BENJAMIN CORY, M D
The Pioneer, published San Jose, California, Saturday, January 28, 1882
Surnames: Cory, Braly
contributed by jchavnar
BENJAMIN CORY, M.D.
The Pioneer, published San Jose, California, Saturday, January 28, 1882
The subject of this sketch, the first
medical practitioner to locate in Santa Clara county, was born in
Oxford, Butler, Ohio, November 17, 1822, and completed his education at
the Miami University of that place from which he graduated in 1842.
After the completion of his academic course, he entered upon the study
of medicine with his father, then a physician in Oxford, subsequently
attended two courses of lectures in this Medical College of Ohio, at
Cincinnati and finally took his degree of M.D. , in the Spring of 1845,
when entering into partnership with his father, at Oxford, he there
practiced his profession until the early part of 1847. At this period
the Territory of Oregon was attracting considerable attention. The
Doctor determined to emigrate, having that place in view as his future
home, accordingly, in company with James Smith and Joseph Wagleigh, he
proceeded by the rivers to St. Joseph, where they procured an ox-team
and wagon, and uniting with a party from Illinois, started on their
long, arduous and dangerous journey. Their destination had not been
half-way reached, however, when there was a split in the camp, one
portion of the band desired to rest on the Sabbath, the other voting
for travel. It was thus divided, out subject finishing the expedition
in the company of Captain Hawes, without further incident than those
common on the pioneer journeyings of those days.
In the month of
October 1847, Dr. Cory arrived in Oregon city, where he opened an
office, but after a month, he proceeded to the coast, took passage in
the brig Henry, Captain Kilburn, and arrived in San Francisco November
17, 1847 - the anniversary of his twenty-fifth birthday. From the fact
that there being already two practicing physicians in the place -
Doctors Townsend and Fourgean - the subject of our memoir; remaining
but two weeks in Yerba Buena, resolved to locate at the Pueblo de San
Jose. To this end he secured passage in a launch which made the trip to
the embarcadero at Alviso, but failing to make connection with the
cumbrous log-wheeled vehicle, of Mexican manufacture, that took the
place of a stage couch in those days, he was compelled to pass a
supperless and sleepless night on the craft which had brought him
thither. The following morning, however, he chartered a broncho from a
chance Mexican, for which he paid a dollar and a half - his last
remaining treasure - and arrived in San Jose on or about December 1,
1847, with no money, but a good supply of books, surgical instruments
and drugs. He put up in the first instance, at Peter Davidson's but the
price, one dollar per day, being beyond his limit, he changed his
lodging to the hotel then kept by Mr. Z. Jones, where the necessaries
of life were obtained at a much reduced rate. On the discovery of gold,
the Doctor, accompanied by Z. Jones, were the first to leave for the
mines. They started for Mormon Island, and reached the place by way of
Benica. They there purchased a small sack of the dust, and returned to
San Jose in eight days. He once more, however, sallied forth, to the
mines, on this occasion with Robert Neligh, taking with him an ox-team.
On arriving at the Carquinez Straits, where Martinez now stands, they
found there assembled so immense a concourse of people waiting to be
ferried over this barrier to their progress, that their party was
detained eleven days ere their turn to be transferred, in Dr. Semple's
boat to Dr. Semple's town of Benica, then on the direct route to the
Golden District. From this expedition the Doctor returned in the month
of November, having secured about four thousand dollars of the precious
metal.
He was elected to the Lower House of the first
Legislature convened in this State. In the year 1850 he was elected one
of the Common Council of the city of San Jose, on which Board he served
four years, and, in 1872, was appointed by Governor Newton Booth a
Trustee of the State Normal School, which office he still holds,
besides which he now holds the office of County Physician. With the
exception of the two visits to the mines, Dr. Cory has been a
continuous resident of San Jose since his first arrival in the county,
while during these years he has become so well known, both in his
private and professional capacity, that it would be a work of
superorogation on our part, as well as presumption, were we to lay
before the reader his unblemished character and sterling worth.
Married, March 16, 1853, Sarah Ann, daughter of the Rev. John E. Braly,
by whom he has eight children living.
SANTA CLARA COUNTY BIOGRAPHY PROJECT
SANTA CLARA COUNTY- The Valley of Heart's Delight