Cornelius Joseph Leyden
- Born
- 1869-08-02 12:00:00
- Died
- 1916-07-02 12:00:00
- Gender
- Male
- Place of migration
- Migrated to/Born in USA
Cornelius Leyden was born on Main Street, Charleville, County Cork (which was in the Kilmallock Union) on 24 August 1869 to Peter Leyden (originally from somewhere in County Clare) and Mary McCarthy (originally from the Rosscarbery, County Cork area; perhaps Creagh More).
Cornelius' father Peter was a bridewell keeper in Charleville at the time, having retired as a constable after being injured on the job.
About 1875, Cornelius and family moved to Carhirsiveen, County Kerry, and then about 1881 them moved to Bantry, County Cork. By 1893, Cornelius was living in Galway, County Galway from where he emigrated to the United States.
Originally locating in Boston, he worked for various railroads, eventually ending up in Jersey City, New Jersey where he married Mary McKelvey and worked for Lehigh Valley Railroad. In January 1916 he became chief of police for Lehigh Valley Railroad, and then on July 30, 1916 he was killed when Germans saboteurs blew up the railroad's Black Tom railyard where significant amount of armaments intended for the Allies in Europe where being stored.
