ALOIS AND MARY [POLACEK] JURACEK
For more than a century the part of Eastern Europe we now know as
Czechoslovakia was under Franco-Prussian and Austrian control. From
1768 to 1878 there raged a major Russian-Turkish war, which finally
ousted Turkey from all of Crimea and most of Slavic Europe.
It was during this period, on November 1, 1853, that Alois (Louis)
Juracek was born in Borovnik, Bytes, Brno, Moravia, to Frantisek
Juracek, a farmer, and his wife Frantiska (Frances) Valik Juracek.
It is not known if he had sisters or brothers. Alois’ early years
were probably spent on the farm. He had three years training in the
Prussian Army and fought with that army on horseback for about three
years. The location of the battles Alois was in is unknown.
On an unknown date, Alois Juracek and Marie (Mary) Polacek were
married. Marie was born December 8, 1857, in Bytyska, Moravia, the
daughter of Antonin and Veronika Chmehcek Polacek. Sisters or
brothers are unknown. On October 3, 1877, a first son, Frantisek
(Frank) was born to Alois and Marie Juracek, in Brno, Moravia.
Having served long in the wars, Alois longed for something better
for his family and himself, so he gathered his wife, son, and his
wife’s mother, Veronika Polacek, and about May 28, 1889, they left
by land and sea from his homeland for America. They probably arrived
at the New York City port. What an event that must have been- four
seasick but eager people with the princely sum of $5.00 as their
only wealth!
Somehow, the family reached the area of Lincoln, Nebraska, where
Alois secured work as a bricklayer. From here, they moved to the
Crete area of Saline County, working for someone else until they
could rent a farm for themselves. These were hard times, indeed. But
they were free of the bondage and tyrannies suffered in war-torn
eastern Europe. While thy were living in the Crete, Nebraska, area
five more sons were born to Alois and Marie. They were (printed with
their names in Czech and English also): Alois N. (Louis Norman) born
August, 19, 1880; Jan H. (John H.) born February 3, 1883; Josef R.
(Joseph Robert) born September 19, 1883; Karel (Charles) born April
14, 1887; and Tomas (Thomas) born February 7, 1889 (there is a
question of correct years of birth for Jan and Josef).
The first of March, 1889, with infant Tomas but three weeks old and
quite ill, Alois moved his family to a farm northwest of Verdigre in
Knox County, Nebraska. Here he purchased 160 acres for $400.00 in
Sections 20 and 21, Bohemia Township. Four more children joined the
family: Marie (Mary) born October 8, 1890; Bedrich (Fred) born
August 4, 1892; Alexe (Alex) born October 10, 1894; and Josefka
(Josephine) born June 25, 1897, and died at birth. These four were
born in the community known as Jelen, west of Verdigre. Whenever
Alois was able to get a few dollars ahead, he bought more farmland.
Life for the family was full of hardships and worries, but they all
found time to play much music on the many instruments they had,
enjoying themselves at both house and out-of-door Bowery dances when
the day’s work was done. Mary and Fred played accordion, Charles,
bass, and Thomas played the violin. Tales of these days have been
handed down in their families. The sons even formed musical groups
of their own, playing for weddings and dance parties in surrounding
areas in which they lived. Thomas, fondly called Tom by his family,
was a natural-born musician, an exceptional accordionist and
violinist.
During the summer, huge gardens were planted and tended by the
children. In the fall of the year, after the harvest, potatoes and
onions were loaded into the wagon and taken into the village to be
traded for next year’s clothing. Trading was done either in Verdigre
or the next village, Niobrara, about 20miles distant.
The family soon outgrew the farm house, but Alois felt it more
important to buy land instead of improving or adding on to the
house. There was a period of time when there were not enough dishes,
other eating utensils, or chairs at the table, so the mother would
cook up a large pot of food, putting the pot on the floor where the
children each dipped into the pot with a spoon and ate. The European
custom of the head of the family being served first was practiced in
this family. The wife and mother usually waited to eat until after
the father had been served.
In the summer of 1908, a severe typhoid epidemic beset the family.
With several of the members stricken, a home “hospital” was set up
in the granary. During the length of the fever they were nursed by
their sister Mary. She worked hard and faithfully cared for the
stricken - nursing, doing the laundry on the washboard, cooking, and
cleaning. Despite her best efforts, Thomas could not be saved. His
family was grief-stricken. Thomas died on September 13, 1908. His
father, Alois, suffered a nervous breakdown from grieving, and with
recurring typhoid fever, it resulted in his death on November 6,
1909, in a Lincoln, Nebraska, hospital where he had been taken for
treatment. The funeral was held at the Juracek family home west of
Verdigre and interment was at the cemetery near Jelen. His infant
daughter and Thomas are also buried there.
Several years after Alois’ death, his widow Mary was married to a
widower, Jakub (Jacob) Kolar. At that time, Mary left the farm and
moved into Jacob’s home in Verdigre.
Jacob Kolar, Vaclav Dusek, and John Bean were the trustees and
founders of the Bohemian Catholic Cemetery in Verdigre in January
1891.
Jacob survived his wife, Mary. He is buried about two miles north of
Verdigre on a hill east of Highway 14.
The mother of Mary Polacek Juracek Kolar, Veronika Polacek, was born
in Moravia on July 20, 1823, to the family Chmehcek (Chmehrek). Her
husband was Antonin Polacek. There is no further information on
other children or what happened to Antonin before the family
emigrated to America. A granddaughter of Veronika and Antonin came
to America, but it is not known what became of her. Her name was
Lydia Polacek. Veronika died December 19, 1906, and is interred in
the Juracek plot at Jelen, Nebraska.
The writer recalls her grandmother as one who always talked in the
Czech language, wore the traditional long, full-skirted dress with
an apron reaching almost to the hemline. Grandma made the best jelly
roll; to a small child it was pure delight to watch her quickly roll
it up without it breaking into pieces. Even greater was the treat if
you were given a slice of this delicious confection.
Mary Juracek Kolar resided in Verdigre until her last illness in
1932. Stricken with dropsy, diabetes, and infirmaties of the aging
process, she died June 30, 1932.
Pages
293, 294
