Malachi D. Cornish
Malachi D. Cornish
MALACHI DUNSMOE CORNISH was born April 11, 1860 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to David and Rachel Cornish. He attended the James Forten Grammar School (formerly the Bird School) and the Institute for Colored Youth, at 9th and Bainbridge Street in Philadelphia, graduating from the latter school in June, 1878.
Cornish became a teacher, first in Nanticoke and Barren Creek Springs in Wicomico County, Maryland, in 1884. He married Henrietta Shepard on August 26, 1884. A daughter was born May 15, 1885.
While living in Camden, he taught in Gouldtown (near Bridgeton), where he was principal; Merchantville and Woodbury, where he was also Supervising Principal of the Woodbury's colored schools. Cornish held a first-class State Teaching Certificate, and in 1898 the Board of Education of Camden appointed him a teacher in the West Jersey Orphanage, when it was located at South 6th and Mechanic Streets.
In 1899 Malachi Cornish was appointed principal of the Mount Vernon School in the 500 block of Mount Vernon Street. He served as principal at the Mount Vernon School until the new John Greenleaf Whittier School on Chestnut Street below South 8th Street opened in 1911. Malachi Cornish and his whole staff were assigned to the new school. He remained principal at Whittier until his retirement in 1919, after serving the students of Camden for 21 years. He was replaced at Whittier by his son-in-law, Dr. Howard W Brown.
In 1929 Camden Mayor Winfield S. Price appointed Malachi Cornish to a three year term on the Board of Education and served as the liaison between the Board and Camden's colored schools.
Malachi Cornish died on December 30, 1930 at the age of 70. At the time of his death, he resided at 739 Kaighn Avenue, and was Chairman of the Division of Colored Voters of the Republican State Committee. He was interred in the Mount Pisgah Cemetery, located on Warwick Road in Lawnside, New Jersey.
The Camden Board of Education's minutes from its meeting of January 26, 1931 said the following about Malachi Cornish:
His interest in the welfare and education of the colored children of the community was always a dominant motive in his work as a member of the Board, and there was never a time when he was not ready to lend every effort to any movement that was conceived to be in the interest of education of the youth of his race.
The wife of Malachi Cornish, Henrietta Shepard Cornish, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Jackson and Emily Shepard. She graduated from the Institute for Colored Youth a year after her future husband, in June of 1879. She taught one year in Harford County, Maryland and four years in Glenolden, Pennsylvania. In 1891, Mrs. Cornish was appointed Principal of the North Woodbury School, which position she has filled through at least 1912.
In the Political Whirl
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Camden in a Lively Congressional Contest.
ANTI-GRATZ WORKERS ENCOURAGED
Campaign Jottings of Interest Gathered at the City and State Committee Headquarters of Both Parties.
There was widespread interest in the Republican delegate election in Camden county last night. Delegates were chosen to the Congressional District Convention, which meets at Bridgeton on Thursday next. Hon. Thomas H. Dudley and Christopher Bergen were the rival candidates, and the latter’s friends claim to have carried every ward in the city.
During the voting at the Fourth ward polls Policeman Ikey Scheeve got into an altercation with two men named Richmond and Walters. It is alleged that he used a blackjack without provocation. The two men who were assaulted immediately engaged the services of a lawyer, who will cause Sheeve’s arrest to-day on the charge of assault and battery. Following are the delegates elected in Camden city and in the various townships:
First Ward—W. Baily, Isaac Githens, George Barrett, Frank Welch and Howland Croft.
Second Ward—J. Willard Somers, Frank C. Somers, John Wells, W. H. Day and Samuel Bakely.
Third Ward—Dilwyn Pettit, J. Milton Powell, David Freeman, Sr., George Denny and Albion Lane.
Fourth Ward—Everett Ackley, Samuel M. Gall, William Ireton, Joseph Brown and Howard Lee.
Fifth Ward—Christopher J. Mines, Jr., Frederick Parker, John H. Miller, David Rankin and Samuel Roach.
Sixth Ward—A. R. Dease, James Brown, Isaac Robinson, John Brother and James Hewitt.
Seventh Ward—John C. Edwards, M. D. Cornish, William K. Price, Reuben Gaskill and John W. Everman.
