Born on December 5, 1926, Cornelius had a direct and proud claim to French heritage. His father, Manuel Rouzes, left Rochelle, France, in 1892 and settled in Newfoundland. His wife, Margaret, played accordion. Their son Cornelius fished, logged, worked on the American base in Stephenville, and was an exceptional carpenter. Like his friend, Emile Benoit, Cornelius was in great demand as a singer, storyteller, and fiddler and was sought after by folklorists as a rich source of French Newfoundland culture.  He once performed on the popular NL CBC-TV show All Around the Circle and spoke no English, demonstrating pride in his French heritage. Cornelius passed away on May 31, 1981.

Collector’s Note: The tape recording of my visit with Cornelius reveals very little except the tunes played, and my recollection of that session is limited. I remember there was a lot of family around. I do recall being very impressed by his vigorous playing style and precision. I would like to have spent more time with this excellent fiddler.