James Thomas (26 Mar 1850-20 Aug 1923) — m. Mary Ada Rimmer on 28 Nov 1872; m. Elizabeth “Lizzie” Rimmer on 7 Mar 1894
John Oliver (20 May 1851-16 Jun 1900) — m. Susan E. Rimmer on 23 Dec 1875
Marion Eagleton (25 Feb 1855-17 Apr 1925) — m. Julia R. Wood on 25 Dec 1876
M. C. (~1856-?186x?)
Oscar W. (6 Jan 1859-23 Dec 1896)
Robert Anderson (5 Aug 1861-21 Jan 1911) — m. Elizabeth F. Burns on 23 Dec 1885
David Andrew “Andrew” (2 May 1865-3 Sep 1955) — m. Jennie Haislip on 21 Nov 1894
Amanda Jane Elizabeth (20 Jul 1867-1 Feb 1952) — m. Dudley S. Black on 9 Nov 1887
David was born in Jefferson County, Tennessee, which is in the Smoky Mountains east of Knoxville, near the eastern edge of the state. He was one of the seven sons of James Corbet and Mary Ann “Polly” Grisham, a couple who married on 31 Oct 1815 in Jefferson County and remained there for the rest of their lives.
Isabella was born to unknown parents from Tennessee. Based on patterns of given names, her parents were probably Thomas Mansfield and Catherine McCuistion of Jefferson County, meaning that her grandmothers were named Isabella and Sarah. However, there’s no actual proof, and there was at least one other Mansfield couple in the county (John Mansfield and Margaret Ford, m. 18 Dec 1820) who could have been her parents. Some later records give Isabella’s name as “Sarah Isabella”, but “Isabella Sarah” has the majority vote and the tombstone vote.
David and Isabella married on 8 Nov 1848 in Jefferson County.
The (September) 1850 census of Jefferson County listed farmer David M. Corbitt (24) and wife Isabell S. (21), with newborn James T., living right next to David’s parents James (64) and Mary (56) Corbitt and David’s brothers Andrew (22), William (19), Napoleon (18), and Shadrach (16). They were also right next to another family headed by David’s brother Michael M. Corbitt (30).
The 1860 census for Civil District 4, Jefferson County, Tennessee listed David Corbett (34), wife I. Corbett (32), and children J. T. (boy, 10), J. O. (boy, 9), M. E. (boy, 5), M. C. (girl, 4), and O. W. (boy, 1). The boy identified as M. E. was Marion.
Most of the counties of mountainous eastern Tennessee opposed secession from the Union. In a statewide referendum on 8 Jun 1861, Jefferson County voters rejected it by a margin of 1,987 to 603. David enlisted as a private in the 3rd Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry, Company D, which fought on the Union side under Colonel William C. Pickens. Three of his brothers served in the same unit. The youngest of them, Napoleon Bonaparte Corbet, died of illness while on service. Many captured soldiers of the regiment died in the Sultana disaster just after the war. The Corbets were not among them, although David’s probable brother-in-law Thomas Mansfield was.
Another of David’s younger brothers was William J. Corbet (~1829-1907). There was a William J. Corbitt from Tennessee of about the right age who fought for the Confederacy, but I don’t know whether it was the same man.
The 1870 census for Jefferson County listed D. M. Corbett (45) and wife Sarah I. (45). Children were James T. (20), John O. (18), Marion E. (15), Oscar (12), Robert A. (8), David A. (5), and Amanda J. (2). The girl identified in the 1860 census as M. C. had probably died – see the Children section below.
The Corbets were still in Jefferson County in 1880: farmer David Corbet (54) and wife Isabela S. (51), with Oscar W. (21), Robert A. (18), Andrew D. (15), and Amanda J. (12). This census listed Robert born in North Carolina and Andrew in South Carolina, but I’m confident that was a mistake. Neither son repeated the claim in later censuses.
In the early 1880s, David & Isabella and their four youngest children moved to Greene County, Arkansas. Son Marion, by then married with several children, went with them. In 1890, David, resident in Arkansas, filed for a military pension as an invalid. The pension paperwork confirmed that David served in the 3rd Tennessee Cavalry.
David died in 1896. In 1900, Isabella was living with son James and his wife, who had apparently moved west from Tennessee to look after her, in Gainesville, Greene County, Arkansas. She claimed she was the mother of seven children, five still living, although records show eight children, six still living (John Oliver Corbet died shortly after the census). Either she miscounted, which seems unlikely, or one of the children listed with the family in the census records from 1860 to 1880 wasn’t hers. She filed as a widow for continuation of David’s pension that year, and died the following year.
