Israel Saunders Corbit (1817 - 1856)

Born 1817 in Pennsylvania, United States

Husband of Mary B. (Read) Corbit — married 4 Apr 1849 in Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey, United States

Died 11 Apr 1856 at about age 39 in Bordentown, Burlington County, New Jersey, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Carrie Lippincott [send private message]

Biography

Rev. Israel Sanders Corbit^[1] was born in 1817 in Pennsylvania.^[2]

"Israel was a quiet, orderly gentleman. He was a clerk or salesman in the saddlery hardware store of Jacob Carrigan, a well-known Methodist of that day. He had literary tastes and wrote a little for the old Saturday Evening Post and for a Methodist newspaper, the Repository. He was studious, self-improving, belonging to several literary and debating societies, of which there were at the time quite a number in the city....

A number of these societies were composed of Methodists. The Wilbur Fisk Society, the most prominent of them all, I think, was made up largely of members of St. George's Church. Israel Corbit was for a considerable time its president, and I know that were were all proud of him as presiding officer, especially on the occasion of our public debates. These were held once a month, and largely attended by parents, sweethearts,and other friends. Between Israel Corbit and myself [Rev. J. Walker Jackson], although I was so much younger than he, there grew up a very warm friendship. He was gentle, and affectionate, my counselor and friend."^[1]

Rev. Sanders was converted at a revival with his brother, William P. Corbit and joined the New Jersey Conference in 1844. Under his leadership, new Methodist churches were built in Camden and Princeton.^[1]

On 4 April 1849, Rev. Israel Sanders Corbit married Mary B. Read in Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey, USA.

"On April 4, 1849, in Mount Holly, by Rev. Dr. Pitman, Rev. I. Sanders Corbit of the New Jersey Conference of the Methodist Church to Mary B. Read, daughter of the late General Samuel J. Read." ^[3]

Israel and Mary had the following children:

1. Robert Field Stockton Corbit b cir. 1852 d 25 January 1858 Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey at the age of 8 years.^[4]
2. Charles R. Corbit b 27 March 1855 Bordentown, Burlington Co., New Jersey d 21 Aug 1855 ^[5][6]
3. Coralie Corbit (F) b unknown Bordentown d 22 Aug 1856 Bordentown, Burlington Co., New Jersey^[7]

Rev. I. S. Corbit was the pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Princeton, New Jersey from 1849-1850. ^[8]

To read about Rev. Corbit's role in the dedication of the Princeton United Methodist Church, see A Journey of Faith III: The First Sanctuary in 1849

In 1850, Israel and Mary were living in Princeton, Mercer, New Jersey, United States.^[2]

Israel last served in Bordentown, New Jersey, were he died following an illness, he contracted during outdoors preaching services, he established for the canal boatmen along the Delaware River. ^[1]

Israel passed away on 11 April 1856. ^[9]

He is buried in the graveyard at Mt. Holly.^[1]

DEATH OF I. S. CORBIT.
"New Jersey Mirror" Date: April 17, 1856, Page 3, column 1

Summary: Rev. I. Saunders Corbit, of the New Jersey Annual Conference, died at his late residence in Bordentown, on Friday (presumably a reference to April 11, 1856). His remains were brought to this town on Monday, and deposited in the Cemetery. Rev. J. K. Shaw preached the funeral sermon. The Conference appointed a Committee on Saturday, to report Resolutions expressive of the feeling of that body in reference to his death. The following were presented and adopted: WHEREAS, This Conference has received tidings of the removal from our midst of our beloved Brother and fellow-laborer, I. S. Corbit--Therefore, Resolved, That while the Providence is dark and mysterious that has taken from us so promising and useful a brother, in the prime of his life, we nevertheless bow with submission to the will of God, believing that He doeth all things well. --That our gratitude is due to our Heavenly Father that our brother was sustained in his affliction and enabled to triumph in death. --That we feel admonished by this Providence, diligently to prosecute our ministerial work and our preparation for the world to come. --That we deeply sympathize with the bereaved and afflicted family in their sad and irreparable loss, and that we transmit them a copy of these resolutions.

Headline: Local Facts and Fancies. / REV. I. S. CORBIT.
Date: April 24, 1856, page 3, column 2

A correspondent of the Newark Mercury writes as follows in reference to the Funeral of this lamented clergyman: The Delegation appointed by the Conference to attend the funeral obsequies of Rev. I. S. Corbit , at Mount Holly, attended to that mournful duty. The Camden and Amboy Railroad Company generously furnished a Car to the friends who wished to follow the remains of their Brother to his tomb; and many who had loved him as a pastor, and many who had been led to God by his instrumentality, besides, many who had admired the glowing talents of the man, followed in that mournful train. His remains were deposited in the Mount Holly Cemetery--one of the sweetest places in which to sleep after "life's fitful fever," that the country can supply and one whose beauty he, while living, had often admired--and in which he had often expressed a desire to rest at last. He sleeps there now--the talented and eloquent Christian minister, having fallen in life's prime--beside his mother and his babe, with his tomb watered by the tears of many a sorrowing friend, and his memory fragrant with the blessings of those in whose eternal welfare he had evinced a kindly interest. His funeral sermon was preached in the Methodist Episcopal Church, Mount Holly, at the special request of the deceased, by the Rev. J. K. Shaw, from this text: "To die is gain." Gain, he said, to the physical system, which, in the decomposition of the grave, parts with its alloy--gain to the mind which roves at will through the ideas of a universe, when once the fettering clay has fallen--gain in his enjoyments and his capacity to enjoy--gain both in the subject and the power of an eloquent lip--gain in the freshness and beauty of its friendships--and gain in the eternal presence and comfort of Jesus--all these, we have no reason to doubt, are now in the possession of our Brother. The services closed, and the Delegation returned to the Conference to work, they trust, more earnestly for the cause they have espoused. From the Jersey City Sentinel.

