Charles William Korte (1871 - abt. 1912)

Born 15 Dec 1871 in Santa Gertrudis, Mora, New Mexico Territory, United States

Ancestors

Son of Henry Korte and Juana María (Gutierrez) Korte

Descendants

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Marcie Ruiz [send private message]

Biography

This profile is part of the Korte Name Study.

Charles was born in 1871 to Henry Korte and Juanita Metzger.^[1] Both his father, Henry, and his maternal grandfather, Frank Metzger, were from Prussia^[2] and they worked together as merchants, farmers, and ranchers. They were very successful and well off. Things changed when his grandfather Frank Metzger died. Frank and Henry had dissolved their business partnership when Frank decided to retire. The details are a little squirrely but apparently they were trying to make sure that Henry and his wife, Frank's oldest "natural" daughter, would get everything. For some reason he decided to hide his cash from his part of the business instead of just writing a will.

It turns out that Frank had three natural daughters from his longterm relationship with Juanita's half-sister, Viviana Martín. When he and Viviana had their final split, he paid her $5000 and she signed a paper saying she and her children would ask nothing more from him. Instead, when Frank died, his three daughters wanted their part of his estate. When told he had nothing, they sued. Nearly 10 years later, the case ended up with the New Mexico Supreme Court. The final verdict was found in favor of the daughters (the verdict was their rights to part of the estate could not be signed away since they were minors at the time). Unfortunately, by that time everything really was gone, to attorneys and court fees. Charles was no longer a rich heir but a much poorer man.^[3][4]

In 1899 Charles married Emerenciana Romero^[5] and they had seven children:

1. Emilio Henry Korte (abt.1899-1975)
2. Nellie (Korte) Nees (abt.1901-abt.1959)
3. Lillie Korte (1902-1925)
4. Charles Daniel Korte (1904-1974)
5. Francisquita (Korte) Lucero (abt.1907-)
6. Helena C (Korte) Lucero (1908-1982)
7. William Frederick Korte (1910-1994)

Like his mother's family, Emerenciana's family had very deep roots in New Mexico, going back as far as Oñate's first colony. The last record of Charles is the 1910 US Census.^[6] Family history says he died in 1912. However, there is no record of his death. He was a well-known man in Mora County yet there is no mention of an obituary or burial in the local newspaper. It's possible he died on a business trip but there should still be a local article in the newpaper.

DNA

• Paternal and Maternal relationship is confirmed with an AncestryDNA test match between Marcie (Korte) Ruiz and D.P., 3rd cousins. MRCAs are Henry Korte and Juanita (Metzger) Korte. Predicted relationship by AncestryDNA: 5-8th cousins based on sharing 18 cM over 3 DNA segments.

Sources

1. ↑ "New Mexico Births and Christenings, 1726-1918," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FDNF-3JF : 11 February 2018), Charles William Korte, born 15 Dec 1871, Mora County, New Mexico, baptized 14 Apr 1872, Santa Gertrudis Church, Mora, Mora, New Mexico; FHL microfilm 16,837, image 137.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MZTV-XJC : 5 September 2017), Charles Korte in household of Henry Korte, Santa Gertrudis, Mora, New Mexico, United States; citing enumeration district ED 20, sheet 4C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0803; FHL microfilm 1,254,803. His grandfather is on line 12 and his father on line 13.
3. ↑ Martínez de Cordova v. Korte, 1895
4. ↑ Girand, Jan, Laumbachs in New Mexico and Those Who Went Before in Germany, Iowa, and New Mexico (Roswell, NM: Yellow Jacket Press, 2015), Chapers 22 and 23. This book contains a slightly biased version of this story written by Viviana's grandchildren.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MMLS-W6R : accessed 5 August 2018), Charles and Emerenciana Korte, Mora County, New Mexico Territory, United States, population schedule; citing Precincts 5, La Cueva, enumeration district (ED) 72, sheet 10B, family 199, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,001.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MGSF-LQ6 : accessed 5 August 2018), Charles and Emerenciana Korte, Mora County, New Mexico Territory, United States, population schedule; citing La Cueva, enumeration district (ED) ED 128, sheet 1A, family 6, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 916; FHL microfilm 1,374,929.

See also:

• "New Mexico Territorial Census, 1885," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QV98-J7WK : 16 March 2018), Charles Kourte in entry for Henry Kourte, 1885; citing p. 19, line 42, household ID 209, NARA microfilm publication M846 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 16,610.