Nathan A. Corbin, president of the Bank of Blue Mound, at Blue Mound, Kan., claims New England as his nativity, having been born at Woodstock, Conn., Jan. 7, 1843. His parents, Nathan and Anna (Sumner) Corbin, were also natives of New England and both the descendants of English families established there in Colonial days. Nathan Corbin, the father, died when his son Nathan A. was but an infant six weeks old. The mother, accompanied by her four sons, came to Kansas in 1857, making the journey from Connecticut to Jefferson, Mo., by railroad and from thence to Kansas City by boat up the Missouri river. From Kansas City they drove to their destination, a point about five miles northwest of Mound City, which did not exist at that time, however, and there preëmpted a quarter section of land at a cost of about $250. The four sons who accompanied their mother to Kansas were Myron M., who served the Union cause during the Civil as a member of the Twelfth Kansas infantry; he died at Lawrence in 1900; Jesse S., deceased; Byron B., a hardware merchant at Mound City; and Nathan A. Mr. Corbin's mother and brother Jesse S. were accidentally poisoned in 1872 by eating canned cherries that had become poisonous through contact with lead in the inner side of the can, and the unfortunate accident resulted in their deaths. The family, upon coming to Kansas, had located in the midst of the border troubles incident to the period, just preceding and during the Civil war, and though our subject was too young to participate in the earlier part of that strife, he well remembers many of the stirring events that took place at that time. The older brothers, however, took an active part in the border warfare, and John Brown was a well known and frequent visitor at the Corbin home. Mr. Corbin remained on the home farm until 1861, when he went to Galesburg, Ill., to attend college. Instead of entering the college, however, he enlisted in August, 1861, in Company K, Forty-fifth Illinois infantry. On Jan. 12, 1862, the regiment left Camp Douglas, Chicago, for Cairo, where it went into camp until Feb. 1, when it was assigned to the Second brigade, First division, and the next day left Cairo with General Grant's army for the Tennessee river. The regiment received its "baptism of fire" at Fort Donelson and bore its full share in the three days' fight. It went into the fight at Shiloh with about 500 men and was in the front line from first to last of the two days' battle. This regiment participated in all the battles of the Vicksburg campaign, forming a part of General Logan's division, it took part in three charges against the Confederate works in May and June, and the regimental flag of the Forty-fifth was the first flag to be raised in Vicksburg. The regiment was on provost guard duty in Vicksburg, from July 4 until Oct. 14, 1863, and was then relieved to take part in the "Canton raid." From Feb. 3 to March 4, 1864, it took part in the "Meridian raid." Beginning on June 7 it took its share in the Atlanta campaign, before and after the fall of Atlanta, until the beginning of the march to the sea, in which it also joined. it participated in the Carolina campaign and passed on to Richmond, After Lee's surrender the Forty-fifth participated in the Grand Review at Washington, D. C. They were mustered out of the service July 12, 1865, Mr. Corbin receiving his pay at Springfield, Ill. Mr. Corbin joined the regiment at Jackson, Tenn., and was constantly with it from that time until the close of the war.

He then returned to the old homestead in Linn county, Kansas. On March 7, 1866, he came to the present site of Blue Mound, and bought 200 acres of land which comprise part of his present homestead, for he has added to his original purchase until he now has 840 acres of fine land, all in one body, 700 acres of which can be viewed from the eminence on which is built his fine modern residence. The land adjoins Blue Mound on the north. Mr. Corbin has one of the finest farms in Eastern Kansas and is also extensively engaged in stock raising. The vista of his farm itself presents evidence that the fields are tilled according to modern agricultural methods and the handsome residence and commodious and well-equipped farm buildings, are all conclusive evidence of the prevailing thrift and prosperity of its owner. When Mr. Corbin located there, however, there were but seven settlers in the township and it was not until 1883 that the town site company, of which Mr. Corbin was a member, was formed. The same careful but progressive methods used in the management of his farm have also characterized his career as a banker. He has been interested in the Bank of Blue Mound about twenty years and has been its president fifteen years, during which time it has been very successful.

Mr. Corbin has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Mary E. Robinson, to whom he was united July 18, 1877; she died in November 1887. His second wife was Miss Ida Robinson, a sister of his first wife. To this second union has been born a daughter, Nathana, who is attending school at Blue Mound. Mr. Corbin is a Republican in politics and takes an active interest in affairs touching the general welfare of the community. He has served as county commissioner five years, and has also been township treasurer several years. Some years previous he was nominated as a representative of Linn county in the legislature but for political reasons he declined to accept. Fraternally, he is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the Woodmen of the World.