JOSEPH Z. AND BARBARA [SLAJHERT] KONOPASEK
Joseph Zigmun Konopasek was born on the 23rd day of June, 1871, in
Krusovice, Bohemia. There he spent his boyhood days in the company
of his parents, brothers, and sisters, and there he grew to manhood.
When he came of military age, he was conscripted into the Austrian
Army and served the allotted period of military service.
Barbara Slajhert was born December 4, 1873, in Krusovice, Bohemia,
and was reared there until the time she was married to Joseph
Konopasek. In an excerpt from a workbook that they kept, she wrote,
‘We were married 1895, 8th day of May, the snow was falling.” and
signed her name. After their marriage at Krusovice, they resided in
the land of their birth for five years.
Their first son, Frantisek (Frank) was born June 7, 1896. A second
son, Tonik (Anton) was born September 10, 1898.
In the workbook that they kept were several stamps and seals which
made it valid as a travel passport for the Austrian-Hungarian
Monarchy and Germany. It also stated Joseph Konopasek’s place and
date of birth, that their political district was Rakovnik (Rakonitz),
that he was married and of the Roman Catholic faith. His occupation
was a laborer and his description was tall, oval face, brown haired
blue eyes, and a straight mouth.
This workbook allowed them to travel to the United States and
another entry in the book states that the Konopasek family arrived
in “Ameriky” (America) on September 10, 1899.
A nephew of Joseph Konopasek, also named Joseph, accompanied them to
the United States. He took the Konopasek name and was raised as one
of their own children. They took up residence on a farm near Beemer,
Nebraska, and for 13 years they tilled the soil there.
[pg 299 PHOTO Joseph and Barbara Konopasek]
On August 1, 1900, another son Karlyk (Charles) was born and on June
30, 1903, Rudolf (Rudolph) was born. Their first daughter, Rose, was
born March 4, 1904, and Vaclav (James) was born January 7, 1906.
The whole family received their naturalization papers from the
District Court of Cuming County, Nebraska, on January 14, 1907.
Their second daughter, Emila (Emma) was born June 13, 1909, and a
daughter, Mary, was born June 12, 1910, but died on October 12,
1910. Another daughter, also named Mary was born living.
In 1913 Joseph Konopasek bought a farm near Neligh, Nebraska, and
the family resided there for seven years. Their youngest son, Slava
(Stanley) was born on August 16, 1915.
In 1920 Joseph Konopasek bought a farm 2 ½ miles west of Verdigre.
Sometime during the 1920s he shipped some cattle to Omaha by train.
He and his brother, Albert Konopasek, went to Omaha with the
trainload of cattle and both came home wearing coonskin coats. One
of these coats is still in the possession of the Konopasek family.
Joseph Konopasek continued to live on the farm with his family until
his death on February 4, 1931. At the time of his death, he had one
brother, John Konopasek, and one sister Frances Petracek, still
residing in Czechoslovakia.
Mrs. Barbara Konopasek and her children continued to farm for a time
and then she purchased a home in Verdigre. Several years later she
went to live with her daughter, Mary Phillips, of Montesano,
Washington, and lived there for five years before her death on
January 2, 1952.
Mrs. Konopasek was preceded in death by her son, Charles Konopasek,
35, who was crushed between two trucks near Valley, Nebraska. He
died October 19, 1935. She was also preceded in death by a daughter,
Rose Stadlman, 42, who passed away on March 7, 1946.
Her obituary stated that she was also preceded in death by a son,
Joseph Konopasek. This was the nephew who was raised as a son. He
remained in Beemer when the rest of the family moved to Neligh. He
was married, raised a family, and lived there until his death.
The oldest son, Frank Konopasek, died on January 25, 1985, at the
Veteran’s Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, at the age of 88. Jim
Konopasek, who lived most of his life at Chadron, Nebraska, passed
away on June 29, 1985, at the age of 79. Rudy who lived most of his
life at Verdigre, died on June 23, 1986, at the age of 82.
There are presently two sons living: Anton Konopasek of San
Francisco, who is 88 years old; and Stanley of Coos Bay, Oregon.
There are also two daughters living: Mary Phillips Uhlmann of
Kennewick, Washington, and Emma Tvers of Hay Springs, Nebraska.
Pages
299, 300
