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

ANTON TUERKON

Anton Tuerkon was born January 2, 1853, in the town of Grosslippen, Bohemia. As a young man he immigrated to America. When he got as far as Sioux City, he set himself up in business. Not long after, he established himself as a businessman, primarily an innkeeper, in the village of Verdigre. He probably came to Knox County because he was a relative of the Kurka family.

Anton Tuerkon’s saloon was located on Lot 7 of Block 10 of Main Street. The building may have been put up as early as 1887, though Tuerkon himself was probably not in the village much before the turn of the century. The building grew with the years. The west end of it consisted of a large room referred to as Tuerkon’s Hall. Here dances were held, and after the turn of the century the parish held its festival dinners here.

Tuerkon rented out the building to various people after about 1910. The village’s first motion-picture theatre was installed in the back room in 1913. In 1918 Anton Tuerkon opened up a soft-drink parlor in the building after a tenant vacated it. The building served as a garage after that.

Tuerkon lived quietly in retirement. His last years were spent at the home of his cousin, Anna Kurka. He died August 1, 1941, and was buried in L’Eau Qui Court Cemetery in Niobrara, where his nephew Joseph Tuerkon, also a Verdigre businessman for a time before his early death, and various Kurka relatives were also interred.

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