The Dedera
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Family Tree
Earliest record of the name may be found in Kojcice in 1630, no records have been kept before the 16th Century.John Dedera, 1654, father of Paul.
Paul Dedera, 1715, father of Thomas.
Thomas Dedera, 1748, father of Joseph
Joseph Dedera and Mary (Barton), 1800, parents of John and ten other children.
John Dedera and Catherine (Prokop), 1831, parents of Adalbert and eleven other children.
| Adalbert and | Mary Pelisek. 1867, from Becovice Mary Kokes, 1875, from Mysliva |
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Mary 1867-1930 Frances 1870-1905 Louis 1872 Joseph 1873 Anna 1874-1875 Catherine 1876 Frances 1878 |
Adalbert 1880 Emmanuel 1882 Wenceslaus 1884-1886 Anna 1888 Jerry 1886 Vitus 1891-1931 |
Foreword
It is not the intention of this biography to extole the qualities and merits of our ancestors but rather to preserve the name and genealogy of the Dedera's for future generations who will be born of a stock which traces its name back to 1630 as the parish records of Pelhrimov will attest.The parish of Chovojnov was organized in the 14th century, but records have not been kept until the 16th century, otherwise our genealogy probably could have been traced much farther back.
The origin of the name Dedera is veiled in the mist of the past as most of the family names are. It is scarcely a Czech name and seems to have an Italian origin, probably from the verb do--dedi-datum--dare, the future tense being dedero and the pluperfect dederam.
The name is not written with sofe e, i.e., Dedera, but with long e, i.e., Dedera, with the accent on the first e, i.e. Dédera. This is substantiated by the records in Chvojnov. The baptismal records make it plain that the Dedera's, with few exceptions, were all farmers, many of those who emigrated to America became tradesmen because they settled in cities.
Neither do the records show that the family ever possessed any titles or high positions. It is evident that they were just plain common folks who could only boast of a good, honest and religious character.
Nor is it recorded that anyone by the name of Dedera fell away from the Catholic Church during the many religious conflicts which on many occasions swept the country over. They have always remained faithful to the Catholic Church and never intermarried with non-Catholics.
I am indebted to Rev. Anton Mancal, pastor of Chvojnov, for the information and family tree which he prepared for me with a great deal of labor and sacrifice.
The earliest record of the Dedera family, is mentioned in 1630, then Feb. 21, 1654, when John Dedera acted as sponsor for Catherine Przil. Then Paul Dedera is mentioned in 1715, his son George 1719, and Mathew 1731. Simon Dedera and his son John in 1744, Mathew Dedera and wife, Catherine Pekarek, in 1788.
| Praha-Brno region | Pelhrimov-2 | Pelhrimov-3 | Chvojnov | Myslov | Polanky-1 | Polanky-2 | Polanky-3 |
One branch of the Dedera's was founded in Kojcice (affiliated to Chvojnov) by Thomas Dedera, born 1748 and married 1779. He had two sons, Simon 1780, and Joseph, 1783. Joseph was married to Marie Barton and founded the second branch of Dedera's in Maly Rybnicek, also affiliated to Chvojnov, and to date both of these homes are still occupied by the Dedera's (1935).
Joseph Dedera had twelve children. John our grand-father was the fourth, born December 27, 1809. In 1831 he was married to Catherine Prokop from Volesna and settled in Maly Rybnicek. Their fourth child was Adalbert, our father, born April 5, 1838. He was married in 1867 to Marie Pelisek from Bacovice. She bore him four children: Marie 29/2, 1867, in Autechovice, Francis 21/5, 1870, in Vacice, Louis 16/6, 1872 also in Vacice, and Anna 14/10, 1874, at whose birth she sacrificed her life and the child died soon after.
In 1875 he married a widow, Marie Kokes, from Myslov, who had one son, Joseph. She bore him seven children: Catherine, 16/4, 1876, Frank, 8/7, 1878, Adalbert, 8/4, 1880, all were borne in Vacice, and Emmanuel, 1882, was born in Polánky; Wenceslaus, 1885, Anna, 1888, Jerry, 1890, and Vitus, 1891, born in U.S.A.
