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Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Birth, Childhood 1.2 Father's Death 1.3 Accidents 1.4 Sibling Marriages 1.5 Permanent Relocation to Fort Dodge, Iowa 1.6 Final Years 2 Sources

Biography

Birth, Childhood

1855 Land Grant[2]

Cornelius "Neal" Hurley, son of James Hurley and Rebecca Cain, was born in Iowa, 10 Jan 1848.^[3] Cornelius, who spent his entire life in Iowa, was one of twelve children, the second of the nine known ones.^[4] His elder sister, Rhoda, was born in Illinois in 1845.^[5] In 1850, the family of four were farming in Union Township, Appanoose County, Iowa.^[6] There, two of Cornelius's sisters were born: Emma, about 16 Dec 1853,^[7] and Nancy, about two years later.^[8] The family of six remained in Union Township in 1856, farming eighty acres.^[9] Cornelius's brother, Zack, was born in Union Township, 4 Jun 1857.^[10] The family continued to farm in Union Township in 1860.^[11] In the ensuing five years, the last four of Cornelius's known siblings were born, all, presumably, in Union Township: Ruel in Aug 1860,^[12] Burgess (aka Burt) in Aug 1862,^[13] Sarah in about 1863,^[14] and Ida in about 1865.^[15]

Father's Death

Ida's birth coincided with trauma. In July 1865, when Cornelius was seventeen, their father died.^[16] His father's passing marked the end of the family farm and farming. By 1870, his mother had moved about twenty miles northeast of Union Township, to a tiny town of 600 persons called Agency, in Wapello County, just outside Ottumwa,^[17] where she resided with Cornelius and five of his siblings.^[18] His sister, Emma, lived just few doors down, also in Agency, where she worked as a servant in the home of a dentist.^[19] As for his sisters, Rhoda^[5] and Nancy,^[8] their whereabouts in 1870 have yet to be determined.

Accidents

1874 Accident[20]

1870s Locomotive[21]

1876 Accident[22]

The misfortunes of the Hurley family continued. In the mid 1870s, a pair of grievous accidents befell Cornelius. In Agency, 16 Sep 1874, he left a local bar, drunk, and passed out along some railroad tracks, one arm unfortunately over a rail. Unable to stop in time, a passing train operated by the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad^[23] severed his arm, just below the elbow, almost killing him. Cornelius sued the railroad and the owner of the bar who'd served him. It isn't clear how the suits ended, but it may have been a settlement because Cornelius was hired by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (which owned the Burlington & Missouri)^[24] to be a track walker. While walking the tracks as part of that job, 17 Sep 1876, he fainted, his one good arm resting on the rails, and, inconceivable as it sounds, a passing train severed that one, leaving him to spend the rest of his life with two arms amputated below the elbows.

Sibling Marriages

Around the time of his second accident, two of Cornelius's sisters married, both in Agency. Emma married William David Robinson, 5 Jan 1876,^[7] and Nancy married James Marion Mace, 3 Jul 1877.^[8] By 1880, Emma resided in Ottumwa with her husband and a daughter, ^[7] and Nancy and her husband and their two daughters resided in Highland Township, just outside of Ottumwa.^[8] As for the disabled Cornelius, he in 1880 was also in Highland Township, making a home there with his younger siblings Burt, Ruel and ida.^[25] As for his elder sister, Rhoda, she that year worked in Agency as a domestic in the private home of a maternal first counsin, Emma Zetta (Farnsworth) Foulke.^[5] The 1880 whereabouts of Cornelius's mother and brother, Zack, however, aren't known.

Permanent Relocation to Fort Dodge, Iowa

By 1882, Cornelius and his mother and five of his siblings (Rhoda, Zack, Ruel, Burt and Sarah) had moved to Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa, about 140 miles northwest of Ottumwa.^[26] There, they all would spend the remainder of their lives. In 1885, the seven occupied "Block 46" in Fort Dodge.^[27] Emma remained in Ottumwa with her husband, raising three children, in 1885;^[7] as for Nancy and Ida, their whereabouts that year haven't been established.

