THE WENZEL SUKUP FAMILY
Wenzel Sukup was born September 15, 1841, in Hoslau, Bohemia. On
March 25, 1870, after having served in the Austrian army, Wenzel
Sukup, together with his brother Andrew, left the small village
where they were born to pursue a new life in the United States.
Wenzel first took up a homestead four miles northeast of Norfolk,
Nebraska, which later was to be the location of the state hospital.
Norfolk at that time was a small village with a flour mill, store,
small hotel, and blacksmith shop. But Wenzel and his brother heard
of homesteads in Nebraska where there would be land with timber and
running water. This was found between Walnut and Verdigre, Nebraska,
where Wenzel put in a claim for a land grant in the northeast part
of Jefferson Township in the year of 1874. In 1879 the land grant
was approved and signed by Rutherford B. Hayes, President of the
United States.
In 1875 Wenzel married Barbara Dusek in Niobrara. Their first home
was of logs with an earthen floor. Hardships were the common lot for
three successive years, grasshoppers destroyed crops and often
marauding Indians visited their home. As the years passed, Wenzel
purchased more land and here they raised their six children: Andrew,
Frank, Anna, Joseph, Marie, and Tracy.
[pg 418 photo The Wenzel Sukup family, front from left: Tracy, Fran,
Wenzel and Barbara Dusek Sukup; back: Marie, Anna, Andrew, and
Joseph Sukup]
Andrew W. Sukup, the oldest son, related many times the experience
they had during the blizzard of 1888. He was born April 30, 1876, at
Walnut, Nebraska, and died October 5, 1965. He married Mary
Chocholousek, who was born in 1900 and died July 14, 1968. They had
three children.
Frank was born October 8, 1877, and died April 25, 1976, at 96
years. He married Lena Svoboda on June 6, 1907. She was born May 10,
1885, and died December 23, 1936. They had no children.
Anna was born September 9, 1879, and married James Kolar. They had
four children. Anna died November 8, 1965.
Joseph W. was born June 8, 1882, and had a twin sister who died at
birth. Joseph married Lucy Wagner, born January 3, 1885 on January
22, 1913. They had six children: Joseph died June 21, 1967, and Lucy
died March 22, 1962.
Marie was born March 8, 1886, and died, single, on June 23, 1942.
Tracy was born October 15, 1888, and died March 22, 1921. She
married Edward Wagner on February 8, 1915. He was born May 30, 1888,
and died June 15, 1959. They had no children.
Wenzel and Barbara continued to farm until the early 1900s when they
retired and moved to town. Wenzel died December 24, 1936, at the age
of 95. Barbara Sukup passed away at the age of 90. This was a very
courageous couple who withstood many hardships and ;yet lived a very
long, full life.
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