Mary Burns, Catherine Burns and Francis Burns were children of Bridget and Hugh Burns, immigrants from Ireland into New York City. Mary, age nine, and Francis, age eleven, were admitted into the New York Juvenile Asylum in September 1860, the reason given was that the family was destitute. Catherine was admitted in July 1861, at the age of seven, the reason was given was that her father had gone to war and she was without a home.
Records show that Mary and Catherine were sent west and indentured to Hezekiah Phillips, a farmer in Mahomet, Champaign County, Illinois. It is known that Mary served out her time in 1870 and received fifty dollars. Mary then became a servant in the home of Samuel Foster at the wages of $1.50 a week. It is assumed that Catherine followed her sister into the work place as she is found in the 1880 Piatt County Illinois Census in the home of James Ownby, Willow Branch Township, as a servant. Francis was sent to the Champaign County area to be near his sisters in January, 1862. He was indentured to R. F. Carter, a farmer, in Champaign City, Illinois, in March 1863. According to the Asylum records, Francis was kept in touch with his parents through the agent through 1866. He left the Carter home around May, 1870.
It is known that Mary and Catherine married brothers.
Mary Burns married Joseph Neal Cornell, 13 November 1872, in Champaign County, Illinois. They had three children: Frank C., Annie, and Ida. They lived in Willow Branch Township, Piatt County, Illinois, and in Brown Township, Champaign County, Illinois. Mary (Burns) Cornell died 25 March 1903, and Joseph Cornell died in 1911. They were buried at Willow Brook Cemetery, Fisher, Champaign County, Illinois.
Catherine Burns married Charles Edward Cornell, 22 December 1881, at the home of her sister, Mary and Joseph Cornell, by Justice of the Peace, James Ownby, in whose home she had been working. Catherine and Charles were the parents of five children: Cloyd P., Lee E., Acy F., Clarence E., and Glenna M. Cornell. They farmed in Willow Branch Township, Piatt County, Illinois, and resided in Richland County, Illinois for a few years, returning to Willow Branch Township, where they lived out their years. Catherine (Burns) Cornell died 7 January 1921, and Charles Cornell died 1 September 1912. They are buried at the Croninger Cemetery, Willow Branch Township, Piatt County, Illinois.
Nothing more is known of Francis Burns. Information about Francis Burns, Hezekiah Phillips, and R. F. Carter is being sought. Phyllis (Cornell) Abner, granddaughter of Catherine (Burns) and Charles E. Cornell, through their son, Clarence E., has been researching these two sisters who rode the Orphan Train from New York to the “west”—Champaign County, Illinois—and is grateful to The Children’s Village, Dobbs Ferry, New York for the above information, and to OTHSA for addresses to contact and encouragement.
Submitted by: Phyllis Abner, December 1991
