William F. Corbin. One of the oldest citizens of Newton County is William F. Corbin, now retired and living at Brook, Mr. Corbin has been a resident of Newton County more than fifty years and has busied himself with many activities, chiefly as a farmer, though he has always assisted in the mercantile enterprise of his home village, and was at one time postmaster there. His has been an honorable career throughout, and his name is one entitled to respect and the memory of subsequent generations. He was born in Page County, Virginia, April 2, 1836, a son of Travis D. and Nancy (Mayes) Corbin. In 1853 the family came to Indiana and settled in Jasper County in what is now Washington Township of Newton County, where the father was one of the early farmer settlers. Travis D; Corbin besides helping to clear up and develop a tract of land in this county also rendered service by several terms as a school teacher. He died in Jefferson Township in September 1884, and is buried in the Roberts Cemetery. He was a Democrat, though never a seeker for official honor, was a member of the Masonic Lodge at Morocco, and belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church. By trade he was a carpenter. The children of Travis D. Corbin and wife were: William F., the oldest; Andrew J., who died young; Mary, who died as the wife of David Sager; Jane, deceased wife of Amos Hyberger; George W., who died unmarried; John W., whose home is in Jefferson Township and who married Leah Martin; Hiram E., who died while in Texas. William F. Corbin was about seventeen years old when the family came to Newton County, and finished his education here and was well prepared for the work of a farmer when he reached his majority. He continued actively in agricultural pursuits until he retired and moved to Brook in the fall of 1893. In August 1858, Mr. Corbin married Nancy F. Myers, who is of German descent and a daughter of John and Nancy (Snodgrass) Myers, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Kentucky. To Mr. and Mrs. Corbin were born ten children, three of whom died young: Nancy J. is the wife of George M. Light and lives in Colorado; Martha E. is the wife of Byrd Light and lives in Brook; Z. F., who lives at Brook, married Mollie Sterner; Henry R., whose home is near Morocco, married Ella Sell; Belzorah is the wife of L. G. Cooyert and lives in Texas; Eddie Josephine married James J. McCabe and lives three miles west of Brook; David E. has his home north of Brook and married Luella Marshall. All his life Mr. Corbin has been an active Democrat and served four years as postmaster of Brook during Cleveland's administration. He is a member of the United Brethren Church and was formerly an active participant in its work. Mr. Corbin owns 200 acres in Newton County and has a half interest in another farm near Medaryville. He and his son Z. F. for five or six years were in partnership in a general store at Brook, beginning about 1905. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Submitted By Beth Bassett beth@ffni.com