Eighth Ward—Samuel H. Mourey, William H. Smith, Herman Helmbold, E. Thompson and Thomas Watson.
Stockton township was carried by Dudley, and W. Harrison Livermore carried Woodbury. Centre, Delaware and Haddon townships of Camden county were carried by Bergen.
The Congressional district includes Camden, Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem and Cape May counties. The indications are that Congressman Hires will be renominated.
Camden’s Tax Rate $2.10
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Solicitor Says Appointment of Recorder’s Clerk Is Legal
At a meeting of the Finance Committee of Camden Council last night, City Counsel Bleakley rendered an opinion that the appointment of William Walsh as clerk to the City Recorder was legal. His bond was then approved and his back salary ordered paid.
A communication was received from the Board of Public Instruction announcing that only five mills instead of six would be required. The committee then decided to reduce the tax rate from $2.20 to $2.10.
Tax Receiver Burdsall presented a list of persons he desired as bill clerks and bill distributors as follows; Bill clerks—Joseph C. Lee, Charles H. Geisler, Malachi D. Cornish, Walter W. Kaighn, Samuel Bennett; Charles Crispin, William H. Capiwell, Thomas Kirkley was substituted for Cornish; Levi C. VanHart, for Kaighn, and E. L. Cobb, for Capiwell. For bill distributors—Edgar Forrest, Armor Shannon, Frederick B. Taylor, Josiah Sage, Frank E. Nellings, Gilbert B. Lewis, D. C. Vannote, John I. Smith and Joseph Murray.
Camden Will Observe Decoration Day
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Camden has completed its arrangements for the annual Memorial Day exercises. All the local G. A. R. posts will visit the cemeteries early in the day to decorate the graves of their comrades.
At the Soldiers’ Monument special exercises will be held, one of the features being the singing of patriotic airs by school children. The assemblage will be called to order by Comrade William Thompson, prayer will be offered by Rev. A. H. Newton, the children will sing and a volley of musketry will be fired. Exercises will afterwards be held in the First M. E. Church, the oration to be delivered by Hon. Isaac T. Nichols, of Bridgeton. Camp fires will be held at night.
Richard Dease is marshal of the parade and H. L. Hartshorn assistant.
The veterans have been assisted in their preparation by a citizens’ committee appointed by Mayor Ellis, as follows. William D. Vanaman, chairman; Charles S. Ackley, Charles M. Baldwin, James M. Bentley, John W. Coleman, C. K. Deacon, Malachi D. Cornish, Louis T. Derousse, William Fox, Abe Fuhrman, Harry C. Kramer, Ira E. Lute, J. W. Martindale, Jacob Neutze, Edward Nieland, H. S. Riddle, William Sangtinette, Bernard F. Schroeder, William Schmid, Sigismund Schoenagle, Daniel M. Stevens, W. L. Tushingham, Frank W. Tussey, Francis B. Wallen and Harry Whaland.
Planning Memorial Day Program
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Mayor Ellis, in Camden yesterday, announced the committee of citizens who will act in conjunction with the veterans in arranging for the Memorial Day festivities. The committee follows: Frank W. Tussey, chairman; Charles M. Curry, secretary; Fred Roedel, William Sanginette, W. L. Tushingham, B. F. Schroeder, Edward H. Nieland, Daniel M. Stevens, W. F. Powell, Abe Fuhrman, C. K. Deacon, Jacob Neutze, Francis B. Wallen, Charles S. Ackley, Wallace McGeorge, Ralph D. Baker, Wm. F. Kelly, William Schmid, Lawrence B. Reader, M. D. Cornish, Harry Whaland, General John A. Mather, James E. Hewitt and David Jester.
Man and Wife Saved by Passing Firemen
Camden Courier-Post —
Watchman Meets Engines Returning From Another Blaze; 4 Sunday Fires
Trapped in their home over a blazing butcher shop on Kaighn avenue, a man and wife were carried down a ladder by firemen who were returning from one of four serious fires which called out every piece of apparatus in Camden yesterday.
Total damage in the four fires was estimated at $23,000.
Furniture and stationery were ruined, and several automobiles were damaged by flames which gutted the warehouse of Bleakly Brothers, stationers, at 405 Mickle street.
Five trucks were destroyed in a blaze in the rear of the Terminal Garage, Ferry and Atlantic avenues.