David and Isabella are buried in Hartsoe Cemetery, Marmaduke, Greene County, Arkansas.
James married Mary Ada Rimmer (17 Jun 1853-27 Mar 1891) on 28 Nov 1872 in Jefferson County. Known children:
Amanda Emma (1875-1958) — m. Joseph Meredith Robertson on 14 Jan 1896
Arlie Ann (29 Jun 1878-27 Mar 1963) — m. William R. “Willie” Roberts on 30 Mar 1899
Mary died in 1891, and is buried in Hopewell Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Dandridge. James married Mary’s half-sister Elizabeth “Lizzie” Rimmer (18 Jan 1862-27 Nov 1940) on 7 Mar 1894 in Jefferson County. They moved to Greene County, Arkansas in the mid-1890s, probably because of the death of James’s father in 1896. I know of only one child born to James and Lizzie, a daughter who died the day she was born:
unnamed daughter (28 May 1897-28 May 1897)
The 1900 census listed James and Lizzie in Union Township, Gainesville, Greene County, Arkansas. James’s mother Isabelle was living with them, and brother Robert and his family were next door. In 1910 and 1920, James & Lizzie were in Hurricane, Greene County. James died in 1923, and Lizzie in 1940. They are buried with their infant daughter in the Hartsoe Cemetery in Marmaduke. Daughter Emma and her husband are buried there too.
John married Susan Emmeline Rimmer (2 Dec 1857-29 Nov 1935) on 23 Dec 1875 in Jefferson County. They had six children, but one died before the 1900 census, so there are records for just five:
Delia/Delilah H. “Lila” (17 Nov 1876-5 Apr 1951) — m. Sherman G. Frank on 6 Nov 1898
Naomi Ruth (9 Mar 1878-10 Jul 1953) — m. J. B. Rainwater on 21 Jan 1899
Flora Bell (20 Jan 1883-17 Dec 1958) — m. Roy Aston Gass on 30 Oct 1898
Horace C. (8 Feb 1886-9 Feb 1962) — m. Alice Martin on 26 May 1906
Thomas Alexander (8 Feb 1888-24 Jul 1964) — never married
Unlike most of his family, John remained in Jefferson County, where he died in 1900. He’s buried in the Hopewell Cemetery, Dandridge, Tennessee. In 1910, Susan was living with son Horace and his family. In 1920, she was living with son Thomas. In 1930, she was living with a widowed sister in Hamblen County. Susan died in 1935, and is buried with John.
From at least 1930 until his death in 1964, son Thomas was a patient at the Eastern State Hospital for the Insane in Knoxville.
Marion has his own entry in the family tree.
The 1860 census listed this daughter of David and Isabella as just “M. C.”, and the 1870 census didn’t show her at all. She probably died in the 1860s. I have a neat little theory about her, with no actual proof. I think that, as the eldest daughter, she was named Mary Catherine to honor both her grandmothers, just as her eldest brother was James Thomas in honor of both his grandfathers, and her mother was Isabella Sarah for both of her grandmothers. This assumes that Thomas Mansfield and Catherine McCuistion were Isabella’s parents, something else for which I have no proof.
Don’t know much about Oscar. He died in 1896 and is buried in Hartsoe Cemetery, Marmaduke, Greene County, Arkansas, the same place as his parents.
Robert married Elizabeth Francis Burns (5 Feb 1858-17 Jul 1939) – daughter of Rowena Coffman, grand-daughter of Clark ancestor Phoebe McKee, and niece of Robert’s sister-in-law Julia Wood Corbet – on 23 Dec 1885 in Greene County, Arkansas. The 1900 census listed them in Union Township, Gainesville, Greene County, next door to Robert’s brother James. Their children were:
Mamie C. (6 May 1887-18 Oct 1953) — m. Francis M. “Fred” Call
John Emery (30 May 1890-16 Oct 1980) — m. Bertie Millender
Bert Anderson “Bertie” (17 Jul 1893-30 Oct 1952) — m. Virginia Alice “Virgie” Cook on 22 Sep 1922
Francis Raphael (Jul 1897-25 Jul 1947) — never married
Robert died in 1911 and is buried in Providence Cemetery, Lafe, Greene County. Elizabeth lived with son Raphael until her death in 1939. She is buried with Robert.
