Cornelius Brooks
A Revolutionary War veteran with ties to Cattaraugus County.
Life Dates: Born March 17, 1758, in Amwell, N.J.; Died May 9, 1837, in Olean, N.Y.
Burial: Pleasant Valley Cemetery (moved from old Oak Lawn Cemetery).
Military Service: Enlisted July 9, 1776, as a fifer in the "Flying Camp." He was taken prisoner at the Battle of Long Island and held in the Old Dutch Church in N.Y. City.
Legacy: A pioneer settler of Olean (1806), where he held many offices of trust. Married Mary Hyndshaw in 1778.
References: Data furnished by Maud D. Brooks- a prominent local historian and librarian in Olean who extensively researched and documented the Revolutionary War soldiers buried in Cattaraugus County. Her work is often cited in genealogical collections such as those found in the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.) databases and historical gazetteers of the region.