James Vaclav Koca

Notes:

J.V. lost the top half of his right thumb when it was kicked off by a horse when he was a teenager. He operated the Koca family steam powered threashing rig, which was one of the first in the area. (Milligan, p 339).

James married Mamye C. Rohla on 1 Feb 1921 in Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska. Mamye was born on 11 Dec 1900 in Saline County, Nebraska; died on 18 Mar 1973 in Saline County, Nebraska; was buried on 21 Mar 1973 in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
The couple was married by a Justice of the Peace in Lincoln, honeymooning in Hot Springs, Arkansas. After returning to Nebraska, they were remarried at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in March, 1921, at the insistance of James grandfather, Vaclav Koca. (Milligan, p 339).

1. James Frank Koca was born on 10 Sep 1923 in Saline County, Nebraska; and died.
2. Living

Notes:

Vaclav, his father, and brother Joseph filed their first naturalization papers in Geneva, Nebraska on February 27, 1882. They were naturalized on November 28, 1892, with Joseph MOTIS and Vaclav TYNER as witnesses. (Milligan, p 343).

Vaclav married Marie Bernasek on 9 Jul 1889 in Glengary Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska. Marie (daughter of Josef Frantisek Bernasek and Josefa Urbankova) was born on 25 Mar 1868 in Bohy, Plzen-Sever, Plzensk? Kraj, Bohemia; died on 1 Dec 1960 in Friend, Saline County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian Brethren Cemetery (AKA Cesky Bratri Cemetery), Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
They were married in the the Koca home, with Frank TENOPIR and Albert BIBA as witnesses. Vaclav's brother Joseph, a widower, was married on the same day in a double ceremony. They repeated their vows in the Catholic Church on January 6, 1891 before it was completely plastered and finished. Attendants were Frank TENOPIR, Frank KOCA, Josephine BECK, and Mary PRIBYL. They farmed in Section 19 of Atlanta Township for many years, buying a home from Frank STECH in Milligan to retire too. They moved into this home in 1923, with their two youngest daughters. In February, 1950, their home caught fire due to a glowing ember from a stove. The were away from home, and arrived with the kitchen floor ablaze. Marie went to get help, and Vaclav attempted to douse the flames. A hole the size of a basket was left in the floor. He died of respiratory problems related to the smoke he inhaled a few months later. His brother Joseph died of pneumonia as well, a few days after Vaclav (Milligan, p 343).

Notes:

The son of Victor KOCA. They sailed from Bremen, Germany aboard the steamship "Ohio" with 454 aliens and 77 citizens aboard. Anna's sister, Katherine SOPR was traveling with them. They headed to Braidwood, Illinois, working in the mines for 17 months before heading farther west to Fillmore. When first in Fillmore, they made their home with Frank KOTAS and Mary BERNASEK. Vaclav purchased the SW 1/4 of Section 11 from the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad Company.

Vaclav married Anna Sopr on 20 Feb 1860 in Bohemia. Anna (daughter of Frank Sopr and Veronika Urban) was born on 18 Jul 1842 in Bohemia; died on 18 Jun 1902 in Ohiowa, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian Brethren Cemetery (AKA Cesky Bratri Cemetery), Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Vaclav and Anna were determined to give each of their children a farm, so made several additional land purchases. All of this land was still owned by the Koca family as of 1987. (Milligan, p 342).

Notes:

"Josef Bernasek was born in the village of Prodeslady, town of Kravovice, county of Plzen in Bohemia on June 20, 1831.

His death certificate lists his parents as Ondrej Bernasek and Katherine Vcela. He was married in Bohemia to Josefa Urbanek. He came to the Milligan area from Europe twice, his name being first recorded in a book of Homestead records at the Nebraska State Historical Society in Lincoln as filing a claim to 80 acres in Section 10 of Glengary Township on October 17, 1870. John Bernasek cliamed 80 acres in the same quarter on the same day. Vaclav Bernasek, a son of John's, recived the patent on the farm Joseph Bernasek claimed. It is not definately known how John and Joseph were related. They could have been brothers. MILLIGAN NEBRASKA 1988-2008 indicates that the claim for 80 acres in section 10 used a 3 letter abbreviation for his first name, probably read as JOS. for Joseph, but may have actually been Jas. for James, with his given name actually being VACLAV. The patent on that land would later go to Vaclav Bernasek. (p. 113).

