Cornelius Dysart (1784 - 1821)

Born 9 Jan 1784 in Cecil Co., Maryland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 20 Aug 1821 at age 37 in Pennsylvania

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Biography

Cornelius Dysart, son of Archibald and Margaret (Longwell) Dysart, was born January 9, 1784 in Cecil Co., Maryland.^[1]

Cornelius Dysart studied medicine under Benjamin Rush in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and received his diploma, which was called a "sheep skin" from Rush Medical College in Philadelphia. As a physician he practiced in York County and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

"Dr. Dysart Cornelius" appears in the list of "Singlemen" on the 1805 Chanceford Property Assessment List in York Co., Pennsylvania.^[2]

Cornelius Dysart appears on the 1807 Pennsylvania, Septennial Census living in Lower Chanceford, York Co., Pennsylvania with his trade listed as "Doctor."^[3] Cornelius Dysart married Susannah Pedan on December 31, 1807.^[4]

The 1809-1810 York Co., Pennsylvania Property Assessment for Upper Chanceford assessed Doctor Cornelius Dysart for 70 acres of land, 2 horses and 4 cows.^[5]

The 1810 U.S. Federal Census records Cornelius Dysart living in Chanceford, York Co., Pennsylvania. There are marks for one male age 26-45 [Cornelius himself at age 26], one female age 16-25 [his wife Susannah age 23], one male under 10 [his son Archibald almost 2 years of age], one female under 10 [his daughter Susannah born in April 1810], and a mark for one other unidentified person.^[6]

The 1810-1811 York Co., Pennsylvania Property Assessment for Upper Chanceford assessed Doctor Cornelius Dysart for 70 acres of land, 2 horses, 2 cows and 1 occupation (probably a license tax); in 1811-1812 for 70 acres of land, 2 horses, 2 cows and 1 occupation (probably a license tax); in 1812-1813 for 140 acres of land, 3 horses, 2 cows and 1 occupation (probably a license tax); in 1814-1815 for 140 acres of land, another 160 acres tract of land, 1 horse, 2 cows and 1 occupation (probably a license tax); in 1815-1816 for 124 acres of land, another tract of 143 acres, 2 horses, 4 cows and 1 occupation (probably a license tax); in 1816-1817 for 124 acres of land, another tract of 77 acres, 3 horses, 4 cows and 1 occupation (probably a license tax); in 1817-1818 for 124 acres of land, 2 horses, 2 cows and 1 occupation (probably a license tax); in 1818-1819 for 79 acres of land, 1 horse, 1 cow and 1 occupation (probably a license tax). Additionally next on this tax list is "Do" (meaning "Dysart Cornelius Doctor" as written in the above space) ''for William & C. Dysart assignees of the said Doctor Dysart" assessed for 124 acres of land. William and Catherine Dysart are Cornelius' brother and sister from Cecil Co., Maryland. The 1819-1820 York Co. Tax Assessment List for Wrightsville in Hellam Township lists "Doctor Dysard" with no property listed and given a small assessment. (It is thought that Cornelius and Susannah are just beginning their move to this area of York Co., and perhaps are renting a property or house in town. This area is just west of Columbia in Lancaster County.) The 1820-1821 York Co., Pennsylvania Property Assessment for Upper Chanceford assessed Dr. Cornelius Dysart for 149 acres of land, 2 horses, 3 cows and 1 occupation (probably a license tax). The 1820-1821 York Co. Tax Assessment List for Wrightsville in Hellam Township lists "Doctor Cornelius Dysert" and assessed him with owning 1 cow.^[7]

The 1820 U.S. Federal Census records "Doctor Disert" living in Hellam Township, York Co., Pennsylvania. There are marks for one male age 26-44 [Cornelius himself at age 36], one female age 26-44 [his wife Susannah age 33], one male under 10 [his son Benjamin almost 1 year of age], one male age 10-15 [his son Archibald age 11], four females under 10 [his daughters Susannah age 10, Margaret age 7, Catherine age 5, and Elizabeth age 2]. There also appears to be a mark for a female age 16-25 but this person is unknown to me and could just also be a random mark as it does not slant in the same direction as the other marks on the page for recording the various people.^[8] This census page is very hard to read. He is located about two-thirds of the way down the page.

