JOSEPH AND MARY [MARCHAN] PROKOP
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Prokop emigrated to this country from Jiretice,
near Pisecky, Bohemia, in 1883 and took up a homestead on a farm
three miles west of the present town of Verdigre, which was not
incorporated as a town until four years later. They brought with
them their five children (survivors of a family of eight): Katherine
(Nedorost), Vac, Agnes (Trutnovsky), Thomas, and Matt.
Thomas went to work for an American family soon after (although he
did not know a word of English and the family did not know Czech);
his parents’ friends had this arrangement made for him to work soon
after his arrival in this country. This was a means of supporting
his parents who were very poor and found it hard to support their
children as well as themselves. So Thomas learned about farming and
carpentry at an early age. By the time he was 20, he was able to
start farming for himself on a place six miles west of town. His
brothers also acquired small farms where they settled with their
wives and prospered through hard work, thrift, and making do with
what they had through good times and bad until they were able to
retire to a well-earned rest in town.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Prokop, also after enduring much privation and
hardships, were at last able to retire to town after selling their
farm, and with their children married and on their own, they were
able to support themselves in the manner to which they had been
accustomed - by thrift and homemade furniture (mostly), and other
furnishings such as featherbeds for winter, pillows also stuffed
with feathers stripped evenings after dishes were done and put away,
etc., kerosene lamps and wood burning stoves. Yet these folks were
so happy to live in a free land where the men weren’t constantly
conscripted to serve in the army in never-ending wars from which the
men came home wounded, disabled, or in a casket. So they took
hardships, blizzards, grasshopper plagues, etc, with patience and
fortitude. They were able to take all that in stride so long as they
could live in the land of the free.
Their entertainment was “homemade” too - visiting neighbors in the
evenings, parties to celebrated a birthday with music furnished by
self-taught musicians and dancing on the bare floor of the big
dining room that had little furniture in it, a lunch at midnight and
more dancing until the wee hours. Folks usually walked to and from
these dances, then changed their clothes and went to do morning
chores before breakfast. Their usual daily work followed (unless it
was Sunday); being up all night didn’t faze them. They were used to
working and playing hard and enjoyed their simple get-togethers so
much because there was such a closeness among these folks who came
to this country with their dreams of a better life. Although
possessions were few, all endured the same difficulties in getting
started here so no one begrudged anyone else the prosperity that
eventually came to them; they knew it was hard-won, and friendships
were loyal and true.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Prokop died of illness, one in 1912 and the
other a year later, but they lived to see all of their grandchildren
born. Four died in their early childhood, but 18 lived to adulthood
and only four live now. There were 25 great-grandchildren of whom 18
are living and there are numerous great-great-grandchildren and
countless great-great-great-grandchildren in various locations.
One thing these immigrants had that was more precious than any
material wealth or possessions was their love of God and fellow man
and their faith that God will provide if they keep their faith in
Him and live by His teachings. That is why they were so happy here
because they were at peace with Him and everyone else, and making a
lot of money was never their aim - but living and doing right was.
Having a decent home for their family and bringing them up right was
of major importance, and letting them know the value of a dollar by
their own industry and faithfulness to duty prepared them for
adulthood. After they were on their own they were prepared to do
without until they had earned enough to afford whatever they needed
the most. These oldtimers had their priorities straight and passed
on their ways to their children.
-Submitted by Sylvia Prokop
Pages
372, 373
