U.S. Senator. Born in Westboro, Massachusetts, he moved to New York, in 1831, later engaged in mercantile pursuits, attended Cambridge Academy, then moved to New York City in 1843 and was employed in the mercantile business. He relocated to Oregon in 1851, where he engaged in merchandising wholesale hardware, banking, railroads and contract building. He formed the H.W. Corbett Company for shipping goods to Portland in 1854, was City Treasurer of Portland, member of the city council and chairman of the Republican Oregon State central committee. In 1867, he was elected as a Republican to the United States Senate, serving until 1873. Not a candidate for reelection, he resumed his business interests and was appointed to the United States Senate in 1897, to fill a vacancy in the Senate term but the Senate subsequently disagreed and Corbett withdrew his name. Returning to Oregon, he was the founding President of the Portland Pioneer Association and continued to be fixture in his state's development until his death at age 76. The town of Corbett, Oregon, on the Columbia Gorge where he had a farm, is named after him.
U.S. Senator. Born in Westboro, Massachusetts, he moved to New York, in 1831, later engaged in mercantile pursuits, attended Cambridge Academy, then moved to New York City in 1843 and was employed in the mercantile business. He relocated to Oregon in 1851, where he engaged in merchandising wholesale hardware, banking, railroads and contract building. He formed the H.W. Corbett Company for shipping goods to Portland in 1854, was City Treasurer of Portland, member of the city council and chairman of the Republican Oregon State central committee. In 1867, he was elected as a Republican to the United States Senate, serving until 1873. Not a candidate for reelection, he resumed his business interests and was appointed to the United States Senate in 1897, to fill a vacancy in the Senate term but the Senate subsequently disagreed and Corbett withdrew his name. Returning to Oregon, he was the founding President of the Portland Pioneer Association and continued to be fixture in his state's development until his death at age 76. The town of Corbett, Oregon, on the Columbia Gorge where he had a farm, is named after him.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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