The Press., 1894-03-29
Number 52.
THE LATE HON. VIM. M. coRB1N

at the Center four fall terms, from 1850 to 1853, inclusive, thus preparing him for the honorable and successful business ca- reer that has followed. In 1853, at the age of eighteen, he left home and took a clerkship in the store and shoe manufac- turing establishment of Walker, Sessions & Co.,, Mashapaug, and there remained three years. In 1S56,s at the age of twen- ty-one, he became member of the firm of Sessions, Bates & Co.,, of Fiskdale, Mass, who were also connected with
 Walker, Sessions & Co.,, of Mashapaug, and Sessions, Carpenter < Co.,, of Toron- to, Canada. In 1858 he returned to Nash apaug, and the firm of Walker, Corbin &
 Tourtellotte was formed to succeed the
 business of Walker, Sessions & Go. The death of Harvey Walker, the senior mem-
 Der, occurring early in 1860, left the man. agement of the business in the hands of
 MT. Corbin, who was made or appointed
 the sole administrator of MT. Walkers estate with it's large interests. This came to him at the age of twenty five, and was responsibility that falls to few at so early an age, and which he carried through
 in an able and thorough business manner.
 The firm of Corbin & Tourtellotte suc-
 Tourtellotte in 1861, and continued until
 1868, when Milton H. Kinney was admit ted, and the firm name became Corbin,
 Tourtellotte & Go. The business was continued until 1871, when MT. Tourtel- lotte retired, and the business at Masha- paug was continued by the remaining partners under the name of Corbin & Kin ney, until 1881, when the firm dissolved,
 making twenty-eight years of active busi- ness life at Mashapaug, including the time spent at Fiskdale and a partnership for twenty five years continuously. Dur ing his residence at Mashapaug he had a very honorable and successful record in
 public life, acting as administrator, execu- tor and trustee of estates, guardianships for minors, including the sons of the late
 Harvey Walker, until they became twen- ty-one years of age, and director of Stafford Savings Bank from it's inaugura- | tion in 1872. In addition to these he held various political offices in Union, such as selectman and register of voters for sev- l eral years, also representative in the legis-
 lature of 1868, declining a reelection. | During his legislative term he served on | the important committee of railroads.
 For nearly eighteen years, from 1862 to 1880, he was deputy sheriff, and in the
 latter year elected sheriff of Holland coun- | ty for three years, from June 1, 1881. In l 1875 he was elected senator from the old | twentieth district In 1880 he was a dele. gate to the republican convention at Chi cago, which nominated James A. Garfield
 for president. He was for several years
 8 member of the republican town com.
 mittee of Union, and of the republican
 state central committee of Connecticut
 representing the old twentieth district
 and was a very strong republican in poli- tics, holding a leading and influential po- IrfA sx,A y,aflr <A T. l.
 necticut. He joined the Congregational
 church of Union in 1859, and has contin-
 ued his membership there ever since, be-
 He was active in the extensive repairs of
 the church in 1865, taking 8 leading part
 and assisting literally towards the cost of the same. After his election as sheriff oi
 Holland county, MT. Corbin was urged to
 make his headquarters at Rockville, the
 largest center in the county, and in 1881 he bought out a hardware business there
 and successfully continued the business until failing health compelled his retire
 ment in 1884, In 1881 he had taken his
 family to Hartford for educational pur
 poses, retaining his legal residence al
 Union until 1884, since which time he has
 been resident of Hartford. His failing
 health would not admit of his being g
 candidate for reelection for sheriff, hence
 he declined a renomination. For the nex
 three years he was in very poor health
 and gave up all business interests an(
 cares, not expecting to live. In the fal of 1887 came the failure of the Stafford
 National Bank, which seriously affected
 the Stafford Savings Bank, on account O
 it's large holdings and interests in tn, stock of the National Bank, and othe ) doubtful assets. Although still in i'm , paired health and hardly ably to leave his home, MT. Corbin was called to the presi
 dency of the Savings Bank, and at a time when a receivership of the bank seemed necessary and inevitable. He at once di rected himself to the strengthening out o |, the affairs of the bank, where he rendered a very valuable service in helping to re store confluence and placing on a sount basis what is to-day a very strong bank
 He was also chosen chairman of th stockholders committee of the Staffor, National Bank to assist in rearrangini the same. He gave to that work and tC the Savings Bank all of his time until tn following July, when he resigned tn
 presidency of the Savings Bank to talk the cashiership of the First Nationa Bank, which was organized in July, 1SSe l and commenced business August 2d, fol 
 All of the work that he has done for tn banking interests of Stafford Springs ha 1 had very hearty support and approvs |. of the people and business interests C , that section. His high character an honorable business record has done muc to place the financial institutions he ha
 been connected with on 8 sound and stron
 footing with the full confidence of tn people. In October, 1888, with Cyr f Johnson and Richard G. Beebe, of Stat # ford, Merrick A. Marcy, of Union, an . Samuel G. Adams, of Boston, he orgar 5 ized the Central Woolen Co.,, of Staffor r Springs, purchasing the Granite Mill G ), property and changing it to woole n mill. MT. Corbin was chosen presider of the company, which has done yer '- much to add to the business interests s Stafford Springs, and has itself had t. very successful and profitable caree n This covers the leading points of his bus ness record and public life, which hay > been an honor both to himself and his n; s tive town of Union.
 It To the above we may add that it is {
 MT. Corbin that his native town is fl
 debted for the publication of it's very il U teresting history, he having guarantee . the expense of publication, and secure
 the aid of competent persons to put int ( shape the wealth of material gathered U u by Prof. Hammond, whose work of a U thorship was stopped, as was that of h successor, Rev. J. P. Watson, by deat Il It was finally put in shape for print '' Rev. H. M. Lawson, now missionary
 India, and to MT. Corbin is his nati' r, town indebted for the preservation of e history that in coming years will accr' n greater and greater value.
 a We spoke last week of especial reaso
 Stafford had to honor the memory of M