JOHN AND MARY [MASAT] TIKALSKY
John Tikalsky was born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Tikalsky on May 15,
1848, at Suchdol, Bohemia. He was the youngest of six children. The
others were: Thomas, Anna (Mrs. Nick Kocina), Mary (Mrs. Lucas Bicek),
Kate (Mrs. John Smetana), and Rosalie (Mrs. August Wehner).
[pg 426 photo The John Tikalsky family - back: August, Anna,
Louis; middle: Ben, Jim, Tom; front: John and Mary [Masat] Tikalsky]
In 1867 John and his parents came to America and settled in Chicago,
Illinois, where all were laborers doing whatever work thry could
find.
In the spring of 1869 he was married to Mary Masat and in March of
1870 they and their infant son, Joseph, John’s parents, and several
other immigrants left Chicago by rail for Sioux City, Iowa.
At Sioux City they bought oxen and a wagon and started the journey
to Niobrara, Nebraska. On March 25, 1870, they crossed the Missouri
River which was covered with ice. They succeeded in getting over to
the Nebraska shore and followed the Missouri River to Niobrara,
Nebraska. Enroute to Niobrara, they were caught in a three-day
blizzard. Their suffering in this storm was tragic. Joseph, their
infant son, died April 1, 1870. For three days they carried the body
and finally buried their son on the slope of a hill opposite
present-day Yankton, South Dakota. They continued their journey by
foot and reached the homestead of a German where they rested for
three days. Then they went on to Niobrara.
Their first stop was at the homestead of Frank Janousek. From there
they traveled up the Verdigre Creek until they located on a
homestead just north of the present site of Verdigre. Here Mr.
Tikalsky lived for 37 years, enduring all the hardships of the
pioneers.
In 1874 John and Mary’s house burned down. It had a thatched roof
and had caught fire from the chimney. He then built a stone house.
Following the death of his wife Mary on July 23, 1907, at the age of
62, he made his home for some time with his oldest son, Vaclav, and
his family. He then made his home with his only daughter, Anna
Jecminek. After she died he moved to the home of his son, Ben, where
he lived for several years. At the time of his death he was living
with his youngest son and wife, August and Anna Tikalsky. He died
November 17, 1932, at the age of 84.
John was a charter member of the Lodge Bila Hora which was organized
in 1879.
John and Mary are both buried at the ZCBJ (now Hillcrest) Cemetery
north of Verdigre.
Following are the birth and death dates, marital, and family
information of the children of John and Mary.
Joseph, birth date unknown, died April 1, 1870.
John, Jr., was born June 1870 or 1871, and died March 15, 1887.
Anna was born May 17, 1873, and died March 3, 1918. Her first
husband was Charles H. Stochl. They had one son. Her second husband
was Albert Jecminek and they had four daughters. She also had two
step-children by Albert’s first marriage to Frederika Sedivy. They
were Charles and Mary (Groeling).
Vaclav was born April 15, 1874,
and died July 3, 1963. His wife was the former Fannie Jiracek. They
had four daughters and one son.
Louis, born June 15, 1877, died December 25, 1935. He married Marie
Viterna and they had three sons and one daughter.
Mary was born in March of 1879 and her death date is unknown.
Ben, born November 10, 1882, died January 8, 1973. His wife was the
former Clara Sukup. They had two daughters and two sons.
Thomas, born December 7, 1883, died November 2, 1965. He married
Marie Agusta Groeling. To this union three sons and two daughters
were born.
August, born July 24, 1887, died October 28, 1972. He married the
former Ann Tyler and they had no children.
It is stated that they had ten children. If so, there is one unknown
child.
Pages
425, 426
