Fourth Generation

67. Griffin Cory^1,7 was born on 15 Jan 1726/27 in Stamford, Fairfield Co, CT. He was born on 15 Jan 1727/28 in Stamford, Conn.. He signed a will on 19 Aug 1780 in probated 1 december, 1780. He died in Oct 1780 in Hempstead, Westchester Co, NY. BIOGRAPHY
In the surrogate court office in New York City is a will made by Griffin Cory, dated 19 August 1780, proved 1 December 1780. Which provides in part as follows: I, Griffin Cory of Hemstead, Queens Co NY give to my wife Sarah 120 pounds out of my estate in Courtland Manor Weschester Co., New York and all my movable Estate in Hemstead. To My Daughters Hannah and Elizabeth each 20 pounds. All the residue of my estate to be equally divided between my Eight sons, Thomas, John, Gilbert, Amos, Sylvans, Griffin, Lewis and Morris. Griffin was a Loyalist and favored the British side. Although he was too old to fight, two of his sons joined the New York Volunteers, a Loyalist regiment. He was confined to a prison ship for several months because he refused to take the oath of allegiance. He finally took the oath and was released in June 1777, but in February 1778 he sought refuge with the British on Long Island. The family was stripped of all holdings leaving them destitute. They were at the mercy of the British at that time. Around 1779 it was written by a British soldier on the
miserable condition of the Cory Family. Eventually Sarah was awarded 686 pounds sterling for the loss of her New York property which was about one fourth of her claim. She and her children did receive grants of land in or near Gagetown in Queens County, New Brunswick, Canada, where she died.

