1642 On 2 November, Thomas Cornell of Hertford and Elisabeth Fiscock of Pleymouth in Engel were married at the Old Dutch Church in New Amsterdam. [1]
1655 On 17 March, Thomas Cornell was chosen with three others to prize land and buildings of John Wood, deceased. He had a grant of ten acres 10 Dec 1657. On 4 May 1670 he and three others were appointed to audit colonies' accounts. His bill to Assembly for futher encouragement of a troop of horse was referred on 7 Jun 1671 to the next Assembly. "At the same meeting it was ordered that Thomas Cornell be desired to be a messenger from the court to carry a letter to the Governor of Plymouth, and that he be supplied with 20 shillings in silver by the treasurer towards bearing his charge." [2]
1672 A description of the lands of Portsmouth, Rhode Island includes "Back of George Lawton's was the 100 acre grant to Thomas Cornell. South of this, Edward Hutchinson had a grant of 100 acres ... Turning through the road to the east we will stand upon the bridge, called in 1713 the New Bridge, as the west end of this road was not cut through until then. To the north is Wading River Swamp, while north of that is the Round Swamp. Here, also, was the farm of Thomas Cornell, called the Circuit Farm." [3]
1673 On May 23, Thomas Cornell was executed for the murder of his mother. [4]The following year, on 7 Mar 1673/74, it was
Ordered by the Assembly, whereas, Thomas Cornell of Portsmouth, who was lately executed for murthering his mother, Mrs. Rebecca Cornell, whereupon according to law, this court of Tryalls have made seizure of his estate. This Assembly (in consideration of the matter, and for the supply of the wife and children of the said Thomas), do see cause to release the said seizure and empowere the council of the towne of Portsmouth to take care and order that the estate of the said Thomas be soe secured and improved that just debts and other charges be first paid and discharged, and that then his wife and children be supplyed and relieved and to that end to order and appoint an executor or executors for the true performance thereof, and that this said Towne Council doe make a will according to law, divide the estate to this wife and children of the said Thomas.
[1] Marriages from 1639 to 1801 in the Reformed Dutch Church, New Amsterdam, New York City Collections of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society 9 (1940, reprint of Vol. 1, 1890), 12, [HathiTrust].
[2] John Cornell, Genealogy of the Cornell family: being an account of the descendants of Thomas Cornell of Portsmouth R.I. (1902), 25, [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[3] Edward H. West, "The Lands of Portsmouth, R. I., and a Glimpse of Its People," Rhode Island Historical Society Collections 25 (1932), 65-85, at 74-75.
[4] John Cornell, Genealogy of the Cornell family: being an account of the descendants of Thomas Cornell of Portsmouth R.I. (1902), 26, [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].