August 3, 2009 © Thomas J. Kollenborn. All Rights Reserved.
Robert K
“Bob” Corbin acquired his interest in the Dutchman’s lost mine as a
young man. He read an article about the mine in Life magazine when he
was in the Navy. From that day on he wanted to visit the Superstition
Mountains and look around.
He made his first trip into the
mountains in the summer of 1957, departing from Tortilla Flat and hiking
south through some really rugged country. When he and his friend
finally returned to Tortilla Flat through Surprise Canyon they were
completely beat. Bob remembers the water faucet at Tortilla Flat more
than any of the terrain he walked through or any single item at the
“Flats”. That day, he made a rule he would never go into the
Superstition Mountains during the summer months and especially during
the month of July. His blind determination to see the land of the
Dutchman’s lost mine could have cost him his life that hot summer day.
Robert K. Corbin was born in
Worthington, Indiana on November 17, 1928. After completing high school
Bob joined the United States Navy in 1946. He completed his tour of duty
with the Navy and returned to Indiana. While a freshman at Indiana
University he wrote a theme for a class about the Dutchman’s lost mine.
He worked his way through the Indiana Night Law School. One of Corbin’s
reasons for moving to Arizona was his interest in lost mines and
treasures. This research kindled in Corbin a keen interest for the
Dutchman lost mine and the Superstition Mountains of Central Arizona.
Bob, like many others, decided Arizona was a rapidly-growing region and
his future lay in the desert.
Corbin’s first trips in the late
fifties, after the almost disastrous trip south of Tortilla Flat, were
into the vicinity of Weaver’s Needle. After a few trips into the area he
became acquainted with some of the local prospectors. Corbin met
Celeste Maria Jones and her prospecting party near the base of Weaver’s
Needle in 1958. A somewhat cautious friendship developed between Corbin
and Jones. Bob Corbin and Joe Robles, one of his friends, began grub
staking Jones and her operation in 1959, mostly for the novelty of it
rather than the expectation of any actual financial return. Corbin was
fascinated with the prospectors, their stories, and the lore of the
area. He ventured into the mountains every opportunity he had on the
weekends. He wanted to further explore this mountainous wilderness and
enjoy its beauty, peace, and solitude.
It may have been the possibility of
finding something that drove Bob and was so important to him. Searching
the Superstition Mountains for years gave him time to relax and think
about the future. If he didn’t find the mine; but he had a great time
looking for it.
Bob Corbin grew politically with
Arizona. He was appointed Maricopa Deputy County Attorney in 1958. He
served in this office from 1958 to 1960. He was elected Maricopa County
Attorney in November of 1964 and served in that position from 1965 until
1969. He was elected to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in
1972, and ran for State Attorney General in November of 1978. He was
elected Attorney General served the State of Arizona in that position
until retirement in January of 1991. Bob Corbin was one of the most
popular State Attorney Generals in Arizona history, holding that office
longer than any other elected official.
As Attorney General of Arizona, he was
respected as one of the best law enforcement officials in the American
Southwest. Bob was extremely proud of the fact he is a board member of
the National Rifle Association and also served as President of the
association. Bob Corbin has served the public with total devotion to the
fact “the law is the law.” For that reason he was one of the most
respected public officials in Arizona history. Bob has received many
local, state and national awards for his dedication to public service.
I first met Bob in 1980 when I invited
him out to Apache Junction to talk to my class titled “Prospecting the
Superstitions.” I don’t recall how this meeting came about, however we
became friends. Bob and I rode in the Superstition Mountains for more
than twenty years together.
We made several pack trips into the
mountains to such places as the Reavis Ranch, Circlestone, Upper La
Barge Box, Boulder Canyon, Horse Camp Mesa, Peter’s Mesa, Angel Springs,
J.F. Ranch, Top of Superstition Mountain, and many other destinations
within the Superstition Wilderness Area. Our trips included checking out
many old time clues and stories about the Dutchman’s lost mine, however
most of the clues did not produced any real results.
I am not sure we really cared; we just enjoyed the great outdoors and the seclusion the region offered.
What can I say about Bob Corbin? First
and most importantly I can call him a friend, and he has never
relinquished his love for the history and lore of Arizona and the
Superstition Mountains. I have met many men in my life, but few as
honest and straight as Bob Corbin. While Attorney General of Arizona he
kept his cool in some of the most trying events in Arizona history. The
most celebrated case is the U.S. Supreme Court case involving the
Miranda.
Another case that comes to mind was the
Don Bolles’ case. He was also involved in the impeachment trial of
Arizona Governor Evan Mecham. Another interesting case was the
prosecution of Robert Simpson Jacobs, known locally as “Crazy Jake”.
Jacob claimed to possess the richest gold mine in the world somewhere in
the Superstition Wilderness Area. Jacob was convicted of fraud; bilking
people and corporations out of millions of dollars. The AG’s office
estimated Jacob defrauded citizens of Arizona out of more than eight
million dollars.
You might not agree with Bob Corbin’s
conservative views; however his integrity as an honest politician was
well known by Arizonians. He is a strong believer in the United States
Constitution and the laws of this nation. Mr. Corbin sincerely believed
the “Law was the law.” If he was wrong he would admit it.
What is Bob Corbin doing today? He
retired in 1990 and has been enjoying retirement in his beautiful home
near Prescott. He always dreamed of living in the cool pines when he
retired. He enjoys prospecting around the Bradshaw Mountains. Life has
been wonderful for Bob until recently when he lost his beloved wife
Helen after forty-nine years of marriage, however he has three wonderful
daughters to help him through this difficult time in his life.
Nobody ever totally readjust to such a
lost, but Bob has had the courage to carry on under very difficult and
emotional circumstances. You don’t see his pain visually, but you know
it hurts him deeply. Bob is making a positive effort to readjust to life
without his beloved Helen. When such tragedy strikes we must be able to
move on and his beloved Helen would have wanted Bob to do so.
Bob Corbin is one of most interesting
men I have ever known who actively searches for the Dutchman Lost Mine
in the Superstition Wilderness Area. Over the years he has shared his
time with Apache Junction on several occasions. He was Grand Marshal for
the Lost Dutchman Day’s parade when he was Attorney General for
Arizona. He has given talks for various community service organizations
in Apache Junction over the years. He has participated in several
community events during the past four decades.
Just recently (early May of this year)
Bob Corbin accompanied me on a six hundred mile trip to West Texas to
look for a lost gold mine with a mutual friend of ours from England.
Peter Gardiner had told us about a lost gold mine in West Texas and off
we went. Bob, at eighty years young, really enjoyed this fantastic
adventure. We found no gold mine, but we found some wonderful new
friends in West Texas.
If you are
interested in reading more about the trip to West Texas you can find
the article archived in Kollenborn’s Chronicles on-line. The article is
title “Gold in West Texas.” 6/29/09.