Article Text
DEATH OF PHILIP CORBIN AT NEW BRITAIN LAST NIGHT. Founder of the Corbin Manufactories, President of American Hardware Association. New Britain, Conn., Nov. 3.-Philip Corbin, founder of the Corbin manufactories here and president of the American Hardware corporation, died at his home here tonight from an affection of the heart after an illness of two years. With him at the time of his death was his son Charles and his grandchildren, Philip, Mrs. M. C. Kohn and Mrs. William Beers. Mr. Corbin was born in Willington Oct. 26, 1824. In 1844 he came to New Britain, where he entered what is now the Russell & Erwin Manufacturing company, where he became a skilled lock maker and contractor. He later entered the factory of North & Stanley, where he remained until 1849. During his minority Mr. Corbin gave his father all his earnings except the amount required for his support, the sum the last year amounting to a thousand dollars. On leaving the Stanley & North company he and his brother Frank and Edward Doen formed a partnership to manufacture hardware. After a year the Corbin brothers absorbed the share of the business held by Doen and the firm of P. & F. Corbin was established, the name under which the business is carried on at present. Up to within a very few years the details of the business have been personally conducted by Mr. Corbin. The American Hardware corporation was formed in 1902 with Mr. Corbin as president, a position he has held since that time. Mr. Corbin's business career covered a period of sixty-six years, sixty-one years being given to the development and management of a single enterprise. In that time the capital invested grew from $900 to $10,000,000. Aside from his business, his financial interests were extended. He has been a director of the Hartford National bank, the Hartford Steam Boiler and Insurance company and the Mechanics' National bank of this city. As president of the New Britain Savings bank he saved that institution from a disastrous run at the time of the Walker defalcation by his personal word that he would insure depositors against loss. At the time of his death he was president, of the New Britain Machine company, the Foster & Dyson company, the Calumet Building company, the D. €. Judd company, the H. R. Walker company and the Whiting Land company. Interested in politics, he held several city offices and in 1884 was a member of the state legislature and in 1888 a state senator. The funeral will be held at his home on Maple street Monday afternoon, the services being conducted by the Rev. Herbert Jump, pastor of the South Congregational church. The body will lie in state from 11 o'clock that morning until 1 in the afternoon, and the Corbin factories will be closed from Saturday night until Tuesday morning. Of a family of ten, three survive him, a brother. Elbert A., and two sisters, Lois and Anna Corbin; his son, Charles F. Corbin. with his two children, Philip and Mrs. Minnie C. Kohn, and a greatgrandson, Philip Kohn, and an adopted daughter, Mrs. Nellie C. Beers.