Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2013, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Biographical History of Cherokee County, Iowa W. S. Dunbar & Co., Chigago - 1889 [page 379-381] CARLTON CORBETT, the second white man to tread the virgin soil of what is now Cherokee county, is for many reasons entitled to the first biographical place in this recorded history of the county of Cherokee. The mere fact of his being the next person to ROBERT PERRY, the first one of his race to look upon this fair and fertile domain, would naturally entitle him to such a place of preference and honor. But, not on account of this alone is he thus deserving; it was Mr. CORBETT who served as one of the two advance agents pros- pecting in the interests of the Milford Emigration Society, whose numbers made up the first actual settlers of the county. That little band of New Englanders could not possibly have chosen a man possessed of better judgment, combined with deepest integrity, than CARLTON CORBETT, Esq. To say these words of compliment of the average man might be considered but a species of flattery, but all will unhesitatingly accord to our worthy and highly esteemed subject this much of meritorious praise. Sound judgment and good business ability are not unfrequently found coupled together, but to find these with corresponding traits of moral principle and genuine inte- grity is indeed of rare occurrence. Some young men start out on the journey of life with good characters and intend to walk the way of the upright through all their years, but it is exceptional to form the intimate acquaintance of one who has passed his fifty-eighth milestone, and has not diverged somewhat from the one correct path. Indeed, it requires unusual native endowments in one's character to walk thus, beset as men are with passions of greed,with strong desires to rise to the highest point in the least time and with the smallest amount of work. Selfishness is many a time the downfall of otherwise brilliant men. To be diligent in one's business life and yet not forget the rights of friends and neighbors requires no little real moral courage, especially in this fast age of steam and electricity, when men must needs act promptly and with determination if they hope to succeed. It requires a different type of manhood to do battle in life in our generation from that demanded in the days of our fore- fathers. Now a great commonwealth is formed in a decade, and cities spring into existence within a year. We come now to speak of him who has lived earnestly, and has labored as a citizen of Cherokee County for thirty-three years, almost a third of a century. Coming with little else than the priceless gift of a robust young manhood, he at once commenced carving on life's tablet. Year after year has gone by, one success of his life has been added to yet another, one friend has been gained after another in both social and business relations, until no man will say that CARLTON CORBETT has allowed his integrity to be warped or turned from right for personal gains during these three decades and more. Not that opportunity has not been at his hand many times by which he might have built for himself while he destroyed for his fellow-man. To say that one has spent this period of time in Northwestern Iowa, where all sorts of speculations have been carried on regardless of personal rights or legal principles, without wronging any man, is at once placing a high estimate on personal character. To acquaint the reader with Mr. CORBETT'S earlier life in New England we must trace his career from childhood's hours, through the school-room on down to the year 1856, when he sought out a home, not as did his Puritan ancestry, on the wild New England shore, but upon the prairie wilds of Western Iowa, since which time his life has been prominently identified with the history of Cherokee County. CARLTON CORBETT was born August 12, 1831, at Milford, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He is a son of JOHN and ALMIRA (PARKHURST) CORBETT, of remote English ancestry, the CORBETT'S having come across from England and settled in the Bay State at a very early date. HIs grandfather, JOHN CORBETT, fought against the mother country in the contest for independence, and was taken prisoner. He also enlisted in the War of 1812. In his youthful days Mr. CORBETT enjoyed the pleasures and virtue of a good home. The family consisted of the parents and six children, two daughters and four sons, CARLTON, being the oldest son and second child. He attended the common schools and early learned the occu- pation of farming. In 1852, seized with the gold fever, he made a trip to California, where he engaged in mining, in which he was quite successful. After about four years he returned to New England; soon after the Milford Emigration Society was formed, and Mr. CORBETT and LEMUEL PARKHURST, Esq., were chosen to go in advance and spy out the land, in which they hoped to obtain suitable homes for a colony of fifty-two members, and perhaps found a town which might be deemed worthy the name of a city at some future day. (Much relating to their settlement and the active part taken by Mr. CORBETT may be seen elsewhere in this volume.) Messrs. CORBETT and PARKHURST visited various points in Western Iowa, including the present site of Sioux City, where they intended to settle, but found the place had already been claimed. Leaving Mr. PARKHURST at a point on the Missouri River, Mr. CORBETT and a man name MARTIN came over to the Little Sioux River, then followed the Little Sioux up to the territory at the present time called Cherokee County. Within a few months the first section of the colony were on the ground and at work. This was during the summer of 1856, in which season they pre-empted lands, built rude cabins, and made ready for the winter. It was Mr. CORBETT who first located the lands and aided in the organization of the county in 1857. In August of that year he was elected the first prosecuting attorney, and had to go to Sioux City, a distance of sixty miles, to qualify. In 1860 he was elected to the office of treasurer and recorder, then a com- bined office, which he held six years; he then served two years as treasurer alone. In 1870 he was elected recorder, holding that office one term. After leaving off the duties of county official, he turned his attention to farming and real-estate business. In 1873 he formed a partnership with FRANK E. WHITMORE and they engaged in the sale of railroad lands, town lots, etc. The co-partnership still exists, and has come to be very prosperous and well known throughout the whole northwestern country. Both members of the firm are excellent business men, whose word is always counted equal to their bond. They have done a large business in land and loans for many years. It is said, "CORBETT knows every acre of land in Cherokee County." To undertake to crowd the many accomplishments of this pioneer's life within the limited space allotted a biographical sketch would be folly. The history of his career for over thirty years must be largely gleaned from the county history. He has been an active worker all these years; he has built and re-built; he has sold thousands and thousands of acres of land, now finely developed farms; he has farmed hundreds of acres himself; he has held many county and city offices; he assisted in the organization of the National Bank at Cherokee; he has freely given to all public enterprises. Again, he has improved the commer- cial interests of the town by erecting CORBETT'S Block, a brick business house on East Main street; this enterprise was carried out in 1885, and he is at present building a beautiful residence in the Addition, which is modeled after the Queen Anne style of architecture. Mr. CORBETT served as city councilman in 1876 and 1877, and has held the office of city treasurer continuously since 1877, a period of thirteen years, being the present incumbent of the office. He is one of the stockholders and directors of the First National Bank. Mr. and Mrs. CORBETT had the novelty and romance of being the first couple united in marriage within the county of Cherokee. This ceremony was solemnized November 20, 1859. Mrs. CORBETT'S maiden name was ROSSABELLA CUMMINGS, and she was born in New Hampshire. Three children have been born of this union, one of whom survives — IDELLA F. ELMER E., the first born died April 5, 1883, aged twenty-one years and six months, and MARY E., the youngest, died in the fall of 1880, November 7, aged twelve years, five months. Politically Mr. CORBETT is a firm believer in genuine Republican principles, always doing his share in political matters. It should here be stated in justice to our subject that in manner he is modest and reserved, and that he gives praise to others when it is often due himself. In writing this review of his life-work, nothing but matters of fact and record could be obtained from him; but be it said as a high compliment to himself that every lone in Cherokee County is his friend, hence no trouble was had in getting at personal traits of character and incidents worthy of a work of this kind. Among the many incidents connected with pioneer hardship, it is related of Mr. CORBETT that during the Indian scare of 1862-'63, when it became his duty as treasurer of the county to be at the county seat for the purpose of collecting taxes then coming due, that his estimable wife insisted upon remaining at the garrison with him instead of seeking refuge elsewhere as all other women did. They held the fort, collected the taxes, kept the funds for the county, and have lived to see the county crowned one of the banner counties of the Hawkeye State. ===========================================================================