My father was a hard, exacting man, which traits he probably acquired in his six hears of service in the Austrian army. He was also honest and deeply religious, in his youth he had an ordinary school education with two years of high school. His father intended him to be a school master, but this career he abandoned for a tailor's trade. After his apprenticeship he left home for three years to acquire more experience and hot as far as Vienna. On his return he was conscripted into the army and remained there six years, spending most of that time in Italy (1866); after his release he was held in reserve for two mor years.
In 1866 his brother John died in Vacice and left one child, John Jr. After his death father was made administrator of his estate until the legal age of John. He spent six years on the estate and was able to give a good account of his stewardship.
From there he moved into Polánky, where he bought a small farm and helped himself with his trade. All went well until 1879, when a fire destroyed his home, which had not been insured. All he had left were a few acres of land and seven children, and that decided the fate for the entire family. The future looked very gloomy, so he decided to emigrate into America. He sold all his possessions and bid farewell to a country he really loved and never forgot. If it were not for the family he would have never left it. What little he had in money was spent for transportation, and after fourteen days on the S. S. Marie Theresa we arrived in New York penniless. Not being able to go any farther, for Chicago was really our destination, we were compelled to stay in New York until enough money was saved to move on toward our goal. We arrived in New York in the fall of 1881 and remained there until 1883. Sisters, Marie and Frances worked as house maids, and the rest of the family were hired as farm hands.
Having accumulated enough cash for a further journey, we moved on to Chicago, leaving Marie and Frances behind. We arrived in Chicago again penniless but found many friends who were willing to give us what assistance they could, which of course was very encouraging. Father found a small flat at Landa's, on Wood and 20th, for which he paid three dollars per month. In a year or so we moved to better quarters on Allport and 18th Street, across the street from St. Procopius.
It was at this time, while seeking some help, that he came across a Protestant Bureau which was assisting immigrants. He asked for assistance, which they gladly promised him, but under the condition that he would leave the Catholic Church and join the Protestant. My father, who was always a staunch Catholic, did not hesitate but curtly replied: that if the entire family were forced to starve he would not give up his religion, and, without further ado, he left. This incident he often repeated to us, and the oftener we heard it the greater impression it made on us and the greater respect we had for him, because of his loyalty to the faith of his forefathers, and it may be one of the reasons why all of his children remained faithful to the Catholic Church.
Soon after, he found employment in a tailor shop, where he received a salary of three dollars per week and later it was increased to six dollars. About a year later some friends obtained for him a position in a lumber yard, where he received a dollar and twenty-five cents per day, which was a normal salary for a laborer at that time.
We can not figure it out today how people could live and support large families at such small wages. It was not only possible, but it was done; not only did they take care of their families bu t they even put aside something for a rainy day. The Building and Loan Associations were a great help to them; wages were low, but the cost of living was proportionately even lower; rents were at five dollars per month; meat at five and six cents a pound; flour at two dollars and twenty-five cents a barrel; sugar for three cents a pound, and so forth.
After a few years, when Joseph and louis, and Marie and Frances were working, father gave up his position at the lumber yard and opened a small tailoring shop for making trousers and vests. His employers were well satisfied with his work and supplied him with as many orders as he could take care of. At that time his profits, and the boys' and girls' wages made a considerable income. He, being a very thrifty man, put aside each month as much of the income as possible, so that about the year 1887, just six years after our coming to this country, he had enough saved up to be thinking of a home of his own.
At that time Kirchman and Company opened a new subdivision in the neighborhood of Albany and 25th St., which then was called Ceska Kalifornie, and the Czech people began to buy lots in that section with the intention of building in the near future. My father was one of the pioneers who bought a lot at 26th and Albany Ave. for two hundred and fifty dollars and, shortly after, built a four room cottage for seven hundred and fifty dollars. This was our first real home in America, and we were all proud of it.
At this time five of the boys and girls were working, so father sold out his tailor shop and gave up work altogether to devote more of his time to his family.
CHAPTER I
Home Life
Mother was always the first one to rise and prepare breakfast for the working members, and father saw to it that they got up in time and left home on time, for they had a good half hour's distance to walk to their place of employment. Every day the whole family would gather at the evening meal and on Sundays at the noon meal. My father would say the prayers before meals and then apportion the meat; of the other foods we could take as much as we cared.
