Jan "John" F. Vachal

Notes:

John F. Vachal

Funeral services for John F. Vachal, 88, of Morse Bluff were held Friday afternoon at Moser Memorial Chapel.

Vachal, a retired farmer, died July 31 at Birchwood Manor in North Bend.

He was born May 10, 1896 at Prague, the son of John and Ann (Masek) Vachal. He farmed near Prague until 1930 then farmed near Morse Bluff. In 1965 he moved to Morse Bluff, and had been a resident of Birchwood for 4 1/2 years before his death. He was a member of the ZCBJ Lodge at Morse Bluff.

He married Julia Racek of Morse Bluff, Jan. 2, 1923 at Fremont. She survives.

Other survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Delvin (Betty) Lorenzen of Cedar Bluffs; a brother, Adolph V achal of Schuyler; and three grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by an infant daughter; a brother, Charles; and two sisters, Mrs. George (Mary) Phillips and Mrs. William IAgnes) Racek.

Rev. Donald Proett of Wahoo officiated at the funeral, with Adolph and James Nemec serving as vocalists. Pallbearers were Stanley Vachal, Joe Vachal, George Phillips, Jim Phillips, George Havlovec and Steve Brabec. Burial was at Killian Cemetery southwest of Morse Bluff.

Memorials have been suggested to the North Bend Rescue Squad.

(Unddated, unreferenced newspaper clipping, Courtesy of Caroline Mastny: 1984 handwritten on the clipping)

Jan married Julia Racek on 2 Jan 1923 in Fremont, Dodge County, Nebraska. Julia (daughter of Vaclav "James" Racek and Veronika Beznoska) was born on 19 Feb 1894 in Morse Bluff, Saunders County, Nebraska; died on 13 Mar 1987 in North Bend, Dodge County, Nebraska; was buried in Czech National (Killian) Cemetery, Morse Bluff, Saunders County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Infant Daughter Vachal was born on 17 Sep 1926; died in Sep 1926.
2. Betty Jean Vachal was born on 5 Jul 1936 in Saunders County, Nebraska; died on 11 Mar 2024 in Cedar Bluffs, Saunders County, Nebraska; was buried on 15 Mar 2024 in Johannes Cemetery, Cedar Bluffs, Saunders, Nebraska.

Notes:

(Research):

Census Listings:

1900 Census
Nebraska, Saunders County, Elk Precinct
Enumerated 7 Jun 1900
SD 4 ED 129 Sheets 6A and
95-96
Waskal, Jan Head W M 1869 31 M 6 Bohemia Bohemia Bohemia 1888 18 Ta Farmer
Waskal, Anna Wf W F 1871 29 M 6 3/3 Bohemia Bohemia Bohemia 1893 11
Wachal, Marie Dtr F W Jan 1895 S Neb Bohemia Bohemia 1895 5
Wachal, Jan Son M W May 1896 4 Neb Bohemia Bohemia 1896 4
Wachal, Aneska Dtr W F Ot 1898 2 Neb Bohemia Bohemia 1898 2

1910 Census
Nebraska, Saunders County, Elk Precinct
Enumerated 28 Apr 1910
SD 4 ED 142 Sheet 6B
107-107
Vachal, John Head M W 40 m1 16 AusBohemia AusBohemia AusBohemia 1886 English Farmer
Vachal, Anna Wf F W 38 m1 16 4/4 AusBohemia AusBohemia AusBohemia 1876 English
Vachal, Mary Dtr F W 15 S Neb AusBohemia AusBohemia English
Vachal, John Son M W 12 S Neb AusBohemia AusBohemia English Farm Laborer
Vachal, Aneska Dtr F W 11 S Neb AusBohemia AusBohemia English
Vachal, Charles Son M W 9 S Neb AusBohemia AusBohemia

1920 Census
Nebraska, Saunders County, Elk Precinct Twp 15 Range 5
Enumerated 13 Jan 1920
SD 4 ED 152 Sheet 4A
63-63
Vachal, John Head M W 49 M 1886 Na 1901 Czech. Czech. Czech. Farmer
Vachal, Anna Wf F W 48 M 1877 N1 1901 Czech. Czech. Czech.
Vachal, Marie Dtr F W 25 S Neb Czech. Czech.
Vachal, John Son M W 23 S Neb Czech. Czech. Laborer Home Farm
Vachal, Agnes Dtr F W 20 S Neb Czech. Czech.
Vachal, Charles Son M W 19 S Neb Czech. Czech. Laborer Home Farm
Vachal, Adolph Son M W 8 S Neb Czech. Czech.

Jan married Anna Masek about 1894. Anna was born about 1871 in Bohemia; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

(Research):From US GenWeb
Saunders County, Nebraska Family Stories
Jiri and Katerina MASEK
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nesaunde/1983hist/saco83-p320.html

Jiri (George), 1827-1914, and Katerina Pokorny Masek, 1831-1915, left Sedlec, Snojmo, Moravia and came to the United States in 1876 with their six children: Anton, Frank, Charles, Katerina, Anna and John. Jiri was a wheelwright in Moravia. Upon arriving in New York, Jiri was told he would make great use of his anvil in Nebraska.

Jiri homesteaded in Elk Precinct. His farm was near the Oxbow Trail. He used the anvil while repairing the wagons of settlers who passed by on the trail. This anvil is now in the possession of a great-grandson. The settlers passing did a lot of Jiri's farming in exchange for his blacksmith work. Jiri added to his homestead and became a wealthy farmer.

The oldest son, Anton, married Antonia Novacek. Their first child, Sophia, was born on the ocean voyage to America. The other children were Frank, Mary Ann Novacek, Joseph F., Anna Dudek, Anton J., and George A. Many of his descendants live in the Valparaiso area.

Frank, the second son, died at age 39, unmarried. He was a talented musician.

Charles, the third child, married Rose Dufek and had 12 children. They were Thomas, Agnes Krchnavy, Anton, Emilie, Charles, Mary Chmelka, James, Bessie Birkel, Paul, Emil Frank, Della Navratil, and Helen Sloup. Charles lived in Butler County, and spelled his name "Mashek."

Katerina, the fourth child, married John J. Scholz. She died a month after her only son's birth. The son, John, was raised by his grandparents and John and Emma Masek.

Anna, the fifth child, married John Vachal. They lived in Saunders County. Their children were Mary Phillips, John Jr., Agnes Racek, Charles, 2 infants, names unknown, and Adolph.

John, the sixth son, married Emma Kubik. (See John Masek.)

A grandson remembers that Katerina was a small but spunky woman. She never learned to read or write, Czech or English. But she made the best rye bread he has ever eaten.

George and Katerina, in their extreme old age, moved to Weston to live with their retired son, Anton. George died of old age, complicated by a broken hip, at the age of 87. Katerina died in 1915 at the age of 84. Submitted by Gladys Masek Cajka