THE LATE REV. I. S. CORBIT .--Numerous hearts in this city are shrouded in sadness, on account of the premature death of this clergyman. Many are the fond associations that cluster around the memory of this deceased Pastor of "Trinity," who during his brief sojourn among us, (which terminated three years since.) formed many endearing friendships here, and did much to build up the interests of the Church where he labored so earnestly and so successfully. Little did the people of his charge suppose, when he preached his memorable "Farewell!" before a crowded house, that their retiring Pastor--the young, the eloquent, the ardent, the zealous, the devoted I. S. Corbit --was so soon to bid farewell to earth--that he was so soon to exchange the Church militant for the Church triumphant. Little did the companion of his bosom imagine, on that deeply interesting occasion, that ere two years had elapsed of his succeeding appointment, fell disease was to interrupt his ministerial labors, and subsequent death hurry him away in the full vigor of manhood, adjust as the bow of promise seemed brighter than ever. Lone and desolate is that bereaved one, as perhaps just now, while we are writing this, she gazes for the last time upon the remains of him she so fondly loved, and weeps in unbroken grief that such an endearing relationship is riven thus early--thus ruthlessly, by the hand of the Destroyer. But the Church has lost one of its most formidable champions--a Christian minister whose future seemed to give promise of making many inroads upon the strong holds of Satan, and who had already waged successful warfare against the Prince of darkness during his connection with the New Jersey Conference. His loss will be deeply and widely felt. His death, we are informed, was one of triumph, and his dying admonitions to his brethren will not soon be forgotten by those who witnessed his departure. He has gone to his reward, amid the regrets of thousands who have sat under his ministry, and have long been familiar with him in a two-fold capacity, that of Pastor and friend.

From the Bordentown Register. One week ago, the solemn announcement was made: " CORBIT IS NO MORE." Sad indeed were the countenances of those who with trembling lips and tearful eyes, whispered the sorrowful intelligence. A deep gloom seemed to settle down upon the community, for all felt that death had stricken down a faithful soldier of the cross, and extinguished a light that had served as a beacon and a way-mark to heaven. His disease was Pulmonary Consumption, and for two years past he was a patient sufferer, his soul being slayed npon(sic.) the promises and truths of that glorious gospel of which he had been an acceptable preacher. His reliance was upon that God whom he had faithfully served, and when death came it found him calm and resigned. His end was peaceful--his exit glorious--he had lived the life of the righteous, and his end was triumphant. For him death had no sting, over him the grave had no victory. His faithful ministry--his love and devotion to the cause of Christ, will long be remembered by the people of his late charge, and many who were converted under his able and efficient ministration, will cherish his memory as long as life endures. But he is not dead, he liveth. "Can that man be dead / Whose spiritual influence is upon his kind ? / He lives in glory--and his speaking dust / Has more of life than half its breathing moulds." // He is gone, he sleeps his last sleep, he / has fought his last battle, and / "Immortality o'er sweeps / All pains, all tears, all time, / all fears--and peals / Like the eternal thunders of the deep / Into our ears, this truth--He lives forever."

Sources

This profile is a collaborative work-in-progress. Your help would be greatly appreciated in improving Israel's profile! Can you contribute information or sources?

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Rev. J. Walker Jackson, A Great Curiosity Rev. William P. Corbit, a Son of St. George's, page 73. Acccessed 19 February 2021 - Source saved by CML, link becomes inactice.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Family Search. United States Census, 1850 Israel Corbit, Princeton, Mercer, New Jersey, United States; citing family 38, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3. ↑ source of her birth year and location. Burlington County Library System, New Jersey Mirror (http://index.burlco.lib.nj.us/Mirror/), April 12, 1849, page 3, col. 3.
4. ↑ Burlington County Library System, New Jersey Mirror (http://index.burlco.lib.nj.us/Mirror/), January 28, 1858 page 2 , col 6.
5. ↑ Family Search. New Jersey Deaths and Burials Mary Corbit in entry for Charles R. Corbit, 21 Aug 1855; citing Bordentown, Burlington Co., New Jersey, reference v C p 511; FHL microfilm 493,705.
6. ↑ Family Search. New Jersey Births and Christenings Mary in entry for Carley Corbit, 27 Mar 1855; citing BORDENTOWN TWP,BURLINGTON,NEW JERSEY, reference ; FHL microfilm 0493706 V. D1-D2.
7. ↑ Family Search. New Jersey Deaths and Burials May B. Corbit in entry for Coralie Corbit, 22 Aug 1856; citing Bordentown, Burlington Co., New Jersey, reference v C p 525; FHL microfilm 493,705.
8. ↑ John Frelinghuysen Hageman History of Princeton and Its Institutions (Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott & Co., 1879.) Volume 2. page 196
9. ↑ Burlington County Library System, New Jersey Mirror (http://index.burlco.lib.nj.us/Mirror/), April 24, 1856, page 3 , col 2.