Sunday was always a day of rest and of religious obligations. Mother and the sisters attended the early Mass to give them time to prepare the dinner, and father with the boys attended High Mass.
In the early days it was a custom to receive the sacraments at least four times a year, which we all did very faithfully. Before going to confession we begged forgiveness of our parents and older brothers and sisters. On those days it was also customary to remain at home and prepare for the worthy reception of Holy Communion.
We all received a good Catholic education and above all a good example from our parents. What appealed to us most was that our parents did themselves, what we were expected to do.
When we were taken to school for the first time my father would introduce us to the Sister in Charge and tell her in our presence not to spare the rod if we needed it, and added, that there would be no complaint coming from him. Of course we then knew exactly where we stood.
My father was a strict and exacting man, but also appreciative when things were done right. Amongst his friends he had a reputation as an honest and righteous man. Many of them who did not believe in banks brought their savings to him and asked for no receipts or interest. One of our neighbors named Loukota found a ten-dollar bill. He brought it to my father and asked him to hold it for him. Every now and then he asked for twenty-five cents or fifty cents, and neither he nor my father kept any records of it. When at the end of a year or so the tend dollars were withdrawn, he cam to thank him for the trouble, and all accounts (which were never kept) were settled.
My father had another good quality and that was, that he never spoke a word against a priest or any church regulations, and woe be to him who would start something in his presence. He always spoke with great reverence of his former pastors, especially of Fathers Kacer and Frejlach, who resided at Chvojnov. He remembered practically all the sermons they preached on special occasions, and would repeat them to us almost word for word.
Religion to him was first and foremost, and he had no patience with the unbelievers, or those who pretended to be Catholics but did not live as such. He shunned their company and would have no dealings with them.
My mother, in a way, was a counterpart of father, with the exception that she loved quietness and peace, whereas father was talkative and always ready to give and take. In her I saw the perfection of Christian life: she was meek, peaceful, deeply religious and resigned. She shunned company, and when it was forced upon her she made everybody feel at home. She never had any tales to tell or anyone to criticize, and they all loved her for it. She loved her home and lived for her family. Although she raised twelve children, and devoted all her time to them, she never complained and never asked for help. She was the first one to arise and the last one to retire. Her last act of the day was the recitation of the rosary in some lonely corner.
She never quarreled and when father was ill-disposed she insisted that all should be quiet an never answered him harshly. She never bothered about money affairs, and never handled any. She left the care of it to my father and also the buying of the food supplies. She never refused to assist the poor; in fact she would go out of her way to help them, and the doors were always opened to them.
The proper education and bringing up of the children was the most important duty of her life, which she fulfilled most scrupulously. She watched over us day and night, advising us and guiding us whenever necessary. In this she was most successful and saw all of her children grow up in the fear and love of God.
Of course the happiest moment of her life was when she witnessed the ordination of her son Adalbert and when she attended his first mass on Sunday, May 26, 1907.
I will never forget how on the day of my ordination she presented me with a wax lily which I carried on my first communion day in 1893. That same year I began my college career with the intention of studying for the priesthood. In view of this she put the lily away to present it to me on the day of my ordination. Like every grandmother she loved her grandchildren with all her heart, and the height of her happiness was reached when her sons and daughters would visit her with their children. On such occasions she seemed to rejuvenate and live her life all over again. Those were also happy moments for us, and many happy memories and happenings were recalled and commented upon from all angles. Oftentimes one saw for the first time how unwisely or foolishly we acted, and how much we had to pay for our experiences.
We all felt, as if we were all home again, spending the evenings listening to the experiences of our parents. There was one thing that never appealed to me, and sometimes even annoyed me, and that was when they praised and lauded the Old Country. Of course I have never seen it, and I always believed that America was the best country in the world. As a boy I often vowed that I would see America first, and the Europe and make my own conclusions, which in later years I really did. I visited forty-two states, and Alaska and made a real study of their topography, their social, religious, architectural and commercial values. After that I visited Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, Czechoslovakia, England, Ireland, Africa, Greece, Palestine, Iceland, Spitzbergen, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Russia, West Indies and so forth. I always carried a diary and made notes from day to day of places, peoples and things. I covered about fifty thousand miles on the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, not counting the Mediterranean, North, Baltic, Red and Dead Seas, the Mississippi, Hudson, Potomac, Seine, Moldau, Rhine, the Tiber, Spree, Jordan and other rivers, and on the railroads I covered more than a hundred thousand miles. After all my travels and experiences I can truthfully stat that, outside of the cathedrals and palaces of Europe with their past histories, there is nothing on the European, Asiatic, or African continents we could not duplicate in America and add an extra measure to it.
