Third Generation

15. Emma "Bertha" KEWIT was born on 7 May 1875 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^{1,25,27,38,45,75,81,85} She was baptized on 6 June 1875 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁷ at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. She was baptized as "Kewit." Her sponsors were Wilhelm Achtenberg (her mother's brother), Alwina Friske (believed to be her father's mother's sister) and Mrs. Kuthlow. She appeared in the census in June 1875 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.⁴¹ Bertha appeared in the census in 1880 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁰ She appeared in the census in 1885 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.¹² She was confirmed on 14 April 1889 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.⁷⁵ at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Bertha appeared in the census in 1895 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.¹³ She appeared in the census in 1900 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁴ She appeared in the census in 1905 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.⁴² Bertha appeared in the census in 1910 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.³⁰ She appeared in the census in 1920 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁴ She appeared in the census in 1930 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.³⁴ Bertha appeared in the census in 1940 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^{43 105} Lyda Lanier wrote an article about the following event: "My own childhood memory of meeting a governer goes back to Gov. Julius Heil, who served Wisconsin from 1939 to 1943. Governor Heil was in Monroe County, the main speaker at a political rally, held outside, I believe, at the old stadium on the Tomah fairgrounds.

He and his wife (in that days, that would have been his complete entourage) had been invited to the Fred and Bertha Noth home for a noon luncheon. Their home, south of Tomah on their dairy farm, was elegantly furnished and maintained, a suitable setting to entertain the highest official in the state.

A long table with seating for 24 was set up in the the sunporch, a room that ran the length of the house with big windows to the west. I remember looking through the French doors and seeing snowy white linens, gleaming silver and fine china and crystal, but not being seated at the table.

Adults like my mother who where active members of the Monroe County's Republican Party were the invited guests for this sit-down meal. David (Lyda's brother) and I and a girl about my age spent most of our time running around outside. I did get in the house to see the governor, sitting about halfway down the length of the table, where he was holding court. And I was in the kitchen long enough to see how carefully Mrs. Noth took care of her fragile bone china coffee cups.

Someone, a kitchen helper, had set out the cups and saucers on trays and started to pour coffee. 'Not that way,' said Mrs. Noth. 'Put a silver spoon in the cup first to absorb the heat; otherwise, the cup might break.' As the helper poured, Mrs. Noth moved a sterling silver teaspoon from cup to cup. Ever since, I equate good housekeeping technique with Mrs. Noth." She died on 26 June 1963 at the age of 88 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^25,46,81 Obituary Notes: "Mrs. Fred Noth, a lifelong resident of the area, passed away June 26 after several weeks of illness. She was born and lived in her early life in Ridgeville, where she was a member of St. John's Ev. Lutheran Church and a member of the choir. She was married to Fred Noth, June 2, 1897. When she and her late husband sold their farm near Norwalk, they purchased the family home south of Tomah in 1913 which they built up and enjoyed for the remainder of their lives.

Her interests were wide and concerned her home, church, relatives, friends, civic and community activities. She was a member of St. Paul's Ladies' Aid, the Needle craft, Homemaker's club, the old Civic Club of Tomah, the Women's Club and was at one time state treasurer of the latter organization.

After the death of her husband in 1958, she continued to live in the family home with her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Reisenauer. Failing health, eyesight and hearing limited many activities but she continued to enjoy church attendance whenever possible.

Mrs. Noth leaves the following survivors: her son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Elden Noth of Madison; her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Reisenauer; two grandchildren, Frederick with the Marine Reserve Summer Training Program, and Frances, a student at the University of Denver; three sisters; Mrs. Amelia Noth, Mrs. George Vincenz, Mrs. Lydia Pergande, all of Tomah; and many other relatives and friends. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by an infant sister and her one brother, Paul Kewit.

Services were conducted Saturday, June 29 at 1:30 by Pastor O. W. Heier at St. Paul's Ev. Lutheran Church and burial was in the family plot at Oak Grove Cemetery." She was buried on 29 June 1963 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^{16,25,64,78,81} in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Emma "Bertha" KEWIT and Friedrich Wilhelm "Fritz" NOTH Jr. were married on 2 June 1897 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^{25,31,46,85,106,107} at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Their witnesses were August Noth and Emilie Kewit.