(From the Corey/Cory Families of New Brunswick, Canada, by Stanley Corey)
Griffin and Sarah Cory and some of their descendants. Griffin Cory was born to Thomas Cory, who was probably living st that time in Stamford Conn. If the account Harry Harmon Cory in the Cory Family is correct, Griffin was the eighth child, the son of Thomas's first wife, Miriam. Griffin lived from at least 1760-1778 at Cortlandt Manor, Westchester County, New York. According to one family accout, the eldest son, Thomas was born in Dutchess County, so Griffin and Sarah my have lived there for a time. That they were probably in Corlandt Manor by 1760 is evidenced by the fact that Griffin's name was on the colonial muster roll for Westchester County for that year. Sarah's maiden name is not known, nor the place where they were married, but from the frequent appearance of the name Smith as a middle name among Griffin's descendants, it is a reasonable inference that her name was Smith. By the time of the Revolution, Griffin was a prosperous farmer, owning several hundred acres of land plus considerable personnal property. Since he favoured the British side and, although too old to fight himself, two sons joined the New York Volunteers, a loyalist regiment, his property was eventually seized. He was confined in a prison ship, in the Esopus, for several months because be refused to take the oath of alligence, and because "when he lately went down to the enemies' lines by permission of General McDougall he took his wife with him as far as Kinsbridge without permission." Upon taking the oath of allegiance he was released in June 1777, but in February 1778 he sought refuge with the British on Long Island. In a memorial of 1787 Sarah said that her husband suffered greatly from imprisoment and abuse, and that at last he was obliged to quit his home and go within the British lines. Shortly after Griffin fled, the Americans took posession of his property. They first sold the movables at auction, giving Sarah a little of the proceeds. She and the children were permitted to remain in one room of the house for a while, but about October 1778 they were sent to join Griffin on Long Island. In a memorial of 1786 Sarah stated that she and seven children were sent to him "destitute and stripped of all their property." To add to their misfortunes Griffin fell sick and was unable to support the family, several of them were also sick. One of the British officials, in making a list of those who need support, commented in 1779 on the wretched condition of Griffin's family and upon the fact that two sons were in the New York Volunteers. Griffin died at Hempstead, Long Island, in the latter part of the year 1780. His will, dated 19 August 1780, was probated 1 December 1780, so he must have died between those two dates. Shortly afterwards Sarah and the children were assigned two rooms and forty acres in Kings County, Long Island. In 1783 Sarah and the children were evacuated to St. John, New Brunswick Canada, and then up the river to Gagetown where they settled. In the list of loyalists embarked there is under the name of Sarah Core this information: one woman: five children over ten: none under ten (thought other information indicates that one child could have been no more than eight years of age): two servants: total of eight: widow from Long Island. Her son, Gilbert Corey, is listed by himself as a farmer from Long Island. The number of children given here as five does not check with the number of seven who went with Sarah to Long Island in 1778. Possibly Gilbert had been considered as a child by her then: perhaps Amos, who was dead by 1786, died on Long Island before 1783 or perhaps one or both daughters had married during the five years. The British government finally awarded Sarah 686 pounds sterling as compensation for the loss of the New York property, which was about one fourth of her claim. She and some of the children also recieved grants of land in or near Gagetown in Queens County. Considerable information about the family was found in the memorials Sarah and others of the family wrote to the government in Fredericton usually about land matters: in the records of the Angican church at Gagetown: and in deeds and in Sarah's will recorded at Gagetown. Her will was dated 11 Gebruary 1815, and the executor was sworn 14 December 1816. Some of the loyalists brought slaves with them, and it seems that Sarah has one since her will contained the provision: "I give and direct my servant Dorothy, with all her children to be free from slavery with her bed and bedding and wearing clothing without any demand of my children".
GRIFFIN CORY'S WILL AS SUPPLIED BY STANLEY COREY OF GREEN VALLEY, ARIZONA. In the name of God, amen, I griffin Cory of Hempsted in Queens County and Province of New York, being weak of Body but of a sound mind and memory blessed be God therefor, and calling to mind the uncertainty of this Transitory life, and knowing it is appointed for all men Once to Die I do make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament that is to say Principally and first of all I give and Recommend my Soul to God that gave it and as for my Body I Recommend it to the Earth to be Buried in a Christian like and decent maner at the Discrestion of my Executors herafter named and as touching my worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with in and maner. Impremit, it is my will and I do hereby order that in the first place that all my Last Debts be paid and Satisdied. Item I give and bequeath and devise unto my well beloved wife Sarah one hundred and Twenty pounds Currant Lawfull Money of New York to be Raised and leavied out of my said Estate lying and being on Cortlandts Manor in Westchester county and Province of New York. Item I Will and bequeath all my moveable Estate and every other Individual I now have in the Township of Hempstead in Queens County to my well beloved Wife Sarah. Item I Will and bequeath and Devise unto my two daughters Hannah and Elizabeth twenty pounds a peace to be Raised and leavied out of my said Estate. Item I give bequeath and Devise unto my Eldest Son Thomas Cory twenty pounds to be Raised and Leavied out of my said Estate, and all the Remainde of my said Estate I hereby Order and Devise to be equally Devided between my Eight Sons namely Thomas, John, Gilbert, Amose, Sivenus, Griffin, Lewis, Morris. At the Descression of my Executors and the last mentioned Equal Division not to be made untill this present war between Briton and the Americans be settled and after such settlement it my will and do order my Executors to make the best of my Estate and pay out the Legatees when they come to the full age of Twenty years and if one or more should happen to Decease before they should arrive to the years of Twenty one, then there parts to be equally Devided amoungst the survivers the, and do hereby constitute nominate and appoint my well beloved wife Sarah and my tow Eldest Sons Thomas and John Cory the only and sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament and do hereby Revoke and make void all and every other Will Testaments. Executors and Legasies by me heretofore make and named Raltfieing alowing and holding this to hold and contain my last Will and Testament, in Testimony when of I have hereunto set my hand and fixed my seal this nineteenth day of August in the year of Our Lord One thousand seven hundred and Eighty---Griffin cory (LS) Signed Sealed published Pronounced and Declared by the said Griffin Cory as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us the subscribers.---The words (and twenty) was interlined between the ninth and tenth lines of this Testament, before the signing and Sealing of these presents---Joseph Place, John Place X his mark, Rot Dingee---Province of New York Queens County }LS. Be it Remembered that on the first day of December John J. Troup Surrangate of the siad county, Joseph Place and robert Dingee both of the said County Yeomen. I being duly sworn on their Oaths declard that they and each of them did see Griffin Cory sign and Seal the Within written Instrument purporting to be the Will of the said Griffin Cory, bearing date the Nineteenth day of august One thousand Seven hundred and Eighty, and heard him publish and declare the same as and for his last Will and testament:
That at the time thereof he the said Griffin Cory was of sound disposing mind and memory to the best of their Knowledge and Belief of them the Deponants: and that thei names subscribed to the said Will, are of their respective proer hands writing which they subscribed as Witnesses to the said Will in the Testators Presence.---John J. Troup Surragate. VERIFICATION STAMP Original admitted to probate December 1, 1781---a true copy Robert M. Reared Clerk of the Surrogate' Court certified July 15, 1982

