STEPAN AND KAROLINA [PAVLIK] SOMR
Stepan Somr was born on May 16, 1872, in the village of Podmolka,
county of Zbirov, Bohemia, to Frank and Ann Jelinek Somr. He had
four brothers, Frank and Joseph of Verdigre, Vac and Anton of
Czechoslovakia, and three sisters, Rose (Mrs. Joe Tomasek), Anna
(Mrs. Joe Tomasek), and Mary Dvorak of Czechoslovakia.
[pg 401 photo Stepan and Karolina [Pavlik] Somr
In 1889, at the age of 17 years, he came to America and settled in
Saunders County, Nebraska, at Morse Bluffs. Here he worked as a farm
laborer for about three years.
In 1892, Stephan Somr came to Knox County, near the town of Verdigre.
According to courthouse records, he was united in married to Miss
Karolina Loretta Pavlik on June 1, 1897. Mr. D. W. Cunningham and J.
L. Pavlik were witnesses.
Karolina Loretta Pavlik was born March 7, 1878, on a farm near
Verdigre to Joseph and Barbara Mlady Pavlik. She had four sisters,
Barbara (Mrs. Joseph Hanzlik), Christina (Mrs. Vincent Cihlar,
Jr.,), Lilly (Mrs. Emanuel (Emon) Stoural), Mary, who died in
infancy, and six brothers, Ladizlav (Ladd) who married Marie
Elizabeth Hanzlik, John, who married Albina Mlady, Joseph married
Carrie Tikalsky, Pavel (Paul) who died of diphtheria as a young boy,
and twins, Frank and Vaclav, who died in infancy.
Mr. and Mrs. Somr settled on a farm eight miles southwest of
Verdigre, where they lived all their lives. They were the parents of
two daughters, Emilia (Emma), who was born April 11, 1899, and
married Frank Kves, and Lillian Gertrude, who was born March 17,
1910, and married Tony C. Paesl. Mrs. Frank Kves had three children:
Evelyn (Mrs. Clarence Kucera), Vlasta (Mrs. Gordon McElhose) and a
son Joseph, who died in infancy.
Mrs. Somr was a member of the ZCBJ Lodge Bila Hora No. 5 for 58
years and a member of the Sokol organization at Verdigre for 25
years. Mr. Somr was also a long-time member of the ZCBJ Lodge and a
charter member of the T. J. Sokols of Verdigre. He was, likewise, a
charter member of the Farmers’ Union Local No. 136.
On November 15, 1945, at the age of 73 years, Stephan Somr was taken
ill while assisting with corn picking. After dinner he was taken to
the Orchard hospital where he passed away shortly before midnight
that day. Burial was in the Bohemian National Cemetery at Jelen.
Mrs. Somr passed away January 15, 1968, at the Plainview General
Hospital at the age of 89. She is buried beside her husband in the
Bohemian National Cemetery at Jelen.
-Submitted by Kathy Farnik
Pages
401, 402
