KORRECT, WILLIAM

KORRECT, TRECKER, SCULLY, TURNBAUGH, GUERDET, DELPERDANG, DOLESHAL, SCHILTZ

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 1/30/2004 at 12:58:30

Biography reproduced from page 435 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

William Korrect is residing on the east half of section 28, Swea township, where he engages in diversified farming in connection with which he makes a specialty of the breeding and raising of thoroughbred stock. He is a very capable and enterprising man and is meeting with a gratifying measure of success in both lines of his business and is numbered among the prosperous agriculturists and stockmen of Kossuth county.

A native of Illinois, the birth of William Korrect occurred on a farm in La Salle county, that state, on the 11th of November, 1868. His father, John Korrect, was born in the vicinity of Cologne, Rhine province, Prussia, but when a youth of twelve years he emigrated to the United States with his parents, who located at Peru, Illinois. The paternal grandfather was an agriculturist and subsequently located on a farm in Illinois, where he passed the remainder of his life. His son John was there reared to manhood and completed his education, begun in his native country, in the district schools of La Salle county. There he met and subsequently married Sophie Trecker, also a native of the Rhine province. When she was a child of three years, her parents took passage for the United States, but the father died en route and was buried at sea, and the mother and family were left alone to establish a home in the new world. They continued their journey to La Salle county, Illinois, and settled on a farm in Richland township, being among the early pioneers in that section. Mr. and Mrs. Korrect passed the early years of their domestic life in Illinois, where they resided until 1895, when they came to Kossuth county. In the fall of 1892 they purchased two hundred and eighty acres of land on the east half of section 28, Swea township, which their son William cultivated for two years prior to their removal here. Mr. Korrect diligently applied himself to the further improvement and cultivation of his farm until 1909, and during the intervening years increased his tract until it comprised the entire east half of the section. Three years ago he withdrew from active work and he and his wife removed to Armstrong, where they continue to live. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Korrect, of whom our subject is the eldest. In order of birth the others are as follows: John P., a civil engineer of Swea township; George, a farmer at Lone Rock; H. W., who passed away in 1911; Anna, the wife of Edward J. Scully, a farmer in Seneca township; Elizabeth, who is living with her parents in Armstrong; Josephine, the wife of Albert Turnbaugh, who is engaged in farming in the vicinity of Swea City; Ida, the wife of Anton Guerdet, who is farming east of Armstrong in Swea township; and Rose and Minnie, both of whom are at home.

The early life of William Korrect did not differ in particular from that of other youths who are reared in the country. He was educated in the district schools of La Salle county, Illinois, and while engaged in the mastery of the common branches, assisted his father with the work of the farm. In the spring of 1893, he came to Kossuth county and located on his father’s farm in Swea township, on which he now resides. The ensuing two years he devoted to cultivating and improving this place, preparatory to the arrival of his parents, with whom he remained until he was married. Immediately following this event he located on a farm five miles north of Swea City, that belonged to Ellsworth & Jones. After cultivating this for six years, he abandoned agricultural pursuits and went to Swea City and engaged in the harness business with W. R. Jacobs, under the firm name of Korrect & Jacobs. He withdrew from this at the end of two years, selling his interest to his partner, and turned his attention to contracting and building, which he followed for three years. At the end of that time he located on a farm three-fourths of a mile south of Swea City, but upon his father’s retirement the next year he returned to the old homestead, which he has ever since been renting. This is one of the well kept and highly improved farms of the county and its fields annually yield abundant harvests. Mr. Korrect’s interests, however, are largely centered in stock-raising. He makes a specialty of Percheron horses, and owns a fine stallion of that breed, Colonel K., which is registered in the French stud book. He also has a registered mare and several others of high breed, and annually raises several valuable colts for the market. His cattle are thoroughbred shorthorns, the head of his herd being registered, and his hogs are full blooded Poland China. Mr. Korrect is one of the most progressive agriculturists in Swea township and was one of the first men in the county to install a tractor on his place, and was the first to use it for the purpose of hauling grain to the elevator. He considers such a machine indispensable to the modern agriculturist and uses it for practically everything except planting and cultivating. He possesses an excellent equipment and during the period of his residence on this place has installed many modern conveniences and appliances, consistent with the spirit of progress he at all times manifests in his undertakings.

In 1898, Mr. Korrect was married to Miss Elizabeth Delperdang, a daughter of Hubert and Margaret Delperdang. The father is of German extraction and was born in Germany, close to the French border. He has always engaged in agricultural pursuits and upon his arrival in the United States first located in the vicinity of LeMars, Plymouth county, Iowa, where he farmed until 1892. In the latter years he came to Kossuth county and settled on a place near Bancroft, where he continued his agricultural pursuits until 1909, when he retired and removed to Bancroft and there he and the mother still reside. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Delperdang numbers six, Mrs. Korrect being the third in order of birth. The others are as follows: Lambart, a farmer near Bancroft; Nicholas, who is ranching in the vicinity of Glasgow, Montana; Leo, a tiler by trade who resides at Bancroft; Anna, the wife of A. J. Doleshal, a butter-maker at Bancroft; and Mrs. Rose Shiltz, who is living with her parents. To Mr. and Mrs. Korrect there has been born one son, George Hubert, whose natal day was the 8th of December, 1900. He is now attending school in district No. 8, Swea township.

Mr. and Mrs. Korrect are communicants of the Roman Catholic church of Armstrong, and he belongs to the Knights of Columbus at Algona and the Modern Woodmen of America at Swea City. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party and he served for one year as supervisor of roads in Swea township. Mr. Korrect is leading a life of intense activity and business enterprise as is manifested by his progress and the success that has attended his efforts.