PAUL T. AND MARIE [FRANEK] HOLAN
Paul T. Holan, the third of six children born to Joseph M. and Rose
(Stoural) Holan, was born September 30, 1889, in a log cabin about 1
1/2 miles southwest of Verdigre
He left school at the age of 16 to help with farm chores.
When he was a young man, Paul had a desire to travel, so in 1914, he
left for Denair, California, where he worked in a
[pg 270 PHOTO Mr. and Mrs. Paul T. Holan August 11, 1975]
dairy owned by Mr. and Mrs. Francis VanDuden. From here he went to
Turlock, California, where he obtained a new job in the dairy owned
by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur G. Crowell. He also did other ranch work
there.
Next Paul took a trip to Yosemite National Park, Los Angeles, Santa
Barbara Island, and then took a steam boat to San Francisco and
Sausalito. He went to Hopeland where he worked for a San Francisco
lawyer who owned fields of hops that were shipped to Colorado for
making beer. After working in these fields a short while, Paul
boarded a train for Everett, Washington, and on it went to Duluth,
Minnesota, Sioux City, Iowa, and finally to Norfolk, Nebraska, and
back home to Verdigre.
On August 18, 1918, Paul enlisted in the army. He spent the next two
years and four months at Camp Funston and Fort Riley, Kansas. His
duties in the army included detachment to the medical department,
assistant cook, a guard at the receiving station, and a pitcher on
the Fort Riley baseball team. His last assignment included being a
mail carrier and then for the last six months he was head postal
clerk. Paul was honorably discharged on January 8, 1920.
Following his army hitch, Paul attended the Sawrrey Auto School in
Kansas City, Kansas. Shortly after, he journeyed to Flint, Michigan,
where he got a job with the Buick Motor Company. By Christmas of
1921, Paul returned to Verdigre.
He took a civil service exam in 1922 and received a position as
Route 2 mail carrier - a job that would be his livelihood until his
retirement on April 30, 1954.
Paul's early years of mail delivery were done by horse and buggy. He
bought a Mode| T Ford truck, but after a rain, the roads had to be
traveled by horses. Paul said it took seven years before the roads
had improved enough so that he could sell his horses and rely on
motor vehicle travel.
It was shortly after Paul began carrying mail in March of 1923, that
he got acquainted with Miss Marie Franek, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
John Franek. Marie and Paul were married in St. Wenceslaus Church,
Verdigre, on August 11, 1925. Their honeymoon was spent in Yankton,
South Dakota, Onawa, Iowa, Omaha, and Howells, Nebraska.
Paul says their means of transportation at this time was a wonderful
vehicle for traveling - a Model T Ford, equipped with nice "side
curtains."
Paul and Marie bought a house in Verdigre and made their home there
until July 1, 1934, when Paul was transferred to Niobrara. They
purchased a large, beautiful home there built many years before by a
well-to-do Niobrara banker. After approximately 20 years as a rural
mail carrier in Niobrara, the couple returned to their home in
Verdigre in September of 1954.
The Holans did considerable traveling throughout the States, Canada,
and Mexico, also spending some winters in Texas. During all that
time, even traveling through the rugged mountains of Canada and the
U. S., as well as the many varied scenic areas, they never had any
accidents.
They enjoyed many summer and early fall vacations in the cabin they
built on the shores of Little Mantrap Lake in the northern part of
Minnesota - near Park Rapids. The cabin was purchased by Paul's
nephew and wife, George and Virginia Vondracek, where they and their
family now enjoy their summer vacations.
Paul and Marie celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary on
August11,1975.Marie passed away on February 28, 1979. After her
death, Paul sold their home and currently resides in his apartment
in the eight-plex in Verdigre.
Page 270
