====== Corbet, George ====== (1 April 1844-15 Nov. 1932), clergyman. (Mgr Corbet) Born in the 9th concession of Lancaster Township, GC. He was educated at local schools and at St. Joseph’s College (afterwards the University of Ottawa), the College of St. Thérèse, and the Grand Seminary at Montreal. He was ordained to the priesthood 21 Sept. 1873. In his earlier years in the priesthood, he served at Kingston and Wolfe Island and at St. Andrew’sWest in Stormont County and in Cornwall. Thereafter, he was parish priest at St. Andrew’s West, 1879-1890, and parish priest at St. Columban’s in Cornwall for 42 years from Oct. 1890 till his death. In Cornwall, he directed the building of the new St. Columban’s Church. He also played a leading role in founding the Hotel Dieu Hospital in Cornwall. The Hotel Dieu Hospital has long been one of the most important institutions for people of all denominations in the United Counties. Fr Corbet played the leading role also in founding three other important institutions in Cornwall: the St. Paul’s Home for the elderly, the Nazareth Orphanage, and the Gonzaga High School. He brought the Presentation Brothers from Ireland to Cornwall to teach in the high school. In 1910, he protested vigorously against the proposal to build a United Counties’ House of Refuge, which he considered unnecessary given that St. Paul’s Home existed for the same purposes. (//Cornwall Standard// 28 Oct., 4 & 11 Nov. 1910) Fr Corbet administered the diocese of Alexandria after the death of each of the first two bishops. He also served as vicar general of the diocese 1890-1928. In 1923, he was made a protonotary apostolic. (//Glengarry News// 5 Oct. 1923) With this honour he had the title of Monsignor. He clashed with French Canadian nationalists anxious for more use of the French language in church life and education. He himself spoke French and Gaelic as well as English. With the Protestants, his relations were apparently always excellent, though Corbet was strongminded and sometimes outspoken. He was one of three priests who attended the funeral of the physician Dr D. O. Alguire, a Presbyterian. (//Cornwall Standard// 7 May 1925) Fr Corbet also attended the funeral of the Rev. Neil MacNish, the Prebyterian minister. It was remembered that he and MacNish used to visit each other and hold conversations in Gaelic. Mgr Corbet died in Cornwall. The parish hall at St. Columban’s from the 1920 to the 1960s was known as Corbet Hall. He was the author of //A Retrospect: First Catholic Diocese of Upper Canada and the Evolution of the Catholic Separate School System// (1917). He was the brother-in-law of Christopher J. McRae and was the uncle of Fr Corbet McRae of the diocese of Alexandria. ---- //Glengarry News// 18 & 25 Nov. 1932; includes text of the funeral eulogy by Fr D.A. Campbell * //Sinnsearached// 20-32, 90-94 * //150th Anniversary: St. Columban’s Parish// (1979?), Fobert, Villeneuve, Senior, Choquette, //Lochinvar to Skye// 95 * A. O. Roque, “Les Canadiens-français d’Ontario,” //La revue franco-americaine//, 9 March 1910, and Fr Corbet’s reply //Cornwall Standard //22 April 1910, also 6 May 1910 for a counter-reply * //GN// 14 Sept. 1923, Golden Jubilee * //GN// 15 Jan. 1937, tablet in his honour blessed in St. Columban’s Church * //GN// 15 May 1985, anecdote, in Angus H. McDonell’s history of Monkland * //GN// 22 June 1983, biog. article by Angus H. McDonell on Mgr Corbet’s nephew, Joe Corbett [sic] a GC athlete *notes as per life of Rev. N. MacNish * death in Ottawa of his brother John Corbet, formerly businessman in saddlery and harness, Alexandria, //Cornwall Freeholder// 3 April 1908 [<6>]