On January 24, 1956 Bertha sent the following hand-written note to one of her nieces, Bernice Pergande Griggs: "Dear Bernice and family. It was so nice of you to write such a nice letter. Yes, uncle Fred took a bad fall and cracked his pelvis, but now he is walking pretty good. He wants to go in town to get a hair cut when it warms up. It sure has been cold. My, your family (is) all grown up. How nice. Do you know that we live in the little house Leone and family moved on the farm? Fredrick is (in) 3rd year High. Frances is in 6th grade. Leone is teaching school. Never a dull moment. Frank keeps busy with his cows. Well, Bernice, it was so nice to write to us. Come and see us. I want to sew a quilt--but don't have much room here. See what I can do. Love, Aunt Bertha." (Gary Griggs has the note as well as Bertha's "Book of Hymns.") Friedrich Wilhelm "Fritz" NOTH Jr., son of Friedrich Wilhelm NOTH and Louisa Dorothea RIEKE, was born on 29 March 1874 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.^10,25,85,108 He appeared in the census in 1880 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁰ About 1897 he was a farmer in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^106,109,110 He owned a 400-acre farm in the south end of Sections 34 and 35 of Ridgeville Township and the north end of Sections 2 and 3 of Sheldon Township. In 1913, the family moved to a 200-acre farm in Sections 16 and 21 in Tomah Township. Fritz appeared in the census in 1900 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁴ He appeared in the census in 1905 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.⁴² He appeared in the census in 1910 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.³⁰ Fritz appeared in the census in 1920 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁴ He appeared in the census in 1925 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^111,112

Newspaper article: "The farm residence of the Fred Noth family, three miles south of Tomah, was entered Saturday evening and ransacked from the cellar to the garret. Money, clothing, bedding, furnishings, pantry stores and a 20-gallon can or cream were taken."

Follow-up article four months later: "The alleged leader of a burglary gang which operated in a number of central Wisconsin counties including Monroe was sent to from four to 19 years in the state's prison at Waupun. A number of autos were stolen and taken to a farm near Baraboo, where parts were changed for disguise. The cars were then sold or traded by gang members. Clover seed was a favorite commodity of gang members. The gang robbed the Bosshard Drug Store in this city and the farm home of Fred Noth, three miles south of Tomah." He appeared in the census on 9 April 1926.¹¹³ Fritz appeared in the census in 1930 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.³⁴ He appeared in the census in 1940 in Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁴³ His occupation was "Farmer, Farm." He died on 10 October 1958 at the age of 84 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^25,52,106 Article in the History of Monroe County: "Fred W. Noth, chairman of the board of Ridgeville township, Monroe County, was born March 29, 1874, in the town of Wilton, Wis., the son of Fred and Louisa (Reke) Noth, both natives of Germany.

The father (Fred, Sr.) came to America in 1860 and settled in St. Louis, MO., where he lived until he enlisted in the second Missouri Volunteer Infantry. After the close of the war, he came with his father, mother, two sisters and one brother to Ridgeville, Wilton Township, and settled on the farm, where he married and where he lived until his death. His first wife died and he remarried.

After the death of his father, our subject went with his stepmother to her farm in Ridgeville, which he leased from her and took care of her, A. H. Noth getting the home farm. Mr. and Mrs. Noth raised a family of six children, five of whom are now (1912) living, Fred W. being the fourth child. He attended the district schools until his seventeenth year, and the age of twenty-two, on June 2, 1897, he was married to Miss Bertha Kewit, whose parents were early settlers of Ridgeville township. They have two children, viz.: Eldon, born July 20, 1899, and Leona, born February 27, 1902.

Fred W. Noth acquired the homestead of 120 acres in sections ten and eleven, Ridgeville township, by purchase, where he has since resided; the mother also lived here until 1909, when she died. He is a man of more than usual thrift and ambition, and the wave of prosperity which he has enjoyed for the past few years is evidence of his good management and economical methods. He has increased his acreage to 260 in sections ten, eleven and twenty-three, enlarged his residence, barns and other out-buildings, until he now has one of the most spacious and commodious homes in Monroe county, and besides carrying on general farming, he makes a specialty of the dairy business. He is a Republican in politics and active in all movements pertaining to the welfare of his community. In 1912 he was elected chairman of the board of Ridgeville township, and for some time served as supervisor. He is also a director of the Farmers' State Bank."

Obituary Notes: "Fred W. Noth, 84, former member of the Monroe County Board and a prominent Republican leader, died at a Tomah hospital Friday. Funeral services will be conducted at St. Paul's Lutheran Church Sunday at 2:30 P.M. by the Rev. O. W. Heier and burial will be in the Oak Grove Cemetery. Friends may call at Ninneman's Funeral Home.

Mr. Noth was born to Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Noth, March 29, 1874, at Ridgeville, where the family had settled shortly after the Civil War. His mother died when he was a young boy. Mr. Noth was married to Bertha Kewit June 2, 1897, and they moved from their farm in Ridgeville to a farm just south of Tomah in 1913.

Mr. Noth served for several years on the Monroe County Board of Supervisors and served on many important committees, including the highway committee and was an influential figure in the promotion for U.S. Highways 12 and 16 through Tomah. Mr. Noth served as a member of the school board in Ridgeville and was on the building committee for the first parochial school in the Tomah area. Mr. Noth and his wife have been ardent workers in the Republican Party, including the current campaign." Fritz was buried on 12 October 1958 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^16,25,64 in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Emma "Bertha" KEWIT and Friedrich Wilhelm "Fritz" NOTH Jr. had the following children: