Pioneer Czechs
In Colfax County
(Continued from last week.)
The next important step of the county commissioners was to issue bonds for the building of bridges over Shell, Maple and Rawhide Creeks and making county roads. Bonds in the amount of $20,000 were passed by 27 votes against 15, which figures show the political strength in Colfax county at that time. Eight bridges were to have been built by contractor L. D. Martin, at a cost of $6,350.00.
The first meeting of the county commissioners was held March 20, 1869, with the following present: William Davis and Quartrus E. Skinner, William Davis was elected chairman and C. M. Greenman, county clerk. The next meeting was held March 22, 1869. Daniel Hasberger was named treasurer; A. D. VanHousen, sheriff; A. J. Skinner, assessor for Center precinct. The third meeting was held March 27, 1869 with the following present: William Davis. Quartrus B. Skinner and Robert C. Kennedy. These first meetings were held in the office of Greenman & Hoxie, at a rental of $10.00 monthly.
Today, Colfax County contains twelve townships. It borders on the south with the Platte river, for a distance of six miles, stretch beautiful level lands, further to the north the country is rolling but famous for its rich fertility. The county is intersected from west to southeast by Shell, Dry and two-branched Maple erceks. Along the river, for a distance of two miles, the soil is sandy but after that it is a rich black and yellow soil. In this day it is all under cultivation. When a visitor crosses our country and sees herds of cattle in fenced-in pastures, farms with beautiful buildings, large numbers of hogs and poultry, fine poultry houses built at a cost of $500 to $1,000, hog pens with concrete floors and other improvements, he can hardly believe that all this was evolved from the bare prairie in little more than one generation’s time. The farm homes often are finer than those in the city. They have furnaces, water piped in house and barn, electric or gas lighting, telephones, radios, in fact, all modern conveniences. The yards are filled with all necessary farm implements, tractors, trucks and autos. If there is more than one son in the family, each has his automobile. All about are evidences of prosperity.
Rich yields of wheat, oats and corn enable the farmers to raise cattle and hogs for market and to do dairying, thus engaging in mixed farming. Prairie hay has made way for cultivated alfalfa, timothy, hay and other forage grasses. Indeed, the visitor who has no knowledge of the history of our county must feel amazed to think it is but fifty-eight years since settlement here began. In those times it was considered an arid land, over which rode Indians on their agile poines, over which roamed vast herds of buffalo, deer and antelope and other wild animals. The first settlers received homesteads from our government for a fee of but $14.00, or bought them from the railroad companies for $4.00 to $6.00 per acre. At date of writing farms sell for $175.00 to $225.00 per acre and during the Great World War (1914–1918) the price ran up to $300.00 per acre. In that period many farmers speculated thus foolishly and feel the effects to this day, for at the conclusion of the war prices for products fell, so that farms bought for high prices are now a losing proposition. But a change for the better is taking place and before long all will be in a normal condition again.
BOHEMIAN PIONEERS
In 1867, before the Union Pacific railroad was built through, Thomas Molacek and John Novotny came from Iowa to Schuyler (although there was no Schuyler then, it was called Shell Creek settlement) to investigate. They took up claims and returned to Iowa, coming with their families two years later. Thus they were the first Bohemians, as far as is known, to enter Colfax county, but not the first actual settlers.
In 1869 Jacob Moural, Frank Kovarik and John Moural settled near Richland, on homesteads, being, as far as known, the first actual settlers. John Moural, son of Jacob Moural, writes:
“Jacob Moural was my father and Frank Kovarik my other father, for Kovarik’s had no children and although they never adopted me legally they loved me as a son and made me their heir. My father Moural was born in the village of Hluboka, County Budejovice, in Bohemia, in 1822. My mother was born Elizabeth Kovar. Frank Kovarik was born in Trebon, Bohemia, in 1814 and his wife’s name was Anna. They and my parents lived in an unusual harmony and friendship, during their whole lives. Both men were carpenters and good at their trade. In their birthplace they had helped to build a beautiful castle in Hluboka, belonging to Prince Schwarzenburg. But they wished to improve their condition and having heard much about America, they decided to emigrate. In 1854 they set out from Bremen, in a sailing vessel and came here having no goal, for they knew no one here and had no letters to anyone.
After a stormy voyage lasting thirteen weeks and three days, they arrived in Quebec, Canada. But alas! In vain did they search for work, none was to be had. They crossed the lake to Fort Burwell, in the United States, and when they found no employment there, set out for Cleveland, Ohio, a hundred miles distant. Again in vain! Their savings were gone and they found themselves in a strange land, not knowing the language,—in faith a desperate situation. Kovarik especially was very depressed. AIthough he was older than my father and could speak German, he wanted to commit suicide by drowing. His wife of sterner nature, dissuaded him, my father loaned him five dollars and the crisis was averted. Finally, Kovarik got work. He helped a Jewish butcher drive cattle to the stock yards and as recompense obtained each time a head and some entralis and thus the two families subsisted for two weeks.
Then they returned to Quebec, where Kovarik obtained work in a saloon and boarding house, as porter. Once, during a heavy storm, a river boat became grounded, was wrecked and the freight was frozen in. My father and Kovarik helped to save the precious goods and each received a sack of flour for his pains.
In the spring of 1885 they got work in a saw mill at $1.00 per day and they stayed there twelve years, during that time accumulating some savings. Farming conditions were not bright there, althought the soil was fertile and most anything except corn could be raised. The store-keepers did not pay cash for grain, only half, and half was taken out in goods. The best boards of white pine sold for $9.00 per thousand. When all the best lumber had been used, our fathers lost their work and moved to Cleveland, in 1866, after the close of the Civil War, when there was plenty of work at their trade at $1.50 to $2.00 per day.
My father, who had always longed for a farm and was more courageous than Kovarik, came to Nebraska with two friends in 1868. These were a Mr. Pinter (from Cleveland) and a Mr. Pesek. The first had a family, Pesek was single. Both were carpenters and all went to Omaha, where they found work at their trade. At the suggestion of Mr. Vaclav L. Vodicka they took homesteads near Richland, Colfax county, but of course there was no town of Richland then, Kovarik and the rest followed them to Omaha. Our fathers built frame buildings on the homesteads, the first frame edifices in the vicinity. Then they returned to Omaha, to find work. In the spring they bought a team of horses and necessary machinery and moved to the homesteads. Pinter returned to Cleveland without proving on his claim. Pesek sold his after he got the patent, and moved to Kansas.
(To be continued.)
