Percy Corey

As many friends know, I've gotten quite into genealogy the past couple years. I thought it'd be fun to present some of my findings on occasion. Today I'm taking a look at one of the more interesting characters in my tree: Percival Calumore Corey, my 1st cousin 4x removed. (I'm not directly descended from him but we're both descended from a common ancestor).

Percy was born on June 20, 1874 in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania (outside Pittsburgh) to Joseph and Anna Corey. His father Joseph is a bit of a mystery at this point. I know nothing about Joseph except that he died before 1900. I can't prove it, but I suspect Joseph was wealthy and foreign-born.

Percy grew up in the Mount Jewett/Kane area of McKean County, Pennsylvania. He first made headlines in 1896 by fathering a child out of wedlock.

Percy abandoned Minnie "Lizzie" Bedford and their son Harold B Corey. (Harold B Corey went into the Navy and died in a Long Island seaplane accident in 1919. His son, Harold P Corey, also died in a plane accident, perishing in Italy in WWII).

Percy worked in the oil business, starting out as an oil field tool dresser and quickly rising in the Indio-Burma Petroleum Company, eventually becoming a millionaire superintendent in Burma. In 1911, he married a second time, marrying Mary Miller of Pittsburgh. The newlyweds went to live in India. The following year, Mary and close friend Claire Karnes died aboard the Titanic as they sailed home to visit family. They were two of only 14 second-class women that didn't survive the disaster. Only decades later did it come out that Mary was pregnant and that she was coming back to the States to have her baby.

In 1914, Percy married for a third time, marrying Hazel Cranston. According to newspapers, their wedding in Los Angeles was "a notable social event." After a brief time in London, Percy sent Hazel back to California, promising to follow her. He didn't and Hazel soon charged Percy with desertion. Their divorce was finalized in January 1916.

Four months later, Percy married Florence Agnes Snell of England. After a few more years in the oil business, Percy, Florence, and their two daughters traveled the world, eventually settling down in Los Angeles. Percy became a farmer and received a patent for a tool for fishing out lost pipes from oil wells. Percy died in 1960.

The work continues learning more about his father and getting in touch with any living descendants.