Résumé

Principal, B. Cooper Corbett, Architect, Los Angeles, CA, 1908- In 1908-1909, Cooper maintained his office at 608 South Main Street. In 1908, he occupied Room #733, while a year later was in Room #795. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1908, p. 1599 and Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1909, p. 325.) By 1911, he had moved to a building at 610 South Broadway, Room #1128. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1911, p. 1600.) He occupied Rooms 1128-1129 of the Union Oil Building at 215 West 7th Street in 1912 and Room #822 in 1913-1916. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1912, p. 1699 and Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1913, p. 2187 and Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1916, p. 2145.) He occipied Room #1122 of the building at 210 West 7th in 1917. (Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1917, p. 2284.) The Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1917, was the last to list Corbett in its professional directory.

Corbett worked in Los Angeles, CA, c. 1909-1917. He moved to San Francisco, CA, after World War I, and remained here into the late 1940s, at least.

Draftsman, San Francisco, CA, 1920.

College

He may have attended the Bethlehem Preparatory School, Bethlehem, PA, in the late 1880s.

Coursework, mechanical engineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, 1892-1894. (See Register of Lehigh University 1892-1893, South Bethlehem, PA, [Bethlehem, PA: Times Publishing Company, 1892], p. 23.) Corbett was in the Freshman Class of 1892-1893 at Lehigh, but graduated in 1898 with a degree in architecture. This book indicated that Corbett was "traveling in Europe" in 1899. (See Catalogue of Beta Theta Pi in the Sixtieth Year of the Fraternity, 1899, [Ann Arbor, MI: Junius Beal, 1899], p. 991.) His US passport application of 1899 indicated that he was a student and sought to go abroad and "would return within five years." (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, 1795-1905; Roll #: 456; Volume #: Roll 456 - 01 Nov 1895-30 Nov 1895, accessed 03/23/2023.)

Relocation

Benjamin Cooper Corbett was born in Alexandira, VA, to a farming family of transplanted New Yorkers. In 1870, two years before his birth, the US Census documented that there were seven people living on the Corbett Family farm. His parents Virgil and Emilie, as well as siblings Edgar, Mary and Virgil, Jr., and two African-American servants, Maria Ford (born c. 1842 in VA) and E. Johnson (born c. 1855 in VA). The farm had a value of $8,000 at the time, and the family also had an estate of about $1,000. Their real estate had far more value than most surrounding farms. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: Arlington, Alexandria (Independent City), Virginia; Roll: M593_1632; Page: 187B, accessed 03/23/2023.)

Benjamin lived for some of his childhood in New York, NY. In 1880, he stayed with a relatives E.W. and Emma Sheldon in Auburn, NY. The 1880 US Census form indicated that he was a nephew, likely of Emma Sheldon. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Auburn, Cayuga, New York; Roll: 813; Page: 312C; Enumeration District: 007, accessed 03/23/2023.)

He likely attended the Bethlethem Preparatory School in Bethlehem, PA, during the late 1880s and early 1890s and went on to Lehigh University, graduating in 1898. The architect spent a number of years traveling in Europe after 1898.

According to his mother's US passport application of 06/11/1920, Frances had married Benjamin in England on 10/20/1900. She lived from "her birth until 1900 in India," and "from 1905 until 1911" in Europe. The dates she supplied were likely inaccurate, as Benjamin Corbett had an architectural practice in Los Angeles beginning in 1908. Additionally, her passport application's date of birth was given as 12/27/1880 but on her death certificate it was listed as 12/27/1875. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925; Roll #: 1275; Volume #: Roll 1275 - Certificates: 59626-59999, 29 Jun 1920-30 Jun 1920, accessed 03/23/2023.)

In 1909, Corbett and his family lived in the town of Ocean Park, CA. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1909, p. 325.) By 1907, portions of what had been Ocean Park existed within the city limits of Santa Monica and the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles. (See Oceanpark.wordpress.com, "Ocean Park Time Line," accessed 03/24/2023.) He resided in Pasadena, CA, by 1912. (See "The Travelers," Brooklyn Life, 06/29/1912, p. 16.)

