Page:Portrait and biographical record of the Willamette valley, Oregon, containing original sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present .. (IA portraitbiogr00cha).pdf/15

 === HON. HENRY W. CORBETT. === HON. HENRY W. CORBETT. The First National Bank of Portland, of which Mr. Corbett officiated as president from 1898 until his death, March 31, 1903, dates its existence from about 1866 and has the distinction of being the first national bank to be organized on the coast. From an original capital stock of $100,000 it was gradually increased until now the capitalization is five times as great as at first, while there is a surplus of $700,000 and deposits aggregating about $7,000,000. Without any exception it is the largest bank of the northwest, and at the same time none has a wider reputation for solidity, strength and conservative spirit in investments.

The maintenance of a general oversight of this institution by no means represented the limit of Mr. Corbett's activities. Scarcely an enterprise of importance has been inaugurated in Portland since the city's pioneer days in which he was more or less interested and to which his support was not given, when once convinced of its value to the municipality. As president of the Portland Hotel Company, he was closely associated with the building of the Portland, one of the finest hotels on the coast, and the fame of which spreading throughout the country, has been of incalculable value in bringing the city into prominence. For years he was largely interested in the city and suburban railway system, his position as a member of the board of directors having made it possible for him to contribute to the development of a satisfactory system of transportation. Connected with the organization of the Security Savings and Trust Company of Portland, he was its president and a member of its directorate. Another enterprise which received the benefit of his co-operation and influence was the Title Guarantee and Trust Company of Portland, while he was further connected with important local business industries through his position as president of the Willamette Steel and Iron Works.

Special interest centers in the life history of one who was so closely identified with the progress of Portland along every line of commercial development. The genealogy of the Corbett family is traced to Roger Corbett, a military chieftain who won distinction under William the Conqueror. The eldest son of Roger was William, owner of a country seat at Wattesborough. The second son, Sir Roger Corbett, had for his inheritance the castle and estate of Caus. The latter's son, Robert, went to the siege of Acre under Richard I. bearing for his arms in this campaign two ravens, which have since been used by the family for a crest. Early in the seventeenth century the family was established in New England, being among the first settlers of Milford, Mass. Elijah, son of Elijah Corbett, Sr., was born in Massachusetts and became a manufacturer of edged tools, first in the Bay state, and later at White Creek, Washington county, N. Y., where he died. His wife was Melinda Forbush, a native of Massachusetts and descended from a pioneer family of that state, whose history is traced back to England. Her death occurred in New York. Born of her marriage were eight children, of whom three sons and two daughters attained maturity. One of the sons, Elijah, came to Portland in 1864 and remained here until his death. Another son, Hamilton, died in New York during early man- hood. The daughters were Mrs. Thomas Robertson, who came to Portland in 1856, and Mrs. Henry Failing, who settled in this city in 1858; both are now deceased.

The youngest member of the family circle, as well as its last representative, was Henry W. Corbett, who was born in Westboro, Mass., February 18, 1827. When four years of age he was taken by his parents to White Creek, N. Y., and later settled in Cambridge, that state, where he completed the course in the Cambridge Academy at thirteen years of age. For three years he clerked in a village store. At the age of sev- enteen he went to New York City, having with him $22 in money and only a very limited supply of clothing. He obtained a position in a dry-goods store on Catherine and East Broadway. A year later he entered the wholesale dry-goods house of Bradford & Birdsell on Cedar street, where he remained for three years as a clerk. A later position was with Williams, Bradford & Co., wholesale dry-goods merchants. In the fall of 1850 he resolved to come west to Portland. At that time thousands were seeking the gold fields of California, but comparatively few were identifying themselves with the limitless possi-