ANDREW KOTROUS
Andrew Kotrous died of stomach cancer May 18, 1907, at the age of
67. He had moved with his family to the Verdigre area the previous
year.
The Kotrous family may have emigrated to the United States from
Bohemia as early as 1874, (Rosicky’s History of Czechs of Nebraska
lists an Andrew Kotrous of Volenoce as having come to Filmore County
in that year), though other dates have been given. The obituary of
the second son, Joseph, gives the place of his birth as Stechovice
and the date of the family’s arrival as 1878.
Andrew Kotrous was apparently accompanied to the United States by
his first wife, Kathryn Caspar Kotrous, their first son John
(September 8, 1860-May 2, 1935), Joseph and Mary (born at Stechovice
August 15, 1870).
In the United States the third son, Frank, was born, as were
probably three daughters, Fannie, Anna, and Antonia.
Joseph was born February 14, 1866, and died about September 30,
1946. On June 25, 1895, he married Anna Votipka. Their children were
Mathilda, Marcella, Emil, Albert, Rudolph, and Charles David, who
died in infancy.
Mary was the only one of the Kotrouses to remain in the southern
part of the state. She and her husband Joseph Komarek and their
children lived in the Genoa area.
Frank was born at Milligan February 2, 1877, and died June 24, 1965.
For a time he ran a pool hall in Verdigre and he was sometimes
referred to as “Electricity” Kotrous.
The first Mrs. Kotrous died and Andrew married another woman whose
name, according to Anton’s wedding certificate, was Anna. She, too,
died having given birth to Anton (May 6, 1886, to November 6, 1958).
In 1887 Andrew married a widow, Anna Salak Pekar, who had two living
children, James Baker (he had anglicized his name), who died
February 12, 1958, and Mary, Mrs. F. C. Cutler, who died about
October 4, 1962.) Two other Pekar children had probably died in
infancy.
Andrew and Anna Salak Kotrous had five children: Edward J. (November
13, 1889-May 25, 1982), Adolph (born December 18, 1890, and died
March 4, 1975), Christie (born about 1893 and may have died in
1928), and Carrie, Mrs. Edward Mastalir (December 20, 1895-March 14,
1960), as well as a child who probably died in infancy.
John and his wife were apparently the first of the family to settle
in the Verdigre area in 1902. The others (except Mary Komarek) all
followed.
By this time Fannie was married to Charles J. Donat. They, too, came
to Verdigre and Donat operated a cigar factory and store. The
conflagration which destroyed the north half of West Main Street
supposedly started in that building. Donat subsequently put up the
brick building which is now the Eagle office.
Anna married Frank Ptak and Antonia married John Soukup.
Anton began farming for himself about 1910. On June 7, 1921, he
married Albina Divis Kotrous, widow of his half-nephew Emon, who had
succumbed to the Spanish influenza during the great epidemic of
1918. The couple had three sons, Alvin, Melvin and Leo.
Pages
300, 301