In 1917, he lived at 23 Ocean Spray Avenue in Venice. (See Santa Monica, California, City Directory, 1917, p. 80.)

He and his family resided in San Francisco, CA, by 1920 at 1492 Pacific Avenue in the city's fashionable Pacific Heights neighborhood. Benjamin worked as a 48-year-old draftsman in an architect's office at that time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: San Francisco Assembly District 32, San Francisco, California; Roll: T625_137; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 184, accessed 03/22/2023.)

From at least 1934 until his death in 1957, he and his wife resided at 1720 Pacific Avenue in San Francisco. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1934, p. 253 and San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1948, p. 424.)

The architect died of undisclosed causes at San Francisco Hospital on 06/21/1957. He had lived in San Francisco for the last 41 years, according to his death certificate. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1895-1985 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, accessed 03/23/2023.)

Parents

Benjamin's father was Virgil P. Corbett, Sr., (born 01/27/1827 in Corbettsville, NY-d. 05/25/1875 in Arlington, VA). His mother was Emilie B. Moore (born c. 1843 in NY-d. 01/13/1880 in Alexandria County, VA). They operated a farm in the Alexandria area.

Benjamin's siblings included Edgar Moore Corbett (born 07/16/1864 in New York, NY-d. 07/1946), Mary Arline Corbett Cathcart (born 12/19/1866 in VA-d. 03/20/1960 in Arlington, VA) Virgil P. Corbett, Jr., (born c. 03/1870 in VA) and Robert Seabury Corbett. It appears that Virgil. Jr., died early in life.

Spouse

He married Frances Maud Fernandez (born either 12/27/1875 or 12/27/1880 in Ahmedabad, India-d.06/28/1957 in Oakland, CA). Frances died a week after her husband in 1957. The date of her birth on her death certificate read 12/27/1875. She died of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis at the Hospital of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Oakland, CA.

Her parents were Francis Fernandez (born in China) and Mary Faulkner (born in Scotland). (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1895-1985 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, accessed 03/23/2023.)

In 06/1920, Frances applied for a US passport to travel for four months in the British Isles on "family business." (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925; Roll #: 1275; Volume #: Roll 1275 - Certificates: 59626-59999, 29 Jun 1920-30 Jun 1920, accessed 03/23/2023.)

Children

He and his wife Frances had three children: Mario Francis Corbett(born 07/27/1901 in New York, NY-d. 07/25/1977 in Pismo Beach, CA), Noel John Corbett (born 11/30/1906 in Pasadena, CA-d. 01/11/1963 in Los Angeles County, CA) and Leona Emily Corbett Ludwig (born 04/10/1913 in Los Angeles, CA-d. 12/31/1987).

Mario F. Corbett (1901-1977) became a notable architect working in the San Francisco Bay Area, beginning in 1930.

Biographical Notes

Prior to 03/23/2023, PCAD had another birthdate for Benjamin Corbett of 01/16/1873. In fact, his death certificate listed his birthdate as 01/16/1873. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1895-1985 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, accessed 03/23/2023.) A date of birth on a US passport application of 11/01/1895 listed it as 06/17/1872. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, 1795-1905; Roll #: 456; Volume #: Roll 456 - 01 Nov 1895-30 Nov 1895, accessed 03/23/2023.) The 06/15/1872 date came from a VA birth registry. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA; Virginia Births, 1853-1911, accessed 03/23/2023.)

At age 23, Corbett's US passport application described him as standing 5-11-and1/2-inches tall, with a medium forehead, long face, grey eyes, regular mouth, rounded nose, round chin, brown hair and fair Caucasian complexion. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, 1795-1905; Roll #: 456; Volume #: Roll 456 - 01 Nov 1895-30 Nov 1895, accessed 03/23/2023.)

Corbett, his wife Frances and son Noel were listed as passengers on the White Star liner R.M.S. Adriatic that sailed from Liverpool, England to New York, NY, on 11/18/1911. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1911; Arrival: New York, New York, USA; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Line: 2; Page Number: 90 Source Information: New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, accessed 03/23/2023.)

• San Francisco, CA (Architect's Death)
  San Francisco, CA

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