KORF, Benjamin 1875-1940

KORF, POMMER

Posted By: Roger Stubbe (email)
Date: 7/18/2008 at 20:54:07

The departed, Benjamin Korf was born at Baileyville, Ogle county, Illinois on April 14, 1875, the child in a family of nine children. His childhood days and years of youth were spent in Illinois, where he attended the public school and received his religious instruction in the historic Forreston Grove Presbyterian church.

In the year 1898 he left Illinois and came to Lyon county, Iowa, settling on a farm one mile west and one mile north of Zion Presbyterian church (ed. note - at that time six miles north of the town of George.)

The next year, 1899, he was united in marriage to Miss Anna Pommer of Ashton, Obrien County, Iowa. They took up their resident on the farm where Mr. Korf had located the year before and resided there for five years. From there, they moved to a farm, from which this church (Zion) property was taken where they resided for ten years.

In 1914 the Korfs retired from farm life and moved to Ellsworth, Nobles County, Minnesota where he engaged in the grain business for some three or four years. He retired from this business because his physician advised it, as the dust in the elevator injured his health.

The remaining years he worked at various kinds of labor, carpentering and mason work and other activities, being in the ice business for a time. Six years ago, while doing some carpenter work in the uppermost part of the elevator, he fell a distance of 40 feet. In this fall, he injured his feet very seriously. So serious was the injury that he spent some time in the hospital, first in Ellsworth and then in a hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

During his residence in Ellsworth he devoted a part of his time and gave of his ability to public affairs. He served on the board of education several terms and was a member of the town council for some time.

During the holiday season of 1939, shortly after Christmas, his health began to fail. He sought medical aid which brought no effective results. On February 7, 1940 he was taken to Rochester, Minnesota for treatment. He was given surgical treatment and medical care, but all with the desired results, returning home on March 2.

From then on, he was cared for by his wife and daughter Bernice. He passed away on April 9th, 1940 at 5:06 a.m. attaining the age of 64 years, 11 months and 25 days.

His marriage was the origin of 9 children, 7 daughters and 2 sons, who with their mother mourn his departure. The children are: Mable, Mrs. Sam Korf of Baileyville, Illinois; Sophie, Mrs. John Peterson of Chicago, Illinois; Lydia, Mrs. Louis Hessenius, Baileyville, Illinois; Lula, Mrs. Barney Kampen of Shannon, Carol County, Illinois; Florence, Mrs. Same Heronimus of Luverne, Rock county, Minnesota; Clarence of Ellworth; Bernice, at home; Esther of Chicago and Delmer, of Ellsworth. Furthermore, he leaves 18 grandchildren, one brother, Don of Baileyville, Illinois; and two sisters, Mary, Mrs. Albert Meeter, of Forreston, Ogle county, Illinois; and Hannah, Mrs. Aug Kaney of Lenark, Carol county, Illinois.

When the deceased and his brother John came to Lyon county, they were contacted by Rev. Wortman who was not only a past of the Lyon County Presbyterian Church,, but a real home missionary. In the early years of this century, Rev, Wortman opened a mission station in this the (Zion) community, which developed into an organized church. Mr. Korf joined this church on July 14, 1904 and seved as an officer of it for some time.

Lyon County News of George, Iowa