George Corliss was born in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, and as a young man decided to follow the sea. In the will of Samuel Corliss, yeoman of Shrewsbury, dated 22 December 1748, he named his wife Elizabeth and brother George Corliss, legatees and executors. When the will was being proved 3 January 1748/9 and Elizabeth was sworn in, a notation in the records reads "Geo Corleis the other executor Therein named, living at present in New England." He was in Scituate, R.I. at the time but returned to Shrewsbury, as on 5 December 1749 he was sworn in as an executor. He didn't remain there long as in 1750 he bought a part of a house and land on the southwest corner of South Main and Planet Streets in Providence, R.I., where he resided the rest of his life, except for possibly a year or so when he resided in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. In Providence he was known as a native of New Jersey, a "mariner," and later as a merchant, In Volume 12, page 372 of the Bristol County Deeds, an entry shows that "George Curlis, Mariner" bought land and a wharf from Joseph and Dinah Kilton for 2400 pounds "old tenor" on 7 July 1?50, and in Volume 14 page 419 another entry shows that "George Corlis, merchant," bought-a lot north of "Power Lane" from Joseph Whipple for 600 pounds "old tenor" on 12 August 1758.

In 1757 he was one of the owners of the brigantine "Providence," a privateer which had captured a vessel that the Admiralty Court of Providence declined to condemn. The owner signed a power of attorney for an appeal to be made to authorities in London, but no further information is known about the outcome. In the December 1774 Providence Town Meeting he was appointed on a committee of inspection "to see that the association entered into by the Continental Congress be strictly adhered to by all persons within the town." He was a member of the Rhode Island Commission of Safety in 1776, which is the only civil or military office which records show he held. He took his son William into business with him and as the "George and William Corlis Co.,' were owners of the "Christiana" of Providence, a brigantine of 50 tons, built in 1783 and registered 30 April of that year, at which time John Warner was master.

Other Bristol County Deeds recorded in Books 65-68 show that on -

1 Aug 1786 - he bought two lots in Rehoboth with houses on, from Lemuel Wyatt

8 Oct 1787 - "George Corlis of Rehoboth, merchant," purchased 31 1/3 acres from the Allens and Averills.

16 May 1788 - "George Corlis of Rehoboth, merchant." sold to Lemuel Wyatt of Rehoboth, merchant, 10 acres of woodland in Rehoboth which he had purchased from him in 1786.

7 Aug 1788 - "George Corlis of Providence, merchant," sold to John Tunis Clark and Joseph Nightingale, of Providence, merchants, 31 acres of land in Rehoboth.

16 July 1789 - George Corlis, John Tunis Clark and Joseph Nightingale, all of Providence, bought of James Allyn, ? acres of land with dwelling house, barn, shed and other buildings in Rehoboth.

When he died, a notice in the Providence Gazette read "Died 16 June 1790 Capt. George Corlies, native of New Jersey, many years a resident of this town, in the 72rd year of his age." He was buried in the Green and Rhodes Cemetery on Bluff Avenue, Edgewood, Cranston, R.I., where his wife and her parents were also buried. In 1911 it was located opposite house #113 and was overgrown with bushes and weeds. He left a will dated 4 June 1?90 which was probated 22 June of that year. His son John Corliss was sole executor and the witnesses were
William Earle, Christopher Sheldon and Daniel Cooke. An abstract follows:

(abstract deleted - see original images from Cousin Hoogie's pages for a reproduction- JMcV.)
From the will it appears that George Corliss was a man of means, and was involved in several different enterprises. Commodore Morris in his diary for 12 January 1837, in describing the settling of his son-in-law, Dr. William Bowen's, estate, mentions rights of land in the Ohio Company in the "military tract" which "Mr. Corlis" had purchased. It is interesting to note that in the will both "Continental Certificate dollars" and "pounds in lawful silver money" were used.

His wife Waitstill, who predeceased him, died in Pawtuxet, R.I. 21 October 1783 at the age of 60. their son William was appointed administrator of her estate in 1785.