Henry W. Corbett      Henry W. Corbett arrived in Portland Oregon by ship on March 7, 1851. The 24-year-old aspiring merchant had the backing of his New York supplier Williams, Bradford & Company, this was to be key to Henry W. Corbett's success.      In July, 1852, Henry departed for New York, leaving his store operation to employees, he continued to buy and ship goods from New York on his own authority. Corbett remained in New York less than a year, marrying Carolyn Jagger of Albany, NY and establishing himself as an independent buyer.      Upon returning to Portland, Corbett witnessed a tide of immigration pouring into the city from all parts of the West, bringing "a better class of people." The astute trader clearly perceived that the great influx of potential customers, combined with a dwindling supply of gold dust, would require him to grant credit. By 1854 Corbett had expanded into farm equipment, which helped him to clear profits of from 50 to 80 percent a year.      By the 1860's Henry W. Corbett owned controlling shares in The First National Bank, was a US Senator, and he was involved in the incorporation of the Oregon Telegraph Company. In 1888 Henry W. Corbett and Henry Failing organized the Portland Art Association. Corbett donated the initial $10,000 to be used for the purchase of reproductions of classical works of sculpture.      In 1863 Corbett along with the Starr brothers, William Ladd, John Green, Cicero H. Lewis, and Henry Failing promoted and capitalized the Macadamized Road Company which was conceived as a toll road, it was to connect Portland with Taylor's Ferry, which crossed the Willamette River to Milwaukie. The road was later extended south to what later became Riverwood, where several stockholders owned property. This road is now know as Macadam Avenue, also Hwy. 43 and travels along Portland's west side of the Willamette River through Lake Oswego and West Linn Oregon.      In 1879 Corbett along with William S. Ladd and Henry Failing purchased 350 acres of land along the west bank of the Willamette River, including river water rights. In 1882 they opened the first non-profit cemetery in Portland, known today as River View Cemetery Association.

President of River View Cemetery Assoc. 1883-1903 Died March 31, 1903

E-mail: info@riverviewcemetery.org