Notes for: Cornelius Bodine

Here is something interesting Ronny Bodine sent me:
Portrait and biographical record of Johnson, Poweshiek and Iowa Counties, Iowa, Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1893, p. 593-594.
FREEMAN E. BODINE is a prosperous and highly-esteemed citizen of Malcolm Township, Poweshiek County, residing on section 8. He was born near Ovid, Seneca County, N.Y., October 8, 1822, his parents being Gilbert and Harriet Swarthout Bodine. The father, who was a native of Pennsylvania, was a son of Cornelius Bodine, of German descent. His family belonged to the persecuted Huguenots, who were expelled from France, afterward locating in the German Empire. The mother of our subject was born in Seneca County, N.Y., and was a daughter of Barney Swarthout, who was of Dutch ancestry. Both families when they first settled in the Empire State were slaveholders.

*End of info from Ronny.

I think the following applies to this Cornelius Bodine: George Bodine's grandfather was an early settler of Niles in 1795... Jessica Armstrong found this note in a scrapbook in the Niles town clerk's office.

The following biography comes from chapter L of "BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: BORORGH OF HUGHSVILLE, AND WOLF (INCLUDING PICTURE ROCKS), SHREWSBURY, AND PENN TOWNSHIPS" in Lycoming County, PA.

CORNELIUS BODINE was descended from Huguenots who settled in New Jersey and New York. He was born in 1757, and settled in the vicinity of Hughesville. He married Margaret Sutphen, and with her migrated to Lycoming county in 1802. They subsequently settled in Seneca county, New York, where Mr. Bodine died on June 12, 1820, and Mrs. Bodine, on November 15, 1824. Their children were Charles, Isaac, Peter, John, Gilbert, George, Abraham, and Cornelius. Abraham was born in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, and was twice married; his first wife was Mercy Paxon, and to this union were born five children: John; Charles; George; Margaret, and Elizabeth; his second wife was Barbara Cruze, by whom he had one son, Russell. Charles Bodine, son of Abraham Bodine, was a merchant and one of the most prominent and enterprising men of Hughesville during his life. He married Maria Christman, and to them were born five children: Clinton, deceased; C. Christman, deceased; De Witt; Milton, and Mary, who is deceased. Charles Bodine died in 1850, and his wife, February 26,1880.

This family is discussed in Edson Payson Bodine's article "The History of the Branch of the Bodine Family Founded by Cornelius Bodine, A Soldier of the Revolution, and a Pioneer of the Lake Country of Central New York" (1897). It is not a well-documented article, but the later genealogies are probably pretty accurate. His earlier genealogies may have more mistakes. The article says that Cornelius went to the town of Ovid, New York in 1801 and took up land on the Military Reservation. He made a clearing and built a house, moving his family there in 1802. The military records in the Seneca County Clerk's Office show that Cornelius took up a part of Lot 29 in Ovid by virtue of a land warrant issued to him by the government. Lot No. 29 was inside the "Old Fort" of the Mound Builders. Land at that time was worth $1.25 an acre. That is probably all he got for his service in the army.

And the Watkins Democrat of January 7, 1903 says this:
A Pioneer of Seneca County
Lewis Bodine, who died in the town of Ovid, in Decemeber, 1903, was born in 1820 on the farm where his death occurred. He was the only son of Isaac Bodine, the sixth son of Cornelius Bodine, a soldier of the Revolution, who came to Ovid and took up a military claim in 1801, and was the ancestor of the Bodine family in Seneca County. Lewis Bodine's mother was a daughter of Capt. Richard Drake. She died during his infancy and he was cared for by an aunt, Sarah Ann Drake. Mr. Bodine was twice married, his first wife, Ann Van Doren, having become the mother of his three children.


Here is some census info that Joan Best sent me:

CORNELIUS BODINE OF LYCOMING PA TO SECECA, OVID NY

1790 Northumberland Co., PA, township not defined.
6 males under 16, 1 female child 1m 16+, 1f

1800 Lycoming Co., PA, Muncy Twp, Wallis Run (Lycoming < Northumberland)
3 males under 10, 2 males 10-16, 2 males, 1 female 16-26, 1 f 26-45, 1m 45+

1810 Seneca Co., NY, Ovid Twp.
1 m 10-16; 3m, 16-26 1m, 1f, 45+

1820 No info.

Conclusions:
No other information seems to mention it, but there does appear to have been one female daughter in this family. My guess, based on the census info above, is that she was born about 1783.

