William B. Cornwell
| William B. Cornwell | |
|---|---|
Portrait of William B. Cornwell as a young lawyer, prior to 1897.
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| Prosecuting Attorney for Hampshire County | |
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In office 1892–1900 |
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| Preceded by | Robert W. Dailey, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Joshua Soule Zimmerman |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
November 25, 1864 Hampshire County, West Virginia, United States |
| Died | April 8, 1926 (aged 61) Romney, West Virginia, United States |
| Resting place | Indian Mound Cemetery, Romney, West Virginia, United States |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) | Nannie V. Dellinger Sophie H. Colston |
| Relations | Jacob H. Cornwell (father) Mary Eleanor Taylor (mother) John J. Cornwell (brother) Marshall S. Cornwell (brother) Stephen Ailes (great-nephew) |
| Alma mater | West Virginia University College of Law |
| Profession | lawyer, businessperson, newspaper editor and publisher, and railroad and timber executive |
William Benjamin Cornwell (November 25, 1864 – April 8, 1926) was an American lawyer, businessperson, newspaper editor and publisher, and railroad and timber executive in the U.S. state of West Virginia. He was an older brother of writer and newspaper publisher Marshall S. Cornwell (1871–1898) and of West Virginia Governor John J. Cornwell (1867–1953).
Cornwell studied jurisprudence at the West Virginia University College of Law, and afterward began practicing law in Romney. In 1890, he and his brother, John J. Cornwell, purchased The Review and South Branch Intelligencer newspapers. Following their acquisition of the South Branch Intelligencer, they renamed the newspaper Hampshire Review. In 1900, Cornwell sold his ownership in the Hampshire Review to his brother John. While he owned the newspaper, Cornwell served as the Prosecuting Attorney for Hampshire County (1892–1900). In addition to serving as Prosecuting Attorney, he served as the Commissioner of School Lands for Hampshire County in 1900. In 1902, he relocated to Fairmont, where he engaged in the practice of law until 1910.
He and his brother, John were and shareholders of the South Branch Boom and Lumber Company following its incorporation in 1901. They were also corporators and shareholders of the Potomac White Sand Company of Green Spring following its incorporation in 1902. Cornwell served as the president of the Hampshire Southern Railroad which was constructed under his leadership, beginning in June 1909, and he continued to operate it until 1911 when it was purchased by the Moorefield and Virginia Railroad Company.
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