FRANTISEK AND KATERINA [HARPES] DROBNY
This story begins with Frantisek Drobny who was born January 12,
1839, in Sadska, in what was then known as Bohemia. On August 3,
1862, he married Katerina Harpes in Sadska. In 1885 Frantisek and
Katerina, with their children, sailed from Bremen to the United
States. After landing, they immediately traveled west to Knox
County, Nebraska, where they purchased a farm in Section 26 and what
is now called Sparta Township. Frantisek and Katerina had seven
children: Frank, Teresa, Joseph, Anton, Molly, Barbara, and Antonia.
Frantisek died at Verdigre April 8, 1896. Katerina died October 10,
1904, both she and Frantisek are buried in the Catholic Cemetery in
Verdigre.
Frank, the eldest was born October 18,1862. He married Barbara Chladek, and they had six children: Frank, Joseph, Mary, Barbara,
Paul, and Peter.
Teresa was born May 19, 1864. Teresa married Vaclav Slecta and they
had five children: Mary, Anna, Minnie, Daisy, and Joseph. Mary
married James Klufa and had five children: Helen, Cary, Leona,
William and George. Anna married Frank Jungman and they had three
children: Stacie and Mildred, who married brothers, and Leonard.
Minnie married Jerry Fischer and had four children: Henry, Gladyce,
Frank, and Georgia. Daisy married Jerry Koskan and had three
children: Mildred, Milo, and Martha. Joseph married Tilly Maly and
they had a son, Joseph. Joseph married Edith Whetham and has three
children: James, Kay, and Anton.
Joseph was born February 19, 1868. He married Katerine Pavelka and
had two sons. They were Charles, who died in infancy, and Leonard
(Red) who was born October 6, 1902, and married the former Clara
Mlady. They have one son Raymond, who married Bonnie Blomberg. They
are the parents of three sons: Giles, Douglas, and Jeffrey, and live
in Omaha.
Frantisek and Katerina’s next child was Anton, born in July of 1875.
Anton married Rose Slamsidlo and they had four children: Frank,
Mary, Georgia, and Marcel, none of whom married.
Molly Drobny was born June 26, 1883, and was but two years old when
she came to America. Molly married Alfred Stanek and they had no
children.
Barbara married John Rihanek. Their five children are: Joseph,
Alfred, Tommy, Minnie, and Lydia.
Antonia married a man by the name of LaFrance and had three
children.
Frank and Barbara Drobny had a son, Frank, their oldest born in June
of 1886. Frank married Amelia Krupicka and they had two children,
Frank and Ethel. Frank married Minnie Franke and has one daughter,
Barbara Marie. Ethel married Donald young and has two children,
Donna Marie and Donald. All of this family lives at Phillips,
Wisconsin.
Frank and Barbara’s second child, Mary, was born in February of 1888
and married Joseph Liska. They had one son Otto. Otto married Lucy
Tichy and had a daughter Barbara. Barbara married James Sokol and
has three children: Betty, Jimmy, and Beth. Betty married Steve
Jacot.
Joseph was born in April of 1889 and married Martha Stoural. They
had two children: Clara and Willard. Willard married Toni Maule and
they have five children: Larry, Jane, Tom, Frank, and Judy. Willard
and Toni live in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Barbara Drobny was born in September of 1890. She married George
Stoural and had two sons, George and Alfred. Neither married.
Twins Paul and Peter were the last born on June 9, 1891. Peter died
at birth and Paul married Mary Dufek and had two sons, Marvin and
Otto. Marvin was born September 19, 1921, and married Margaret
Nolan. They had six children: Kenneth, Mary, Marlin, Marlene, Marlo,
and Mark. Kenneth married Rita Pospisil, and they have two children:
Shannon and Sheila. Mary is married to Joe Yantzi and they have
three children: LaVita, Brett, and Jon. LaVita has a daughter
Kristina. Marlin married Denise Anderson and they have three
children: Paul, Nancy, and Brian. Marlene married Larry Moeller and
has two sons, Cory and Craig. Marlo married Patricia Vesely and has
a son Jeremy. Mark married Linda Martin and has a daughter Melissa.
Otto Drobny was born July 12, 1925, and died November 26, 1980; he
never married.
It is interesting to note that “Drobny” in Czech means “small,” and,
indeed, many in this family are of smaller-than-average stature.
Interesting, too, is the fact that most were or are farmers,
beginning with Frantisek himself.
-Submitted by Mary Yantzi
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