Thus far, I have written about the Corbin family in chronological order. I want to continue in that manner. I had finished with the family of Robert and Mildred (McCauley) Corbin's oldest child, Lucille (Corbin) Clark and her husband John Leander "Tim" Clark. Now I want to continue with Robert and Mildred (McCauley) Corbin's second child: George Samuel Corbin.
A short review may be in order. Robert Corbin was the son of George Washington and Sarah Ann "Sally" (Todd) Corbin and the grandson of James and Cynthia (Casteel) Corbin. He married Mildred Mae McCauley in 1920, and they were the parents of five children.
I'm going to be writing about the second child of Robert and Mildred (McCauley) Corbin, George Samuel Corbin. I remember Uncle George as being a wonderful man. He had an infectious chuckle that was similar in many ways to that of his uncle, my great uncle, Robert McCauley. Uncle George was also a great practical joker. He loved any good humored fun. Uncle George was a good man, had a great work ethic, was a loving husband and father, exuberant and affectionate to the spouses of his children and very much loved his many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Uncle George always had a kind word for everyone, inquired about what you were doing, and then expressed some kind of pride in your achievements. I never knew him to say anything bad of others, he was always encouraging and emphasized the good in everyone.
The Robert Corbin Family taken in front of their home at Maple Hill, Kansas about 1935 or 1936. L-R are George Samuel Corbin, Lucille Corbin (back) Mildred (McCauley) Corbin (back) and Robert Corbin (back.) Standing in front L-R are Joan Corbin, Sarah Emma Corbin, and Vivian Mae Corbin.
Uncle George was an active Christian serving God and his fellow mankind through work at Second Presbyterian Church in Topeka, Kansas. Uncle George took his Christian obligations seriously and spent a good portion of his time working at church and calling on members who were shut in or hospitalized. In all the time I knew Uncle George, his word was golden. If he told you he would do something, he saw that it was completed.
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This photograph of the Robert and Mildred (McCauley) Corbin family was taken between 1948 and 1950. L-R are: George Samuel Corbin, Joan (Corbin) Andrews-Frazier, Robert Corbin, Mildred Mae (McCauley) Corbin, Lucille (Corbin) Clark, Vivian Mae (Corbin) Wild and Sarah Emma (Corbin) Justice.
Uncle George was particularly attentive to his parents and four sisters, being the only boy among the five children of Robert and Mildred (McCauley) Corbin. I've often heard my mother say that he protected the Corbin girls and saw that if there were difficulties in school, they were remedied. Uncle George "checked up" on his sisters, particularly in later years when their husbands began to pass away, and would have given the shirt off his back to any of them. My mother, Lucille (Corbin) Clark always thought the sun rose and set in her brother George.
George Samuel Corbin was born on February 28, 1923 on the farm of his maternal grandmother, Lucy Mae (Lemon) McCauley, in the Snokomo Community, Newbury Township, Wabaunsee County, Kansas. His parents were Robert and Mildred (McCauley) Corbin. His father, Robert, was tending the 160-acre farm after the death of Lucy's husband, Samuel McCauley.
This photograph was taken when Mildred Mae (McCauley) Corbin married a second time to Roy Hasdale Clark on September 23, 1973 at Maple Hill, Kansas. Mildred was widowed in April 1958. Roy and Mildred are seated in the front row. In the second row L-R are Joan (Corbin) Andrews-Frazier, Freda (Kitt) Corbin, Lucille (Corbin) Clark, Vivian Mae (Corbin ) Wild and Sarah Emma (Corbin) Justice. In the back row L-R are Robert Frazier, George Samuel Corbin, John L. "Tim" Clark, George Wild and Leslie F. Justice.
George Corbin, his siblings and parents moved from the farm when he was young and lived for several years west of Eskridge near where Lake Wabaunsee is located, and also in the town of Eskridge. The family eventually moved to Maple Hill, Kansas where Robert worked on the Horace G. Adams Ranch.
A photograph, most likely taken in 1942, of George Samuel Corbin in his U. S. Army Air Corps uniform. Thanks to his daughter, Sheila Kay (Corbin) Hill for sharing it with me.
George Samuel Corbin graduated from Maple Hill High School, Maple Hill, Kansas and went into the United States Army Air Corp. He served in the China-Burma-India Theater. Uncle George was seriously injured in a jeep accident while on active duty. He returned and spent several months in a veteran's hospital in Denver, Colorado. His injuries plagued him the rest of his life but didn't prevent him from working long hard hours at Goodyear Tire and Rubber, where he was employed as a labor and later a supervisor for 37 years.