Andrew married Virginia Captolia “Jennie” Haislip (1 Jan 1872-17 Oct 1967) from Arkansas on 21 Nov 1894 in Greene County. They settled in Hurricane, Greene County. Jennie already had a daughter named Fannie Haislip (~1892-????), born in Tennessee. She also had an older sister, Fannie Haislip (born about 1860), who lived with them for most of her life, through at least 1940. Andrew and Jennie had one child:
Marvin Andrew Corbett (27 Dec 1895-30 Oct 1977) — m. Bessie Faye Hill on 11 Nov 1923
In 1920, there was a widow named Virginia O. Livesay (b. 1851 in Tennessee) staying with them, listed as “aunt” – presumably Jennie’s aunt. In 1940, they were sharing the place with son Marvin and his family, along with Jennie’s sister Fannie, now 80. Andrew died in 1955. He and Jennie are buried in Harveys Chapel Cemetery, Marmaduke, Greene County, Arkansas. Note this branch of the family spelled it Corbett, with a double T.
Amanda, who also at times went by Mandy or Jane, married Dudley Sherman Black (14 Jun 1866-15 Feb 1937) in 1887. Like most of the Corbets, they settled in Greene County, Arkansas, in Union & Breckenridge Townships. Census records show they had ten children, all or almost all daughters, although the obituary for their daughter Clemie claimed just nine:
Gertrude (Dec 1888-19xx)
Lizzie Belle “Belle” (28 Jun 1890-17 Dec 1964) — m. John Harvey Jackson on 26 Sep 1909
Alcie Jane “Elsie” (16 Jul 1893-20 Jan 1919) — m. Arelius Granville Carroll on 26 Sep 1909
Bessie (9 Apr 1896-17 May 1918)
unknown (1898-1898)
Vena Cathren (2 May 1898-3 Nov 1982) — m. William Otis Schade on 26 Nov 1919
Lura Florence (27 Mar 1900-11 Feb 1971) — m. Peyton Jackson Reynolds on 23 Sep 1920
Clemie Dudley (27 Oct 1903-14 Jun 1994) — m. Carl R. Rutledge on 10 Oct 1920
Cassie J. (26 Sep 1906-30 Jun 1969) — m. Tillman Golden
Lennie Dudley (21 Apr 1909-31 Oct 1979) — m. James Thomas Menees on 18 Dec 1926
In 1910 they had daughters Bessie (14), Venie (11), Lura (9), Clemmie (6), Cassie (3), and Lennie (11 months), all born in Arkansas. By 1930 it was just Amanda and Dudley. Dudley died in 1937. The 1940 census for Lafe, Greene County showed widowed daughter Belle and her three children living with Amanda. Amanda died in 1952. She and Dudley are buried in Providence Cemetery, Lafe, Greene County, Arkansas.
https://roadsidethoughts.com/tn/cemeteries/mansfield-cemetery-xx-jefferson-profile.htm -- Jefferson County cemeteries
http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/corbett/954/ -- thread about the Corbets
http://files.usgwarchives.net/ar/greene/bios/ridge/v2a_c.txt -- very short bio of David
http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Corbett-735 -- Family details; claims nephew Thomas Corbett as a son
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHP9-8RS -- 1830 census, Corbet
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHYL-BG1 -- 1840 census, Corbet
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X8YJ-HVH -- 1848 wedding
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCDK-GK6 -- 1850 census
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8Y9-YCR -- 1860 census
http://www.researchonline.net/tncw/index/indx202.htm#.VvL7Wq0UW70 -- Corbets listed as soldiers
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDDH-KJG -- 1870 census
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X8YJ-T5S -- 1872 wedding of James
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VND6-8NZ -- John’s 1875 wedding
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD7V-TVB -- 1880 census
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD7K-Q7T -- 1880 census, James
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD7K-W2K -- 1880 census, John
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N417-265 -- 1885 pension for Shadrack Corbet
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KD5W-9NX -- 1890 & 1900 military pension filing
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/148733721 -- 1891 grave of James’s wife Mary
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKH3-G95V -- 1894 wedding of J. T. Corbet
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N9SC-9QS -- 1894 wedding of David A. Corbett
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/102016735/david-morrow-corbett -- 1896 grave of David; lists family
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/110222644/oscar-w-corbett -- 1896 grave of Oscar
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V54Y-H5W -- 1896 wedding of James’s daughter Emma
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKH3-L5X3 -- 1899 wedding of John’s daughter Naomi
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMF5-L2G -- 1899 wedding of James’s daughter Arlie
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3F3-L9Y -- 1900 census, Isabella, sons James & Robert
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSDS-YV8 -- 1900 census, John
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3FS-G6G -- 1900 census, Andrew
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3F3-7KJ -- 1900 census, Amanda
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/102808366/john-oliver-corbett -- 1900 grave of John
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/102016823/sarah-isabella-corbett -- 1901 grave of Isabella
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQLP-36F -- 1909 wedding of Amanda’s daughter Elsie
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKJB-51X -- 1910 census, James
