He was killed in a duel. 1) "14. Benjamin Cornelius was born 09 FEB 1802 in Christian County, Kentucky, USA, and died Living. He was buried in Harrisburg Cemetery, Hillsboro, Washington County, Oregon, USA. He was the son of 28. Jesse Cornelius and 29. Fanny Unknown. 15. Elizabeth Adams was born 27 JUL 1811 in Christian County, Kentucky, USA, and died 13 JUN 1880 in Cornelius Plains, Washington County, Oregon, USA. She was the daughter of 30. Thomas Adams and 31. Mary Davis. Children of Elizabeth Adams and Benjamin Cornelius are: [...] Benjamin Cornelius Jr. was born 07 JAN 1832 in Howard County, Missouri, USA, and died 05 JUL 1881 in Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, USA. He married Rachel Ann McKinney 15 JUL 1851 in Hillsboro, Washington County, Oregon, USA. She was born 10 JUN 1834, and died 22 FEB 1918." Source: http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=AHN&db=hightower&id=I5462 2) "On July 4, 1881 John Powers, the ex-son-in-law of Benjamin Cornelius was involved in a pistol duel with Cornelius on the waterfront in Portland. Both Cornelius and Powers resided in Washington County at that time. It was a big story in the Oregonian. Powers was convicted and sentenced to die for Cornelius' death, but family lore says he was pardoned and exiled to Alaska. I have been unable to find any info about that. His ex wife, Sarah Cornelius later married David Van Horn and died in Portland around 1929. She and John Powers had two daughters, Rachel and Minnie." Source: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/CORNELIUS/2004-02/1077658407