Charles and Minnie Kath
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 |
 Charles
and Minnie had a farm on West Huron Road at Telegraph in Oakland County,
Michigan. They had six children: Louis George (29 Nov 1887), Hattie
(1888), Emil August (4 Jul 1889), Eleanor Caroline (4 Jan 1891) called "Laura",
Clara (19 Mar 1893) and Elise Rose (13 Jan 1895). Laura given to be
raised by her childless, Aunt Dora. Hattie died in 1901 at the age of
13.
In 1901, after the death of Hattie, the family moved to Pontiac, Michigan. There, their home on orchard lake burned down. Charles was a section foreman for the Grand Trunk Railroad. Their oldest son Louis (pictured below left in bowler hat) became an engineer for the same railroad. Their other son Emil worked at a factory which made carriages and automobile bodies. During World War I, Emil was drafted into the army (pictured below in uniform). Stationed at Battle Creek, he succumbed to the influenza epidemic which swept across the world and through his barracks. He traveled back to Pontiac to his wife and son and died in his home on July 4th, 1919. The husband of Elsie, their youngest daughter, also died of the influenza 3 days later. Charles and Minnie moved in with Elsie in her Mill Street home in Pontiac. Charles is pictured lower right with Elsie's son Donald. |