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKJ1-W5N -- 1910 census, Andrew
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKJ1-3GG -- 1910 census, Amanda
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86607974/robert-anderson-corbett -- 1911 grave of Robert A.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMKP-44C -- 1919 wedding of Amanda’s daughter Vena
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDNT-G5G -- 1920 census, James Corbet
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDNT-229 -- 1920 census, Andrew
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDNT-G5J -- 1920 census, James’s daughter Arlie
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNGH-RP1 -- 1920 census, John’s widow and son Thomas
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNGH-NDJ -- 1920 census, John’s daughter Lila
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMKP-N51 -- 1920 wedding of Amanda’s daughter Lura
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/102017691/james-thomas-corbett -- 1923 grave of James T.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XML7-B9T -- 1930 census, Robert’s widow Elizabeth and son Francis
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMLW-44D -- 1930 census, Amanda
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X3M2-XNR -- 1930 census, Amand’s daughter Lura
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XQY2-C6L -- 1930 census, James’s daughter Arlie
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SP4N-LBK -- 1930 census, John’s daughter Lila
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQVR-ZYV -- 1940 census, Robert’s son Francis
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQVR-C34 -- 1940 census, Andrew
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQV5-NBD -- 1940 census, prob. Amanda
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KW8M-7CV -- 1940 census, Amanda’s daughter Lura
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4LS-HVM -- 1940 census, James’s daughter Arlie
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4CP-JZS -- 1940 census, John’s daughter Lila
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VJRP-TMH -- 1947 death of Francis
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NS8T-65P -- 1951 death of John’s daughter Lila
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/120164218/amanda-jane_elizabeth-black -- 1952 grave of Amanda
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K397-YM6 -- 1953 death of John’s daughter Naomi
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86608708/david-andrew-corbett -- 1955 grave of David Andrew
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/111983926 -- 1963 grave of James’s daughter Arlie
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52430858 -- 1982 grave of Amanda’s daughter Vena
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JYXF-N57 -- 1991 death of Amanda’s daughter Lura
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNDD-YTV -- 1816 wedding of Thomas Mansfield
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X8YN-G6B -- ditto
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNDD-YQW -- 1820 wedding of John Mansfield
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X8YN-PBW -- ditto
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHP9-84T -- 1830 census, John Mansfield
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHBN-31P -- 1840 census, Thomas Mansfield
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHYL-137 -- 1840 census, John Mansfield
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCDK-2H3 -- 1850 census, Thomas Mansfield
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8Y9-1C9 -- 1860 census, Thomas Mansfield
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8T8-QQY -- 1860 census, John Mansfield
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDDH-PBH -- 1870 census, Thomas Mansfield
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDDH-Y5Z -- 1870 census, John Mansfield
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/163099280/thomas-mansfield -- 1871 virtual grave of Thomas Mansfield; links to Catherine, some children
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD7K-43P -- 1880 census, Catherine Mansfield
Thomas Mansfield and wife Catherine don’t show up in the Jefferson County census until 1850 because of a sojourn in Georgia that lasted at least until 1842. The 1840 census recorded them in Floyd County, Georgia as a couple in their forties, with nine others in their household: a man in his thirties, a woman in her twenties, a boy age 15-19, a boy and girl (who could have been Isabella) age 10-14, two boys age 5-9, and two boys under 5.
In the 1830 census of Jefferson County, John Mansfield (age 30-39) and wife (age 30-39) headed a household that included two older women (one 40-49, one 60-69) and four children: one boy age 15-19, a boy and a girl age 5-9, and a girl under 5 (who could have been Isabella). In the 1840 census of Jefferson County, John Mansfield (age 40-49) and wife (age 40-49) headed a household that included two older women (one 50-59, one 80-89) and four children: one boy and one girl age 15-19, one boy age 10-14, and one girl age 5-9. Undoubtedly the same people as the 1830 census, but, lacking names and exact ages, no way to know whether they were Isabella’s family.
Is the John Mansfield in the 1860 and 1870 censuses, who was born about 1800 in Tennessee, the same man from the 1820, 1830, and 1840 records?