Prior to statehood, Cornish was a community in Pickens County of the Chickasaw Nation. It was named for John E. Cornish, a local resident and cattle rancher. A post office opened in Cornish in 1901. M. E. "Mose" Harris founded the Cornish Orphans Home and began construction in 1907. The home would continue this work for the next forty years. The Healdton Oilfield was discovered in August 1910 about northeast of Cornish. The town of Ringling was founded in June 1914. near the discovery and on the Oklahoma, New Mexico and Pacific Railway. Many Cornish businessmen and other resident moved to Ringling, and Cornish dwindled away.
As of the census of 2000, there were 172 people, 66 households, and 48 families residing in the town. The population density was 292.0 people per square mile. There were 75 housing units at an average density of 127.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 69.77% White, 6.40% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 10.47% from other races, and 12.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.95% of the population. There were 66 households, out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% were married couplesliving together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.10. In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.2% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males. The median income for a household in the town was $16,000, and the median income for a family was $18,750. Males had a median income of $16,750 versus $18,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $8,981. About 26.9% of families and 27.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.7% of those under the age of eighteen and 56.0% of those 65 or over.
