-- submitted by Leonard (Skip) Cornutt
I am the oldest child of John Wesley Cornutt and Sarah Lou Ann (Potter) Cornutt, and born September 29, 1884. I married Stella May Overmyer at Terre Haute, Indiana on December 24, 1903. About the first of September in 1908, myself and wife decided to use our vacation by taking a trip from Terra Haute, Ind. to Grant, Grayson County, Va. where some of the Cornett's and Welch's received their mail. I had obtained 3 or 4 addresses from Grandmother Cornutt. We traveled over the Pennsylvania Railroad to Columbus, Ohio, where we transferred to the Norfolk & Western R.R. and ended up at Marion, Va. in the afternoon some 45 mile North-east of Bristol Tenn.-Va.; stayed all night in a Hotel where they used an old triangle to announce meal time. Cost us $8.00 for two meals and lodging.
The next morning at 8:00 A.M. we boarded a train of the Marion & Rye Valley Ry(?), consisting of one small combination Coach-Baggage Car and three box cars and left the train at or near Trout Dale. This line hauled timber and lumber, etc., between Marion and a large sawmill at or near Trout dale, a distance of 20 miles. Did not handle over four cars and took about four hours to make the trip one way. The engine cylinders worked up and down, instead of horizontal.
We went to a livery stable and hired a man to drive us to Grant, Va. some six miles up in the mountains. Only conveyance to be had was an old Surrey without a top and drawn by a team of work or logging horses, cost about $6.00. On arrival at the Grant Post Office, we found a General Store, Blacksmith Shop and a couple of small houses.
Inquiry developed location of the home of Samuel A. Welch, (Grandmothers Brother) and we arrived there sometime in the afternoon. We stayed and visited with them and their daughters Family (Clessia James), who then had three children and resided near.
The next day we were taken by path to Rose Ann Cornett's home, (Grandfathers brother Dow's Widow), and became acquainted with Fitzhugh and wife, (Sis) Sessie Cornett, Flat Ridge, PO, Grayson County, Va. They took us next day to the home of Wesley Isom Cornett (Grandfathers brother) where we spent the night. Grandfather's brother Isom wanted to know all about Indiana and how Grandfather made the trip. Seemed skeptic about us making the trip from Indiana and wasn't satisfied I was his brother Peter's Grandson from Indiana until about midnight when he came to our bedroom and said he was satisfied.
The following day we were taken to the home of Grandfather's Sister, Rachel Isabel, who married Nelson Anderson. This family had been in California and returned to Virginia. The house was on a knoll or elevation above a small creek and a small old water driven grist mill near.
We were taken by our cousins to see Grandfathers home place, however, the house had been destroyed and a new home built by one of the younger generation, a Frank Cornett.
Also visited a community Cemetery, in the Flat Ridge section, near Central Church. The cemetery was about four to five hundred feet square and almost filled. Except for a few plots in one corner, all were claimed to be cousins or relatives of the CORNETT's. A few of the farms around had their own burial plots.
Cousin Fitzhugh and wife Sis (Sessie) borrowed a new surrey from one of our cousins to take us by highway back to Marion. We left at 6:00 am and arrived Marion, Virginia as the saw mill whistle blew noon. We had to get N & W train about 1:00 P.M. en route home.
We found that the name was being spelled CORNUTT, CORNET, CORNETT, and CORNETTE.
Sometime after Grandfather left Virginia, a cousin, who was a Judge, presumably in Grayson County, had petitioned the court for permission to adopt the spelling of "CORNETT" instead of "CORNUTT". When Grandfather heard of this from one of Grandmothers relatives (Welch) on a visit from Virginia to Indiana, he requested his wife and four sons to continue the spelling as CORNUTT which no doubt is why there are so few spelling the name "CORNUTT". The relatives in Virginia seem to have followed the lead of the udge (Grandfathers Cousin) and adopted the spelling of "CORNETT". Grandfather (Peter Cornutt) left Grayson County, Virginia March 23, 1857 and died at or near Westport, Indiana October 11, 1866, which would indicate hat the change in spelling was made between those dates.
Additional notes taken from the original draft of above memories: Most of he homes were of log construction and built back some distance from the roads so to be near springs, the water being conveyed by wooden slues or pipe to the houses for drinking, cooking, to the milk houses, and to the troughs for live stock. There seemed to be quite a bit of fruit, rye, corn, hogs, and chickens raised for own use. Raising and grazing cattle was the main use of the farms. Everything was peaceful and everyone had plenty to eat, but little ready cash. No thievery to mention, and no traveler turned from their doors, without being fed including the horses. Most of the traveling was by horse back, excepting when the entire family was involved. They used the regular four wheeled wagon and team of work horses. Quite a few of the farm wagons and implements were drawn by oxen.
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