Wallace Bruce Cornish, night foreman in the rolling mills of the
Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Company, LaSalle, is a native of the Empire
state, born in Westkill, Greene county, January 22, 1843, a son of James
Monroe Cornish and Henrietta (Bennett) Cornish, both natives of New York.
Both his grandfathers were Englishmen and were among the early settlers of
Greene county. Grandfather Cornish was Democratic in his political views,
but his son James M. was a Republican, as also is Wallace B. By trade James
M. was a watchmaker. He lived and died in Greene county, New York, and some
time after his death his widow moved to Chicago, where she is still living.
Wallace B. Cornish was reared in Westkill and received a common school
education there. At the age of fifteen years he was thrown upon his own
resources. He began the battle of life as a farm hand, working by the month,
and this form of employment he followed for five or six years. In New York
he married Asenath Schermehorne, and shortly after his marriage came west,
locating in LaSalle, Illinois, in 1865, and at that time accepting a
position as a clerk in a dry-goods store. He clerked for about six years,
after which he entered the employ of the Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Company,
as a bookkeeper. After filling the position of bookkeeper for about a year
and a half, he was made night foreman of the rolling mills, and has
continued in this position ever since. His long continuance in the employ of
the zinc company is ample evidence that his service has been appreciated.
All that he is and has accomplished in life has been achieved by diligent
and persistent effort on his own part.
Mr. Cornish holds a membership in the Ancient Order of United Workmen of
America.
Extracted 17 Jul 2017 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois, published in 1900, volume 2, pages 498-499.
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