Thomas Cornell arrived at Rondout in 1837 and started a shipping company with his sloop.

Cornell also transported wood, stone, plaster, tanning bark, animal hides, millstones, glass, charcoal, lead, and stoneware.

Cornell Steamboat Company also operated a fleet of river tugboats.

[11] Cornell built and ran railroad lines on both sides of the Hudson River, including the Kingston City trolley system.

[14] In 1958, Cornell closed and sold its boats to New York Trap Rock Corporation.

Some of the tugs operated by Cornell were: Knickerbocker, Mohawk, Rockland County,[15]Belle,[16] C.W.

[21] The Hudson River Maritime Museum houses many the Cornell Steamboat Company historical records.