Pioneer Czechs
In Colfax County
Written in 1926.
CHAPTER 11
(Continued from last week.)
FRANK CECH was born in Okrosice near Trebic; Moravia, in 1835. In 1860 he married Veronika Ferda. In 1873 they settled on a farm ten miles from Schuyler. They had eleven children, of whom seven live: Frank, Mrs. Marie Holub, Anton, Mrs. Antonie Micheal, John, Charles and Ludwig. They suffered pioneer hardships, but prospered After his wife’s death, Mr. Cech moved to Schuyler, where he died July 1, 1907. Both are buried in Schuyler. Each son has his farm, Charlie farms the old homestead, now 200 acres.
JOSEPH A. HUSAK writes: I was born in the village of Zalesi, County Nove Mesto, Moravia, in 1858. My father Pankrac Husak was a forester in the employ of County Belcredi. After many years of service for a mere pittance of fifty gulden a year my parents decided to emigrate. They were encouraged in this by letters from my uncle Jos. Smatlan, who wrote that father would get 80 acres of government land almost for nothing. Our family consisted of my parents, my brother Frank, my sister Anna (Mrs. Ed Taborsky) and myself and we arrived in Schuyler in July 1863 with a capital of about $300.00. Father took a claim seventeen miles north of Schuyler, bought lumber for a cabin 14x16 feet, a yoke of oxen and a cow, and the money was gone. Our friends helped all they could, but they did not have much themselves. It was a time of hardship and our parents were sorry they had left their native land, even though there they had suffered want too. But we did not despair, better times came. After while father bought the adjoining eighty for $600.00. We built the first public school of sod. Our neighbors, of Protestant faith, were kind and sincere. We used to meet to worship in our faith, before we built the church called Sion, near Clarkson, I being one of the founders. March 4, 1889 I married Josephine Rousar and we had eight children, seven are living. Julia was drowned while bathing, July 19, 1924. Our children are: Miloslav, Adela Olga, Lumir, Joseph, Frank and Elsie. My father died in 1908, my mother in 1912, both are buried in Zion cemetery. We worked and saved and were able to buy more land, thus insuring a better future for our loved ones. I owned 680 acres and gave my oldest son Miloslav 160 acres. In 1921 we moved to Schuyler.
MATEJ KOPAC was born in the village of Veleno, County Klatovy, in 1836. His wife was Josephine Rericha. They came to West Point, Nebraska, in 1872 and the following year took a claim of 80 acres half a mile west of Howell (there was no Howell then) in Colfax county, where they lived eleven years. Then they moved nearer Heun, ten miles northwest of Schuyler. They had nine children, seven sons and two daughters: Josephine, Anton, John, Joseph, Frank, James, Edward Emil and Marie (Mrs. John Bartunek). Mrs. Kopac died in 1889, Mr. Kopac in 1894, both buried in Heun. As an example of pioneer hardships, Mr. Cejda on another page of this history, relates what Mrs. Kopac, their neighbor, had to endure.
JOHN KOLIHA, born in Stare Sedlo, County Tabor, May 29, 1839, settled on a farm ten miles north of Schuyler, where he lived until his death July 4, 1903 and is buried in Heun.
VACLAV SINKULA, born in Prodeslady in 1818, came with his family to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in 1854 and had a farm and saloon in a settlement called Tisch Mills, there being a postoffice, store, church and mill there besides the saloon. In 1873 he moved to Colfax county and bought a farm twelve miles north of Schuyler. He died there in 1886 and is buried in Heun. His daughter married John Folda
In 1874 the following came:
John Kovar, Vaclav Misek, Vaclav Vacha, Thomas Vrba, Joseph Kocanda, Frank Najmon, Frank Fajmon, John Petr.
JOHN KOVAR was born May 12, 1834 in Kolec, County Brno, Moravia. His wife, Anna Policky, born 1840 in Presovice, County Hotov. They had eleven children, four died, the following are living: Edward, Frank, John, Anton, Joseph, Antonie (Mrs. Botlin in Kansas), Marie (Mrs. Jos. Hejtmanek, Schuyler), Emily (Mrs. Vac. Metelak). This family arrived in New York June 12, 1874. Three days later they arrived in Schuyler. Kovar inspected lands in the vicinity of Schuyler and in Butler county, then bought 120 acres seven miles north of Schuyler for $10.00 per acre. He had $1800.00 upon arrival. After farming successfully, in 1906 he retired to Schuyler. He donated five acres of ground for the Dry Creek cemetery, which later became a church settlement too. He died in 1924 and is buried in Schuyler.
VACLAV MISEK, born in Okresany, County Caslav, in 1845. He came to this country with his wife Anna in 1874 and bought 80 acres, later buying 80 more twelve miles northeast of Schuyler. They had eight children. Since 1905 living in Schuyler.
VACLAV VACHA, born in Bechyně near Tabor in 1831, came to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1864 and worked there at his cooper’s trade: In 1869 he settled on a homestead near Linwood, Butler county, selling it later and in 1874 buying 160 acres of railroad land in Colfax county. He died in Schuyler in 1900 and is buried there.
THOMAS VRBA, born in Cernice, County Kralovice, in 1850. He married Mary Lodl, both are living in Heun. Matej Vrba, his brother, who came at the same time, is buried in Heun.
The Following settled in the vicinity of the present town of Clarkson
JOSEPH KOCANDA (born in Nova Huc, Morava), FRANK NAJMON (Frysava), FRANK FAJMON (Mrhov near Teleci) and JOHN PETR Spelkov, Moravia). Beginning with 1875 settlers began to pour in around Clarkson so that by 1878 they had to buy railroad lands at $4.00 and $5.00 per acre, ten years’ time to pay,
In 1875 the following came:
Jacob Mares, Frank Herbrich, John Rousar, Frank Vanicek, F. F. Svoboda, John Koza, Frank Mundil, Frank Musil and others.
JACOB MARES was born in 1836 and his wife Anna in 1842 in Starci, Moravia. They were married in 1863, He had some land and was a good mason, thus earning good money while his wife looked after the home. Still they longed to try their fortune in America and coming in 1875 they bought 160 acres eight miles northeast of Schuyler. They had $3,000.00 upon arrival. Ten children were born to them, four have died. The following are living: Mary (Mrs. Soudek), Frances, (Mrs. Dudek), both living in Oklahoma; Joseph, Ludwig, Constantin and Katherine (Mrs. Bures). The first two were born in Moravia, the rest in Colfax county. Jacob Mares died in 1890 and is buried in Schuyler. His widow, with the help of her sons, farmed successfully for each got a farm of 160 acres and are settled near the old homestead. Mrs. Mares retired to live in Schuyler in 1905. She has thirty-seven grandchildren and five grand-grandchildren.
(To be continued.)