Between 1885 and 1890, four more of Cornelius's siblings married, all in Fort Dodge. Sarah married David Caylor in 1885.^[14] Zack married Elsie Elizabeth Cloud in 1886.^[10] Ruel and Burt both married in 1888. Ruel wed Phoebe Ann Moore, and then, the following year, divorced her and married Delia Fleming.^[12] Burt married Katie Fitzgerald.^[13] As of 1895, Cornelius and his sister, Rhoda, both single, continued to reside in Fort Dodge in 1895, sharing a home with their mother.^[28] Also residing in Fort Dodge in 1895 were Cornelius's brothers, Zack, Ruel and Burt. Zack was raising four children with his wife,^[10], Ruel and his wife raising two children,^[12] and Burt was raising three sons with his wife.^[13] As for Cornelius's sister, Emma, she remained in Ottumwa in 1895, with her husband, the couple by then having had eight children.^[7] His sister, Ida, presumably resided in Ottumwa, too, because she had given birth there to a daughter in 1889.^[15] As for Nancy, she was in Missouri, about 80 miles southwest of Ottumwa, with her husband and five children.^[8]

Fort Dodge c1907[29]

Cornelius still called Fort Dodge home in 1900, residing in a home on North 21st Street with his mother and Rhoda, and, despite his disability, working as a civil engineer.^[30] He remained at that address, with his mother and Rhoda, ten years later.^[31] Also contining to reside in Fort Dodge in 1900, and through 1910, were Cornelius's siblings, Zack,^[10] Ruel^[12] and Burt.^[13] As of 1900 and through 1910, her sister, Emma, remained in Ottumwa with her husband and children.^[7] His sister, Ida, had remarried in Ottumwa in 1898 and presumably was there in 1900, but her whereabouts in 1910 are not yet confirmed.^[15] His sister, Nancy, remained in Missouri, with her husband and six chindren, in 1900, but what happened to Nancy after that isn't known.^[8]

Fort Dodge 1909[32]

Final Years

Cornelius's mother, Rebecca, died at the home she shared with Rhoda and Cornelius, on North 21st Street in Fort Dodge, 6 Apr 1921, at age 95.^[4] Her obituary acknowledges that "[her latter years of] invalidism were marked by the devotion of her children, especially that of her daughter Rhoda and son Cornelius."^[4] At her death, Zack, Ruel and Burt resided in Fort Dodge, as well, Emma was in Ottumwa, and Ida was in Kansas City.^[4] Cornelius's sister, Nancy, had died by then, presumbly in Colorado, though the date isn't known.^[8]

Cornelius and his sister, Rhoda, both died in Elkhorn Township, Webster County, Iowa, just one day apart. He died on 8 Aug 1930, age 82,^[33] and she died the next day, at age 84.^[5] He died single, working for a news agency.^[33] Like his sister, Rhoda, Cornelius is buried in Fort Dodge in Webster County, in Oakland Cemetery, apparently without a stone.^[33] Among members of his birth family, Cornelius was survived by his siblings, Rhoda (by two days), Emma (who died in Ottumwa in 1933),^[7] Burt (Fort Dodge about 1933),^[13], Zack (Fort Dodge, 1941),^[10] Ruel (Fort Dodge, 1950),^[12] and Ida (Missouri, 1951).^[15]

