Walter Allen Cornett Sr ~ UPDATED

My grandfather is being very elusive. I am having a hard time finding information on him. So far, I have some paperwork compiled by a family member of our family tree, some old black and white scanned photos, names, dates, and family members both past and present. Some are familiar to me and some are not. But that is the love of Genealogy research! Discovering family and learning, reading, and visualizing the lives they have led in the past.


But I will tell you what I do know of him so far. Walter Allen Cornett Sr. was born on December 29, 1909 and died nearly five years before I was born, he died on June 30, 1967. He married my grandmother, Lucia Rose Cornett on July 15, 1928. From what my mother tells me, they had 9 children together including a Dorothy Mae who was born on April 11,1930 and died May 10, 1930. She was only a month old when she passed away. I'm not sure what the cause of her death was. He was in the military, but I'm not sure which branch, what his rank was, military responsibilities, or even how long he was in the service.


According to the Social Security Death Index (SSDI), he was 57 years old and 5 months! Pretty exact I would say. I am still trying to find information on him, sent out emails, Facebook messages to family, and once I get more information I will be sure to post an update!


On Familysearch.org, I found the 1930 Census information on Walter's household during that time. The information found is below.


Name:Walter A Cornett
Census Event Date:1930
Event Place: Black Lick,Wythe,Virginia
Gender:Male
Age:21
Marital Status:Married
Race:White
Birthplace:Virginia
Estimated Birth Year:1909
Immigration Year: N/A
Relationship to Head of Household: Head (SELF)
Father's Birthplace:Virginia
Mother's Birthplace:Virginia
Enumeration District Number: 0004
Family Number:469
Sheet Number and Letter: 4B
Line Number: 59
Nara Publication:T626
Roll 2465
Film Number:2342199
Digital Folder Number:4547863
Image Number:00576


Walter A Cornett, Married at age 21 to Spouse Lucy R Cornett age 15.


Please Note: In the 1930 Federal Census- my grandmothers name is stated as Lucy R Cornett but in actuality her name is Lucia Rose Cornett. I guess that is the problem with Census takers, a lot of misspellings in the names and such, which makes it harder to discern your research at times.

Source Citation

"United States Census, 1930," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/CJPG-ZW2 : accessed 16 May 2012), Walter A Cornett, Black Lick, Wythe, Virginia.

Below are some of the photos I have of them. Since I am in the process of moving, I will have to wait until I unpack and get settled to see if I have any other photos I can add to this blog about Walter! Please be patient....

After going through some paperwork, I found some other documents such as 2 separate honorable discharge papers, a press release and also a death certificate for Walter Allen Cornett. These were given to me from a family member. Granted, they are only scanned copies, but I'll take what I can get! I am very much appreciative that she took the time to scan them and mail them to me.

Press Release

Andrews Field, MD

Honorable Discharge Document #1 (1945)

Honorable Discharge Document #2 (1946)

Death Certificate for Walter Allen Cornett