| |
Commemorative
Biographical Record of the County of Kent, Ontario
David Corbett |
DAVID CORBETT owns
and conducts a farm of 150 acres in Zone township that is regarded
and justly, as a model throughout the County of Kent. Mr. Corbett
has cultivated the place since 1884, and during that time has proved
himself to be an up-to-date agriculturist in every sense.
James Corbett, his
father, was born in Nova Scotia, son of James Corbett, a native of
Glasgow, Scotland, and engaged in farming in his native Province
throughout his active life. He also served 20 years as government
commissioner, for drainage, etc. In 1884 he came with his son David
to Zone township, where he remained until death, four years later,
at the age of 83. He fell and broke his hip, the injury proving
fatal. James Corbett first married Mary Kuver, who died at the age
of 32 years, the mother of children as follows: William, who died
in Nova Scotia when a young man (he was preparing to enter the
medical profession); David; Jane, who died young; and Miss Mary, who
makes her home with her brother David. The mother was a member of
the Presbyterian Church, with which the father also united. He
subsequently married Rosanna Forrest, by whom he had one child,
Thomas S., who is a farmer in Nova Scotia.
David Corbett was
born June 25, 1836, in the County of Colchester, Nova Scotia, and
grew to manhood in his native Province, remaining at home up to the
age of 20 years. He then set out for California, to engage in gold
mining, which he followed successfully for six years, at the end of
that period returning to Nova Scotia, where he purchased a farm of
75 acres at Amherst, County of Cumberland. There he engaged in
agricultural pursuits from 1863 to 1884, in which latter year he
came to County of Kent, and settled on the tract in Lot 15, 1st
Concession, Zone Township, which has since been his home. Here he
has engaged in general farming, and he has been constantly improving
his land until the place is one of the best in all the County of
Kent, as a result of his industry and progressive methods. Mr.
Corbett has five miles of tiling under his land, put in for
drainage, and the other improvements are on a corresponding scale --
practical and efficient. The handsome income he derives from the
place is sufficient justification for the work he has expended upon
it. The brick dwelling-house is substantial and comfortable.
Mr. Corbett is a
self-made man in the best meaning of that term, having become
prosperous and won good standing by his own efforts, never sparing
himself when the question of work was uppermost. In his younger
manhood he had several years of adventure, visiting various parts of
the world, was in Cuba twice, in Mexico, and in Nicaragua, crossing
that country on mules. When he arrived in California, on his search
for gold, he had only enough to pay for a bed, and retired
supperless the first night, but there, as elsewhere, he won success
by his pluck and determination. In 1883 Mr. Corbett was sent to
Glasgow on private business, and remained eight weeks, enjoying a
very pleasant trip.
In September, 1867,
in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Mr. Corbett was married to Alice Keever,
who was born in that Province in 1848, daughter of William and Nancy
(Jenks) Keever, who were engaged in farming there. Six children
have blessed this union: Mary I., Caroline, Ida J. (a telegraph
operator), Alice Margaret (a telegraph operator), and Frank A. all
of whom are unmarried and living at home. Their religious
connection is with the Presbyterian Church. Socially Mr. Corbett
affiliates with the Independent Order of Foresters, and in political
faith he is a Protectionist.
|
|