I had the satisfaction of giving this information to my parents, but then they were too old to appreciate it or to question it. In fact by that time they lost all interest in the old Country, and were more than pleased to remain in the country of their adoption and amongst their own children.
CHAPTER II
The Immigrants
The first home father had built on Albany Ave. was later enlarged and an addition was built to
the front for store purposes, where he opened a tavern. There were very few taverns in the
locality, and business was good. In a year or two a neighbor grew jealous, remodeled his home
and also opened a tavern. Father, who was a shrewd business man, saw at once that there was not
enough patronage for both, and that failure for one or the other was inevitable, so he followed the
safest course and decided to sell out. Shortly after, a party for Ceska Plzen paid us a visit and
suggested an exchange of properties if father was willing to take the mortgage with it. He had a
three-flat building with six apartments at 570 W. 19th St., which brought about thirty-six dollars
per month, and had a mortgage of twenty-five hundred dollars. This exchange looked good, so
my father concluded the bargain, and in 1891 we moved to our new quarters. The children
attended St. Vitus School, but the adults attended services at St. Procopius', their old parish.
In the beginning, my father was terribly worried about the mortgage and often complained of pains in the chest, but God was good to us. There were three boys and two girls working steadily, and the income was sufficient to take care both of the interest and the principal. We got along so well that father bought a horse and buggy for the boys, which of course was a source of great pleasure to them, and gave them and their sisters an opportunity to get out into the country.
About the year 1895 father bought two lots on Spaulding Ave. near 26th St., where he put up
a four-room frame building and later added a large kitchen to it which was often used for family
gatherings and socials. Here we were most happy; all the children were grown up, the income
from the flat building and the salaries of the boys and girls were more than was needed, and quite
a substantial sum was stored away for a rainy day. 
But man proposes and god disposes. At a time
when everything seemed to work harmoniously and the
future seemed brightest, a land agent proposed a farm in
Indiana in exchange for the flat building. My father who
knew farming from A to Z and always talked farm,
decided to look at it. After his first visit he was sold on
it, and so to the farm we went. It was located in Stark
County about three quarters of a mile from Ora, Indiana,
and about eighty-five miles from Chicago on the Santa
Fe Railroad.
This change divided the family for all time. Joseph, Louis and Frances remained in the family home on Spaulding Ave., and Frank, Catherine, Emil, Anna, Jerry and Vitus moved to the farm with the folks. I was at college at the time and knew nothing of the change until it was completed.
In a year's time father had the farm in the best of condition, and every acre of it besides the woods, was under cultivation and soon was considered as one of the prosperous farms in the locality.
Here my parents were very happy and things went smoothly, but Sister Kate and the boys began to think of marriage. Prospects on the farm were not so good for them so they prevailed on the parents to dispose of it, which they did, and after five years, exchange it for a business building on 22nd and Leavitt St. Which brought a monthly income of a hundred and fifty dollars.
By this time the building on Spaulding Ave. was sold, and the family rented a flat on Turner Ave. and 29th St. My father still owned the extra lot on Spaulding Ave., and on this he build another home. After two or three years, this home was disposed of, and a permanent home was built at 2812 Central Park Ave., where sister Catherine Borkovec, brother Joe and sister Mary Jenicek also had their homes. After disposing of the business house on 22nd and Leavitt St., father bought another one on St. Louis and 28th.
These two buildings were held for many years, until all the boys and girls were married. Then father sold them both and lived with daughter Kate, now a widow, who had a small grocery store on Crawford Ave. and 28th St. Later on she moved to larger quarters on Turner Ave. and 30th St., there was a small dwelling in the rear, which father and mother rented from her and lived happily. Here we used to gather every Sunday afternoon and again enjoyed our family life.
