Cornelius Van Buren (1836-1914) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree (2024)

Born 5 Dec 1836 in New York, United States

[sibling(s) unknown]

Died 19 Mar 1914at age 77in Mayfield, Santa Clara, California, United States

Profile last modified 11 Jun 2024| Created 10 Jun 2024

This page has been accessed 22 times.

Biography

Cornelius Van Buren was born in 1836 in New York, United States, the son of? He would become pioneer Justice of the Peace of Mayfield (now south Palo Alto), Santa Clara County, California. Before that he was the foreman of Peter Coutts' Ayrshire Farm, which was sold to Leland Stanford and is now Stanford University.

There is a Cornelius VanBuran, a 25 year old laborer at Bolinas, Marin County, California in the 1860 US Census. This is probably not our Cornelius Van Buren who in 1858 was in Mayfield (now Palo Alto), Santa Clara County, California "formerly a public servant in several capacities, but at present General Superintendent of the Ayrshire Farm of Peter Coutts."^[1]

In 1868 Cornelius Van Buren is the Constable of Fremont Township (became Los Altos in 1952).

Cornelius married first Margaret E. McKee (1837-1891) about 1870 probably in Mayfield from 1970 US Census where they have a four month old son:

1. George Martin Van Buren (1870-1948)

In the 1870 US Census he is Constable, Fremont Township, with their 4 month old baby "Cornelius Van Buren" but that must have been George also born Feb 1870, Also with them were three McKee children possibly Margaret's children if her maiden name was Cunningham and she married 1st McKee, else they may be her younger siblings or nephews/nieces? Their relationships are not noted in the 1870 Census and in the 1880 Census we see Chas. McKee still with them but listed only as Boarder.

in the 1871 California Voter Registration he is Constable, Mayfield (now south Palo Alto).^[2]

In the 1880 US Census, Cornelius lives in Fremont Judicial Township (now Los Altos), Santa Clara County, California and occupation is "foreman on ranch". With Cornelius, Margaret and son George, is Charles McKee age 21.

In 1881 highwayman George B. Lytle (aka "Dick Fellows") was captured near Mayfield by Cornelius Van Buren, foreman of the Coutts ranch, a former constable and justice of the peace.^[3]

In the 1886 California Voter Registration, Cornelius is age 50, born New York, a laborer residing at 978 (rear) Harrison Street, San Francisco.^[4]

In the 1899 San Jose City Directory of Santa Clara County (and surrounding Counties), Cornelius is a stock raiser residing in Mayfield.^[5]

In the 1900 US Census Cornelius is a widow, boarder, age 64, born Nov 1836 in New York, a Justic of the Peace in Mayfield.

Cornelius age 68 married second 38 year old Etta "Itty" Davis (1868- ) on 17 Aug 1905 at Salinas, Monterey County, California.^[6][7] See attached newspaper article "Aged Mayfield Justice Takes Bride to Himself" - apparently Cornelius and Etta had gotten together before their marriage, as their children were:

1. Robert C. Van Buren (1901- )
2. Luke Van Buren (1906- )

In the 1910 US Census Cornelius is age 73, born New York with parents from New York with wife Etta born Illinois with parents born Illinois and sons Robert age 9 and Luke age 4. He is Justice of the Peace in Mayfield.

Cornelius passed away at age 73 at Mayfield in 1914 and was buried at Cypress Lawn Cemetery.^[8]

Obituary

Obituary Cornelius Van Buren in San Francisco Chronicle, Saturday, Mar 21, 1914, San Francisco, CA, page 4:VAN BUREN– In Mayfield [now Palo Alto], Cal., March 19. Cornelius Van Buren, loving husband of Etta Van Buren, and father of Luke Van Buren of Mayfield and George M. Van Buren of San Francisco, a native of New York, aged 77 years, 3 months and 14 days.

Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral Saturday, March 21 at 11 o’clock, from his late residence in Mayfield, under the auspices of the Mayfield Lodge, No. 294. A. O. U. W. Interment, Cypress Lawn Cemetery, at 1:15 o’clock.^[9]

Notes

From obituary death at 19 Mar 1914 at age 77 years, 3 months and 14 days makes birthday Dec 5, 1836 but 1900 US Census indicates birthdate Nov 1836.

The Coutts Ranch aka Ayrshire Farms was sold by Peter Coutts to his neighbor, Leland Stanford and named Matadero Rancho before becoming Stanford University. Peter Coutts returned to France in 1882, and his true identity was Jean Baptiste Paulin Caperon.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ J. P. Munro-Fraser. 1881. History of Santa Clara County, California. Publisher: Alley, Bowen and Co. San Francisco. page 262, 788, 789.
2. ↑ "California Great Registers, 1850-1920", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VT6T-XW6: Sun Mar 10 05:08:09 UTC 2024), Entry for Cornelius Van Buran, 28 Jul 1871.
3. ↑ Eugene T. Sawyer. 1922. History of Santa Clara County, California. Publisher: Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California. page 167.
4. ↑ "California Great Registers, 1850-1920", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VYDC-Y6Y: Sun Mar 10 19:29:36 UTC 2024), Entry for Cornelius Van Buren, 08 Oct 1886.
5. ↑ "United States City and Business Directories, ca. 1749 - ca. 1990", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:68SZ-DN9C: Sat Mar 09 17:23:49 UTC 2024), Entry for Cornelius Van Buren, 1889.
6. ↑ <ref>"California, County Marriages, 1850-1953", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZ3F-1VS: Sat Mar 09 01:54:37 UTC 2024), Entry for Cornelius Vanburen and Itty Davis, 1905.</li><li id="_note-6">[[#_ref-6|↑]] "California, County Marriages, 1850-1953", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZ3N-7T9: Sun Mar 10 18:24:41 UTC 2024), Entry for Cornelius Van Buren and Itty Davis, 1905.</li><li id="_note-7">[[#_ref-7|↑]] "California Death Index, 1905-1939", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKSM-NDDP: Fri Mar 08 21:55:31 UTC 2024), Entry for Corneliu Vanburen, 19 3 1914.</li><li id="_note-8">[[#_ref-8|↑]] Obituary Cornelius Van Buren in San Francisco Chronicle, Saturday, Mar 21, 1914, San Francisco, CA, page 4. https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2%3A142051F45F422A02%40GB3NEWS-14E44C48B93463D6%402420213-14E3C95412BCBF9F%403-14E3C95412BCBF9F%40?rect=0.837600%2C0.484220%2C0.964790%2C0.525050 </li><li id="_note-9">[[#_ref-9|↑]] Steve Staiger. December 9, 1998. The mysterious Peter Coutts. Palo Alto Online. https://www.paloaltoonline.com/morgue/spectrum/1998_Dec_9.LOOKBACK.html</li></ol></ref>

• "United States Census, 1860", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDKV-ZCS: Fri Mar 08 15:57:33 UTC 2024), Entry for Garret Lansing and Isaac Ruff, 1860.

• "United States Census, 1870", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNX9-3TQ: Tue Mar 05 10:22:01 UTC 2024), Entry for Cornelius Van Buren and Margaret Van Buren, 1870.

• "United States Census, 1880", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6PV-V8P: Fri Mar 08 15:26:40 UTC 2024), Entry for C. Vanburen and M. E. Vanburen, 1880.

• "United States Census, 1900", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9GN-64K: Thu Apr 11 19:34:01 UTC 2024), Entry for Charles William and Heloise William, 1900.

• "United States Census, 1910", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVGL-4GZ: Wed Mar 06 02:01:15 UTC 2024), Entry for Cornelius Van Buren and Etta Van Buren, 1910.