JONATHAN CORY, farmer and stock-raiser; P. 0. San Jose; was born in Somerset Co., N. J., June 14, 1815; his schooling he got in the district school before he was 14; at the age of 20, he commenced reading law with Cornelius Boice, Esq., a celebrated lawyer in Plainfield, but finished with Lewis C. Grover, Esq., who is now President of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of Newark, N. J. He commenced practice in 1830, in Plainfield, and was elected to the State Legislature in 1846. In 1848, he moved to Newark, and was elected Judge of the County Court in 1852 ; held the office three years. In 1841, he aided in organizing, and was one of the charter members of, Lodge, No. 44. I. 0. 0. F.; he was also a charter member of Jefferson Encampment, and has held all the ordinate and subordinate offices in the subordinate and State offices in the Order in New Jersey; moved to Delavan, Tazewell, Co., Ill., in February, 1856; in 1857, moved to Allen's Grove Township, in Mason Co., where he now resides, and is a charter member of Lodge, No. 380, and of Valley Encampment, No. 120; in San Jose, of I. 0. 0. F.; but he gives his attention mainly to farming. He has never discontinued the practice of the profession he was wedded to in his early manhood. He married Miss Mary Titus Dee. 24, 1836; she was born in Somerset Co., N. J., Oct. 9, 1813. Since he came to Mason Co., he has taken no active part in politics, but has been Supervisor, also Justice of the Peace; he is probably the only man living in the county whose father was actively engaged in the Revolutionary war, and born in the U. S. of America; his father, John Cory, was born in Essex Co., N. J., March 6, 1763, and lived with his uncle, William Wines, who was a General under Gen. George Washington during the whole Revolutionary struggle; he also was a Jerseyman, and lived within two miles of the ever memorable Valley Forge, on Suckasunny Plains in New Jersey. Mr. and Mrs. Cory have four children, viz., Elizabeth, born Feb. 1, 1838; Marietta, Feb. 8, 1840; Phebe Ann, June 25, 1841, and Jane, Jan. 20, 1843. All are married and have families, and live in Mason Co. He owns a good home and fine farm of 210 acres in Allen's Grove Township, in Sec. 1.



Maintained by Mason County Coordinator Donna Mayer