Here also we suffered the severest blow of our lives. God in His providence decided to call our beloved mother to her eternal reward on May 7, 1921, at the age of seventy-five years. Few days before, she suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and passed away in ten days. The funeral service were held in Holy Mount Church, where Father Dedera was pastor.
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Goodbye my mother and father Love was your treasure. Your life was always an ideal Of Christian life for us.
You are waiting in Eternity
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After mother's death, father made his home with brother Louis in Berwyn, where he lived contentedly until his demise, which occurred on January 28, 1923, at the age of eighty-five years.
With my father's death we were orphaned and began to miss the love and solicitude of our parents, may they rest in peace. Se shall always remember them and their memory will be sacred to us for they were exemplary parents, kind, loving, thoughtful and solicitous They lived honorable Christian lives and were always true to God and man. Their lives will always be a shining example to us of what a Christian should really be. They were true to God and loyal to His commandments, and in turn He gave them the grace of a happy and peaceful death. They are now resting in the Resurrection Cemetery in Justice, Ill.
CHAPTER III
The Children
As I have mentioned before, there were twelve children in our family. All received a good
Catholic education and above all a good example from their parents. We all respected and loved
our parents. They had but one wish and expressed it very frequently: that the boys and girls
should marry only Catholics. This they did, not only to satisfy their wishes, but because they knew
it was the best thing for a peaceful and happy marriage. At this writing there are about thirty-five
grandchildren; all were baptized in the Catholic Faith, attended Catholic schools and received the
sacraments.
The oldest sister was Marie, born in 1867. She married Dominic Jenicek in 1889 and bore him nine children: Francis, Emilie, Dominic, Albert, Joseph, Lilly, Ella, Rose and Mary.
Both were good and upright Christians and lived together for thirty-three years. Dominic was a tailor by trade and always made a fair salary, so that they were able to build a modest home for themselves on Central Park Ave., between 28th and 29th Sts. In his spare moments he loved to play his piano accordion, of which he was a master.
After their wedding, they lived with his mother on 20th and Ashland Ave. There they lived fora few years and then moved into one of the flats in our home on 19th St. Later on they built their own home on Central Park Ave., where both of them finished their earthly careers. Dominic died in 1922 and Marie in 1930.
Their oldest son, Frank, married Marie Jirsa, Emilie married Wenceslaus Stech, Dominic married Anna Vancura, Albert married Mildred Smolik, and after her death Marie Novotny. Joseph married Frances Wallace, Lillie married Stanley ?, and Ella married Jerry Volenc, Rose married ? Novotny.
Sister Frances was born in 1870, but did not marry until 1903. Her husband, Louis Sedlak, was a mason contractor and with his brother Frank had a flourishing business. They were known far and wide as good builders and trustworthy contractors. This business was given to them by their father, who worked at it for many years. Frances lived with her husband only a few years and passed away at the birth of her first child in 1905; and is interred in the Resurrection Cemetery.
Brother Louis was born in 1872, but did not marry until 1906, and took for his wife Georgia Sauer, a very respectable young lady who helped to make a real man out of him. In his younger days he was somewhat frivolous, but after his marriage, settled down and in a few years was able to build for himself a very fine home on Wisconsin Ave. in Berwyn, which he later enlarged and remodeled.
They had three daughters, Georginana, Marie and Louise. Marie married Joseph Viktora in 1935, and moved into a flat of their own on Lombard Ave., Berwyn, Ill. Georgiana and Louise were married at a double wedding on June 6, 1935, to Frank Vyhnal and Geoge Stehlik respectively.
Brother Joseph was born in 1869. Although Louis was older, he was always considered as the first-born of the family and was always given preference in all family discussions. He was intelligent and always serious; his given word was to him a law which he never broke. He married in 1890 and took for a wife, Mare Soukup, who in her traits and character was very much like himself, and consequently made a very good match.
To them were born Joseph, Anna, Mary, James, and George. Anna was married to James Tintera in 1922 and bore him three children, James, Mary Jane and Alice. Mary was married to Albert Vanis in ?, James was married to Irene Fitch in 1935.
After marriage Joseph lived in the home of his father-in-law and later occupied our home on Spaulding Ave. when the parents moved to the farm. Later on he built himself a home on Central Park Ave. and, after living there for nine years, sold it and built a new home at 5640 W. 23rd Pl. Cicero, Ill.
