Cornell was born in Westchester Landing at what is now 1515 Williamsbridge Rd, in what would become the Bronx, New York, to Elijah Cornell and Eunice (Barnard), a potter. He was raised near DeRuyter, New York. … See more

Happening into the offices of the Maine Farmer in 1842, Cornell saw an acquaintance of his, one F.O.J. Smith, bent over some … See more

Cornell retired from Western Union and turned his attention to philanthropy. He endowed the Cornell Free Library, the first public library for the citizens of Ithaca. The library was … See more

Ezra Cornell entered the railroad business, but fared poorly due to the Panic of 1873. He began construction of a palatial Ithaca mansion, See more

Upon arriving in Ithaca, NY in the spring of 1828, Cornell first found work as a carpenter before being hired as a mechanic by Otis Eddy to work at his cotton mill on Cascadilla Creek. On Eddy's recommendation, Jeremiah S. Beebe then hired Cornell to … See more

A lifelong enthusiast of science and agriculture, he saw great opportunity in the 1862 Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act to found a university that would teach practical subjects … See more

Ezra Cornell was a birthright Quaker, but was later disowned by the Society of Friends for marrying outside of the faith to a “world’s woman,” … See more