Sources

1. ↑ Have information, documentation or photos you can share, or would you like to help establish a connection using DNA? If so, please contact me, Christopher Smart. Happy to make you a co-manager!
2. ↑ Available online without restriction at U.S. Bureau of Land Management, here.
3. ↑ Sources: (1) Cornelius's 1930 Death Certificate (citation) confirms he was born 10 Jan 1848 in Iowa to "Jas Hurley" (KY-born) and "Rebecca Cain" (KY-born). (2) 1850 Union Township IA Census (citation): "Cornelius Hurley" (IA-born 12/10/1847-12/9/1848) is son of "James Hurley" (OH-born) and "Rebecca Hurley" (OH-born). (3) 1856 Iowa State Census (citation): "Kornelius Hurley" (IA-born 1847-1848) is son of "James Hurley" (OH-born) and "Rebecca Hurley" (IN-born). (4) 1860 Union Township IA Census (citation): "Cornelius Hurley" (IA-born 6/13/1848-6/12/1849) is son of "James Hurley" (OH-born 6/13/1820-6/12/1821) and "Rebecca Hurley" (IN-born). (5) 1870 Agency IA Census (citation): "Cornelis Hurly" (IA-born 28 Jul 1850 - 28 Jul 1851) is son of "Rebec Hurly" (IN-born). (6) 1900 Fort Dodge IA Census (citation): "Cornelius Hurley" (IA-born Jan 1848 to OH-born father and IN-born mother).
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} See Mother Rebecca Cain's Profile.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} See Sister Rhoda Hurley's Profile.
6. ↑ 1850 Union Township IA Census (citation): "James Hurley" (age 28, "farmer," OH-born 12/10/1821-12/9/1822) and "Rebecca Hurley" (age 24, OH-born 12/10/1825-12/9/1826) reside in Union Township, Appanoose County, Iowa, 10 Dec 1850, with children, "Rhoda Hurley" (age 5, IL-born 12/10/1844-12/9/1845) and "Cornelius Hurley" (age 2, IA-born 12/10/1847-12/9/1848). Note: Birth ranges determined by plugging enumerated ages and dates into an online calculator.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6} See Sister Emma Hurley's's Profile.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6} See Sister Nancy Hurley's Profile.
9. ↑ 1856 Iowa State Census (citation): "James Hurley" (age 35, farmer, OH-born 1820-1821), and his wife, "Rebecca Hurley" (age 30, IN-born 1825-1826), own 16 acres of improved land and 64 acres of unimproved land in Union Township, where they reside with their kids, "Rody Hurley" (age 10, girl, IL-born 1845-1846), "Kornelius Hurley" (age 8, IA-born 1847-1848), "Emezette Hurley" (age 2, IA-born 1853-1854), "Nancy Jane Hurley" (age 0, IA-born 1855-1856), and all of whom (except Emezette and Nancy) having been in Iowa for 7 years, i.e., since about 1849. Note: Birth ranges determined by plugging enumerated ages and dates into an online calculator.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4} See Brother Zachariah Hurley's Profile.
11. ↑ 1860 Union Township IA Census (citation): "James Hurley" (age 39, "farmer," "cannot read," OH-born 6/13/1820-6/12/1821) and "Rebecca Hurley" (age 35, "cannot read," IN-born 6/13/1824-6/12/1825) own $800 in real property and $100 in personal property, and, as of 12 Jun 1860, they live in Union Township, Appanoose County, Iowa, with their children, "Rhoda Hurley" (age 14, IL-born 6/13/1845-6/12/1846), "Cornelius Hurley" (age 11, IA-born 6/13/1848-6/12/1849), "Emma Hurley" (age 7, IA-born 6/13/1852-6/12/1853), "Nancy Hurley" (age 5, IA-born 6/13/1854-6/12/1855) and "Zack Hurley" (age 1, IA-born 6/13/1858-6/12/1859). Note: Birth ranges determined by plugging enumerated ages into online calculator.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4} See Brother Ruel Hurley's Profile.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4} See Brother Burgess J. "Burt" Hurley's Profile.
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} See Sister Sarah C. (Hurley) Caylor's Profile.
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3} See Sister Ida Hurley's Profile.
16. ↑ See Father James Hurley's Profile.
17. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Agency, Iowa," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed October 25, 2021.
18. ↑ 1870 Agency IA Census (citation): "Rebec Hurly" (age 40, IN-born 28 Jul 1829 - 28 Jul 1830), owner of $100 in real property, lived in Agency, Wapello County, Iowa, with her children, "Cornelis Hurly" (age 19, "engineer," IA-born 28 Jul 1850 - 28 Jul 1851), "Zack Hurley" (age 10, IA-born 28 Jul 1859 - 28 Jul 1860), "Ruel Hurly" (age 9, IA-born 28 Jul 1860 - 28 Jul 1861), "Bergess Hurly" (age 9, IA-born 28 Jul 1860 - 28 Jul 1861), "Sarah Hurly" (age 7, IA-born 28 Jul 1862 - 28 Jul 1863) and "Ida Hurly" (age 5, IA-born 28 Jul 1864 - 28 Jul 1865). Birth ranges above calculated online here using enumerated census date and reported ages.
19. ↑ 1870 Agency IA Census (citation): "Em Hurley" (age 16, IA-born 28 Jul 1853 - 28 Jul 1854) is a "servant" in the home of "J. Montgomery" (age 49, OH-born) and "Fanny Montgomery" (OH-born). Birth ranges above calculated online here using enumerated census date and reported ages.
20. ↑ Ottumwa Weekly Currier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa), 17 Sept. 1874. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. Available online without restriction here.
21. ↑ Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad 0-4-0 176 presumed to be at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in April 1871, photo by Baldwin Locomotive Works, Chuck Zeiler collection. Uploaded by Chuck Zeiler to the Internet Archive (archive.org), without restrictions, 17 Apr 2015. Accessed here 31 Oct 2021.
