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Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott
for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/
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Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott
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History of North Carolina, Vol. IV
by Special Staff of Writers
Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago & New York - 1919

         [pg 139]
         
         JOSEPH J. KÖRNER is a carpenter and contractor and
       resident of Kernersville in Forsyth County. His family
       have many interesting associations with that locality.
         It is said that KING CHARLES the FIRST divided the
       province of North Carolina into eight districts, grant-
       ing each of them to a personal friend. One of these
       grantees was LORD GRANVILLE. His district included many
       thousands of acres, part of which was the present site
       of Kernersville, North Carolina. The tradition is that
       a man named CALEB STORY, and Irishman, bought 400 acres,
       including the town site, and paid four gallons of rum
       for the land. He held it only a short time, then sold
       to NATHANIEL SHOBER, of Salem, North Carolina, and the
       latter passed it on to WILLIAM DOBSON, and for a time
       the place was known as Dobson's Corners. DOBSON sold
       to JOSEPH KÖRNER, grandfather of JOSEPH J. KÖRNER, Dur-
       ing his ownership the locality became known as KÖRNER'S
       Corners or Cross Roads.
         This JOSEPH KÖRNER was born in the Black Forest of
       Germany March 13, 1763, a son of PETER and a grandson
       of JACOBUS KÖRNER. JOSEPH KÖRNER learned the trade of
       clock maker and in 1783, came to America, working at
       his trade a short time in New York and Philadelphia and
       the coming South into North Carolina selling clocks. He
       located at Friedland (a Moravian church), which was his
       home until 1817, when he bought the 400 acres above 
       noted, including the site of Kernersville. His house was
       on the main road from Salem to Greensborough. That house
       he used as a tavern for a number of years. He was a very
       successful man in a business way and acquired other lands
       until his ownership extended to 1,100 acres. He died in
       1830. This pioneer married CHRISTINA COSTNER, who was
       born at Friedland. They reared three children: JOHN F.,
       PHILLIP and SARAH. JOHN inherited that part of his
       father's estate lying west of the Salem Road. PHILLIP
       acquired that portion lying between the Greensborough
       and Danville Road, while SARAH, who married APOLLOS
       HARMAN of Connecticut had all the land between the
       Greensborough and Salem Road.
         PHILLIP KÖRNER, father of JOSEPH J., was born at
       Friedland in 1805. He sold his inheritance to WILLIAM
       PENN HENLEY, of Lexington, North Carolina, who in turn
       sold to LEVI BODENHAMER, the latter sold to Dr. J. B.
       SAPP, who left the place to his son, CAREY SAPP, and
       the latter in turn sold to DAVID BODENHAMER, the pre-
       sent owner.
         PHILLIP KÖRNER sold his part of the ancestral domain
       in 1848 and then bought a farm two miles to the west.
       There he engaged in farming until his death in 1875.
       His wife was JUDITH GARDNER, a native of Kernersville.
       Her father, WILLIAM GARDNER, was a native of Nantucket,
       Massachusetts, but came to North Carolina when a young
       man and located in what is now Forsyth County, where
       the rest of his days were spent. WILLIAM GARDNER mar-
       ried ABIGAIL WEISNER, a native of Forsyth County.
       JUDTH GARDNER KÖRNER died in 1853, and PHILLIP KÖRNER
       subsequently married SALLY GIBBONS, who is still liv-
       ing at the age of ninety-one. By his first wife he
       had the following children: FLORINA, ELIZA, ANTOINETTE
       MARIE, WILLIAM GASTON, SALLY HARMON, JOSEPH JOHN,
       MEDORA CORNELIA and J. GILMER. By the second marriage
       there were two children, HENRY C. and CONSIN.
         JOSEPH J. KÖRNER was a native of Kernersville, grew
       up and attended the high school there and subsequently
       took a course in the Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio.
       When a young man he learned the trade of carpenter
       and now for many years has been a successful building
       contractor. He has not only built but has sold many
       residences in his section of the state.
         MR. KÖRNER married VIRGINIA ELIZABETH DOGGETT, a
       native of Guilford County, North Carolina. Her parents
       were JAMES DOGGETT, of English ancestry, and MARY ANN
       (LAMBETH) DOGGETT. Her mother was the daughter of Rev.
       JOHN and MILDRED (FLACK) LAMBETH, of Virginia. Mr.
       and Mrs. KÖRNER have three children: CULLEN LEGGETT,
       RUSSELL DeLESSEP and ESTELLE GERTRUDE. CULLEN is a
       traveling salesman but is now in the navy at Newport,
       Rhode Island. ESTELLE GERTRUDE is a graduate of
       Guilford College and is now principal of the school
       at Guthrie. MR. KÖRNER was reared in and has always
       held to the faith of the Moravian Church. He is a 
       well known citizen as well as business man, and
       formerly served as county treasurer of Forsyth
       County.
       
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