A transcription of pages 195-469,
Family Histories from the Verdigre Centennial Book
Thanks to the Verdigre Library and its volunteers for making this available.
 
The index below only includes the husband and wife for each family.
The maiden name for the wife is used if listed.
For other names, use the search on the Home Page.

Index's A-I, J-P, & Q-Z

THE POLECEK FAMILY

Vaclav Polecek was born in Bohemia on December 6, 1843. His mother’s maiden name was probably Cerny. He married Anna Novotny in 1862. They moved to the United States in 1879. They came from Kolin to New York, then to Chicago by rail. From Chicago they traveled to a place called Running Water on the Dakota side of the Missouri River. They crossed by boat to the Niobrara side and took a claim south of Niobrara in Sparta Township. They lived there until about 1890. They sold that farm and bought another near Stoney Butte where they lived for about 20 years. Then they moved to Verdigre. They stayed in Verdigre for seven years and then lived with a grandson on the farm.

In addition to being a farmer, Vaclav was also a stone mason. Anna was a mid-wife as well as wife and mother. Vaclav laid stone for a dam across the river near the town of Verdigre. It has since washed out. The water from it ran a mill.

Vaclav had a brother who stayed in the old country. He also had a sister. The brother had three daughters. It is also believed that the brother had lost one of his legs.

Anna had a brother and sister who stayed in Bohemia. The sister died of diphtheria. Anna’s mother’s maiden name was Vlasnik and she returned to the old country after living in Knox County for awhile.

The children of Vaclav and Anna were: Frank, born about 1862; Mary, born August 17, 1872; and a girl who died at the age of three.

[pg 372 PHOTO Vaclav and Anna Polecek [about 1899]]

In about 1905 Frank married a woman who had three daughters. He died in 1942 in Czechoslovakia.

Mary married John Nikl on June 7, 1892, and they had three children: Millie, William, and Otto. She later married Joseph Pospisil on February 22, 1911, and they had two daughters: Valasta and Lillian. Mary died July 11, 1969.

Because there were no male children to carry on the name, the remaining descendants will be recorded elsewhere under those family names.

Pages 371, 372