano (b. June 4, 1744); the daughter of Jonathan and Mary Delano in Dartmouth, Massachusetts in 1760. [7] Their firstborn was Jabez. They had 8 further children together. He relocated numerous times, since his skills were in demand. His sisters married his future business partners. His nephew was Cornelius Allerton. [20]

Lois Atherton, sister of Cornelius Atherton married Dr Reuben Allerton painted by Ammi Phillips; American artist (1788–1865)

He first relocated with his young family to Amenia, NY in 1763. However his uncle, James Atherton[21] had moved further west, to what is now known as Wyoming, Pennsylvania.[22] James was one of the first settlers to arrive from Connecticut, and was likely to have been either a cousin or uncle. Some sources have incorrectly referred to James as being Atherton’s father.[23] In 1775 he relocated with his family to Plymouth, Pennsylvania.

Atherton had been drafted but his place was filled by his eldest son, Jabez, [24][25][26] who volunteered to become his substitute, and was accepted and mustered in as a private. This allowed Atherton to care for his wife who was infirm. Jabez was killed in the Battle of Wyoming on July 3, 1778 and is listed on the Wyoming Monument. [27] [28] The aftermath of the battle meant that Atherton and his family had to leave the area for their safety.[29]

He settled at Keyser Creek in 1782 and lived on a hill overlooking it. The area today is known as Taylor, Pennsylvania. [30] The area today is known as Taylor, Pennsylvania.

He was widowed in 1786 and remarried later that year to Jane Johnson (1767-1848). They had 7 children together. He relocated to South Bainbridge, now known as Afton, New York in 1803 with his second wife and young children.[31]

Atherton died on December 4, 1809, aged 73. [7] He was buried at Vallonia Springs Cemetery in Colesville, New York. [32] His wife Jane died on August 13, 1848, and was buried in the same cemetery, which is located in an isolated field.

Children of Cornelius Atherton and Mary Delano[]

  • Jebez Atherton (1761-1778) born in NY. He was a Private in the Revolutionary War and was killed in the Battle of Wyoming, also known as the Wyoming Massacre, aged 16.[33][34]
  • Eleazer Augustus Atherton, Sr., born December 1764 in NY;[36] died March 3, 1852 in Taylor, PA. [35]
  • Elisha Atherton, born c. 1765. He married Martha Delaney.
  • Mary (Polly) Atherton, born c. 1765 in PA; died c. 1829.
  • Parthenia Atherton, born Bet. 1765 - 1771; died September 24, 1845.
  • Prudence Atherton, born 1772. She married Raynesford Hoyt.

and 2 others that did not reach adulthood.

Children of Cornelius Atherton and Jane Johnston/Johnson[]

  • Humphrey Atherton (1787-1849). Born in Luzerne, Pennsylvania on July 20th, 1791; he was a miller. He married and died without issue in Afton, NY on December 11, 1849, aged 62.
  • Angelina Atherton Church (1791-1847). Born Jan 27th, 1791; died July 15, 1847. She married Col. Ira Church.
  • Charles Atherton (1793-1869). Born in Luzerne on May 23, 1783. He was a blacksmith. He married Experience Bramhall, and relocated to Friendship, Allegany Co., where he worked at his trade several years, till the death of his wife, when he sold his property and went with a friend to Emporium, PA, where he died May 13, 1869, aged 76. He had no children.
  • Hiram Atherton (1796-1870). Born in Luzerne on Jun 16, 1796. He married Lovina Sisson, of Plymouth, and followed his trade of wagon-maker a few years in Afton, NY and subsequently for several years in Norwich, from whence he removed to Greene, and engaged in the cabinet business, which he pursued till his death, March 19, 1870, aged 73. They had five children.
  • Christina Atherton Clapper (1799-1842). Born Jan 8, 1799; died January 24, 1842.
  • William J. Atherton (1802-1879). Born May 25, 1802; died August 2, 1879 in Patterson, NJ. He was a shoemaker. He married Jane E. Hamlin and had two children, both of whom died in infancy. They relocated to Paterson, NJ, where he died on August 2, 1879, aged 77.
  • Cornelius Atherton Jnr (1805-1881). Born in New York on December 7, 1805. He lived in Afton and died October 10, 1881. He was appointed as the first postmaster of Afton, New York in 1855.[37] He had one son, William Monroe Atherton (1855-1905) who was a telegraph operator on the Baltimore & Ohio R. R, and who died in Chicago but was buried in Indiana. Cornelius Atherton Jnr was present at the Centenary of the Wyoming Massacre.[38]

Discrepancies[]

Various obituaries stated that he was the fourth in descent from Major Gen. Humphrey Atherton of Boston. [39] Other discrepancies by late 19th biographers, followed by a submission to the Daughters of the American Revolution in the 20th century refer to Cambridge, Massachusetts, as his birthplace. However contemporary researchers have identified Harvard, Massachusetts as his birthplace, due to ease of access to birth and church records. Confusion is likely to have arisen due to his association with both Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, through his work. Incorrect birthdate listed as February 5, 1736 for which there is no evidence. He was born in May 1737.

Some sources state that his first wife was from Tolland, CT. They also incorrectly state that she died in 1774. However she was alive when their oldest son Jebez was killed in the 1778,[40] although very sickly. Once widowed, Atherton married Jane Johnson. [41]

A number of sources say his mother was Mary Sawyer (born Sep 11, 1714), the daughter of James Cornet Sawyer [42] and Mary Prescott. Mary Sawyer married a John Atherton on May 25, 1735 in Pomfret, CT. However that is not conclusive proof. Some researchers have named Phebe Harris (1713-1795) as his mother. What is almost certain is that he was the son of John Atherton and was baptized in Harvard on May 8, 1737.

