FRANK AND FRANCISCA [SVITAK] MLADY
Frank Mlady was born August 6, 1849, in Bohemia. His wife, Frances
Svitak, was born February 24, 1849, at Palcice, Bohemia. She was a
seamstress in later years.
Frank and Frances were married in Chicago, Illinois, on April 22,
1873. To this marriage ten children were born: two daughters died in
infancy. Those who lived were: Louis - born August 27, ;1875, and
died February 21, 1936; Emma - born October 24, 1877, married
Charles Pavlik on July 17, 1895, and passed away May 21, 1958; Mary
- born February 2, 1880, and passed away April 17, 1951; Edward H -
born June 12, 1882, married Anastazia A. Pavelka on August 16, 1902,
and passed away January 9, 1945; Charles - born in 1886 and passed
away January 11, 1966; Helen - born July 16, 1877, and Passed away
November 2, 1890; Carolina - born September 21, 1889, married Frank
Krejci on June 7, 1915, and passed away July 4, 1969; and Albina -
born January 24, 1894, married Frank Jetensky on September 27, 1920,
and passed away September 19, 1963.
[pg 338 PHOTO Mr. and Mrs. Frank [Frances Svitak] Mlady]
The Mladys had first lived in Chicago, but since two of their
daughters had died due to crowded living quarters and lack of fresh
milk, they were advised by their doctor to move to the country when
Louis was born.
Frank was educated as a tailor, but since there wasn’t much work, he
turned to farming. He owned 160 acres of his own land in Verdigre
Township and 160 acres he farmed for his mother, Mary Mlady. The
land that he owned consisted of the East Half of the Southwest
Quarter of Section 8 in Verdigre Township and 40 acres in the
southwest corner of the Southeast Quarter of the same township. This
was where the residence was located. Forty acres in the northeast
corner of the Northwest Quarter of Section 17 in Verdigre Township
completed the homestead.
But Frank wasn’t the farming type, he just sat in his big chair and
smoked his corncob pipe while everyone else worked. Frances had her
flowers in a pot near his chair, and when he cleaned out his pipe,
he would put the ashes in her flowers. Of course, she didn’t agree
to that.
On the other hand, Frances was a real pioneer woman. She walked
barefoot and helped with the farm chores and field work.
One autumn when the children were all young, the Mladys had a large
melon garden and an early frost froze the melons, but then the
weather got very warm again. The children ate a lot of the melons
and became ill with typhoid fever. There was no doctor and the
children lost all their hair and had to learn to walk all over
again. One of the children died and that was baby Helen, age 3
years.
Frank passed away March 15, 1917, four days after fatal injuries
were incurred when he was thrown from a spring wagon.
Frances passed away July 2, 1922. Both were laid to rest at the St.
Wenceslaus Catholic Cemetery.
- Submitted by Brian Mlady
Pages
337, 338
