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Tombstone Tuesday: Martin Van Buren Corn

by | May 26, 2015 | Tombstone Tuesday | 27 comments

MartinVB_CornI came across the story of this New Mexico pioneer while researching a ghost town article.  In 1991, the Roswell Daily Record called his family one of Roswell’s oldest and largest.  Since the late 1870’s several generations of this family have lived and thrived in the Pecos River Valley, and it all began with Martin Van Buren Corn.

Martin Van Buren Corn was born on October 16, 1841 in North Carolina to parents John Roland and Elizabeth Corn.  The family migrated to Georgia and later to Kerr County, Texas.  Martin, his younger brother Robert and father John were conscripted to serve the Confederacy in 1862.  Robert and John served in Kerr County’s 3rd Frontier Texas Cavalry, while John served as a private in Company E of the 36th Texas Cavalry.

This article is no longer available for free at this site. It was re-written and enhanced with sources, published in the July-August 2020 issue of Digging History Magazine.  Should you prefer to purchase the article only, contact me for more information.

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Thanks for stopping by!

 

27 Comments

  1. Dan Gifford
    Dan Gifford on June 4, 2015 at 6:11 pm

    Martin Van Buren Corn is my great uncle. His brother, Peter Corn, is my great grandfather. Peter Corn’s daughter, Zelpha, is my father’s mother. She and her family lived in Seven Rivers and moved to AZT after a dam flooded that town. Would appreciate any family info about her and the failiy when in NMT. There’s a mystery about my grandmother in that the only reference I’ve seen to her is that she died. Can assure she did not. So, were there other Zelphas or some reason my my grandmother is listed as deceased, if she is mentioned at all in the Corn family histories I find on line?

    Reply
  2. Dan Gifford
    Dan Gifford on June 4, 2015 at 6:28 pm

    Forgot to mention that I possess Corn family history info and photos that you may find useful — especially if you should you are compiling a research source. That is much needed. Both my grandfather Gifford and the Corn’s were frontier people whose history is that of America’s western expansion.

    Reply
  3. Jennifer Waller
    Jennifer Waller on September 29, 2015 at 1:19 pm

    I just read this article and saw these comments Dan are you on Facebook? If so the Corn Clan is gathered there, Corntown USA is the name its under. https://www.facebook.com/groups/217671934327/?fref=ts We would love not only your information and pictures but there is a wealth of family and information you would find valuable. Hopefully this message will find you. Martin was my GG Uncle too.

    Reply
  4. Isaac Hubbard
    Isaac Hubbard on June 11, 2016 at 11:40 pm

    My mothers dad/my grandfathers family I believe was one of the original families who came over on the wagon trail/caravan with Martin Corn and whoever else came with them. I can’t recall off the top of my head the exact name of the lady and her husband who are my ancestors, but the last name that I can remember is Hudson and also Porter is a family last name of my ancestors as well.Pretty interesting to know my family came and settled in southeastern NM, and somehow in a story that I’ve heard through the years is that one man in my family from that point in time somehow married a Corn lady. But I can’t recall the mans name or which corn it was that was involved with my ancestor. then along the way during that same time, the rest of my ancestors that came through Roswell/Lincoln County Territory at the time continued to travel westward to eventually settle and make Reserve/Apache Creek NM on the West side of the state the homestead for my grandfathers family. Emily Locket Porter was my great grandmother and daughter of I believe it was the Hudson ancestors of mine who came over in the caravan with the Corns. Some other ancestors of mine from that same time period here in NM had the last name Gamble. And one ancestor of mine was supposedly involved with Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid and was a gambling man who I believe bet against Billy the kid and those guys on horse racing and lost. But my ancestor was somehow eventually caught stealing horses and was sentenced to death by hanging! Pretty interesting history from southern NM and to know my family was a part of it.

    Reply
    • Sharon Hall
      Sharon Hall on June 12, 2016 at 12:08 am

      Thanks for stopping by and sharing about your ancestors. Anyone living around the time of Billy the Kid had stories to tell I’m sure. I see this article was very, very popular today!

