Cornelia Brown was born in 1816 in Middlefield, Otsego County, New York. 

She married John C Beebe of Red Rock on July 21, 1833, at the age of 17. Cornelia, fondly called Delia by her family, was 13 years his junior when they married. Middlefield is 100 miles from Red Rock, it is unknown as to why she traveled so far to marry. 

The couple settled initially in Red Rock, which is part of Chatham, and then in nearby Austerlitz to begin their family, as documented in census records. They would have a wonderful and amazing 52 years of marriage producing 12 known children. 

Together they nurtured a brood of 12 children: Lorenzo, Jeremiah, Paulina, Lydia, Rachel Ann, Laura, Elizabeth, Gilbert, James, Mary, and John F., all born between 1834 and 1860.

From 1855 to 1857, they resettled in Monterey, MA, where they either owned or worked on a farm. The 1855 census records both John C. and their eldest son still at home, Jeremiah, age 19, engaging in farm work, while the oldest boy Lorenzo, at age 21, had ventured out on his own. Cecelia and other children are also shown on this census.

Children number 10 and 11, James and Mary, were born in Monterey, while the rest of the siblings were born in Austerlitz. The family's progress is chronicled through successive US census reports, indicating their eventual ownership of a large farm in Austerlitz.

In the Austerlitz, NY 1880 census, there were many details about John, and Cornelia's 35-acre farm. At the time, it was worth $1,000.00. They had one horse, two milking cows, two calves, two pigs, nine chickens, and two ducks, amounting to $150 in worth.

The livestock, from the chickens that laid 200 eggs to the 300 pounds of butter churned by Cornelia, spoke volumes about the self-sufficiency and abundance nurtured within the Beebe homestead.

They had 0.5 acres of Irish potatoes which yielded a robust 50 bushels, while an additional acre nurtured the growth of apples. This diversified the farm's offerings and ensured a varied diet for the household. 

Cecelia died Aug. 26, 1894, nine years after her husband John, at the age of 78. 

The Beebe family's dedication to farming is evident in census records and accounts of their life. In the 1880 census, their 35-acre farm in Austerlitz was valued at $1,000.00. They maintained various livestock, including horses, cows, pigs, chickens, and ducks. Cornelia herself contributed to the farm's productivity, churning 300 pounds of butter and tending to the chickens that produced 200 eggs.

Their farm also boasted a diverse range of crops, with half an acre dedicated to Irish potatoes yielding an impressive 50 bushels. Another acre was devoted to apple trees, ensuring a varied diet for the family and a degree of self-sufficiency.

Cornelia's passing on August 26, 1894, at the age of 78, marked the end of an era for the Beebe family. Her legacy of hard work, dedication, and self-sufficiency lives on through the generations, a testament to the enduring spirit of pioneers like herself.