PETER KORTH

PETER KORTH is a member of the firm of Korth & Wehr, one of the leading business firms of Portsmouth, dealers in lumber, coal, lime, grain and agricultural implements. In 1884 he bought Fred Albertson's interest in the lumber firm of Dohrman & Albertus, and so the firm was Dohrman & Korth from the fall of 1884 until the fall of 1886, when Nicholas Wehr purchased Mr. Henry Dohrman's interest, since which time the firm is known as Korth & Wehr. The firm keep a large stock of goods, and by uniformly fair and courteous dealing they have built up an extensive trade; they are one of the most solid firms of Portsmouth. Peter Korth has been a resident of Shelby County since 1875; he was born near Cologne, Germany, April 13, 1847, and is the oldest son of Jacob and Mary Anna (Soentgen) Korth. He was five years old when the family emigrated to America, and settled in Dane County, Wisconsin. They resided there for ten years and most of this time in the town of Cross Plaines, where Peter was educated in Catholic and common schools. In 1862 they removed to Keokuk County, Iowa. He passed his youth in the occupations usually assigned a farmer's son; he resided in Keokuk County with the exception of two years which he spent in Washington County, Iowa. In 1875 he came to Shelby County and settled in Cass Township. He bought eighty acres of land in section 14 and added to it until he had 195 acres, well improved. In 1884 he sold his farm to Fred Albertus and came to Portsmouth and engaged in his present business. Peter Korth is one of the leading Democrats of Cass Township; he was elected justice of the peace in November, 1876, and has served until the present time, dispensing justice to all who were called before his court in a manner worthy of a judge; he was elected township trustee in 1878 and served one year; in 1879 he was elected township clerk and served seven years, and in November, 1888, he was elected again for the offices of justice of the peace and township clerk for a term of two years. In 1885 he was elected mayor of Portsmouth, and then served three years on the town council, and in the spring of 1889 was elected to serve three years more; he has also been elected as a member of the school board of the independent district of Portsmouth for the term of three years, and has filled all these offices to the credit of himself and the satisfaction of the public. He is a member of the Roman Catholic church, and when the church was first built east of Portsmouth he gave five acres of ground toward it. Peter Korth was married in Keokuk County, Iowa, November 3, 1870, to Anna Rosalia Leinen, a daughter of Mathias and Anna Mary Leinen. They are the parents of nine children - Mary, John, Anna, John L., Gertie, Frank, Peter, Leo and Jacob B. John, the oldest son, died when he was two years old. Mr. Korth has one of the finest residences in the town of Portsmouth, and on a fine location surrounded by shade and evergreen trees.

Source: 1889 Biographical History of Shelby County, Iowa. pp. 593-594. Transcribed and submitted by Marthann Kohl-Fuhs