See also[]

Biographers[]

  • Kemnitz, Katherine Three John Chamberlains and Cornelius Atherton ISBN 069278456X
  • Oscar Jewel Harvey, The History of Wilkes-Barre and Wyoming Valley
  • Smith, James H., History of Chenango and Madison Counties, New York . Published by D. Mason & Co. Syracuse, NY (1880)

References[]

  1. ^ "willamette review - record of Atherton being a pistol maker at a time when most were imported from England" (PDF).
  2. ^ Northern Illinois University Digital Library. "Contract with Cornelius Atherton, of Amenia Precinct, in Dutchess County, for mailing Muskets and Bayonets, approved by Congress &#124". digital.lib.niu.edu.
  3. ^ Reed, Newton (March 13, 2010). Early History of Amenia. Applewood Books. ISBN 9781429023108 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "Biography of Atherton, Cornelius".
  5. ^ French, Lester Gray (1902). "Machinery, Vol 9 edited by Lester Gray French".
  6. ^ "Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790: Pennsylvania". U.S. Government Printing Office. June 13, 1908 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ a b c "Cornelius ATHERTON b. 1736 Harvard, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA d. 4 Dec 1809 Colesville, Broome, New York, USA". atherton.one-name.net.
  8. ^ French, Lester Gray (1902). "Machinery, Vol 9 edited by Lester Gray French".
  9. ^ "Bulletin, Volume 4 by Building Trades Employers Association". 1903.
  10. ^ "Clipped From The Bourbon News". June 5, 1903. p. 6 – via newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "William G Pomeroy Steelworks Foundation-Reference to C Atherton making muskets for the Continental Army and requesting exemption from military service".
  12. ^ Franklin Benjamin Hough (1872). Origin of the Wassaic Iron works; extracted from Gazetteer of the State of New York: Embracing a Comprehensive Account of the ... ISBN 9781404751118.
  13. ^ French, Lester Gray (1902). "Machinery, Vol 9 edited by Lester Gray French".
  14. ^ "The Hartford Courant, Connecticut page 3 - August 27 1770".
  15. ^ "Preparations for siege of New York - Contract with Cornelius Atherton, of Amenia Precinct, in Dutchess County, for mailing Muskets and Bayonets, approved by Congress". Northern Illinois University. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  16. ^ "Daughters of the American Revolution - Ancestor# A003547". Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  17. ^ "Amenia Early History".
  18. ^ "Notes and Queries, Historical, Biographical and Genealogical, Relating Chiefly to Interior Pennsylvania". 1896.
  19. ^ "Atherton's: Revolution to Victorian splendor". Scrantonian Tribune, December 15. 1974. p. 5.
  20. ^ "Painting of Cornelius Allerton, nephew of Cornelius Atherton".
  21. ^ "James Atherton migration to Pennsylvania".
  22. ^ "Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Volume 7: Wyoming Bible of James Atherton of Lancaster, MA then Sharon, CT and then Pennsylvania". 1920.
  23. ^ Newton Reed (1874). "Early History of Amenia".
  24. ^ "Nearest surviving relative - half brother of his firstborn, Jebez Atherton present at Centenary of Wyoming Massacre".
  25. ^ "The Scranton Republican, Pennsylvania - Apr 1, 1874 - Page 3".
  26. ^ Hayden, Horace Edwin; Hand, Alfred; Jordan, John Woolf (1906). "Genealogical and Family History of the Wyoming and Lackawanna - Vol 2, edited by Horace Edwin Hayden, Alfred Hand, John Woolf Jordan".
  27. ^ "1 Apr 1874, 3 - The Scranton Republican at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "Nearest surviving relative - half brother of Jebez Atherton present at Centenary of Wyoming Massacre".
  29. ^ "The Scranton Republican, Pennsylvania - Apr 1, 1874 - Page 3".
  30. ^ Margo L. Azzarelli (2010), Taylor, Arcadia Publishing, pp. 7, 9, 130, ISBN 9780738572567
  31. ^ "Bulletin, Volume 4 by Building Trades Employers Association". 1903.
  32. ^ "Bulletin, Volume 4 by Building Trades Employers Association". 1903.
  33. ^ "Historical Record ...: The Early History of Wyoming Valley and Contiguous Territory ..." Press of the Wilkesbarre Record. June 13, 1899 – via Google Books.
  34. ^ "HISTORICAL ADDRESS at the WYOMING MONUMENT, July 3, 1878 on the 100th Anniversary of the BATTLE AND MASSACRE OF WYOMING by Steuben Jenkins Wilkes-Barre".
  35. ^ a b "History – Taylor Borough". taylorborough.com.
  36. ^ Hayden, Horace Edwin; Hand, Alfred; Jordan, John Woolf (1906). "Genealogical and Family History of the Wyoming and Lackawanna - Vol 2, edited by Horace Edwin Hayden, Alfred Hand, John Woolf Jordan".
  37. ^ Smith, James Hadden (1880). "History of Chenango and Madison Counties, New York - Part by James Hadden Smith".
  38. ^ "Nearest surviving relative - half brother of Jebez Atherton present at Centenary of Wyoming Massacre".
  39. ^ "Cornelius Atherton obit". July 6, 1903. p. 3 – via newspapers.com.
  40. ^ "Nearest surviving relative - half brother of Jebez Atherton present at Centenary of Wyoming Massacre".
  41. ^ Hayden, Horace Edwin; Hand, Alfred; Jordan, John Woolf (1906). "Genealogical and Family History of the Wyoming and Lackawanna - Vol 2, edited by Horace Edwin Hayden, Alfred Hand, John Woolf Jordan".
  42. ^ "Sawyers of Lancaster,MA".

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