Griffin Cory and Sarah Smith? were married in 1751 in Duchess Co, NY. Sarah Smith?^1,7 was born in Feb 1727. She died in 1786 in Gagetown, Queens Co, NB, CND.

(The following is taken from a copy of Sarah's will and is transcibed as originally written). The Will of Sarah Cory of Gagetown, New Brunswick dated 11 February 1815. In the name of god, amen. I Sarah Cory of Gage Town, Queens County and Province of New Brunswick, widdow being far advanced in years but in perfect mind and memory thanks be to God, calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all people to die, do make and ordain this my last Will and testament. That is to say first of all I give and recomment my soul into the hand of Almight God that gave it, and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a Christian burial at the direction of my executors nothing doublting at the last general Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God. And as touching such worldly estate as hath pleased God to bless me with I give depose of in the following manner and form: that is to say I first give and bequeath unto my son Griffin and daughter Hannah to them their hearis and assigns my lot of land on Grimross Neck known by lot number sixteen fronting the River Saint John: secondely I give and bequeath unto my eldest son Thomas Cory the sum of fifty pouns to him his heirs and assigns, and unto Elizabeth Story the sun of forty pouns to her heirs and assigns to be paid in the manner herafter mentioned: thirdly I give and bequeath unto my son Morris Cory my lot of land or farm in Gage Town to him his heirs and assigns with paying the sums of money above mentioned unto my son and daughter Thomas and Elizabeth: and I give unto my son Gilbert and my son Morris each of them one bed apeice, and I give unto daughter Hannah all my eaiting apparil. Fourthly I give and direct my servant girl, Dorithy, with all her children to be free from slavery with her bed and beding and wairing clothing without any demands of my children above mentioned: and lastly I appoint, ordain and constitute my sons Griffin and Morris Cory to be my executors: in testamony whereof I have herunto set my hand and fixed my seal this elleventh day of february one thousand eight hundred and fifteen, and in the fifty fourth year of his Magesty's Reign. Signed sealed and delivered, Sarah Cory in the presence of Sam'l R. Clarke, Nathaniel Vail, Edward S Cory. Her (x) mark. Know ye, that at Gage Town in Queens county, on the fourteenth day of December in the year of our Lord on thousand eight hundred and sexteen before Nathaiel Hubbard DeVeber, Esquire...the last will and testament of Sarah Cory, deceased, was proved and is nor approved....... Griffin Cory and Sarah Smith? had the following children:

+164	i.	Thomas Cory.
165	ii.	John Cory1,7 was born in Sep 1753 in Dutchess Co, NY. He was born in 1755. He died in 1778 in CT. He died about 1780. Enlisted in the New York Volunteers as did Thomas; died in battle in South Carolina; no issue. Two rank and file died in this battle in 1780.
+166	iii.	Hannah Cory.
+167	iv.	Amos Cory.
+168	v.	Gilbert Cory.
169	vi.	Amos Cory7 was born in 1763. Died without issue, probably in New Brunswick but possibly on Long Island. Not mentioned in his Mother's claim for compensation of losses.
+170	vii.	Silvanus Cory.
+171	viii.	Elizabeth Cory.
+172	ix.	Griffin Cory.
173	x.	Lewis Cory1,7 was born in Sep 1763 in Dutchess Co, NY. He was born in 1772 in Long Island, NY. He died before 1814 in New Brunswick. He died in 1818 in Gagetown, Queens Co, NB, CND. Probably never married, no issue known. Deeds show he was living in 1797 but dead by 16-Aug-1814. On that date Thomas sold the claim to the property of his decreased brother Lewis.
+174	xi.	Morris Cory.