Jacob Corneal was christened 20 Feb 1742 in Rathkeale, Co. Limerick, Ireland, the son of Adam and Elizabeth Cornelius. Jacob married Dorothy Dollmage 7 Oct 1766 at Rathkeale.  Jacob died 4 Sep 1811 at Adare, Co. Limerick, Ireland.  Dorothy Dollmage was the daughter of Adam and Mary Dorothea Dolmage.  Dorothy Dollmage was christened 13 Mar 1747 at Rathkeale having been born in Castlematrix, Co., Limerick, Ireland.

The Corneilles were French Protestants who escaped death by the Catholics when the Duke of Marlborough's Army picked them up along the Rhine River and took them to Rotterdam, Holland.  Queen Anne's fleet took the religious immigrants to London, England where they were housed in old military barracks - much to the vivid and outspoken concern of the residents of London. To quiet the public outcry, these French and German Protestants were transported to the American colonies.

One of the family traditions is that the Corneilles, Delmage and Shire families were on a ship headed for the colonies in 1709.  The ship wrecked at the mouth of the Shannon River.  Lord Southwell, who was the owner of Castlematres recognized these people would be an asset on his farms.  He deeded them land in Adare or he hired them to work Courtmatrix for him.  The other tradition is that the Germans were far advanced in farming techniques over the Irish.  Being aware of this, Lord Southwell went to London to recruit several families to work his estates.  The result was that the Delmage (Dollmettscher), Shire (Sheuer) and Corneille (Cornellius) families settled at Rathkeale where they remained for well over a century.  Some, including out branch, immigrated to Ontario, Canada and thence to the United States. 

See my GEDCOM files for extended information on individual family members.  Jacob and Dorothy Dollmage Corneil had a son, Christopher Corneil born 1784 in Ballycurrane, Co. Limerick, Ireland.  Christopher married Juliana Dolmage 22 Sep 1812 at Nantinan Church in Rathkeale.  Christopher and Juliana had three sons born in Co. Limerick: Gideon born 10 Jun 1815;  Julius Delmage born 12 Nov 1817; and Adam born 28 April 1821.  The family left Ireland for Ontario, Canada.  Christopher received word of the death of a family member and returned to settle the estate.  Upon his subsequent sail to Canada, the ship was lost.  Juliana Dolmage Corneil was left in the early 1830s with three sons in Middlesex Co., Ontario, Canada. 

Gideon Corneil married on 7 Feb 1838 in Delaware, Middlesex, Ontario Ruth B. Gifford, the daughter of Nicholas Gifford.  Nicholas Gifford was apparently from Ireland as well.  Gideon Corneil was a farmer.  It was held that Gideon stuttered.  He kept a lump of bread dough behind his ear.  If he began stuttering, he would "knead" the lump of bread dough in his hands and his stuttering would cease.  Gideon and Ruth had children:

• James D. Corneil (1839-1910) who married Sarah Spitter.  This couple resided in Kane Co., Illinois at the end of their lives.
  
• Elizabeth Corneil (1840-1908) who marired Joseph Morrow.   Elizabeth resided in Cuyahoga Co., Illinois at the end of her life.
  
• Julian Corneil (1842-1869) married Nelson Storing in 1860. 
  
• Ruth Corneil (1833-1855) lived and died in Middlesex Co., Ontario.
  
• Naomi Corneil (1845-1846) lived and died in Middlesex Co., Ontario
  
• Gidon Gifford Corneil (1847-1943) resided in Cheoygan Co., Michigan at the end of his life.  He married 1)Mary and 2)Jennie Cudney.
  
• Nicholas Corneil (1852-?) was said to have gone to Nassau, West Indies.
  
• Frances Corneil (1843-?); married Jacob Foster and resided in Brandt Co., Ontario.
  
• John Corneil (1856-)
  
• Julious D. Corneill (1858-)
  
• George M. Corneil (1860- ) married Margaret M. Mark.  He lived in Georgia and Alabama. 
  

Delmage