MATEJ AND ANNA [KRUPICKA] HOLAN, JR.
Matej Holan, Jr., son of Matej Holan, Sr., and Marie Pokorny, was
born at Velky Osek, Bohemia, February 25, 1856. He grew up and was
educated there. Near the end of November of 1878, he married Anna
Krupicka at Libice. Anna, daughter of Joseph Krupicka and Mary
Havronek (spelling on marriage application) was born in Velky Osek
November 25, 1859. Orphaned young, she made her living by working as
a maid and in the fields and, according to her obituary, it was a
poor living. Although her parents had lived in Velky Osek, her
father at least was a native of Libice, a few miles to the
northwest, which was the family seat of the Krupickas.
Immediately after the wedding the couple traveled to the coast,
probably the German coast, in order to sail to the United States.
Once in this country, they went directly to Knox County. Their
reason for doing so undoubtedly was that the Krupickas who had been
in the county since 1869 were cousins to some degree. (perhaps her
father and Joseph Krupicks, Sr., here were cousins.) These must be
the “relatives” who, according to the obituary, helped the Holans
build a log cabin (in December, as the obituary indicates). This
house seems to have served until 1881.
Matej Holan Jr., and his wife homesteaded on the South Half of the
Southeast Quarter of Section 34 in Niobrara Township and the
adjacent North Half of the Northeast Quarter of Section 3 in Sparta
Township. Matej’s father, who had followed his son to the United
States with the rest of the family in 1879, took the 160 acres
immediately to the south for his homestead. In 1885 both Matejs
proved up on their homestead. Matej Holan, Jr., sold his own
homestead to his father in 1887.
Matej Holan, Jr., (in the United States commonly called Mike) had in
1885 purchased from Vac and Frank Novak the Northeast Quarter of the
Southeast Quarter of Section 34 and the South Half of the Northwest
Quarter and the Northwest Quarter of the Southwest Quarter of
Section 35 in Niobrara Township. By 1892 Matej Holan, Jr., had
acquired 160 acres of land in Section 27, as well.
In the 1890s Matej Holan, Jr., and his brother-in-law Vac Uhlir
reacquired the 80 acres sold by Matej Holan, Sr., to John Pierce.
This parcel later was deeded to Vac Uhlir. By 1903 Matej Holan, Jr.,
had added to his holdings the Southwest Quarter of the Southeast
Quarter of Section 34 and the Northeast Quarter of the Northwest
Quarter and the West Half of the Northeast Quarter of Section 35 in
Niobrara Township.
Matej Holan, Jr., and his wife Anna had six known children.
Joseph was born April 9, 1880, and died November 19, 1965. On April
19, 1904, he married Antonia Vesely (March 24, 1885 - August 8,
1976). Their children were Elsie, Irene, Lillie, Adela, Edwin, and
Elmer.
Mary was born August 15, 1881, and died January 26, 1962. On October
17, 1901, she married John F. Vakoc (June 24, 1877 - December 26,
1951) Their children were Charles, Vlasta (Evelyn), Elsie, John,
William, Helen, Otto, Rose, Mary Ann, and Alvin.
Bessie was born September 24, 1882, and died February 18, 1959. On
October 17, 1901, she was married (in a double wedding with her
sister) to Stephen G. Kreycik (November 25, 1875 - September 15,
1943). Their children were Louis, Otto, Frank, and Helen.
Emma (April 20, 1885 - January 2, 1969) married George F. Wirth
(March 22, 1880 - July 25, 1950) on February 18, 1904. Their
children were Evelyn, Mildred, Elsie and Josephine.
Rose, born June 7, 1891 (according to her tombstone; other documents
suggest 1888 of 1889, and died May 7, 1984, was married to Charles
Melena (December 29, 1883-March 20, 1963) on March 4, 1909. There
were two sons, Vernon and Woodrow.
Agnes was born January 2, 1893, and died March 3, 1965. On December
6, 1911, she married Max Marshall (October 12, 1890-November 20,
1969). The couple had one child, Martha.
Matej Holan, Jr., began selling his property to his son Joseph in
the twentieth century. He and his wife moved into the village of
Niobrara. In November of 1924 he was taken to a hospital in Norfolk
for an operation and died there on November 9, 1924.
Anna Krupicka married a widower, John Noll, on April 2, 1926. She
was “Granma Noll” at family reunions thereafter. The couple lived in
Omaha. John Noll died and then on December 7, 1943, Anna Holan Noll
died. She was buried beside her first husband in L’Eau Qui Court
Cemetery in Niobrara.`
Pages
269, 270
