Thomas Cornell (settler)

Thomas Cornell (c. 1595 – 1655) was an early English settler in colonial Rhode Island. He is considered one of the founders of Portsmouth, Rhode Island and is an ancestor of many prominent Americans, including Ezra Cornell, founder of Cornell University.

Born in Saffron Walden, Essex, England, Cornell emigrated to New England sometime before 1638. He initially settled in Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony, but later moved to Rhode Island with other followers of Anne Hutchinson. He was one of the original signers of the Portsmouth Compact in 1638, establishing a non-theocratic government on Aquidneck Island (later Rhode Island).

Cornell was a farmer and landowner, acquiring significant property in Portsmouth. His life was marked by some controversy, including accusations (later withdrawn) related to the death of a Native American. He was married to Rebecca Briggs, and they had several children who became prominent figures in Rhode Island society. Thomas Cornell died in 1655 in Portsmouth, leaving a considerable estate to his family.