Pioneer Czechs
In Colfax County
Written in 1926.
CHAPTER 22.
(Continued from last week.)
BOHEMIAN CATHOLICS, PIONEER PRIESTS AND CHURCHES
The first Bohemian Catholic priest in Colfax County was REV. JOHN A. BLASKE (Blaschke) in the German-Bohemian parish of Olean. Rev. Blaske was born January 15, 1844 in Horni Dobrouci near Lanskroun. He ceased his theological studies in order to marry, but after the death of his wife entered the seminary again in 1876 and in 1877 came to Nebraska. Later he was transferred to La Crosse, Wisconsin, in 1881, and died there February 15, 1901.
About that time, or a little later, REV. CYRIL AUGUSTINSKY came to Columbus, from where he was active as a missionary priest in Colfax county. He was horn in Brusberg, Moravia, March 21, 1851, ordained in St. Louis, Mo., July 25, 1875, and died in Veseli, Minnesota, in January 1901.
Rev. FRANCIS TUERK, who became incumbent in Olean, June 8, 1882, was born April 9, 1827, in Brezova, Moravia, ordained in Olomouc August 1, 1862 and came to this country in 1881. The date of his death unknown.
Rev. FRANCIS POLD came to Colfax County in 1883 and later was active in other places. In 1888 he returned to Bohemia.
Toward the close of the seventies and in the beginning of the eighties of the nineteenth century there was considerable activity in Colfax county in regard to church matters, for in six years as many churches were built. That was probably why it was planned to build a Benedectine monastery there. Bishop O’Conner (in Omaha) was instrumental in the coming of two Bohemian priests of that order, Rev. Vaclav Kocarnik and Rev. Sigfried Klima, from Pennsylvania, but the plan fell through, the monastery was later erected in Chicago.
The first church in the building of which Bohemians had any share was that in Olean, a German-Bohemian parish. In 1874 with the Germans there they built a church for which the lumber was hauled by wagon from Fremont, a town forty miles distant. In 1875 and 1876 a Bohemian Catholic missionary priest, Rev. Francis Sulak, who was active throughout the Nebraska settlements in which Bohemians then lived, used to come to cheer the pioneers, sorely beset by grasshoppers and other trials. Rev. Blaske was the first regular incumbent in Olean and was succeeded by Rev. Tuerk, in whose time the Bohemians seceded and founded a parish in Dodge, where a church was built in 1884 and dedicated by Rev. Tuerk.
BOHEMIAN CATHOLIC PARISHES
CLARKSON SS. CYRIL AND METHODIUS. The corner stone of the church was laid August 15, 1902, when Rev. Charles Z. Petlach, then incumbent at Howells, took care of this parish. From 1902 to 1905 Rev. Bednar, his successor in Howells, used to come and was succeeded by Rev. Charles Zak, also incumbent in Howells. The parish was incorporated February 11, 1907 and in that year Rev. Joseph Bata became resident priest. In 1918 a rectory was built at a cost of $11,000.00. In 1920 the church was remodeled. Rev. Bata was succeeded by Rev. Charles Z. Petlach, the present incumbent, on August 25, 1921.
DRY CREEK—ASSUMPTION OF BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. A rural church, built in 1881. The incumbents at Heun took care of this parish until the one in Schuyler was established, since which time those in Schuyler attend to it.
HEUN—HOLY TRINITY. During 1871 and 1872, Rev. Ewing came from West Point, Cuming County, at intervals, to conduct services in the homes of homesteaders. From 1873 to 1875 Rev. Bobai, then living first in Plattsmouth and later in Omaha, and Rev. Sulak, a missionary priest, used to come, from 1875 to 1879 Rev. Blaske came regularly to conduct services here. In 1878 a church 30 x 60 was built and a cemetery founded, for which John Folda and Wilhelm Heun each donated five acres of land. Rev. Blaske then became first regular incumbent. His successor was Rev. Cyril Augustinsky, who used to come from Columbus and he in turn was succeeded by Rev. Francis Tuerk of Olean. Then a rectory was built and Rev. Philip Maly was transferred here from Crete, Saline County. Rev. Maly was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Hovorka, incumbent in Abie, who took care of his parish from there, to 1890. From 1890 to 1894 Rev. John Hodye (a gifted poet) was incumbent, from 1894 to 1897 Rev. John Vlcek, from 1897 to 1904 Rev. Charles Zak. During Rev. Zak’s time, in 1903, the twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of the parish was celebrated. In 1905 Rev. Joseph Drbal became incumbent and was succeeded in 1915 by Rev. Joseph Bata, he in 1917 by a Polish priest, Rev. Francis Szczepuchowski. During 1918 Rev. Bartik used to come from Omaha, but in 1919 he died there. During 1919 various priests from the vicinity came and in 1920 Rev. Anton Folta was made resident priest.
HOWELL—ST. JOHN. During Rev. John St. Broz’s time in Dodge, he took care also of this parish. In 1901 Rev. Charles Z. Petlach became resident priest. In 1902 he was succeeded by Rev. Anton Bednar, and he in turn in 1905 by Rev. Charles L. Zak. After Rev. Zak’s death, April 17, 1920, Rev. Joseph Drbal, present incumbent, took charge. The corner stone, of the church was laid in May 1893.
SCHUYLER—ASSUMPTION OF BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. In the fall of 1913 Rev. Francis B. Tomanek came to Schuyler, to effect the founding of a parish and stayed until 1915. Prior to the erection of the church, services were conducted in the old Irish church. In the spring of 1914 Mrs. Anton Svatora and Mrs. Agnes Lapacek together bought lots on the corner of 11th and Banner streets for $1100,00 and donated them to the parish. By the close of 1914 services were being conducted in the new building. During the beginning of 1915 Rev. Tomanek was succeeded by Rev. John Stephan Broz, during whose incumbency two bells were purchased, a debt of $3,000.00 paid and the parish prospered under his guidance. In September 1918 he was transferred to South Omaha and for a time there was no incumbent, until beginning with 1919, when Rev. John Krajicek succeeded. He was succeeded in October 1919 by Rev. John Vlcek and he in January 1920 by Rev. John M. Turek, who had for assistant Rev. John Sekera and Rev. Sekera took care of the parish in Wilson. In August of that year Rev. Joseph Bata became incumbent and in January 1923 he was succeeded by Rev. Joseph M. Vitko, the present incumbent. The parish property is valued at $16,000, there are no debts, and the parish numbers 63 families.
TABOR—NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. A rural church situated six miles east of Howell. In May 1870 two covered wagons left Omaha with the families of Joseph F. Sindelar, Thomas Sindelar, F. J. Jonas, Thomas Dostal and Vaclav Sindelar (single). They settled on Maple Creek and called their settlement Tabor. On Christmas Day 1871 those of the Catholic faith met for the first time for worship in the sod house of Joseph Sindelar. In
(To be continued.)
