Sir Seamus Cornwell of Boston

Sir Seamus Cornwell of Boston (27 June 1877 – 5 July 1938)was a noted American diplomat, explorer, archeologist, soldier, and writer best known for his work on behalf of the American government in the Near East between 1906 and 1932 as well as his role in the defense of Greece during WWII.

Upbringing

Cornwell was born into Boston’s fledgling Irish lower-middle class to parents Padrik and Molly Cornwell. After the death of his father in 1889, the family left Boston for North Dakota, joining Molly’s sister Lizzy working on the Roosevelt ranch in Medora, North Dakota. From a young age Seamus quickly proved adept at riding, cattle driving, and horse breaking. Unfortunately, tragedy struck with Molly falling ill to typhoid and dying March 5, 1892. Roosevelt, taking guardianship of the boy, ensured his employment on the ranch and financial backing for Seamus’s attendance to Northwestern College in Chicago, Illinois.

Education and the Spanish-American War

Seamus graduated suma cum lade from Northwestern after only 3 years with a double major in Classical History and Geography, with intentions to enter Oxford’s Archeological Graduate Program. However, with the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 1898, Seamus accepted Roosevelt’s offer to join the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment (Rough Riders) and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in Troop G. Seamus served with distinction a both the Battle of Las Guasimas and the Battle of San Juan Hill receiving a promotion to Captain, a Silver Star, and a purple heart.

Despite several offers of employment following the dissolution of the Rough Riders, Seamus opted for a position with a British surveying company stating that he desired to see the world he had so long studied only in books. Privately however, he confided in his friends that the loss of his parent as well as several men under his command had soured him and that he craved a fresh start. He returned once more to Medora, North Dakota to visit the grave of his mother before leaving for Europe. Witnesses remark that Lizzy joined Seamus at the grave where they stood for over an hour in silence before Seamus’ departure for New York. Roosevelt is known to have personally accompanied Seamus to the dock to bid in a farewell. Roosevelt would later confide in his wife Edith that it was one of the most difficult farewells of his life. This would mark the last time Seamus would ever see America.

Surveying Work

Seamus rose quickly through the ranks of Rothchild and Sons Surveying while on assignment in India. In his private journal, Mr. Rothchild mentions Seamus as building over the years “a reputation as an exceedingly competent and hard worker possessing a deep humility and keen eye for the land. Expeditions under Seamus’ command led to the mapping of several overland routes into India via the Khyber Pass. Later assignments in Turkey and Egypt would lead Semus to additional acclaim with his discoveries of the lost Sanctuary of Gortium in what is today Turkey and the Temple of Siwa in Egypt in 1905.

In 1907, President Roosevelt enacted a special program to facilitate correspondence between ex-patriot American’s living abroad and the White House in order to ascertain the world situation without the involvement of the US State Department. Despite his disinterest in politics, Seamus agreed to the President’s request for his participation and took a position mapping the dangerous shoals throughout the Eastern Mediterranean Sea with the Greek shipping firm Arete based in Alexandria, Egypt. This position allowed Seamus to travel throughout the Near East and report to Roosevelt on the gathering storm of expansionist intentions of the Ottoman Empire. It was also at this time in which Seamus met Stella Ioanno.

Seamus’ skills quickly brought him to the attention of Kostas Ioanno, owner of Arete Shipping and father of Stella Ioanno. Stella and Seamus first met in 1910 at a ceremony in which he was promoted to Vice-President. Stella would confess later that the moment he asked her to dance following the dinner, she knew she would be with him for the rest of her life. However, Mr. Ioanno, taking notice of Irish-Catholic Seamus’ interest in young Greek Orthodox Stella made sure to assign Seamus to a whirlwind of assignments taking him across the world to South America and New Zealand. Despite Seamus’ protestations, he dutifully accepted such assignment adding a weekly letter to Stella along with his updates for President Roosevlet. He never received a reply from Stella.

The Pacific

Seamus’ assignments led him on several surveying missions throughout the South Pacific between 1910-1912 culminating in his discovery of Easter Island and his publication of a book on the societal implications of the island’s statues. Despite its small circulation, the book was warmly greeted by both archeologists and anthropologists for its scholarly value and technical analysis.

In August of 1912, while surveying off the coast of New Guinnea, Seamus’ ships boiler exploded taking her down in mere minutes. Only Seamus and the ship’s First Mate, Stavros Pappas, survived. Swimming to a nearby island, the two managed to survive off the land for several weeks until rescued by search party.

While recovering in the hospital, Seamus was to learn that the rescue mission had been privately funded by Stella’s mother, Sophia Ioanno who, upon her daughter not receiving Seamus’ weekly letter, knew something was amiss. Delivered to Seamus in his hospital bed was a parcel containing Stella’s letters from the past two years, confiscated by her father yet preserved by Sophia. Attached was a simple note stating, “Come home to her.”

The Courtship of Stella Ioanno

Seamus’ return to Greece was marked by Stella’s extreme happiness yet a solidification of Kostas’ opposition to any possible union. After a public argument over the issue, Seamus resigned from Arete Shipping and moved to Thessaloniki where he began his own shipping business. He remained in the north until Kostas’ death in April of 1914, after which he returned to Athens and with Sophia’s blessing proposed to Stella. The two were united on May 3rd on the island of Santorini. The ceremony was attended by Sophia, Stavros, Stella’s sister Marini, and Roosevelt.

World War I

Shortly following their honeymoon, the archduke Francis Ferdinand was assassinated initiating WWI. Seamus, weary of war, refused to join and evacuated his business from the north to the island of Crete along with Stella who was pregnant at the time. It was on the island that their daughter, Molly Sophia Cornwell was born.

After increased Ottoman naval activity near Crete, including a raid into the young family’s village, Seamus decided it was time to return to America. He made arrangements for the family to move back to the US via his former employer Mr. Rothchild. The family made their way to England boarded the HMS Lusitania on May 1st 1915. Tragically, the ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat shortly into its voyage and Stella was thrown overboard one of the lifeboats crashing down upon the deck struck her. Seamus handing infant Molly off to Sophia, dove in after her but was unable to save her. They were two days short of their first wedding anniversary.

Upon German statements confirming U-20’s actions in the sinking, Seamus sent Sophia and Molly along to live at the Roosevelt estate while Seamus petitioned the Royal Navy for a commission. His initial application was rejected based upon his citizenship. However, following the intervention of Mr. Rothchild, Seamus gained a position as “special advisor” to the Royal Navy and was assigned to the HMS Stonecrop. Seamus served out the war in the Royal Navy’s 476th Task Force hunting U-boats in the North Atlantic. He was officer of the deck during the pursuit and destruction of U-88. For his exemplary service to the British Crown during the war, principally saving the life of Prince George, Duke of Kent, Seamus was Knighted into the Order of the Bath December 17th, 1918.

Later Life

Upon signing of the Versailles Treaty in 1918, Seamus recalled Sophia and Molly from America and resumed residence at the family’s home at Number 8 Makidonio Street in Athens. Seamus took over Arete shipping which boomed under his management until 1933. Upon Molly’s acceptance to Northwestern University, Seamus sold his controlling share of Arete and retired to the island of Santorini where he lived out his days fishing. On the 5th of July, 1938, Seamus took to see in his boat Stella. He was never seen again.