Based on the census info, there may have been another male. In the 1790 Census, there should not have been 6 males under 16. The most there could have been, based on known birth dates, were five. Maybe this is a transcription error or maybe the boy died after 1790 and before 1800, the next census.

Cornelius Bodine born before about 1755

Wife born between about 1755-1765

Children...............Census............Census............Census............Estimated
Males....................1790...............1800...............1810...............Birth Years
1............................1774-1790.....1774-1784..............X.............1774-1790 (Abraham, 1779)
2............................1774-1790.....1774-1784..............X.............1774-1784 (Peter, 1781)
3............................1774-1790.....1784-1790..............X.............1784-1790 (John, 1784)
4............................1774-1790.....1784-1790......1784-1794......1784-1790 (Cornelius, 1787)
5...................................X.............1790-1800......1784-1794......1790-1794 (Gilbert, 1790)
6...................................X.............1790-1800......1784-1794......1790-1794 (Isaac, 1793)
7...................................X.............1790-1800......1794-1800......1794-1800 (George, 1798)

Females
1...........................Before 1790....1774-1784..............X.............1774-1784 (unknown)

I have a signature that could be that of this Cornelius. However, at this point, I believe it to be that of his nephew, Cornelius, son of John and Lemme Bodine.

The evidence for the last name of Cornelius's wife comes from the will of Margaret's probable mother. This comes from the Somerset County Historical Quarterly, v. 7, p. 135, Early Recorded Wills in Somerset County:

"Sutphen, Catherine, of Bridgewater twsp. Dated June 15, 1801. Probat. May 12, 1806. Names daus. Gitty (wife of Matthias Lane, Jr.), Margaret (wife of Cornelius Bodine),......Witness: Abraham Voorhees (deceased when will probated)..."

In the National Society of the DAR, v. 43, it says that Cornelius was a minute man in the Somerset County, New Jersey militia. He was at Germantown and Monmouth (see DAR ID 42063). In the book History of the West Branch Valley, page 522, it is reported that Cornelius said that George Washington did swear in his anger at Lee's retreat.

Sinnott (p. 157) says that he served in the Revolutionary War and is said to have fought in the battle of Monmouth. He moved from Somerset County, New Jersey to Muncy, Pennsylvania about 1786. In 1802, he went to Ovid in Seneca County, New York. There he took land on the Military Reservation.

In "Early Germans," it says that "after the birth of his third child in 1785, having lost much of his property by the depreciation of the Continental currency, he went to the borough of Muncy, Pennsylvania, where his other children were born. In 1802, he removed thence to Ovid, in Seneca County, New York, where he died." He built a house there in 1801 where he also died on June 12, 1820. His wife died on November 13, 1824 (History of the West Branch Valley, p. 522).

There is a Bodine Cemetery in Lewis Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. I need to see who is buried there. This came from notes on John Apker sent to me from Jan Alpert.

There is a Cornelius Bodine in the 1790 Census of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania who must be this Cornelius. There was one male over 16, six males 16 and under, and two females. Cornelius was in Pennsylvania at that time and he stands out because of the number of sons he had. (There were no other free persons or slaves in his household.)

I think many of these Bodines are buried in the Gospel Lot Cemetery in Ovid, New York. Laurel Auchampugh wrote "The Bodines followed their minister the Rev. Abraham Brocaw there (to Ovid) in 1801. He left Owasco for Ovid and founded the Dutch Reformed Church. In Ovid, is the Gospel Lot Cemetery (?) and the beloved old dominie was buried there, along with many Bodines. This information is found in a series of books called "The Cemeteries Between the Lakes."

I believe his obituary is in a June 28, 1820 Ovid newspaper. I'm not sure which one, though.

