Living

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living
2. Living
3. Living

Notes:

Born on his parents farm, he was drafted due to the First World War after attending District #67 school. He took his training at Camp Funsten, Kansas. He served overseas with Company M, 355th Infantry and was wounded in the Battle of Chateau Thierry. He was honorably discharged on 28 January 1918, at the rank of Private First Class. (Milligan, p 201)

Frank married Matilda Kotas on 10 Aug 1926 in York, York County, Nebraska. Matilda (daughter of Anton Kotas, Sr. and Antonie Volmut) was born on 26 Apr 1902 in Glengary Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska; died on 9 Jan 2000 in Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried on 12 Jan 2000 in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Attended rural school district #44. (Milligan, p 202)

Notes:

Married:
Frank and Mildred farmed in the Chelsea Township after their marriage. They used horses and horse drawn machinery to start. Their first tractor was a Waterloo, used mainly for running the threshing machine and plowing, later using a John Deere D. Their first combine pulled by a tractor for harvesting wheat and oats was a great labor saver. Rural electricity came to the farm in 1952. Before that they had used kerosene and gas lamps for light. At the same time a new well with an electric motor was installed and water was piped into the house. They lived on the farm until Frank died in 1961. Matilda later moved to Milligan. (Milligan, p 202).

Notes:

Frank was working as a cobbler in Bohemia at the age of 16, and moved to America at the age of 17

His first home after he married was a farm in Glengary Township. He acquired land by paying the railroad $500 for one half of a farm and Albert Tyson $2,000 for the remaining half. He and Josefa first build a sod house, then replaced this with a small home. Lated they moved to a farm in Chelsea Township, and finally moved to Milligan.

Frank became a citizen on February 24, 1896. He was a member of Lodge Rabi #27. (Milligan, p 201)

Ken Chromy shows him as born in Bohy 24, Bohemia instead of Hinze, Plzen.

Frantisek married Josefa Fujan on 6 Nov 1883 in Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska. Josefa (daughter of Josef Fujan and Marie Ziskova) was born on 17 Feb 1862 in Hlinci, Plzen, Bohemia; died on 4 Jun 1942 in Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian Brethren Cemetery (AKA Cesky Bratri Cemetery), Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Josefa Fujan, daughter of Frank and Mary Ziska Fujan, was born at Hinze, Krah Plzen, Okres Kralovice, Bohemia on February 17, 1862. She came to this country with Mr. and Mrs. Frank Holzinger and her brother, John Fujan, reaching the United States on Good Friday in 1879. Her parents, brothers Jim, Frank, and sister, Mary Kaderabek stayed in Czechoslovakia. A half brother, Tom Andel and half sister, Marie Andel, came to America at another time. Tom stayed in Chicago and Marie married Frank's brother Cyril.

She was a member of Lodge Cechie #122 ZCBJ of Milligan (Milligan, p 201)

Ken Chromy isntead shows her place of birth as Hlinci, Bohemia.

Notes:

Married:
To their marriage were born eight children, two of whom died as infants.

Notes:

Anton attended rural school district #44 which was a dug out in the northwest corner of his father's homestead. Anton was making his home, as a young lad, in a dug out on the SE 1/4 of Section 3 when the blizzard of 1888 struck. Several of the big boys were sent to Anton's farmstead to weather out the storm. Anton valued education, wanting his sons to become professors. He sent them to town school after they completed elementary school. (Milligan, p 347).

Anton married Antonie Volmut on 31 Jan 1893 in Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. Antonie (daughter of Joseph Volmut and Anna Vanis) was born on 6 Jul 1870 in Pisek, Bohemia; died on 16 Apr 1922 in Glengary 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 Joseph and Anna VOLMUT, and older sister to Barbara. Her parents lived with she and Anton as of 1900, and his father continued to live with them after his wife died (Milligan, p 347). Grandson John H. "was a constant companion of his grandfather, Joseph VOLMUT, who made his home with the Kotas family." (Milligan, p 358).

She was said to be born in Zivoticich, Pisek, Blatna, Bohemia.

Notes:

Married:
They were married at St. Wencesclaus Catholic Church by Father James BARTIK, with John STEINACHER and Joseph SUDA as witnesses. They made their home with Anton's parents, moving into their new home in Section 3 on April 10, 1893. As of 1987, part of the home was still standing. Besides the land gifted to Anton by his parents, he purchased additional land in the Milligan area from his brothers and from the KUSKA family. He also owned land in Montana, where his brother W.J. lived. (Milligan, p 347).

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 + 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.

Josef married Marie Ziskova about 1858 in Bohemia. Marie was born about 1839 in Slatina, Kralovice, Bohemia; died before 1922 in Bohemia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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:

Joseph and Anna Volmut came to the United States in 1889 with their two youngest daughters, Antonie (19) and Barbara (16). They lived with their oldest daughter, Mrs. John (Mary) Holpuch, of Altanta Precinct in Saline County. Two of the Volmut daughters, Mary and Anna, had come to Saline County earlier where they were married. (Milligan, p. 574).

Joseph + Anna Vanis. Anna was born on 11 Nov 1835 in Bohemia; died on 27 Mar 1903 in Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian Brethren Cemetery (AKA Cesky Bratri Cemetery), Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]