Henry Alvin Cornish never married, living with his parents until their deaths. In 1880, he was listed as the head of household for the home in Farmer Township at 43 years old. His parents, Alvin, 76, and Matilda, 72, completed the household. Both Henry and Alvin were listed as farmers.
Henry appeared in the 1890 Veterans Census for Farmer Township, as well. On that he reported three enlistments, all for the same company and regiment. He first enlisted on April 24, 1861 and served a three month term until August 19, 1861. Subsequent enlistments were from August 19, 1861 - December 11, 1863 and from December 12, 1863 - September, 1865. (*His obituary omitted the last enlistment.) All were in Company K of the 9th Indiana Infantry.
On the official roster of Civil War soldiers, Henry's residence at the time of enlistment was in Elkhart, Indiana. In the first enlistment, his unit was sent by May 25 directly to Virginia where they engaged in a number of skirmishes; the most well known was at Phillipi. They mustered out in August in Indianapolis and almost immediately reorganized in LaPorte and were sent back to Virginia. They made it to the second day's battle of Shiloh, and then Corinth, and off they went to chase Bragg's army through Kentucky. In 1863, they were at Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. In December, 1863, they reorganized once again, this time as a veterans' unit. They were rewarded with a furlough home in January, 1864, but by late February, they were back at it, this time going into Tennessee and eventually into the Atlanta campaign. At the very end of their service, they were sent to Louisiana and Texas as part of Sheridan's occupation troops. Henry Cornish saw most of the important battles of the war, marched across the U.S., and somehow managed to stay alive. He did not report any disability on the 1890 Veterans Census.
Henry A. Cornish died on April 2, 1898. The newspaper source of Henry Cornish's obituary is unknown and this transcription is from a very poor copy, hence some missing words:
"The people of Williams Center and vicinity were painfully startled Sunday morning, April 3, when the report became current that Henry A. Cornish had died suddenly the evening before. He had gone down into Farmer Township, Defiance County, Saturday afternoon to visit ... to be in his usual good spirits; but he soon began to suffer from an attack of his old trouble, heart disease, and died at 9:30 o'clock that evening.
His father and mother were Alvin Cornish and Matilda Barnes, who were born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut. They were married and moved to Windsor, Ashtabula county in 1830, which was then 'the far West.' Four children came to bless this home: Julia, who is married to Eli Lannin, and lives if Farmer township, Defiance county, Ohio; Henry Alvin, the subject of this memoir; Roswell Barnes, who enlisted September 16, 1861 in Company G, 41st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was killed in the battle of Chickamauga, September 19, 1863.
The family moved to Geauga county, where their fourth child, Laura, was born, who married Samuel DeGran and moved to Burdette, Bates county, Missouri. The family next moved to Huron county and then to Williams county, settling somewhere east of Bryan. The old folks finished their early course in Williams county and were buried in Farmer cemetery.
Henry Alvin Cornish was born in Windsor, Ashtabula county, Ohio, July 14, 1834. In his young manhood, he enlisted in Company K, 9th Indiana Volunteer Infantry and served three months. At the end of this term, he re-enlisted in the same company and regiment August 19, 1861, under Captain Dyer D. McConnell to serve three years. He fought in many battles and was honorably discharged at Whiteside, Tennessee, December 11, 1863.
He was a member of Lew Bowker Post, No. 725, G.A.R., Farmer, Ohio. A score of his old comrades were present at the funeral, six of whom bore his body to his last resting place. The funeral services were conducted in the U. B. church at Williams Center, the pastor, Rev. B. F. Thomas, officiating, assisted by Rev. R. F. Beausay, pastor of the M. E. church. A large congregation of sympathizing friends and relatives were present to perform this last rite to his memory.
The floral offerings were beautiful; among them being a bouquet of roses from Mrs. Arvilla Hover and another bouquet of carnations from little Hugh Mills, which bore a ribbon with the words, 'From Hugh to his friend.'
Thus passed from life a man loved and respected and esteemed by all who knew him. He was not a member of the church, but he was fearless for the right and boldly outspoken against the wrong. He was a great friend to children and every child whom he knew was his friend. The whole community is in mourning and in sympathy, and he will be missed by many.
He was never married. He died Saturday, April 2, 1896, having lived in time 63 years, 8 months, and 18 days, and then passed on to an eternity that we hope will be peaceful to a man who always cast his voice and influence on the side of right; that will be joyful to a heart that was always friendly, and that will be glorious to a soldier who was faithful to his country. Peace to his ashes. Interment in Farmer cemetery. R.F.B."
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