Cornelius Dysart and his wife Susannah Dysart joined The Presbyterian Church in Columbia, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania as recorded within the session records dated 1808-1822.^[9] “Session met at the church Saturday afternoon June 9, 1821. Present, Rev. Stephen Boyer, Moderator, Doctor McCorkle, Daniel McLane, S.G. McKean and William P. Beatty. The following present appeared before Session and requested permission to join, the church and in the approaching Communion, viz: Cornelious Dysart, Margaret, Guy, and Mary Harris, Mary Smith, Mary Wycke and Joseph Wallace and after a free conversation with each of them as to their knowledge of the doctrines of our church and particularly on the nature of the ordinance of the Lords Supper their request was granted. Susanna Dysart and Jane Roddey from State Ridge Congregation in York County, produced Certificates of their being members in full communion in that congregation and were admitted."^[10]

Dr. Cornelius Dysart died August 20, 1821 while ministering to patients during a typhoid outbreak.^[11] The Columbia Presbyterian Church Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania Session Records includes Cornelius Dysart's name in the Register of Deaths and records as "July 1821." This portion of the record, however, appears to be all in the same handwriting and the dates are not sequential. The entry just before Cornelius' name is for Sarah Strickler and is dated March 16, 1827. The entry just after his name is for Susannah Fletcher and is dated Sept 1821 and the next four dates are: December 1821, December 1862, 1863, 1861, December 24, 1863 and continue on with more 1860s and 1870s.^[12] Francis A. Cooch in his article about "The Seven Stars," (see Archibald Dysart’s and Margaret Longwell’s profiles for more information), mistakenly records that Cornelius Dysart had moved to Illinois and died there.^[13] Cornelius and his family had moved to Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania and following his death his widow moves the family back to Chanceford in York Co., Pennsylvania where she taught school. Sometime in the 1830s the family moved to Illinois.

The 1821-1822 York Co., Pennsylvania Property Assessment for Upper Chanceford assessed Susanna Dysart Widow for 124 acres of land and 2 cows. Susannah can be found on subsequent tax assessment lists in York Co., and Susan Dysart and her family can be found on the 1830 U.S. Federal Census in Upper Chanceford, York Co., Pennsylvania. (see her profile for additional information.)^[14]

Sources

1. ↑ Dysart Family History. Unpublished family history gathered by several generations of the Dysart family.
2. ↑ York County Tax Assessment listings were found on microfilms at the York County History Center in York County, Pennsylvania during my visit there in 2007.
3. ↑ Pennsylvania, Septennial Census, 1779-1863 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Septennial Census Returns, 1779–1863. Box 1026, microfilm, 14 rolls. Records of the House of Representatives. Records of the General Assembly, Record Group 7. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, PA.
4. ↑ Dysart Family History. Unpublished family history gathered by several generations of the Dysart family.
5. ↑ York County Tax Assessment listings were found on microfilms at the York County History Center in York County, Pennsylvania during my visit there in 2007.
6. ↑ 1810 U.S. Federal Census, Pennsylvania, York Co., Chanceford Township, Roll: 57, pg. 171.
7. ↑ York County Tax Assessment listings were found on microfilms at the York County History Center in York County, Pennsylvania during my visit there in 2007.
8. ↑ 1820 U.S. Federal Census, Pennsylvania, York Co., Hellam Township, M33, Reel 114, pg. 44.
9. ↑ Ellis, Franklin and Samuel Evans. ''History of Lancaster County Pennsylvania with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men. Philadelphia; Everts & Peck; 1883. pg. 554.
10. ↑ Columbia Presbyterian Church Session Records. Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records; Reel: 580. Found online: Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013; Image 72-73 of 231 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry<.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
11. ↑ Dysart Family History. Unpublished family history gathered by several generations of the Dysart family.
12. ↑ Columbia Presbyterian Church Session Records. Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records; Reel: 580. Found online: Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013; Image 25 of 231 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
13. ↑ Cooch, Francis A. The Seven Stars. Delaware, Newark; "The Newark Post;" Thursday, September 21, 1933. pgs 2, 7. Accessed online 21 April 2020.
14. ↑ York County Tax Assessment listings were found on microfilms at the York County History Center in York County, Pennsylvania during my visit there in 2007.

• 1807 Pennsylvania, Septennial Census. Pennsylvania, Septennial Census, 1779-1863 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Septennial Census Returns, 1779–1863. Box 1026, microfilm, 14 rolls. Records of the House of Representatives. Records of the General Assembly, Record Group 7. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, PA.
• 1810 U.S. Federal Census, Pennsylvania, York Co., Chanceford Township, Roll: 57, pg. 171.
• 1820 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Fourth Census of the United States, 1820. (NARA microfilm publication M33, 142 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
• Columbia Presbyterian Church Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania Session Records. Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records; Reel: 580. Found online: Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-2013; Image 25 of 231 and 72-73 on 231 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
• Cooch, Francis A. The Seven Stars. Delaware, Newark; "The Newark Post;" Thursday, September 21, 1933. pgs 2, 7. Accessed online 21 April 2020. <https://udspace.udel.edu/bitstream/handle/19716/18411/np_024_33.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y>
• Ellis, Franklin and Samuel Evans. History of Lancaster County Pennsylvania with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men. Philadelphia; Everts & Peck; 1883. pg. 554.
• Dysart Family History. Unpublished family history gathered by several generations of the Dysart family.
• York County Tax Assessment listings were found on microfilms at the York County History Center in York County, Pennsylvania during my visit there in 2007.