22. ↑ Ottumwa Weekly Currier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa), 14 Jun 1876. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. Available online without restriction here. The accident is related in the obituary of Cornelius's mother, which says "he lost both of his arms." See Obituary, described elsewhere in this profile.
23. ↑ The Burlington and Missouri River Railroad began operations in 1856 and was acquired by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad in 1872, and run as a subsidiary. See Wikipedia contributors, "Burlington and Missouri River Railroad," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed October 31, 2021.
24. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed October 31, 2021.
25. ↑ 1880 Census (citation): "Cornelius Hurley" (age 27, single, "maimed, crippled, bedridden or otherwise disabled," IA-born 6/12/1852-6/11/1853) resides in for Highland Township with his three single, IA-born siblings, "Burgess Hurley" (age 19, "brother," "day laborer," born 6/12/1860-6/11/1861), "Ruel Hurley" (age 19, "brother," "day laborer," born 6/12/1860-6/11/1861), "Ida Hurley" (age 15, "sister," born 6/12/1864-6/11/1865), and confirms all four were born to an OH-born father and IN-born mother. Birth ranges determined using enumerated ages and an online calculator.
26. ↑ "Z. Hurley, 83, Dies Following a Short Illness." The Fort Dodge Messenger and Chronicle. Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa. 17 Feb 1941. Courtesy of ACloud1361, Ancestry.com, here. The obituary confirms Zack had moved to Fort Dodge by about 1882. Because, as discussed elsewhere in this profile, Zack resided with the others there in 1885, it seems likely they all came to Fort Dodge in 1882, as a group.
27. ↑ 1885 Fort Dodge IA Census (citation): “Rebecca Herley” (age 67, “widow,” IN-born) resides in “Block 46” of Fort Dodge with her children, all single, “Rody Herley” (age 29, single, IL-born), “Corneliaus Herley” (age 26, single, born “Dubuque” Co, IA 1858-1859), “Zachria Herley” (age 25, single, IA-born), “Bergus Herley” (age 23, single, IA-born), “Ruel Herley” (age 23, single, IA-born), "Sarah Hurley" (age 20, single, IA-born). The last four children are all shown to be born in the same IA county but it’s illegible. Given that Zack was born in Appanoose County, it'd be so for the others, too. Birth ranges above calculated online here using enumerated census date and reported ages. Birth years calculated for Rebecca, Rhoda, Cornelius and Zack all are substantially off, and why that is isn't clear.
28. ↑ 1895 Fort Dodge IA Census (citation): "Rebeca Hurley" (age 68, IN-born and a "Methodist") resides in Ward 3, Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa with her unmarried adult children, "Rhody Hurley" (age 49, IL-born and a "Methodist") and "Cornelius Hurley" (age 47, born in Dubuque Co, IA, with religion "none"). Birth ranges above calculated online here using enumerated census date and reported ages.
29. ↑ https://www.wikitree.com/photo.php/4/4f/ Bandholtz, F. J. c1907. Ft. Dodge, Ia. Fort Dodge, Iowa, Photograph. Available online ("No known restrictions on publication") at Library of Congress, here.
30. ↑ 1900 Fort Dodge IA Census (citation): "Rebeca Hurley" (age 74, "widow," literate, English-speaking, mother of 11 children, 8 living, IN-born Feb 1826 to VA-born parents), reside, as of 14 Jun 1900, with her children, "Roda Hurley" (age 63, single, literate, English-speaking, IL-born Nov 1845 to OH-born father and IN-born mother) and "Cornelius Hurley" (age 52, single. literate "civil engineer," IA-born Jan 1848 to OH-born father and IN-born mother), in a mortgaged home she owned on North 21st Street in Wahkonsha.
31. ↑ 1910 Fort Dodge IA Census (citation): "Cornelius Hurley" (age 60, single, literate, English-speaking "engineer," "crippled" and IA-born 4/19/1849-4/19/1850 to OH-born father and IN-born mother) resided, as of 19 Apr 1910, in his own, mortgage-free home on 21st Street in Fort Dodge, with his mother, "Rebeca Hurley" (age 84, "widow," literate, English-speaking, mother of nine children, seven living, IN-born 4/19/1825-4/19/1826 to VA-born parents), and sister, "Rhoda Hurley" (age 63, single, literate, English-speaking, IL-born 4/19/1846-4/19/1847 to OH-born father and IN-born mother). Birth ranges determined by plugging enumerated ages and dates into an online calculator.
32. ↑ https://www.wikitree.com/photo.php/8/83/ Pratt, Harlow M. 1913. History of Fort Dodge And Webster County, Iowa. Chicago: Pioneer Publishing Co. Photgraph. Available online without restriction here courtesy of the Internet Archive (archive.org).
33. ↑ ^{33.0 33.1 33.2} Sources: (1) Cornelius's 1930 Death Certificate (citation): Cornelius died 8 Aug 1930 in Elkhorn, Webster Co, Iowa, was single, and worked in "news agency." Clyde Hurley, informant. (2) Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/33616467/cornelius-hurley : accessed 03 November 2021), memorial page for Cornelius Hurley (10 Jan 1848–8 Aug 1930), Find A Grave: Memorial #33616467, citing Oakland Cemetery, Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa, USA ; Maintained by Burt (contributor 46867609). For a list of persons buried in Oakland Cemetery who have a Wikitree profile, click here.

