Cornelius Ennis (1813 - 1899)

Born 25 Sep 1813 in New Jersey, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Jeannette Ingals (Kimball) Ennis — married 17 Nov 1841 in Houston, Harris County, Texas, USA

Descendants

Died 13 Feb 1899 at age 85 in Houston, Harris County, Texas, USA

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Cornelius Ennis is Notable.

Biography

He was born on 25 Sep 1813 in Belleville, New Jersey, USA and baptized on 07 Nov 1813 at the Protestant Dutch Reformed Church (RDC) in Stone House Plains (now Bloomfield, Essex County, New Jersey, USA).

His father's immigrant ancestor had come from Ireland to New Jersey in the latter part of the 17th century; and his mother was a descendant of the Doremus family, who were among the first settlers from Holland.

About 1834 he moved from New Jersey to New York City, New York, USA where he worked in a drugstore.

About 1838 he moved to Houston, Texas, USA and opened a drugstore in 1839. After George W. Kimball became a partner, they expanded into general merchandising. In 1841 they sent the first shipment of cotton from Galveston, Texas to Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Cornelius Ennis married on 17 Nov 1841 to Jeannette Ingals Kimball (1822-1898), his partner's sister. They supported the Christ Episcopal Church and their children were born in Houston, Harris County, Texas, USA.

In 1842 Kimball sailed to New York with cotton and partnership funds to be invested, and was drowned with his family in a storm off the Florida coast. This serious setback made Ennis realize that improved transportation was necessary for expansion and he turned to railroads. He was an incorporator of the Houston and Texas Central Railway which began in 1853. He was also the railroad's general superintendent, comptroller and he served on the board of directors for many years.

From July 1856 to December 1857 he served as Mayor of Houston, Texas, USA.

During the American Civil War, he ran a successful blockade for the Confederate government.

After the war, he opened a branch office in Galveston, Texas, USA and invested heavily in the "Galveston News" and "Dallas News".

He died on 13 Feb 1899 and was buried at Glenwood Cemetery in Houston, Harris County, Texas, USA. ^[1]

Children

1. James Rutherford Ennis, b: 26 Aug 1842; d: 11 Sep 1849
2. George Kimball Ennis, b: 01 Aug 1844; d: 19 Mar 1884
3. Jeannette Ennis, b: 03 Dec 1846; m1: 1868 Alfred H. Belo; m2: 1895 Charles Peabody
4. Cornelia Ennis, b: 01 Sep 1849; res: 1899 Houston, TX; d: 1918; m: 1868 Frank Cargill
5. Caroline Gaston Ennis, b: 11 Oct 1851; res: 1899 Portland, Oregon; d: 25 Nov 1921; m: 1877 Caesar Maurice Lombardi
6. Richard Ennis (Jr.), b: 29 May 1857 Houston, Harris Co, TX; d: 15 Jun 1896 Mexico.

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #19517161 for Col. Cornelius Ennis, b: 25 Sep 1813 New Jersey, USA; d: 13 Feb 1899 Houston, Harris County, Texas, USA; buried: Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Harris County, Texas, USA; with gravestone photo

• Wikidata: Item Q104536897, en:Wikipedia for Cornelius Ennis

• Biography for Cornelius Ennis (1813-1899) by Texas State Historical Association (TSHA)

• "Doremus Family in America" on Google books

• "Doremus Family in America" by Edith Whitcraft Eberhart p73-74

• https://wc.rootsweb.com/trees/238776/I32702/cornelius-ennis/individual

• https://wc.rootsweb.com/trees/238776/I33594/-/pedigree