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

LADIK ALBERT AND ANNIE [MARSHALL] VONASEK

Ladik Albert Vonasek was born in the Pischelville community on December 14, 1881, to the late Frank and Josefa (Sladek) Vonasek. Here he grew to manhood and attended grade school, herded cattle, and helped on the family farm.

[pg 455 photo Mr. and Mrs. Lad A. Vonasek on 50th wedding anniversary February 3, 1957]

He was the fourth of the six boys and three girls in the family consisting of George, Zdenek, Otto, Ladik, Milos, Bohus, Bohumila, and Olga.

In 1907 he married Annie Marshall, the oldest daughter of the late Emil and Pauline (Moticka) Marshall, who lived on the Pischelville bottom. The family consisted of Annie, Joseph, Max, Emon, Lottie, and Millie. They all attended Pischelville School.

Lad and Annie started farming in the Walnut community on a farm his dad had acquired for them. They later paid off their debt and continued to prosper.

In 1909, their son Emil was born. They lived 3 ¼ miles from school, so they harnessed horses and hauled their son in a buggy to the Mott School near Walnut.

They survived the dry ‘30s with its dust storms, grasshoppers, and other hardships. Milking cows, separating the milk, selling the cream, raising chickens and selling eggs, raising hogs, and feeding cattle were ways they earned money to pay the taxes, which were not too high.
Lad purchased a farm near Jelen, Nebraska, in 1926.

They were both members of Pischelville Lodge No. 8, and were later transferred to Lodge Bila Hora No. 5. In 1957 Lad and Annie celebrated their 50th Anniversary at the ZCBJ Hall basement. The observance was hosted by their son and daughter-in-law.

[pg 455 photo Mr. and Mrs. Emil F. Vonasek]

In 1935 their son Emil married Lydia Nikl at O’Neill. She was the only daughter of the late Joe R. and Mary (Mastalir) Nikl of Dukeville. They continued farming with his parents until Emil’s health began to fail and doctors advised him to cut down on farming. So in 1948 they decided to sell the farm near Walnut, Nebraska. The farm was sold to Mr. and Mrs. William Rudloff and family and a house was purchased in Verdigre from the Joseph Holan family where the Vonaseks moved in 1948 and 1949 - at a time when the biggest snow storm and high drifts made the move very difficult.

Emil continued to farm near Jelen, Nebraska, with his dad until 1963 when Lad had a heart attack and passed away. A year later Annie broke her hip and was handicapped; she passed away in 1965.

Emil and Lydia continued to farm, and in 1970 they built a new home in Verdigre and moved into it in the fall. In 1980 they rented the farm to Emil’s cousin, Emil Frank, who continues to farm it yet today.

In 1985 Emil and Lydia celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary at the ZCBJ Hall with a dance in the evening. They are both fifty-year members of the ZCBJ Lodge.

Emil has been doing plumbing, electrical, and repair work of all kinds since moving to town. He also plays the violin and is a member of Alfred’s Bohemian Band. They entertain at Alpine Village and have also played for dances in Verdigre and surrounding communities.

Pages 455, 456