• 1850 Union Township IA Census. 1850 US Census, Population Schedules for Union Township, Appanoose County, Iowa, enumerated 10 Dec 1850. National Archives Microcopy 432, Roll 182, Page 46B. Available online without restriction courtesy of the Internet Archive (archive.org)here.
• 1856 Iowa State Census. Census Schedule of Union Township, Appanoose County, State of Iowa, 1856. Pages 1234-1235. Available through State Historical Society of Iowa and, online, Ancestry.com, but without copyright restriction, as the document is a public record.
• 1860 Union Township IA Census. 1860 US Census, Population Schedules for Union Township, Appanoose County, Iowa, enumerated 12 Jun 1860. National Archives Microcopy 653, Roll 311, Pages 569-570. Available online without restriction courtesy of the Internet Archive (archive.org) here andhere.
• 1870 Agency IA Census. 1870 US Census, Population Schedules for Agency, Wapello County, Iowa. National Archives Microcopy 593, Roll 422, Pages 33B-34A. Available online without restriction here, courtesy of the Internet Archive (archive.org).
• 1880 Census. 1880 US Census, Population Schedules for Highland Township, Wapello County, Iowa, enumerated about 11 Jun 1880. Enumeration District 57. National Archives Microcopy 9, Roll 367, Page 46A. Available online without restriction courtesy of the Internet Archive (archive.org).
• 1885 Fort Dodge IA Iowa Census. 1885 Iowa State Census for Ward 2, Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa. Page 257. Microfilm of 1885 Iowa State Census. State Historical Society of Iowa. Courtesy Ancestry.com. Note: Copyright protection doesn’t extend to copies of images within the public domain, like this one, per this.
• 1895 Fort Dodge IA Census. 1895 Census for Ward 3, Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa. Page 350. Microfilm of 1895 Iowa State Census. State Historical Society of Iowa. Online Source: Ancestry.com. Iowa, State Census Collection, 1836-1925,here Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007. Note: Copyright protection doesn’t extend to copies of images within the public domain, like this one, per this.
• 1900 Fort Dodge IA Census. 1900 US Census, Population Schedules for Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa, enumerated 14 Jun 1900. Enumeration District 187. National Archives Microcopy 623, Roll 465, Page 289A. Available online without restriction courtesy of the Internet Archive (archive.org), here
• 1910 Fort Dodge IA Census. 1910 US Census, Population Schedules for Ward 3, Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa, enumerated 19 Apr 1910. Enumeration District 220. National Archives Microcopy 624, Roll 428, Page 7A. Available online without restriction courtesy of the Internet Archive (archive.org), here.
• Cornelius's 1930 Death Certificate. State Dept. of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, State of Iowa. Filed 23 Aug 1930, Elkhorn, Webster County, IA. "Iowa, Death Records, 1904-1951," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSQ7-YS3M-J?cc=2531337&wc=Q64L-7H1%3A1590046254 : 31 October 2016), 101797039 > image 4610 of 5070; State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines.