I started researching my dad’s Cornett ancestry back in 2012 while living in Hawaii. I have dedicated countless hours into seeking out information that would let me kind of get a feel for where I came from, who my family really was, how they lived and where they originated from. Just who are they, really?? What kind of careers did they have? Were they farmers, merchants, prominent citizens of society?
This was and still is one of those life-long projects that seems to have no end. Yes, you may have some brick walls here and there in those family tree branches, but it is really rewarding when you find documentation that lets you continue your chase into the past, that you thought may have been lost forever. This past week I have been basically starting from the beginning, starting with my father, Billy Edward Cornett. My parents divorced when I was just a six-year-old girl, so I don’t know much of him. I have a few random memories, but it’s not nearly enough. I want to know where he was born (I’m currently waiting to receive his birth certificate from the Virginia Vital Records office), I know he was born in Virginia, but I do not know any more than that. Like what city and county? What hospital was he born in? Where did he live? Where did he grow up? What school did he go to? What was his first car, first job? I have more questions than I do answers, unfortunately.
So far this is what I know:
My dad was born on March 15, 1944, and died on April 28, 2001. I have not been able to locate a newspaper clipping of his actual obituary yet, so this was initially my starting point, to dig even deeper into his life. He is buried at Bel air Memorial Gardens in Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland. (Sunrise Section 26D-3)
{Photo courtesy of Daniel Cole}
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/92141363/cornett
My father’s parents were Walter Allen Cornett Sr. and Lucia Rose Cornett Cornett. I am not sure how they both got married, being that they both had the same last name. I will have to investigate this phenomenon later. I don’t know, were they kissing cousins, distant cousins, perhaps, or were they from different Cornett ancestry lineages altogether? I know the Cornett family is vast, and they weren’t the only Cornett’s in the area, I’m sure. As I mentioned before, there were so many questions, and there were not nearly enough answers.
This week I contacted Hartenstein Funeral Home in New Freedom, Pennsylvania, where I received his death certificate via email. It’s just a working copy not a certified copy. I’ll take it, thank you very much! The funeral director there told me if I need a certified copy, I can purchase one through the Vital Chek website. I have contacted the Virginia Department of Health and requested a copy of my father’s birth certificate as well. I am excited to see it, I am hoping it will give me a little bit of information that I do not already have.
I was able to get a copy of my parent’s marriage application through the Clerk of Circuit Court in Baltimore County, Maryland. When searching for my parents’ marriage records, I was able to reach out to the St. John’s Lutheran Church (Sweet Air, Phoenix, MD) where they were married to inquire whether they had any documentation of my mom and dad’s ceremony. I was told that they do not have marriage certificates on site from that long ago. So based on the information I was able to get, I found out they were married on April 24, 1971. The image below is what I was sent by the church. It looks like maybe it was a sign in book with the marriage dates and the bride and groom’s names.
My parents were married by Reverend Partee Boliek, who is now deceased.
Photo Courtesy of Laurie- Office Manager- St. John’s Lutheran Church Sweet Air (Phoenix, MD)
In conclusion, I have located two separate documents related to my parent’s divorce, which were filed and recorded in Marion County, Florida on August 24,1981. The first document was a Dissolution of Marriage, and the other one was a Motion to Transfer.
All in all, I think I have made some accomplishments this week!
I am currently seeking information on the following, if anyone can help me, please contact me.
- Name of school(s) attended
- Report Cards
- School Photos or Yearbooks
- Post cards or other mail addressed to my dad
- Any personal items he may have had
- Occupation- Employer information
- Close friends
- Hobbies or favorite sports activities(what did he like to do?)
- Church attended
- Involvement with any clubs
- Family Bible
- Photographs
Seeking and searching for my next genealogical treasure! Happy hunting 🙂
Source Citations:
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/92141363/billy_edward-cornett: accessed 20 Aug 2026), memorial page for Billy Edward Cornett (1944–28 Apr 2001), Find a Grave Memorial ID 92141363, citing Bel Air Memorial Gardens, Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland, USA; Maintained by: Find a Grave.
Ancestral Roots & History 