During any wartime, there always seems to be an urgency when it comes to romance. Sometimes the marriages made in haste work, and other times they do not. George S. Corbin married Flora Belle Romig during his service in World War II. This marriage ended in divorce after the war concluded.
George Samuel Corbin married Freda Arlene Kitt on May 29, 1947 at Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas. Freda is the daughter of Fred Solomon and Mary Emeline (Clark) Kitt and was born at Maple Hill, Wabaunsee County, Kansas on March 15, 1929. Her parents were both natives of the rural Mission Creek/Eskridge/Snokomo communities in Wabaunsee County, Kansas. Freda had two siblings: Camilla Marie (Kitt) Waldy and Olin Frederick Kitt.
Uncle George and Aunt Freda Corbin lived in Topeka, Kansas where Uncle George started his thirty-seven year career with Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. As a child, I thought Aunt Freda was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She was also very kind and a loving aunt. I remember them coming to the farm of my grandparents, Robert and Mildred (McCauley) Corbin and spending many Sundays and holidays.
The Corbins were the parents of three children: Sheila Kay Corbin, born in Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas on November 27, 1948; Robert Frederick Corbin, born in Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas on October 17, 1951 and Ronald George Corbin born in Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas born on May 22, 1954.
This photograph was taken in about 1951 or 1952 on the farm of Robert and Mildred Mae (McCauley) Corbin about 1.5 miles south of Maple Hill, Kansas. It was taken on one of the Sunday family gatherings that were so common then. L-R are Lucy Mae (Lemon) McCauley-Banta-Strong, her daughter Mildred Mae (McCauley) Corbin and Robert Corbin. The children in front are L-R: Nicholas L. Clark, Gary W. Clark and Shiela Kay Corbin. I remember Grandfather Corbin always wearing a ball cap. The pack of Camel's cigarettes were always in his shirt pocket. Of course, smoking eventually lead to his death but in those days not much was known about the ill effects of tobacco. Grandfather Corbin always had a beautiful yard and garden. I remember him out pushing the reel mower twice or more on weekday evenings and Grandmother Corbin was always out tending flowers. They both spent many happy hours in their vegetable garden, which was about 1/2 acre in size and is behind them in the picture. Grandmother Corbin and other relatives spent lots of hours canning vegetables on the kerosene stove that was kept on the enclosed back porch. I was the oldest grandchild on the Corbin side, and Sheila Kay and Gary Wayne were very close in age. I always remember Shiela Kay looking just like she does in this picture, dressed like a little doll with a bow in her hair.
During all the years I grew up, one of the family obligations we always had was attending the Lemon Family Reunion at Gage Park, Topeka, Kansas. These reunions were planned by cousins Bill and Vernie Miller, and were very large in size. We always looked forward to them because we got to go to Gage Park, play with cousins, and visit the Gage Park Zoo. At the entrance to the zoo were these very large "lions." This photograph was taken about 1950 and pictures Gary Wayne Clark and Shiela Kay Corbin.
This is a photograph taken at the 1953 Lemon Family Reunion. I am the little boy holding the left corner of the "Lemon Family Reunion" sign and cousin Vernie Miller is holding the right corner. The second little boy from the left side of the front row is Gary W. Clark, then Shiela Kay Corbin, Nicholas L. Clark, and I believe the next two little boys are Ronnie and Robbie Frost, grandsons of Vernie Miller. Uncle George Corbin is standing in the third row, fourth from the right, and is holding Robert Frederick Corbin. Aunt Freda (Kitt) Corbin is standing in the top row, eighth from the left.
During the late 50s or early 60s, Uncle George and Aunt Freda Corbin built a lovely home on Sanford Lane in Topeka, where they lived together until his death at the age of 85 on April 4, 2008. Aunt Freda continues to live in the home. I remember going there many times for happy occasions. I was always a little in awe of my cousin Shiela's talent with the piano. She took lessons from Mrs. Flannigan in Topeka, Kansas and I remember going to several of her recitals. All of the Corbin children attended and graduated from Seaman High School, in the north suburbs of Topeka.
Uncle George Corbin passed away in his 85th year on April 4, 2008 at the Midland Hospice in Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas.
I will stop at this point. The next blog will present information about the children of George Samuel and Freda (Kitt) Corbin. Happy Trails!
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