The butcher shop of Samuel Yentis, and the building owned by M. D. Cornish at 741 Kaighn avenue were wrecked by fire.
Fire burned through the roof of the home of Dominic Sgariglio, 1271 Kaighn avenue; flames and water destroyed the entire contents of the house.
At 3.25 a. m. firemen who had extinguished the garage blaze were returning to their station at Twenty-seventh and Federal streets. Driving east on Kaighn avenue, near Seventh street, they were attracted by a man who suddenly ran into the middle of the street, shouting “Fire, Fire!” He pointed to the blazing butcher shop at 741 Kaighn avenue.
The man was George Whitehead, 55 years old, a watchman for the Congoleum Nairn Inc., Seventh street and Kaighn avenue. He had discovered the fire as he sat in his watchman’s shack across the street. He ran to the store, pounded on the door until Yentis came to the window of his bedroom.
Telling Yentis, who is 35 years old, and his wife, Anna, 33 years old, to dress, Whitehead said he would call firemen. He was on his way to the Sixth street and Kaighn avenue fire station when he met the apparatus returning from the garage fire.
Allen Palmer and Clarence Pursglove, both of Engine Company No. 9, carried Yentis and his wife down the ladder. The fire had burned through a wall to the stairway leading to the living quarters of the Yentis family, cutting off escape. Neighbors cared for the butcher and his wife as the firemen extinguished the blaze.
Damage was estimated at $1,500 by Cornish, who owns the building, and who lives at 739 Kaighn avenue.
The first of the series of Sunday fires sent six engine companies dashing to the Bleakly Brothers warehouse after three alarms had been sounded. Spontaneous combustion was blamed for this, the most serious of the day’s fires.
Flames shooting from second-floor windows attracted a passerby who turned in the first alarm at 1.30 a. m. Firemen found that the blaze had spread beyond their control and another crew was summoned. Twelve minutes later, a third alarm brought additional men and apparatus.
Lack of space, caused by furniture and stationery being piled high on warehouse floors, hampered firemen who fought the flames more than two hours before they were under control.
Fred Hutchinson, secretary of the firm, whose store is at 532 Federal street, said today that the company would not be able to estimate the damage until after a check-up of the storehouse inventory had been made.
Water Damages Autos.
The first floor of the warehouse is occupied by the Plaza Garage, operated by H. R. Dixon, 733 Spruce street. Several automobiles parked there were damaged by water. The two story building is owned by Louis Tarter, Camden real estate man.
The Terminal Garage fire was discovered at 2.45 a. m. by Nathan Benson, manager. Three engine companies answered two alarms.
Firemen said that an explosion preceded the fire which destroyed five trucks at a loss estimated by Benson at approximately $8,000. J. L. Weiner of 6000 Carpenter street, Philadelphia, owner of the building, estimated his loss at $3,500.
Despite the efforts of two men who fought the flames with extinguishers until firemen arrived, the two-story summer home of Charles A. Dilliam, Philadelphia real estate broker, located on White Horse pike, Laurel Springs, was gutted yesterday afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Dilliam had gone to the house for the weekend and had built a fire in the fireplace. Smoke was noticed creeping through the clapboards by C. R. Miller, an attendant at a gas filling station across the street. Calling firemen, Miller, assisted by Edward C. Vanderbilt, 1137 Lawrence street, Camden, who was driving by, held the flames in check until Laurel Springs Fire Companies No. 1 and 2, under Chief Edward L. Condon, arrived.
Firemen said the blaze caught in the rear of the fireplace.
Silver Lake Home Burns
A frame home at Silver Lake, near the Casino Inn, was destroyed by fire Saturday. The house formerly was occupied by John B. Weber, proprietor of Silver Lake Inn.
Slight damage was done by a chimney fire in the home of Frank Dalton, Gloucester, last night. Firemen put out the flames soon after they arrived. Smoke from the Dalton dwelling seeped into the adjoining home of Mrs. John McGonigle. Mrs. McGonigle carried her cat to safety and waited until firemen extinguished the flames before re-entering her house.
Fred Bushall, of Woodbury, barely had time to hurry his two small children from his automobile when it burst into flames on Delaware street near Starr Ditch.
Faulty ignition was blamed as the cause of the fire. Firemen arrived too late to save it from the flames.