Where's Cornwall?

My father was 100% Cornish-American although his family imigrated 130 years ago. I grew up being quite aware the family was Cornish and even knew the name of the town they came from. So when I was a little girl and was supposed to write a paper in school about a country my family came from, I chose Cornwall! But I couldn't find it on a world map.

I asked my father where it was. He said "Over there NEAR England." I went back to the map and still couldn't find it. I showed him the world map and he looked a little confused himself and then kind of "shined me off." (I don't think he could understand the problem himself. But he wasn't going to admit it. He was, after all, a "stubborn Cornishman.") I wrote about my mother's family.

A little while later, I was reading the encyclopedia and thought to look up Cornwall. Imagine my astonishment to find out it was part of England! I looked on a good map of England and found it. Ahah! I had him! I showed my dad the proof!

"Look, Dad, Cornwall is part of England," I said. He undoubtedly had done a little research himself, as he looked at the map, got a twinkle in the eye, paused and then said, "That may be so, daughter , but I wouldn't try telling that to the relatives...."

Roberta Richards Peeples

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