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Cornelia Van Kleeck Somervandyke


Other Name:
Cornelia Bacon Van Kleeeck; Cornelia Bacon Somarindyck
Gender:
Female
Born:
October 2, 1797
Died:
December 28, 1880
Home Town:
Poughkeepsie, NY
Marriage(s):
George W. Somervandyke/ Somarindyck (February 3, 1814)
Biographical Notes:
Cornelia Van Kleeck Somervandyke, daughter of Tunis and Irene Bacon Van Kleeck, was born October 2, 1797. From 1810-1812 Cornelia attended the Litchfield Female Academy. She boarded at Sarah Pierce's house while studying at the school. On February 3, 1814 Cornelia married George W. Somervandyke, a businessman from New York City. John Pierce Brace recounts an amusing story in his journal about a sleigh ride excursion organized by six borders at Sarah Pierce's house - "Last night about eight, there was a message came to me to go down to the Farms for Cornelia [Van Kleek], Charlotte [Rose] and Juliana [McLachlan] who had staid there. Their horse had tired out, so that Nancy Starkweather, Mary Griswold and Mary Bulkley who would not stay, came up, partly on foot, and partly in the cutter leaving ...
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Education
Years at LFA:
1810-1812
Room and Board:
Boarded with Sarah Pierce

Related Objects and Documents
In the Ledger:
help The Citation of Attendance provides primary source documentation of the student’s attendance at the Litchfield Female Academy and/or the Litchfield Law School. If a citation is absent, the student is thought to have attended but currently lacks primary source confirmation.

Records for the schools were sporadic, especially in the formative years of both institutions. If instructors kept comprehensive records for the Litchfield Female Academy or the Litchfield Law School, they do not survive. Researchers and staff have identified students through letters, diaries, family histories and genealogies, and town histories as well as catalogues of students printed in various years. Art and needlework have provided further identification of Female Academy Students, and Litchfield County Bar records document a number of Law School students. The history of both schools and the identification of the students who attended them owe credit to the early 20th century research and documentation efforts of Emily Noyes Vanderpoel and Samuel Fisher, and the late 20th century research and documentation efforts of Lynne Templeton Brickley and the Litchfield Historical Society staff.
CITATION OF ATTENDANCE:
John Pierce Brace, Private Journal 1812 (Litchfield Historical Society - Litchfield Female Academy Collection).

Cornelia was one of seven students from the 1811 class at the Litchfield Female Acaemy to write a round robin letter to Jerusha Lindsley in Albany, NY (Litchfield Historical Society - Litchfield Female Academy Collection).

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