WILSON CORY, Four miles south of the city of Anderson on the Cory gravel road in Anderson Township is located the fine farm of Wilson Cory, one of the best country estates in Madison County, Mr. Cory has one hundred and twenty acres of land, and for many years has been successful as a grower of the various crops and as a stock raiser, The conspicuous feature of his place, which has in fact made it known all over the south side of Madison County is the fine barn, This is not only a structure built and equipped according to the most modern and approved standards of farm-building construction, but attracts attention because of its unusual shape, The Cory barn is built in circular form, and is a notable departure from the usual plan. It is by no means a whim of Mr. Cory that he has built his barn in this manner, since by its form it provides much more space and gives a more effective arrangement than the old rectangular method of construction, Wilson Cory was born in Madison County, March 4, 1842, a son of Abner and Martha (Roberts) Cory. His father was one of the early settlers of the County, having come from North Carolina in 1832, and the land which he entered. in Anderson Township was patented in a document bearing the signature of President Andrew Jackson, The father came from North Carolina to Indiana. Wilson Cory as a boy attended the common schools and spent his vacation times and mornings and evenings at work on the farm, He continued in that way until he was married and then began as a renter on a portion of his father’s land.
On March 2, 1862, Mr. Cory married Karen H. McAllister, a daughter of John and Louisa (Galbraitb) McAllister, John McAllister came from Mason County, ‘Virginia, was a farmer and stock dealer, and lived in Madison County nearly all his life, and was an old-time pioneer, His parents, William and Belana (Connor) McAllister, brought him to Adams Township when he was a child of fourteen years, The father of Mrs. Cory was known throughout this country as “Hog” John McAllister on account of his extensive dealings in hogs, There were ten children in the McAllister family, namely: Karen, the first wife of Wilson Cory; Emily Poindexter; Carshena, deceased; Beltana Manning; Decatur, who had the distinction of being the youngest Mason in Indiana, and is now deceased; William, deceased; Mary E., the present wife of Wilson Cory; Enos, deceased; Walter, deceased; and John, a resident of Omaha, Nebraska, John McAllister and wife were buried twelve miles west of Auburn.
Mr. Wilson Cory by his first marriage was the father of ten children; who are mentioned as follows: Carey B., wife of J. H. Hardy, is the mother of three children, Howard W., Kenneth, and Joseph, Kenneth being deceased; Estella M. is the wife of W. F. Roth, and has three children; Bertha L. is the wife of J. E. Rout, and has three children; John C. married Emma Reed; Martha B., married Mr. Catterson, and has two children named Kenneth and Grace M; Walter A. is the sixth child; Frank, of Los Angeles, is unmarried; Indiana R. is the wife of Mr. Brasket, and has one child, Carmen; Grace is deceased; and Mary K. is the wife of Mr. F. M. Johnson of Portland Oregon.
After the death of his first wife Mr. Wilson Cory married a sister of his previous wife, Mary E. McAllister, The five children of this union are Cecil, Pauline, Russell N., Dollie, and Clarence, the latter two being deceased, Mr. Cory has been affiliated with the Masonic Order since 1866, a member of Ovid Lodge. The family worship in the Christian church, He is an extensive traveler, and during his long and active career has seen much of and enjoyed life in all its phases.
In politics he was formerly a Democrat, but is now a Socialist, and has been for two years. Mrs. Cory was the first to own a red card of the Socialist organization in this County and her daughter Cecil was the first woman Socialist to vote the Socialist ticket in this County.
