Deputy Sheriff of Kalamazoo County, is an influential and popular citizen of Galesburg. He was born in Saratoga County, N. Y., September 6, 1833. His father, Joseph, was a native of Rhode Island, and was engaged in business as a boot and shoe dealer. Coming to Michigan in 1836, he located in Galesburg, where he now resides, at the ripe old age of ninety-two years. He is a man of sterling worth of character, and, notwithstanding his advanced years, is hale and hearty, enjoying the full possession of his mental faculties. The grandfather of our subject, Joseph Cory, was born in Rhode Island, and was a son of one of three brothers, who emigrated from England and settled in Rhode Island. He was for many years a sea captain, and made frequent voyages to Africa, but when his children began to grow up around llim, he ceased his marine occupation, and, going to New York, engaged in agricultural pursuits. The mother of our subject was known in maidenhood as Gracie Whitney, and was born in Rhode Island, but was married in Saratoga County, N. Y. She died in Michigan when about fifty-four years old. The family to which our subject belongs consisted of nine children, of whom three sons and four daughters grew to maturity. Two sons and two daughters now survive, namely: Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, of Des Moines, Iowa; Lucinda, wife of Dr. W. A. Burdick, of Galesburg; Truman, a resident of Linn, Mo.; and Charles J., of this sketch. The last-named was three years old when he was brought by his parents to Kalamazoo County, and his schooling was obtained in Comstock Township. At the age of sixteen years, our subject began working for a railroad company, and later worked at carpentry in Galesburg for six months. Afterward he was employed in the car shops at Princeton, Ill., where he learned the business of car building, and remained eighteen months. Returning to Galesburg, he built a house, and had it paid for before he was twenty-one years old. One year later, he went to Houston, Tex., where he engaged with the Texas & New Orleans Railroad Company in car building, and worked for ten months in that capacity. He was then put in charge of the bridge-building and car-building department, and continued in that way until the late war broke out. Returning to his old home, in June, 1861, Mr. Cory then went to Montana, where, at that time, only two or three hundred people lived. He proceeded up the Missouri River as far as Ft. Benton, and thence journeyed overland to the vicinity of Helena. For two years he engaged in mining with some success, and, once more returning to Galesburg, went from there to Rochester, N. Y., where he enlisted in the Ninety-fourth New York Infantry, but was discharged on account of the close of the war. In the spring of 1866, Mr. Cory returned to Helena, Mont., where he engaged in putting up quartz mills. In 1868, he went to Ft. Shaw, and built the first bridge on the Sun River, going from Ft. Benton to White Pine, Nev., on horseback, a distance of one thousand three hundred miles. At White Pine he took the stage to Elko, Nev., and from there came by cars to Chicago. He remained about one year in Michigan, then, in 1870, once more proceeded to Helena, Mont., where he remained fourteen months. Afterward he engaged in business in Detroit for two years, and in 1874, proceeded to the Black Hills, where Deadwood now stands, then containing one solitary log house, and remained three months. His next place of operations was Virginia City, Nev., thence, one year later, to Mono County, Cal., and from there returned to Virginia City, where he had left his little girl, only one year old, whose mother had died in that city. In 1879, Mr. Cory made another trip West, going to Denver, then to Leadville, where he worked at the carpenter's trade seven months, and engaged in business about three years. Since his return to Galesburg, he has been looking after his extensive moneyed and real-estate interests, which occupy his attention closely. He was married in Denver, in 1870, to Lucia Robertson, who died in Virginia City, in 1871, leaving a daughter, Lulo, who resides with her father. Politically, Mr. Cory is a Democrat, and has served in various official positions, among them Trustee of the Village and Deputy Sheriff.
Portrait and Biographical Record of Kalamazoo, Allegan and Van Buren Counties, Michigan, Chapman Brothers. Chicago: Chapman brothers, 1892.