The following comes from BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF NOTABLE PEOPLE FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK - B (1927):

BODINE, Honorable George Floyd., Member of an old and honorable family who settled in Seneca County in the final years of the eighteenth century, and from which have come able representatives of the professions, law, or the ministry, or medicine, or other notable callings. George Floyd Bodine was born in Ovid, Seneca County, New York, August 30, 1875, a son of Joseph S. and Maria (Jones) Bodine. His father, now deceased, was a well-known farmer of Upper Seneca County. The ancestors of the Bodine family settled in Seneca County in 1799. Cornelius Bodine, great-grandfather of Judge Bodine, was a soldier of the Revolution. His son, George Bodine, was a worthy representative of the family, and through him the line was carried down with commendable service to his day and generation. Judge Bodine received his early education in the schools of his native district, and from the Ovid High School. In 1896 he entered Cornell University, from whose law school he was graduated in the class of 1898 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. Admitted to the bar in 1900, opened a law office in Waterloo, New York. District Attorney during the years 1905-1907. President of the village of Waterloo, 1913-1914. In 1914 elevated to judge of the Seneca County Court. Twelve years occupied his place on the bench. Judge Bodine is a director of the First National Bank of Waterloo; trustee of the Waterloo Historical Society; and member of the American Bar Association. Affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Loyal Order of Moose, and the Patrons of Husbandry. He is an active member of the Waterloo Presbyterian Church. Judge Bodine married, May 24, 1902, Sarah Hoffman, of Waterloo, New York, daughter of Warren and Helen L. (Buck) Hoffman. Children: (1) James Seward, graduate of Columbia University, 1925 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Now a student of Columbia University, 1927. (2) Gertrude Helen, student in the secretarial course at the Miss Gibbs' School New York City. (3) Joseph Warren, Waterloo High School student, 1926.

Joan Best found the source for Cornelius' death date at the LDS site:

The original source for Cornelius' death is Seneca County Coroner Inquests. It said, "Cornelius Bodine found dead. Died of natural causes - 6/12/1820."

From Ronny Bodine (Dec. 24, 2021):

From Genesee County, New York Deed Book 16, p. 346.
Deed of 5 Feb 1822 from Abraham Bodine, Peter Bodine, John Bodine, Cornelius Bodine, Gilbert Bodine, Isaac Bodine and George Bodine, heirs of the estate of Cornelius Bodine, decd, of Seneca County, New York to Wilhelmus Myndorse, of Seneca County, for $200, a tract in Genesee County identified as Lot 6, Township 15, Range 1 containing 20 acres and 51 rods. Recorded 22 Aug 1822.

The following biography comes from chapter L of "BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: BOROUGH OF HUGHSVILLE, AND WOLF (INCLUDING PICTURE ROCKS), SHREWSBURY, AND PENN TOWNSHIPS" in Lycoming County, PA. History of Lycoming County, 1892, by John F. Meginness.

CORNELIUS BODINE was descended from Huguenots who settled in New Jersey and New York. He was born in 1757, and settled in the vicinity of Hughesville. He married Margaret Sutphen, and with her migrated to Lycoming county in 1802. They subsequently settled in Seneca county, New York, where Mr. Bodine died on June 12, 1820, and Mrs. Bodine, on November 15, 1824. Their children were Charles, Isaac, Peter, John, Gilbert, George, Abraham, and Cornelius. Abraham was born in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, and was twice married; his first wife was Mercy Paxon, and to this union were born five children: John; Charles; George; Margaret, and Elizabeth; his second wife was Barbara Cruze, by whom he had one son, Russell. Charles Bodine, son of Abraham Bodine, was a merchant and one of the most prominent and enterprising men of Hughesville during his life. He married Maria Christman, and to them were born five children: Clinton, deceased; C. Christman, deceased; De Witt; Milton, and Mary, who is deceased. Charles Bodine died in 1850, and his wife, February 26,1880.

Obituary, Columbian (N.Y.) of 24 June 1820.
DIED. At Ovid, (N.Y.) Mr. Cornelius Bodine, aged 63.--He arose early in the morning, and breakfasted in good health, left his house with an intent of going to one of his neighbors--But about an hour after which, he was found dead in his barn-yard. A coroner's inquest was held on the body, and no marks of violence being found, they returned a verdict, that he came to his end by the visitation of God. He was an honest and industrious man, possessed of good habits, and much respected by a large circle of acquaintance.