Cory Farms

Eight generations have operated the farm which today grows produce to sell at the Chillicothe Farmers Market, and offers homemade jams, jellies, baked goods, flowers & candy. In 2003, the Cory Farm at Frankfort, Ohio was recognized as an Ohio Bicentennial Farm by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. The farm is considered established in 1800, but records show that ownership was negotiated in 1798, making the Cory farm one of the oldest family farms in Ross County. Early farm records indicate that then-owner, Nathan Cory, raised cattle, horses, hogs, geese and sheep; and grew corn, wheat and hay. The original house which still stands was built in 1873 at a cost of $2,400 and was remodeled in 1915. The carriage/buggy house was built in 1878 and still stands. It was straightened and metal siding was added to it around 2005. The current barn was rebuilt after the original was destroyed by a tornado in 1938. A unique feature of the haymow is the existence of grapple hooks for loose hay. By re-stringing the rope, hay could be dumped on either side of the barn's central entryway. The first tractor on the farm was a Farmall obtained in the 1930s. Nathan Cory and his brother, Stephen, were surveyors for the Virginia Military Survey. They worked for two of the most prominent early Ohio leaders, Duncan McArthur and Nathaniel Massie. Cory purchased the farm from Massie. Nathan was a well-known Baptist Elder in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana. His grandson, William Noah Cory, was a Baptist minister as well as a farmer, and other ancestors were active civil servants and served the country in the armed forces. Today, about five acres of the farm is planted in fruits and vegetables and sold locally and at the Chillicothe Farmers Market. The remainder of the farm is cash rented for grain crops. Beef cattle were last raised on the farm in 1965, and hogs left the farm in 1962. It was a dairy farm until 1956. William Noah Cory planted an orchard in 1873-1874; it no longer exists. Other truck crops raised by William Noah included grapes, asparagus, potatoes, rhubarb and tomatoes. The farm is currently owned by Joe and Terri Cory. When originally established the farm was 117 acres. The current total acreage is 220 which consists of the original main farm/farmstead and two other parcels which are detached from the original farm. Joe and Terri have two sons, Steve and Grant.