2002 Annual Meeting
and Family Reunion

Schedule of Events

Thursday - August 15

  • Welcome - Hospitality Room

Friday - August 16 (8:30am to 6pm)

Saturday -August 17 (8am to 5pm)

  • Drive to Westport Point. Lester Corey joined us. See where early Cory/Corey whaling vessels tied up, walk short section of Main Street to see these early houses, including a Corey house or two. There is a coffee shop here which boasts a unisex rest room and there is a porta-john outside the harbor master's office.

  • Towards Tiverton, RI - Lot 22 of the Pocasset Purchase William purchased in 1680 and left to his sons Thomas and Roger.

  • South to Tiverton Four Corners (Historic District) - Five Cory homes built before the Revolution, including Cory-Hicks-Bordon home purchased by Thomas Cory in 1720, and remained in possession of his descendants until 1900; the home built by his grandson, Philip Cory c1770; and the Chase Cory house (1730) purchased by Andrew Cory in 1816 and occupied by his descendants until 1966 when it was donated to the Tiverton Historical Society. Edna Snell who lived there as a child more than ninety years ago.

  • Cemetery on the land of Captain Philip Cory - where he, his wife and descendants are buried. Contains the oldest gravestone in Tiverton. (We've ordered a new cemetery sign and are hopeful it'll be in and installed.) Westport Pointe, MA - land purchased by William Cory in 1669, which he left to his son, Caleb. Cemetery in Westport Pointe - where Capt Isaac Cory, a grandson of Thomas Cory of Tiverton, and his descendants are buried.

  • Drive further north in Tiverton, see site of first Tiverton land grants of William.

  • Driving tour half mile stroll down. Main Rd. to the tip of the point - During the Revolution Capt. Isaac Cory built his store that would remain active until 1915. This store would be the focal point for his whaling, coastal trading and fishing business. We passed by beautiful old homes, many built soon after the Revolutionary War, including the home of Capt. Isaac still owned by his descendants. Isaac inherited lands in Westport from his father, Philip Cory in 1750, which still remain in the possession of his descendants.

  • Portsmouth, RI -Cory's Lane, Old Cemetery, and Green Animals Topiary Gardens (1880): (We have also ordered a new sign for this cemetery and are hopeful it too will be ready - for us to install.)  William Cory and Ann and John Roome's homestead. William Cory received his eight-acre land grant in 1657. He also inherited the adjoining thirty-eight acre land grants of his step-grandfather and grandmother. Burial site for Samuel Cory (the revolutionary War Patriot). It is thought that William is buried there as well as his wife some years later.

  • Briggs Hill - a site which overlooks much of Wm's Portsmouth lands and was the location of the Corey windmill. And we shall tour the Prescott Farm with its Pilgrim furniture and its windmill.

  • North Kingstown, RI - "Homestead" land purchased by John Cory c1705 son of William Cory of Portsmouth, RI. This land and home was owned by his descendants until 1901. In 1941 the land was made part of the Quonset Naval Air Station. We shall make a brief stop at the approximate site of the John Cory House where I shall explain why we cannot be more precise.

  • Quidnessett Cemetery - Gravestones in the "Homestead Cemetery" were moved to the Quidnessett Cemetery from the John Cory home site when the US Navy acquired the site. The two oldest marked J.C. and E.C. are thought to be those of John Cory and his wife Elizabeth.

Sunday - August 18 (8am to 12noon)

  • Whaling Museum in New Bedford, MA - viewing some papers from collection of Isaac Cory papers. Did you know that New Bedford once was the center of whaling activities in this country? We will hear Mr. Kugler, a former director of the museum, speak on whaling and Cory involvement in early whaling activities.

Business Meeting and Banquet - (12:30pm to 4pm)