Benjamin P. Cornelius

Infobox Politician
name = Benjamin P. Cornelius


imagesize =
office = Member of the Oregon House of Representatives
term = 1893—1894
preceded =
succeeded =
constituency = Washington County
office2 = Member of the Oregon House of Representatives
term2 = 1917—1918
preceded2 =
succeeded2 =
constituency2 = Washington County
office3 = 17th Mayor of Hillsboro, Oregon
term3 = 1903—1906
constituency3 =
predecessor3 = William N. Barrett
successor3 = John Dennis
birth_date = November 9 1850
birth_place = Hillsboro, Oregon
death_date = December 24 1930
death_place = Hillsboro, Oregon
nationality = American
spouse = Esther A. Barrett
party = Republican
relations =
children =
residence =
alma_mater =
occupation =
profession = Farmer
religion =


website =
footnotes =

Benjamin Peyton Cornelius (November 9 1850 — December 24 1930) was an American politician and judge in Oregon. A Republican, he served in the Oregon House of Representatives and as the mayor of Hillsboro, Oregon. The son of Thomas R. Cornelius, he was also the sheriff of Washington County and a judge in that county.

Early life

Cornelius was born to Thomas Cornelius and Florentine Wilks on November 9, 1850, in Hillsboro, Washington County, Oregon.Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- ), and Republican League of Oregon. [http://books.google.com/books?id=6j8QAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22Republican+League+Register+of+Oregon%22&ei=xd-SSLenD5-KtwP8pu3wDA&client=firefox-a#PRA1-PA194,M1 Republican League Register, a Record of the Republican Party in the State of Oregon.] Portland: Register Pub. Co, 1896. p. 191.] He was raised in that county and was engaged in agriculture before marrying Esther A. Barrett on November 11, 1871, in neighboring Glencoe. [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=cornelius&GSbyrel=in&GSdyrel=in&GSst=39&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=24536492& Benjamin Peyton Cornelius.] Find A Grave. Retrieved on August 2 2008.] Cornelius became involved in politics as a Republican and served as a delegate to the county’s party convention and state conventions starting in the 1880s.

Political career

In 1884, Cornelius won his first election when he was elected as the sheriff of Washington County. He was elected again in 1888, and in 1894 was elected as a county judge. In 1892, Cornelius entered state politics and was elected to a two-year term in the Oregon House of Representatives as a Republican representing Washington County. [ [http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/legislative/histleg/statehood/1893reg.htm 1893 Regular Session (17th).] Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on August 2 2008.]

Following his term as county judge he returned to farming before winning election as mayor of Hillsboro in 1903.Mayors: City of Hillsboro. "The Hillsboro Argus", October 19, 1976] The seventeenth person to serve as mayor of Washington County’s seat, he was in office from December 15 1903, until December 4 1906. Cornelius returned to the Oregon House in 1917 after winning election in 1916, again representing Washington County. [ [http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/legislative/histleg/statehood/1917reg.htm 1917 Regular Session (29th).] Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on August 2 2008.] Benjamin P. Cornelius died on December 24 1930, at the age of 80 and was buried at the cemetery at the Old Scotch Church north of Hillsboro.

References