The oil portrait of Dr. J. C. Corbus was donated to the Mendota Museum & Historical Society in poor condition. White spots of mold can be seen on his right shoulder. The portrait was taken to Mr. Barry Bauman for conservation. The results are seen in the pictures to the right of the original. www.baumanconservation.com

Dr. Corbus was born September 30, 1833, at Millersburg, OH where he completed his education through high school. He began his study of medicine at the age of 18 with Drs. Samuel Welch and S. G. Armour. After several years of preliminary reading with them, he attended the Medical Department of the Western Reserve University of Cleveland, Ohio.  He married Minerva C. McFarland of Wayne County, Ohio in 1854.  After graduating from Western Reserve, he began his practice at Orville, Ohio for a short time before leaving for Mendota, Illinois in the same year, 1855. He resided in Malugin's Grove, Lee County as that seemed more promising at the time.

In 1862, Dr. Corbus was appointed Assistant Surgeon of the Seventy-Fifth Illinois Infantry. In Jessie White's Civil War data list (http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/soldiers.cfm) he is listed as First Assistant Surgeon. He left the war, for health reasons, June 9, 1863. His experience in the army included some of the severest battles of the Civil War. Upon return to Mendota, he built a large and lucrative practice.

His wife died in December 1890. He was then married to Mrs. Helen Ruggles who died in August 1905. Five children were born during the first marriage. One, Dr. John C. Corbus, also practiced medicine in Mendota.

Dr. Corbus was appointed a member of the State Board of Charities by Governor Beveridge and, with the exception of during the incumbency of Governor Altgeld, served under the succeeding governors until January 1898. In that year, he was appointed, by Governor Tanner, to superintendent of the Illinois Eastern Hospital for the Insane where he served until July 1906, when he resigned.

He returned to Mendota and led a quiet retired life after retirement. He took up residency with his son, Dr. J. C. Corbus, and spent his latter days in Mendota with family and friends.