Bio: Korth, Emil & Hattie
Contact: Loyal Public Library

----Source: Excerpt from "The Centennial History of the York Center United Methodist Church, 1880 - 1980..

KORTH, EMIL AND HATTIE

In the summer of 1920 we looked for farm to buy and by Oct. I we moved into the Fred Zwick farm one and a half miles east from the York Center Church. We were members of the Pleasant Ridge Methodist Church but since the York Center Church was so near we soon attended. We were given a hearty welcome, soon felt at home and joined it.

Our first child Louise was born in the Town of Grant. The four, Wilbert, Walter, Dorothy and Eileen were born in the Town of York. All attended Merry Vale School and Granton High School. Louise went on to Stevens Point Normal for two years, then taught school for five years. On August 25, 1945 Louise and Harlow Henninger were married in our church. They went to Madison where Harlow attended the University of Wisconsin for the year. He got a teaching position in Sheboygan in 1946 and they are still there.

Wilbert stayed with us on the farm to help us. Walter enlisted in the Air Force entering in December of 1942. He returned home in November of 1945. On May 22, 1946 Walter and Violet Foemmel were married in her church in Chili. Two weeks later Wilbert and Alvina Foemmel were married in the same church. Wilber and Alvina continued to live with us on our farm. Walter had different jobs until they moved to Owen where he worked in a garage. In 1949 Wilbert rented the Jim Young farm and Walter and Violet came to live with us to help farm. In the meantime, Dorothy and Eileen graduated from Granton High School, Dorothy going to Luther Hospital Eau Claire to take up nursing. She stayed there until she married Leonard Meyer on May 22, 1954. They live on a farm near Elk Mound.

In February 1952 we sold our farm in York Center and moved onto a farm in the Fort Atkinson area. The boys and their families coming with us and Wilbert and family taking over the farming more alone. We still live here. Walter and Violet now live in Cambridge. Their son is now living in their house here on the farm. Eileen, who was a secretary for the Roddis Co. in Marshfield, now lives only two miles from us. She married Dwight Crossman in June of 1952. Dorothy Korth - 1948.

The York Center Church will always be very dear to us. We have many precious memories--Mrs. Estella Mortimer as adult teacher followed by Julia VandeBerg as teacher. She was the leader for the youth group when our older three children were teenagers. We had no choir, but Mrs. Mary Davis and her children blessed us with their musical voices. How we enjoyed hearing "Ring Them Golden Bells". One could hear Mrs. Davis' voice as "Bells" really ringing. Then we enjoyed the duets Mr. and Mrs. Walter Rowe often sang, and Mrs. Bert Walker and daughter Ethel. And whatever problems or work had to be done in regard to our church needs we would call Horace and Fern VandeBerg. All in all everyone was a good helper for the Lord's work. We loved the church of our youth, the Pleasant Ridge Church and Sunday School, the York Center Church where our children grew up, and we found God's love again here in this, the oldest Scandinavian M.E. Church.