Anna Corbin, onetime housekeeper and
later the wife of Daniel Corbin was born in Sweden and later moved to America
with her father at the age of twelve. Mrs. Corbin’s life in America was a
colorful one. After living in Spokane for a short time, she received a formal
education. First, she attended Fort Edward Collegiate school in Fort Edward New
York for a year, spent the next year at Miss Ely’s fashionable finishing
school in New York city and later attended prestigious Columbia University for
two years. It was common knowledge that financing for Anna’s education came in
part from Daniel Corbin. His wife at the time lived in Europe, and it is
speculated that Mr. Corbin was grooming Anna to be a proper woman. In addition
to her education, after marrying Daniel Corbin she traveled extensively,
crossing the Atlantic no less than eleven times.
Family for Anna remained important throughout the entirety of
her life. She was instrumental in bringing her brothers and sisters to America
and later helped to educate their children. One child in particular, her nephew
Alfred Larson, was sent to her in ill health at the age of six. Mr. and
Mrs. Corbin raised and educated Alfred into adulthood. Their plans to adopt the
boy fell through with the death of Mr. Corbin in 1918, because law at that time
prevented a single woman from adopting a child.
In 1921 Anna Corbin and the chauffeur -- Louis Lilje (whom
she is rumored to have had an affair with) were charged with conspiracy to burn
down the Corbin home in order to collect insurance money. Both pleaded not
guilty, though Anna later confessed that Lilje threatened both her and her
nephew with bodily harm if she did not carry through with burning down the
house. Before her trial Anna’s health failed rapidly, and it was reported that
she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Lilje was acquitted of all charges
but was later jailed for making and distributing moonshine. Anna however, was
not so lucky. Though never prosecuted for arson, in a reduced mental state and
suffering public displeasure over her unladylike actions, she was admitted to
Eastern State Hospital for the insane. She was to remain there for the next
three years, until her well documented release in 1924.*
Shortly thereafter, Mrs. Corbin applied for and was denied
the opportunity to lease the Corbin house as a sanitarium by the City
Commission. Later she was to turn it into a boarding house.
Civic duty also played a large role in Anna Corbin’s life.
She applied for the office of City Commissioner and is quotes as having said
"platforms are like resolutions, … Made to be broken" and that
"a prudent and thrifty housewife is worth a dozen politicians." She
was also a regular hostess for the Spokane Civic Candidates league, a club for
candidates vying for the office of city commissioner.
With Alfred Larson’s urging and Anna’s growing concern
over the upkeep of the house and fears about not making future property taxes,
they deeded the house to the Spokane Park Board in August of 1945. The Park
Board paid $15,000 for the house and granted Mrs. Corbin life tenancy. The
surrounding properties, however, stayed in the family.
On April 26, 1950, Anna Corbin passed away at the age of 79.
Wife of a western pioneer, provider for her family and a notable figure in the
community, her life was anything but sedate. In her own words she described her
life as "being like a novel."
Mr. Larson and his family remained in the carriage house for
several years until they could purchase a new house on their own. He later sold
the Corbin properties to the city and the carriage house was destroyed,
providing access for the construction of Ben Garnett Way.
