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Cornelia was the second of six children born to a prominent couple, future General James Samuel Wadsworth, Sr. (1807–1864), and the former Mary Craig Wharton (1811–1872). Though she was born in [[Philadelphia]],[[ Pennsylvania]], the Wadsworth family lived at the Hartford House estate in the village of Geneseo in Livingston County in western [[New York]].<ref name=JA>{{cite web|url=http://www.ranches.org/JAranch.htm|title=JARanch|publisher=Ranches.org|accessdate=February 26, 2020}}</ref>​

Cornelia was the second of six children born to a prominent couple, future General James Samuel Wadsworth, Sr. (1807–1864), and the former Mary Craig Wharton (1811–1872). Though she was born in [[Philadelphia]],[[ Pennsylvania]], the Wadsworth family lived at the Hartford House estate in the village of Geneseo in Livingston County in western [[New York]].<ref name=JA>{{cite web|url=http://www.ranches.org/JAranch.htm|title=JARanch|publisher=Ranches.org|accessdate=February 26, 2020}}</ref>​

 

In 1855, the Wadsworths travelled to [[England]] and [[France]] on a two-year sojourn. On their return, Cornelia married Montgomery Harrison Ritchie of [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], a descendant of [[Federalist Party]] leader Harrison Gray Otis (1765–1848). The Ritchies had two sons, Arthur (who died in childhood) and Montgomery Harrison "Jack" Ritchie (1861–1924), who outlived his mother by only three years.<ref name=PPHM>JA Ranch exhibit, Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum,  Canyon, Texas.</ref>​

In 1855, the Wadsworths travelled to [[England]] and [[France]] on a two-year sojourn. On their return, Cornelia married Montgomery Harrison Ritchie of [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], a descendant of [[Federalist Party]] leader Harrison Gray Otis (1765–1848). The Ritchies had two sons, Arthur (who died in childhood) and Montgomery Harrison "Jack" Ritchie (1861–1924), who outlived his mother by only three years.<ref name=PPHM>JA Ranch exhibit, Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum,  Canyon, Texas.</ref>​

 

The senior Montgomery Ritchie fought in [[North Carolina]] in 1862 in the [[American Civil War]] under Union Army [[General]] [[Ambrose Burnside]]. In 1864, he entered a battlefield to retrieve his father-in-law, General Wadsworth, who was mortally wounded in the head in the [[Battle of the Wilderness]] in [[Virginia]]. Ritchie brought Wadsworth's body to Geneseo for burial. Not long afterwards, Ritchie himself died of an illness contracted in battle and was also interred in Geneseo.<ref name=PPHM/>​

The senior Montgomery Ritchie fought in [[North Carolina]] in 1862 in the [[American Civil War]] under Union Army [[General]] [[Ambrose Burnside]]. In 1864, he entered a battlefield to retrieve his father-in-law, General Wadsworth, who was mortally wounded in the head in the [[Battle of the Wilderness]] in [[Virginia]]. Ritchie brought Wadsworth's body to Geneseo for burial. Not long afterwards, Ritchie himself died of an illness contracted in battle and was also interred in Geneseo.<ref name=PPHM/>​

 

==Marriage to John George Adair==​

==Marriage to John George Adair==​

Widowed with her two young sons, Cornelia decided to have the children educated in [[Paris]], France. On returning to the United States, she attended a [[Republican Party|Republican]] political reception in New York.<ref name=hbook>{{cite web|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fad02|title=Adair, Cornelia Wadsworth|publisher=The Handbook of Texas on-line|author=Nancy Baker Jones|accessdate=February 26, 2020}}</ref> The Ritchie family was staunchly Republican from 1854, when the party was established. At the gathering, she first met [[John George Adair]], a [[Scotland|Scottish]]-Irish [[business]]man and [[landowner]] from County Donegal, Ireland. The two married in 1869 and lived in Ireland, in Great Britain, and in [[New York City]], where Adair, also known as "Jack Adair," opened a [[brokerage]] house.<ref name=PPHM/>​

Widowed with her two young sons, Cornelia decided to have the children educated in [[Paris]], France. On returning to the United States, she attended a [[Republican Party|Republican]] political reception in New York.<ref name=hbook>{{cite web|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fad02|title=Adair, Cornelia Wadsworth|publisher=The Handbook of Texas on-line|author=Nancy Baker Jones|accessdate=February 26, 2020}}</ref> The Ritchie family was staunchly Republican from 1854, when the party was established. At the gathering, she first met [[John George Adair]], a [[Scotland|Scottish]]-Irish [[business]]man and [[landowner]] from County Donegal, Ireland. The two married in 1869 and lived in Ireland, in Great Britain, and in [[New York City]], where Adair, also known as "Jack Adair," opened a brokerage house.<ref name=PPHM/>​

 

Adair disliked living in New York City and wished to see the American West. For a time he established his brokerage firm in [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]. In 1874, the Adairs joined a bison hunt along the South Platte River in [[Nebraska]] and northeastern Colorado. Cornelia's brother had served as an aide to General [[Philip H. Sheridan]], and, according to Nancy Baker Jones in ''The Handbook of Texas'', Cornelia may have used Sheridan's influence to obtain a military escort under Colonel Richard Irving Dodge to accompany the party, which departed from Sidney in Cheyenne County, [[Nebraska]]. Cornelia kept a diary (published 1918) of the two-month journey, which included details of a meeting near the South Platte of cavalry officers and Oglala Sioux [[Native Americans|Indians]].<ref name=hbook/>​

Adair disliked living in New York City and wished to see the American West. For a time he established his brokerage firm in [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]. In 1874, the Adairs joined a bison hunt along the South Platte River in [[Nebraska]] and northeastern Colorado. Cornelia's brother had served as an aide to General [[Philip H. Sheridan]], and, according to Nancy Baker Jones in ''The Handbook of Texas'', Cornelia may have used Sheridan's influence to obtain a military escort under Colonel Richard Irving Dodge to accompany the party, which departed from Sidney in Cheyenne County, [[Nebraska]]. Cornelia kept a diary (published 1918) of the two-month journey, which included details of a meeting near the South Platte of cavalry officers and Oglala Sioux [[Native Americans|Indians]].<ref name=hbook/>​