Biography - R Cornelius
ROBERT E. CORNELIUS. If so young a man could with propriety be called a veteran, surely Mr. Cornelius deserves that title as applied to his career in newspaper work. From the tender age of eleven years, he has passed through all the forms and phases of getting out a sheet, and has worked his way up from "devil" to his present position as associate editor and proprietor of the Litchfield daily and weekly Herald.
Our subject was born May 6, 1865, in Benton, Ill., and is a son of Robert E. and Lou (Adams) Cornelius. The father was a harness-maker by trade, to which the son, however, had no inclination. After he had received the rudiments of his education at Benton, he began to learn the mechanical part of printing in the Benton Standard office at the age of eleven years. He continued in that office for four years and then went into the office of the Baptist Banner at Cairo.
Mr. Cornelius first came to Litchfield in October of 1889. He worked away until January 1, 1891, when he was offered an interest in the paper of which he is now half-owner. The department over which he has exclusive control is the mechanical business of the journalistic work.
Our subject has a pleasant home, which is presided over by a pleasant, courteous lady, who was known before her marriage as Miss Cora Burress, of Benton. Their nuptials were solemnized March 13, 1885. Two children bring gladness into their household and bear the suggestive names of Dot and Bee. Mrs. Cornelius is a daughter of Dr. W. D. Burress, a well-known physician of Benton.
Extracted 04 Dec 2016 by Norma Hass from 1892 Portrait and Biographical Record of Montgomery and Bond Counties, Illinois, pages 185-186.