      Reply
  5. Isaac Hubbard
    Isaac Hubbard on June 12, 2016 at 12:36 pm

    It sure was, lots of interesting history from back in those days! And to know my family and ancestors were part of it, makes it even more interesting and special.

    Reply
    • Dan Gifford
      Dan Gifford on February 10, 2018 at 11:11 am

      I am the tardy responder.

      I am interested in any info about the Corns.

      Zilpha, Peter’s daughter was my father’s mother. She had two sisters, Mary and Sally.

      My info.

      Dan Gifford

      My contact info and bio are posted above.

      Reply
  6. David Walker
    David Walker on June 13, 2016 at 9:59 am

    Edward Felix Hudson married Mary Elizabeth Corn, she was the daughter of Martin VB Corn Sr. There was a Ed and Bill Hudson on the caravan with Martin Corn and several other cattle hands according to a story I read. Very interesting journey according to stories handed down through family.

    Reply
    • Sharon Hall
      Sharon Hall on June 13, 2016 at 10:48 am

      Thanks for sharing. I thought this family’s story was so very interesting.

      Reply
    • Daniel Hudson
      Daniel Hudson on August 1, 2017 at 11:06 pm

      David, I am Daniel Hudson, grandson of Ed Hudson (Mart). Knew Aunt Lou Anderson, another daughter, very well also. I would love to know more, and share what I do know. How to contact you?

      Reply
  7. Rosalyn Berry
    Rosalyn Berry on June 13, 2016 at 1:21 pm

    I love reading all of this. My maiden name is Corn. My dad was Ronald Corn, my grandfathers name is also Ronald Corn.( My grandfather had a twin brother Donald) he and my grandmother owned the “Steeple R ” ranch also nicknamed the Deep Well ranch.

    Reply
    • Rosalyn Berry
      Rosalyn Berry on June 13, 2016 at 1:27 pm

      I think Martin V Corn would be my grandfather’s grandfather ??

      Reply
      • David Walker
        David Walker on June 13, 2016 at 1:33 pm

        Hey Rosalyn, Martin V would be your 2nd great grandfather. There is a group on FB that is all about the Corn family, I am sure you would love it, just have to be family..Let me now if you are interested..

        Reply
        • Sharon Hall
          Sharon Hall on June 13, 2016 at 4:47 pm

          I love this .. bringing family members together!

          Reply
  8. normagailwrites
    normagailwrites on February 21, 2017 at 10:27 am

    Martin Van Buren Corn was my second great grandfather. My great grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Corn Hudson, was his oldest daughter. She married Edward Felix Lincoln Hudson, who drove cattle for the wagon train from Texas and later moved with his family to what was then Reserve, Socorro County, New Mexico in the far southwestern part of the state. It later became Catron County. I have a lot of information on the Corn family.

    Reply
    • Sharon Hall
      Sharon Hall on February 21, 2017 at 10:55 am

      The Corn family has such a rich history and I really enjoyed writing about them. If you’d like to share more about the Corn family I can add it as an “update” to the article. Thanks for stopping by and sharing more about your family!

      Reply
    • Daniel Hudson
      Daniel Hudson on August 1, 2017 at 11:11 pm

      Norma Gail, I am Daniel Edward Hudson, grandson of Ed (Mart) Hudson, great grandson of EFLH – my namesake. Can you help me find more information please?

      Reply
    • David Walker
      David Walker on August 2, 2017 at 6:22 am

      Hello Norma, I am very interested in your information on the Corn family, I have been researching this family for the past several years. My grandmother was Euna Corn from NC, part of the bigger Corn family, all descending from John Adam Corn of Albermarle Co, Va. My e-mail address is – [email protected]

      Thanks,
      David

      Reply
  9. Sue
    Sue on June 20, 2022 at 8:07 pm

    MVB Corn is a direct ancestor to my aunts ex husband. He was a Zumwalt. Interesting that one of our ancestors was Martin Van Buren Chambers from western Pennsylvania. Born about the same time period.

    Reply

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