Early Settler – Robert H. and Elizabeth Corner – Wayne Cemetery, Edwards County, Kansas

The third child of Henry and Lucinda Corner, Robert, was born in 1848 in Ohio. Farming was his occupation, but he also did some teaching during the winter traveling in and around Cornerville, Ohio.

In 1873, Robert married Elizabeth Hoffman (b. 1849) in Ohio. Two of their three daughters were born there. Robert’s brother, Whitney, brought his family and parents to Pawnee County.

Robert first came to Edwards County in 1877 to prepare the way for his wife, Elizabeth, and two little girls. After a winter of preparation, Robert returned to Ohio and escorted his family back to Kansas. A third daughter was born while residing in Edwards County.

Being a teacher, building a school was vital. Robert hauled all the material to build the structure and then was asked to be the first teacher. Robert was involved with the development of the area as he was instrumental in the founding of Wayne Township and served as a township officer for 30 years. He helped to plat and survey Wayne Cemetery. He was also a secretary of the Home State Bank.

Robert died at the age of 73 in 1918. Elizabeth passed away in 1934. They are both buried in Wayne Cemetery.

I Can’t Believe Their Relatives are Buried in Southwest Kansas: Robert’s “grandfather, William Corner, came from England in 1795, being 9 weeks upon the stormy Atlantic in a sailing vessel. His grandmother, Sallie Maxon was born in one of the fort buildings of Campus Martius, (Marietta) on March 14, 1792, during Indian troubles. His great-grandfather, Henry Maxon, a Revolutionary soldier, was one of that sturdy band of pioneers, who descending the beautiful Ohio river on the Mayflower No. 2, landed on that historic day, April 7, 1788, at Marietta, Northwest Territory, now Marietta, Ohio. His father, Henry W. Corner, in 1852 crossed the country from Ohio to the Pacific walking the entire distance from St. Joseph, Mo, to Portland, Oregon.1

1Larned Chronoscope (Larned, Kansas) 19 Oct 1911, p. 6

Personal Note: A collection of my stories from Ford County is available for purchase on Amazon. You can type in either Mary S. Schartz or If Headstones Could Talk. It has been my pleasure to share these stories with you.

You can also read more stories from the counties of Edwards, Ford, and Hodgeman on my website www.ifheadstonescouldtalk.com