Sister Kate was born in 1876. She had an ordinary education and at the age of eleven entered the tailoring trade, which at that time was flourishing. She stayed at it for many years and made a good salary. When [our] parents moved to the farm, he left the trade and went with them to help mother. She was married in 1899, to Joseph Borkovec, also a tailor, and bore him five children: Thomas, Elizabeth, Marion, Joseph and Helen. Ella married Edward Koubek.
For some time they lived in my father's home at Central Park Ave. and then built a three-flat building next door. Her husband was a hard-working and thrifty man and would have made a good fortune in his trade if sickness did not force him to leave it. On account of his illness they moved to North Judson, Indiana, where they lived for five years, and there Joseph died. After his death sister Kate moved back to her home on Central Park Ave. some years later she sold it and bought out a grocery business on Crawford and 30th St. Here she did quite well and was able to provide for her children. Later on she sold out and bought another store on Turner Ave. and 30th, where business was much better and made it possible to lay aside something for the future. After mother died and father left to reside with Louis, she sold out and bought a new store on 23rd St. and 54th Ave. Cicero. Here she married Frank Smakal, a good-hearted and well-experienced man and in him found a faithful companion.
Brother Frank, was born in 1878, also had an ordinary education, and at the age of twelve entered the box-making trade, at which he worked for many years and later on took other positions, but always more or less in the same line. He married in 1903, and took for his wife Marie Fiala, a well-bred and Christian young lady. With her he had seven children: Francis, Wenceslaus, Albert, Anna, Emmanuel, Lily and Joseph. After their marriage they lived at her father's home on 25th and Washtanaw. After a few years they bought two lots on Wisconsin Ave. and 14th St., next to brother Louis, and later built a two-flat building where his family resides to this day. Here they brought up their family in the fear of God and were blessed with dutiful and obedient children. Most of the boys entered the butcher business and made a success of it. Later on they had their home remodeled and renovated, and made an imposing structure out of it. In 1936, this home was exchanged for a forty-acre farm in Winamac, Ind. and here he died on August 13, 1937.
Their oldest son, Francis, married Adelaide Hazdra, James married Marie Adamek, and Lily married Leonard Judy.
Brother Emmanuel was born in 1882. He had an adventurous nature, and his mind was always soaring to higher things. Whilst yet in his teens, he left home to seek his fortune in the world. He visited many states and cities, but after a few years' experience, convinced himself that there is no place like home, and no better place to build a fortune than Chicago. He was a mechanic by trade, new his trade will, and was never without a job. From that, he went into the automobile business, where he almost made his fortune but for one unforseen reversal, which happened when he added on the auto-chain business, which, because of mild winters, failed. His auto business failed with it.
He was married in 1911, to Anna Tintera, a daughter of Mathew Tintera, a well-known and highly respected cut-stone contractor. they have only one son, Edward, who, because he was the only child in the family, received a liberal education and now is holding a well-paid position.
Wenceslaus, the first to be born in the United States, was born in 1884, whilst we resided on Allport St. He lived only a few days and died of colitis.
Sister Anna was born in 1888, and was the first one to have the advantage of a full grade school education. She also entered the tailoring business and was married in 1911, to Frank Spika. They were well matched, both of even temper, and had three children: Beatrice, Elmer and Dorothy.
Beatrice married in 1933, and took for a husband James Kacena. Elmer married Miss Holos in 1938. [This last comment is written in ink. It is the latest date in this writing.]
Jerrry was born in 1886. He did not take to schooling very much and went to work very early. He married in 1913, to Mary Spika, the sister of Anna's husband. During the World War he volunteered for the Army and because of his ability as a tailor remained in the States as an officers' handy man. He served out his term and returned to his wife, who in the meantime lived with her parents. They had no children and therefore led a carefree life without any special interest in the future.
Vitus was born in 1890, and was the youngest of the family. He married Rose Bicek, also the youngest of her family, whose parents were well-known and highly respected. She bore him five children: Marion, victor, Robert, George, and Rosemary.
