The original letter was written by Mrs Mary St. John. On May 5th, 1967 Elmer M. Cory of 6234 Graceland
Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio had an exact copy of this letter notarized by Thomas E. Fouch notary public in the state of Ohio.
This is what the letter said.
The Cory bell was bought by Elnathan Cory my grandfather in the second year of the Revolutionary
War in which he served for seven years.
His neighbor and he were going home from a battle when they heard this bell and they talked
about it and decided to follow the sound until they would find it. They thought of turning back several times but pressed
on and at last were rewarded by finding a large ox lying down chewing his (cud). They then went to the cabin near by and asked
the man if he owned it and if he would sell the bell? He said he would and that he would take a dollar for each mile they
had traveled. My Grandfather said he did not know how many miles they came. The man said, “You are soldiers from the
field and it is just four miles to the battle field so you may have the bell for 4 dollars”, so each man gave 2 dollars. When the man that sold it said, “Now when you get home who will it belong to?”
He suggested that they draw cuts for it and the man that gets it can pay the other when convenient. My Grandfather and his
neighbor agreed to this. The man took two splints from a broom. When they had drawn found the bell had fallen to my Grandfather
and when he died left it to my brother Cory. He left it to his son Cory. Now it has been in three generations.
It can only go to those named Corey or to Corey Elnathan. My mother Matilda McCown looked
after it while she lived.
I now have the care and appreciate it as so much gold and I hope and pray that the hand it
falls in when I am gone will take care of it and pass it on to the next Corey as that was my Grandfather’s request.
Mrs. Mary St. John
East Palestine,
Ohio
Please contact us if you have any information that you would like to share.
wpacory@yahoo.com
|