Richard Kotas

Notes:

Kotas -- Richard F., 93, Nebraska City, died Thursday (11/11/99). Born, Milligan. Retired owner and operator, former Kotas' Market, Nebraska City, 47 years.

Survivors: son, Richard Jr., Nebraska City; granddaughter; two stepgreat-grandchildren; three stepgreat-great-grandchildren; sister, Mildred Sedoris, Nebraska City.

Services: 2 p.m. Monday, Gude Mortuary, Nebraska City. Wyuka, Nebraska City. Visitation: today, 1-9 p.m., mortuary. Memorials to the Nebraska City Rescue Squad.

his SSN: 506-03-5605
He married Louise A. (UNKNOWN)
her dob 30 Sep 1907
died 18 Oct 1999
died in Nebraska City, Otoe County
buried 20 Oct 1999
buried in Wyuka Cemetery, Nebraska City, Otoe Co.
SSN: 506-20-8258

(Courtesy of Dennis Belohlavy)

Richard married Louise Ottnat before 1936. Louise was born on 30 Sep 1907; died on 18 Oct 1999 in Nebraska City, Otoe County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Richard F. "Butch" Kotas was born about 1936 in Nebraska City, Otoe County, Nebraska; died on 2 Jun 2009 in Nebraska City, Otoe County, Nebraska.

Notes:

Editor of the Milligan Times newspaper in 1909. (Milligan, p 347).

Emil married Josephine A. Hodek. Josephine (daughter of Frank Hodek and Anna Biba) was born on 4 Jul 1886 in Fillmore County, Nebraska; died on 14 Aug 1978 in Nebraska City, Otoe County, Nebraska; was buried on 16 Aug 1978 in Wyuka Cemetery, Nebraska City, Otoe County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
It is ASSUMED that she married the Emil Kotas of Fillmore County, Nebraska who was the son of Joseph KOTAS and Mary KUBICEK.

Notes:

Joseph Kotas claimed 80 acres as a homestead just east of his father and brother, W 1/2 NE 1/4 on March 6, 1871. He later cancelled this to purchase land from the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad in Glengary Township. After they completed the purchase of this land, they sold it to his parents. The first Catholic Church was built here. He bought and sold much land in the Milligan area, as well as operating several business. He served as Town Marshall as well (Milligan, p 359).

Joseph married Marie Kubicek on 2 Jan 1873 in Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska. Marie was born before 1855 in Nezamyslice, Pisek, Bohemia; died on 2 Mar 1927 in Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The daughter of Joseph KUBICEK and Anna JELINEK. (Milligan, p 359).

Notes:

Married:
Joseph KOTAS, age 24, married Mary KUBICEK, age 22, on January 2, 1873 at the office of the County Judge in Geneva. John BLAIR and Joseph RUZICKA were the witnesses. Sons Joie, Emil and Rudolph died as infants. (Milligan, p 273).

Notes:

The son of John HODEK and Anna KOUDELA, he came to America with his parents, first living in Illinois and coming to Fillmore County in 1874, settling in section 10 of Glengary Township where they farmed. (Milligan, p 301).

Frank married Anna Biba on 27 Dec 1875 in Glengary Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska. Anna (daughter of Tomas Biba and Barbora Urbanek) was born on 10 Oct 1859 in Zebnice, Plzen, Bohemia; died on 10 Jun 1915 in Exeter, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian Brethren Cemetery (AKA Cesky Bratri Cemetery), Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
They were married by Justice of the Peace D.S. Robinson at the HODEK home. The HODEK and BIBA families were neighbors. After their marriage, they lived with Frank's parents, later moving with them to Liberty Township. Frank and Anna purchased their own farm in 1883, at the NW 1/4 and N 1/2 SW 1/4 of Section 16 of Exeter Township. They built a two story home for their family. Later a machine shed, chicken coop, and barn were added. The barn was cleaned and swept every day (Milligan, p 301).

Notes:

He was born to Martin or Mattias KOTAS. He emigrated from Bohemia in 1868, settling first in Chicago for two years. The family left Illinois in October, 1870, arriving at the homestead of his sister and brother-in-law, Katherine and John PLACEK, who lived in Section 12 of Big Blue Township in Saline County. John and sons Frank and Joseph walked to Fillmore County to claim homesteads, which they filed in Beatrice on October 17, 1870, at the same time filing their naturalization papers. They lived with bachelor homesteader Frank ZNAJEMSKY until their dugout was built on October 25, 1870. John received his patent on May 16, 1878. The first dugout school of District #44 was on the KOTAS homestead. John was also instrumental in getting a Catholic Church built on his land, serving in the puplit occasionally as their was not resident priest. He also helped establish Ceski Brati, a Catholic Cemetery. Later in life, John purchased addtional land from the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad, making it possible to give each of his 7 surviving children a farm. He and Barbara retired to Milligan. While repairing the roof of his home, he fell and was impaled on their picket fence. The funeral was conducted at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church and he was buried in Ceski Brati cemetery near his son. More than 100 buggies followed the hearse to the cemetery. He is buried under the name KOTTAS, even though his railroad documents and homestead documents were executed using KOTAS. His son, W.J. was administrator of his estate, so this may account for the change in spelling. (Milligan, p 356). He was the son of Martin KOTAS and Mary PIPLA. (Milligan, p 357).

