Biographical sketch extracted from:
Biographical and historical record of Adams and
Wells counties,
Indiana. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1887. pp. 740-741.
NATHAN CORY, farmer,
Nottingham Township, was born in
Henry County,
Indiana, November 11, 1831, son of Daniel and Mary (Howard) Cory, the former a native of
Ross County,
Ohio, and the latter of Virginia. Joseph Cory was born in Wales, and at an early day came to
America and located in Kentucky. Afterward removed to
Ohio, where he reared his family and died at an advanced age. His son, Nathan Cory, was born June 24, 1776, and married Sarah Wright. Both died near
Frankfort,
Ross County,
Ohio. They had a family of twelve children, of whom Daniel was the eleventh. Daniel Cory was married to Mary Howard in
Ross County, and about 1825 they removed to
Henry County,
Indiana, being early settlers of that county. The father died there in 1873, and the mother in August, 1872. Nathan was reared to farm life in his native county, and was married there, August 14, 1851, to Miss Elizabeth
Hoover, a native of
Bedford County,
Pennsylvania, and daughter of George P. and Barbara
Hoover. Her father was born in
Bedford County, and her mother in
Huntington County, same State. They removed to
Henry County,
Indiana, in 1841, where her father died June 24, 1879, and her mother, June 25, 1878; the former was born June 29, 1810, and the latter, September 1, 1811. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Cory remained in
Henry County until 1855, when they decided to remove to
Kansas. Taking with them what household effects were necessary, they started with wagon and team, camping out at night, and after a journey of four weeks, reached
Jefferson County,
Kansas. The next season they removed to Lyon County, where Mr. Cory had taken up 160 acres of land. This was all wild prairie and the country was new. Indians were far more plenty than stock, and the nearest neighbor was four miles distant. It was 110 miles to a mill, and consequently very little milling was done. Mr. Cory purchased eighty acres of timber, and remained on his land during the exciting scenes of 1856—'57, known as the
Kansas and
Missouri trouble. Then the civil war broke out, with all its horrors, and February 14, 1864, while the family was absent from home, the house was burned and nearly all its contents were consumed by the flames. It was supposed to have been the work of Indians. In 1865 he exchanged his farm for the one he now occupies in
Nottingham Township, and returned to
Henry County. Four years later he came to this county, where he has since resided. Mr. and Mrs. Cory have had nine children, of whom one, Elva L., is deceased. Those living are—John Milton, who resides in
Lane County, Kansas; Mary Samantha, who married George Kirkwood; Joseph Henry, now a resident of Jay County; Barbara Leanna, wife of Amos
McDaniel, residing in
Nottingham Township; Elsie Jane, who married William Barnes and resides in Jay County;
Elza N., Susie E., and Michael Sylvester. Mrs. Cory is a member of the German
Baptist church. In politics Mr. Cory is a Democrat, and has served his township in various capacities. During the time of General Price's raid, Mr. Cory was called out for thirty days service, and with about 30,000 men from
Kansas, they met
Price at Mound City, and took 500 prisoners in a corn-field. When he returned home he was again called out to protect the settlement from the Indians, who had broken in during their absence and had killed fourteen men, women and children, and was out about one week.