Résumé

Principal, William H. Corlett, Architect, Napa, CA, c. 1888. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 29; FHL Roll Number: 977081, accessed 03/17/2025.)

Relocation

Born in Ramsey, one of the largest towns on the Isle of Man, a British Crown Dependency, situated between Northern Ireland (west), Scotland (north) and England (east) in the Irish Sea, William Henry Corlett was born in 1856, making him the fifth out of seven children had by William P. and Jane Corlett.

The Corletts lived in Ramsey, Isle of Man, a port town on the island's northeast coast, between 1851 and 1871, at least. In 1851, five years before William Henry's birth, they resided at 89 Dale Street and had a household lodger, Margaret Oates (born c. 1831 in Michael, Isle of Man) as well as a servant, Esther Colonel (like not the correct surname, born c. 1835 in Ramsey, Isle of Man). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Class: HO107; Piece: 2524; Folio: 360; Page: 19; GSU roll: 105992-105996 Source Information Ancestry.com. 1851 Isle of Man Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 03/17/2025.)

The 1861 Isle of Man Census confirmed that Jane and William P. Corlett continued to reside in Ramsey, where they raised seven children in their household as well looking after her mother Ann Harrison Joughin (born 1800 in Andreas, Isle of Man-d. 05/06/1886 in Andreas, Isle of Man), who resided with them. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Class: HO107; Piece: 2524; Folio: 360; Page: 19; GSU roll: 105992-105996 Source Information Ancestry.com. 1851 Isle of Man Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 03/17/2025.) Ann Joughin would be only member of the household not to emigrate to the US.

The 1871 Isle of Man Census noted that William P. Corlett worked as a house joiner, and he passed this skill onto his sons John Thomas and William Henry. John was a full joiner, while William Henry worked as a "joiner's assistant." His brother Caesar was training as a shoemaker's assistant. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Class: RG10; Piece: 5773; Folio: 143; Page: 3; GSU roll: 895842 Source Information: 1871 Isle of Man Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004, accessed 03/17/2025.)

William Henry Corlett accompanied his parents and sibling to the US in about 1873. They settled in Napa, CA, by about 1874 and became prosperous and stable in their new home. According to the obituary of William Patrick Corlett: "He came to the United States in 1873, and to California in 1874, coming direct to Napa. He founded at that time the Enterprise Planing Mills now located in East Napa, and has been connected with the institution for nearly all the years that he has resided in this city. He was an industrious and upright citizen, and much respected in this community." (See Find a Grave.com, "William Patrick Corlett," accessed 03/17/2025. This website quoted an obituary found in the Napa Daily Journal, 07/14/1905.)

The 1880 US Census listed as William H. Corlett living at home with his father, step-mother two brothers and a sister. His father worked as a carpenter, as he and his brother Robert did. His elder brother Caesar was listed working as a tanner. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Napa, Napa, California; Roll: 69; Page: 358b; Enumeration District: 073, accessed 03/17/2025.) The Corletts may have lived in close proximity to the Napa County Hospital, which was listed as being nearby in the census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Napa, Napa, California; Roll: 69; Page: 358b; Enumeration District: 073, accessed 03/17/2025.)

In 1900, the William H. Corlett lived with his father William P. Corlett and brother C.D. Corlett on Jefferson Street in Napa. Also residing here was his wife Cassie and their three of their children--William G., Jessie M. and Harry B. Corlett. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Napa, Napa, California; Roll: 95; Page: 10; Enumeration District: 0095, accessed 03/17/2025.)

Corlett was listed as the proprietor of the Enterprise Planing Mill in 1910, and he, his wife Cassie and their four children resided at 442 Jefferson Street in Napa. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Napa Ward 3, Napa, California; Roll: T624_90; Page: 30b; Enumeration District: 0080; FHL microfilm: 1374103, accessed 03/17/2025.) They continued to live here in 1918. (See Polk-Husted's Napa, California, City Directory, 1918, p. 30.)

W.H. Corlett and his wife Cassie lived at 507 Jefferson Street in Napa in 1930. Their house had an estimated value of $15,000, more than twice the price of dwellings in the immediate vicinity. The 1930 US Census form indicated that Corlett had no occupation at that time, likely meaning that he had retired by that point. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Napa, Napa, California; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 0008; FHL microfilm: 2339915, accessed 03/17/2025.)