He was a good mechanic and made good wages, and it was not long before he bought a nice home at 1342 W. Oak Park Blvd. in Berwyn. He worked hard and loved his family. Later on he remodeled his home, brick-veneered it, refurnished it, and mad an ideal home of it. But man proposes and God disposes. He had an attack of appendicitis but though it to be only some stomach ailment. It grew worse, and one day he had to be rushed to the hospital, where, after an operation, his case was pronounced very serious, because peritonitis had already set in. In less than a week he succumbed on April 8, 1931. He was the youngest, and we all loved him; because of his cheerful disposition. His friends admired him, and because of his honest and hard work, everybody respected him. Requiescat in pace.
CHAPTER IV
"Father D."
Thus far I have written a brief biography of all the members of
the family, and now I will write my own.
I was born on April 10, 1880, in Vadcice and baptized in Chvojnov. In 1881, my parents sold what they had left after the fire in Polánky and emigrated to America to seek their fortune. At the age of seven I was sent to St. Procopius School, where I was taught by Mr Halamicek for about two years, then the family moved to Albany and 26th St. There I attended Hinman Public School for about three years. After my parents moved back to the city on 19th and Ashland, I attended St. Vitus School, where I concluded my grammar school education in 1893. That same year I entered St. Procopius college on 18th and Allport Sts., and stayed there for two years. then I worked for Mr. Foucek, the druggist, for one year and returned to the college for another year. from there I went to St. Bede's College, Peru, Illinois, where I graduated in 1902. After my adoption into the Archdiocese of Chicago, I entered St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore for a course in scriptures, philosophy and theology, which I completed in 1907, and I was ordained a priest May 26, 1907.
Thereupon I was appointed to assist at St. John Nepomucene Church, and in February, 1908, both the pastor, Rev. Francis Bobal, and I were transferred to St. Ludmila's to take the place of the Rev. Mathias Fornix, deceased.
Here I had charge of all the societies and parish activities and received my real experience in parish work, which later on rewarded me with considerable success. I labored zealously and to the satisfaction of all until September, 1911, when I was sent to cicero to establish a new parish for the Bohemians, Irish and other nationalities who resided there. The old Morton Club House on 53rd and 24th Pl. was purchased for a temporary building and remodeled for a church, school and rectory. It was blessed by the Right Reverend Archbishop Quigley on Dec. 10, 1911. As years wen on, ten more lots were purchased, an new combination church and school were built, a home for the Sisters and a rectory were purchased, and a playground prepared for the school children, all withing a space of eight years. With all the equipment and furnishings the church property was worth approximately one hundred thousand dollars, with a mortgage of only forty thousand and an annual income of forty-five thousand dollars.
About this time (1917), the Bohemian people began to move farther west and soon petitioned the bishop for a new parish. This the bishop did in September, 1919, and appointed me to be its founder and first pastor. Here in the course of ten years and with the whole-hearted cooperation of the people, I was able to erect an up-to-date church, school, rectory convent and club house at an approximate cost of four hundred thousand dollars, with a debt of one hundred thousand dollars, which within the eight years of depression was reduced to twenty thousand. the above also included a large playground for the school children, with a wrought-iron fence enclosure, with shrubs and trees all around it.
Holy Mount Parish was the last of the twelve Czech parishes to be established in the archdiocese. It was also the smallest and the poorest in its beginning. In 1919, it consisted only of
seventy families, with fourteen bulding-lots and a temporary wooden church with a twelve thousand dollar debt.
In ten years it slowly grew in population, in number of priests and sisters, and today is considered as the largest, most prosperous and best organized amongst the Czech parishes. This is not due to any special work on my part, but to the generosity, good-will and whole hearted cooperation of the people.
I can not conclude without giving thanks to God and the Blessed Virgin, to whom we have dedicated the parish, for the many blessings received. without them our efforts would have been fruitless. It is a man who soweth, but God gives the rains and the fertility.
After many years of hard work, struggle and worry, I began to yearn for a peaceful country parish, where I would have no material cares, and where I could devote the rest of my life to God, the people and my own salvation.
The Old Neighborhoods
1. Wood & 20th 2. Allport & 18th 3. Albany & 26th 4. 570 W. 19th
5. Spaulding near 26th 6. Leavitt & 22nd 7. Turner (?) & 29th
8. 2812 Central Park Ave. 9. St. Louis & 28th 10. Crawford & 28th
11. Turner (?) & 30th.