Jan married Barbara Svoboda before 1848 in Plzen, Bohemia. Barbara was born on 1 Apr 1829 in Ivanov, Zbyrov, Bohemia; died on 6 Mar 1899 in Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian Brethren Cemetery (AKA Cesky Bratri Cemetery), Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

She was the aunt of Josephine SAUFL. (Milligan, p 316). After the death of her husband, she lived with her son Joseph in Milligan. (Milligan, p 356). She was the daugther of Josefa SVOBODA. (Milligan, p 357).

Notes:

The son of Jan HODEK and Marie KLIMA. (Milligan, p 301).

John married Anna Koudela before 1855 in Bohemia. Anna was born on 28 Aug 1826 in Koryta, Plzen-Sever, Plzensk? kraj, Bohemia; died on 5 Jun 1916 in Liberty Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian Brethren Cemetery (AKA Cesky Bratri Cemetery), Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The daughter of Jan KOUDELA and Katerina MELICHAR. (Milligan, p 301).

Notes:

Married:
They came to America with their teenage son, Frank, in 1869, living first in Illinois. John received his naturalization papers in Will County, Illinois in 1872, and moved to Nebraska in 1874. They purchased a homestead in Glengary Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska. It was located in the W 1/2 NE 1/4 of Section 10. On the 80 acre homestead, a sod house, stable, granary were built, and a well was dug. The family raised wheat, oats, corn, barley and vegetables on their farm. Later, John purchased the SW 1/4 of Section 35 in Liberty Township from the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad Company. It was located about a mile north of their homestead. They built a brick home on the lowland, south of Turkey Creek. (Milligan, p 301-302).

Notes:

The Biba family came to the United States in 1873 from Zebnici, District of Plzen, Bohemia. In Bohemia, the Bibas were considered moderately wealthy. They traveled by horse and buggy rather than by oxen and cart. Their wealth was even counted by the number of fence posts. When they decided to come to America, they sold everything and came with $1,000 which at that time was a fortune. Tomas's father, Jan, accompanied them. They stopped in Braidwood, Illinois, south of Chicago, where Tomas worked in a coal mine. After a short time, they moved by train West where land to farm was available. They settled on land on Turkey Creek northwest of what later was to be Milligan. In March of 1874, the purchased the NW 1/4, Section 3, Glengary Township from the Burlington and Missouri Railroad for $902.44. The deed was recorded showing Barbora as the purchaser. Jack Noragon, a great-great grandson now owns the farm. The Bibas were very active in affairs of the area an helped start the first church in the area now located at the Ceski Bratri Cemetery. The life in Nebraska at the time was hard and primative. Most of the food was raised, and if you couldn't raise it, you bartered for it. Many articles, such as a Meissen pitcher that came from Europe and was used in the sod house and quilts made by the grandmothers, are prized possesions of the Biba descendants. The Bibas lived on the farm until Tomas died, at which time Barbora moved to a home in Milligan, later living with son Albert and his wife Josefa in Exeter until her death. (Milligan, pp 206 - 207).

(Research):Census Information:

FamilySearch 1880 Census

Census Place:
Glengary, Fillmore, Nebraska Source:FHL Film 1
254748 National Archives Film T9-0748
Page 50
RelationSexMarrRaceAgeBirthplace
Thomas BIBA Self M M W 50 BOHEMEN Occ: Farmer Fa: BOHEMEN Mo: BOHEMEN
Barbara BIBA Wife F M W 54 BOHEMEN Occ: Housekeeper Fa: BOHEMEN Mo: BOHEMEN
Albert BIBA Son M S W 12 BOHEMEN Occ:At School Fa: BOHEMEN Mo: BOHEMEN
Frank BIBA Son M S W 7 IL Occ:At School Fa: BOHEMEN Mo: BOHEMEN
Barbara BIBA Dau F S W 2 NE Fa: BOHEMEN Mo: BOHEMEN

Tomas married Barbora Urbanek. Barbora was born in Dec 1835 in Bohemia; died on 22 Feb 1916 in Exeter, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian Brethren Cemetery (AKA Cesky Bratri Cemetery), Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The 1900 census showed Barbora Biba, a widow, as age 64, born in Dec. 1835 and living in Glengary Twp next to her son Frank.