My Genealogy Hound

HON. CHARLES H. CORBETT, one of the leading merchants and business men of Sherman, is a son of Newell and Persis (Newell) Corbett, and was born in the town of Mina, Chautauqua county, New York, October 5, 1845. The Corbett and Newell families came from southern New England to Chautauqua county about the year 1825, and settled respectively in the towns of Mina and Sherman. Robert Corbett, the paternal grandfather of Charles H. Corbett, was from Milford, Massachusetts, and bought, in 1824, a part of lot three, in the present town of Mina. He built and operated for some time the flouring-mills of Findley’s lake. His children were: Ithiel, of California; Newell (father); David, a New York merchant; Robert A.; and Otis, of Chicago; Lucretia, wife of J. W. Robertson; and Lydiann, who died at nineteen years of age. His second son, Newell Corbett, the father of Charles H. Corbett, was born in Massachusetts in 1819. He was brought by his parents, in 1825, to this county, where he has resided ever since. He married Persis Newell, who also was born in 1819, and is a daughter of Jesse Newell (maternal grandfather) who came from Connecticut in 1825 and settled on Presbyterian Hill in the town of Sherman, where he was one of the earliest farmers in his section of the county.

C. H. Corbett was reared on the farm, attended Westfield academy and afterwards took the full commercial course of Eastman’s Business college, of Poughkeepsie, New York, from which he was graduated. In 1866 he entered into mercantile life by engaging as a clerk with J. T. Greene. At the end of five years, in 1871, he left Mr. Greene’s employ and purchased the interest of J. M. Coveney in the mercantile firm of Coveney & Hart, of Sherman. As a member of the new firm of Hart & Corbett, he gave his time and efforts successfully to the building up of a large and prosperous business. Their mercantile establishment is on Main street, and they carry a heavy and well-assorted stock of general merchandise, worth about twenty thousand dollars, which embraces special lines of dry goods, boots and shoes, and carpets. He is a democrat in politics, served as supervisor of Sherman in 1882 and in 1883, and in the fall of 1882 was elected, in the First Assembly District of Chautauqua county, which is strongly republican, by a majority of nine hundred and eighty-six, as a member of the New York Legislature, in which he was made chairman of the committee on charitable and religious institutions.

On May 13, 1869, he united in marriage with Narcissa Dutton, of Sherman. They have two children, both sons: Harry C., born Oct. 24, 1873; and Frank D., born Nov. 23, 1879.

In the financial affairs of Sherman Mr. Corbett has taken an active interest. He was instrumental in starting and outlining the successful course of the State Bank of Sherman, of which he was vice-president. From his humble start as a clerk in the mercantile business it was his laudable ambition to honorably excel as a merchant, which he has creditably done. In the political field as a legislator and in business circles as a financier his course has been such as to secure respect and commendation.

He is the present Grand Master Workman of the A. O. U. W. of the State of New York; was elected at Syracuse last March. Is the Grand Treasurer of the Select Knights A. O. U. W. of the State of New York, and has held the office for the past four years. He is a prominent Mason, and belongs to the following bodies: Olive Lodge, No. 575 F. & A. M., Sherman, N. Y.; Westfield Chapter, No. 239, R. A. M., Mayville, N. Y.; Dunkirk Council, No. 25, R. and S. M., Dunkirk, N. Y.; Dunkirk Commandery, No. 40, Knights Templar, Dunkirk, N. Y.; Palmona Lodge of Perfection, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite at Buffalo, N. Y.; Rochester Consistory, A. A. S. R., Rochester, N. Y.; and Damascus Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.