Parents

The architect and building contractor's father was William Patrick Corlett (born c. 04/1824 in either Jurby or Ramsey, Isle of Man-d. 07/13/1905 in Napa, CA), who trained as a house joiner on the Isle of Man. In 1900, he and William H. were listed as carpenters by the US Census taker. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Napa Ward 3, Napa, California; Roll: T624_90; Page: 30b; Enumeration District: 0080; FHL microfilm: 1374103, accessed 03/17/2025.)

His mother Jane Elizabeth Callister (born c. 1827 on the Isle of Man-d. 1864 on the Isle of Man) married William Patrick Corlett on 10/21/1846 at Maughold, Isle of Man. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. Isle of Man, Select Marriages, 1849-1911 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014, accessed 03/17/2025.) The couple had seven children. As noted in the 1861 Isle of Man Census, she was likely born in the town of Andreas, although this notation remains hard decipher. At this time, Jane worked as a milliner and dressmaker, while William Patrick worked as a house joiner, and son John, age 14, had a job as a messenger. She passed away at age 37.

William Henry's step-mother was Elizabeth MacKenzie (born 09/05/1839 in Chester, England-d. 1893 in Napa, CA). She wed William P. Corlett on 12/20/1866 in Maughold, Isle of Man. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. Isle of Man, Select Marriages, 1849-1911 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014, accessed 03/17/2025.)

William H. Corlett had the following siblings: John Thomas Corlett (born c. 1847 in Ramsey, Isle of Man-d. 03/05/1924 in San Francisco, CA), Ann J. Corlett Keig (born 06/1849 in Ramsey, Isle of Man-d. 1921 in Napa County, CA), Margaret Corlett Beaumont (born 08/11/1852 in Ramsey, Isle of Man-d. 05/21/1920 in Napa County, CA), Caesar David Corlett (born 1853 in Ramsey, Isle of Man-d. 08/19/1919 in Napa, CA), Robert Corlett (born 01/01/1858 in Ramsey, Isle of Man-d. 03/11/1929 in Napa, CA) and Elizabeth Corlett Callow (born 12/26/1862 in Ramsey, Isle of Man-d. 02/05/1931 in San Francisco, CA).

In 1900, Caesar worked as an engineer in the family's Enterprise Planing Mill.

Robert Corlett had become the Napa County Assessor by 1918. (See Polk-Husted's Napa, California, City Directory, 1918, p. 30.)

Spouse

He wed Clara Eunice "Cassie" Greenfield (born 08/05/1861 in Sackville, NB, Canada-d. 05/21/1936 in Napa County, CA) on 12/29/1886 in Napa, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The Napa Register; Publication Date: 24/ Dec/ 1886; Publication Place: Napa, California, USA; URL: https://www.newspapers.com/image/562737364/?article=9254c00f-12d6-444b-9b6f-685e98b6f995&focus=0.39491475,0.038784876,0.5061452,0.19414368&xid=3398, accessed 03/17/2025.) She came to the US from Canada in 1868 or 1869, according to the 1910 and 1930 US Censuses, respectively.

Her parents were Thomas Greenfield (born 06/01/1832 in Cumberland County, NS, Canada-d. 10/12/1894 in Napa County, CA) and Eledy A. Sears (born 09/14/1834 in NB, Canada-d. 12/15/1918 in Napa County, CA). Thomas worked as a carriage maker in 1861 and a wheelwright in 1880. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Census Returns For 1861; Roll: C-1006, accessed 03/17/2025 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Napa, Napa, California; Roll: 69; Page: 309a; Enumeration District: 071, accessed 03/17/2025.) Eledy resided on Calistoga Avenue in Napa in the same house for 48 years, according to her obituary.

Children

Cassie and William Henry Corlett had four children: William Greenfield Corlett (born 10/22/1887 in Napa, CA-d. 10/27/1954 in Alameda County, CA), Jessie Myra Corlett (born 01/01/1889 in Napa County, CA-d. 10/261918 in Napa County, CA), Harry Beaumont Corlett (born 1894 in Napa, CA-d. 1971), and Edith L. Corlett Crandall (11/15/1900 in Napa, CA-d. 05/09/1986 in Napa, CA).

William Greenfield Corlett also became an architect in Northern CA.