Josef and Josefa and their three children, Frank 16, Cyril 13 and Marie 10 came to the United States a second time on the Steamship "Zoffie," leaving Hamburg, Germany on March 20, 1879 and docking in the New York Port on Good Friday April 10, 1879. Daughters Emilye, Marie, Frantiska, Josefa and Kristina died of diptheria in Bohemia. This is possibly why Joseph did not prove the homestead. He may have received word from Bohemia of the illness of his daughters, and returned for sometime with his wife and children before returning to the United States. When the family returned, they migrated to the homestead of John Bernasek (assumed to be his brother by this compiler) where they lived until they were able to move to their farm. Joseph contracted 80 acres, the E 1/2 NE 1/4 of Section 21 in Glengary Township on July 1, 1879, with the Burlinton and Missouri River Railroad Company. He received the deed on October 3, 1889. The farm was given to his son, Frank, on July 11, 1895. It is still in the Bernasek family, owned by Ervin and Carol Bernasek. Joseph and oldest son Frank went to Geneva on July 3, 1879 to file their naturalization papers. Joseph was sworn in as a citizen on Mary 31, 1887.

Joseph contracted another 80 acres, the E 1/2 NE 1/4 of Section 17 in Glengary Township on October 24, 1879, with the Burlington and Missouri. This contract was made for 10 years at $5.50 an acre. Joseph received the deed on July 9, 1887 from the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. This farm was given to his son Cyril. (Milligan, p 202). He made a stipulation that Cyril must give his parents one-third of the crops raised and a comfortable room in the house. Cyril and his wife sold the farm to Frank Kassik on April 30, 1908 for $7,600. (Milligan, p 199)

Joseph met with a fatal accident on July 17, 1906, at age 75. He and his wife were riding in a buggy when the horses were frightened by a pile of manure at the stockyards on the south end of the city limits. Joseph was thrown from buggy, killed almost instantly. Josephine was also thrown, but escaped with a few bruises. The funeral was conducted from the Catholic Church. (Milligan, p 202).

[Note: Ken Chromy instead has his location of birth as Babina (Plasy), Bohemia.]

(Research):

Census Listings:

FamilySearch 1880 National Census

Census Place:Glengary, Fillmore, Nebraska
Source:FHL Film 1254748 National Archives Film T9-0748 Page 51 RelationSexMarrRaceAgeBirthplace
Joseph BENNESEK Self M M W 52 BOHEMIA Occ:Farmer Fa: BOHEMIA Mo: BOHEMIA
Josefine BENNESEK Wife F M W 51 BOHEMIA Occ:House Keepe rFa: BOHEMIA Mo: BOHEMIA
Cirrall BENNESEK Son M S W 15 BOHEMIA Occ:At Schoo lFa: BOHEMIA Mo: BOHEMIA
Mary BENNESEK Dau F S W 12 BOHEMIA Occ:At School Fa: BOHEMIA Mo: BOHEMIA

Josef married Josefa Urbankova. Josefa was born on 16 May 1831 in Bohy, Plzen-Sever, Plzensk? Kraj, Bohemia; died on 25 Apr 1914 in Atlanta Township, Saline County, Nebraska; was buried on 26 Apr 1914 in Bohemian Brethren Cemetery (AKA Cesky Bratri Cemetery), Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

After her husband's death, Josephine made her home on the farm with a grandson, Cyril Bernasek. When she became ill, she went to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Marie and Vaclav Koca in Atlanta Township of Saline County. She died at the Koca home on April 25, 1914, at the age of 83. A "Card of Thanks" in the Milligan Times expresses the family's thanks to Charles Smrha for the impressive speech at the mourners home and cemetery, to Messrs. Frank Hrdy, Charles Smrha and Norbert Svatos for the beautiful song service, to Vaclav Koca for the religious ceremony, the undertakers Frank Rozanek and Joe Matejovsky for last service rendered, and to Mrs. Josephine Rohla for loving service in time of sickness and comfort in the final hours. (Milligan, p 202). Ken Chromy shows she was a daugheter of J. DUSKOVA and Mr. URBANEK, and that she was born in Bohy.

Frank married Veronika Urban. Veronika was born before 1828; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Ondrej married Katherine Plosova in Bohemia. Katherine was born about 1800 in Bohemia; died in in Bohemia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

In the Milligan Centennial History Book, she is shown as Katherine VCELA. Ken Chromy instead shows her as Kathering PLOSOVA, born in Sechutice #6, with her father being a VCELA.

Notes:

Married:
Ken Chromy also notes that they had a infant son that was born and died in Bohemia.