The papers of Charles W. Cory are divided into two series: Papers and Photographs.
Papers (1917-1919) contains materials relating to Cory's time as a conscientious objector with the United States Army during World War I as well as his service with the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), rebuilding homes in post-war France. Papers within the collection document the process by which Cory became a conscientious objector. Notices from the draft board show that he was drafted. The conscientious objector sub-series contains letters of support that clergy wrote to support Cory's status, as well as federal regulations concerning objectors, tips for Quakers seeking objector status, and a published account of the mistreatment of a group of objectors during the war. A small journal details some of the duties that Cory carried out while serving non-combat duty at Camp Devens, Massachusetts. Cory's discharge paper from the Army confirms his status at the end of his service. The diary describes Cory's journeys around a war-torn France, helping to build houses in cities that were hit particularly hard by artillery. The diary also discusses the people he met, both civilians and other relief workers, as well as the work that went into building houses. Due to the fragility of the original diary pages, researchers will use the photocopied set. The original is restricted and can only be viewed with special assistance from an archivist. Two building plans provide a visual idea of the types of houses Cory and his associates built. Two letters that Cory wrote to his future wife, Olive Taylor, describe his journey across the Atlantic to France and some of his work once there. Among the ephemeral items are a booklet listing the passengers aboard the ship, Le Rochambeau, aboard which Cory returned to the United States in 1919.
Photographs (circa 1919) document Cory's time in France with pictures taken by Cory himself. The two photo albums are particularly complete and, though undated, seem to run in chronological order from his trip over the Atlantic to France through his return trip home. Included are photographs that show the utter destruction of French cities by the war through crumbled buildings and holes in the ground made by artillery shells. Other photos show French civilians and other relief workers, both from the AFCS and other international groups. The majority of the photos document the work of Cory and his associates in attempting to rebuild eastern France. Shots of partially completed houses, building supplies, and the distribution of humanitarian aid highlight the album, as well as the other photographs. The loose photos are almost certainly either pictures left out of the album or else photos that fell out of the albums, as they match the album photos in format and subject matter. Individual shots of Cory range from very formal photographs of him in full AFCS uniform to more casual snapshots.
