Cetoraz Vaceks in Minnesota

Over the years, many of the Vaceks left Cetoraz to pursue opportunities elsewhere; some within Bohemia, some in America.  This is the story of František Vacek (1840-1921) who, with his family, emigrated to Minnesota in the late 19th century.

Cetoraz Roots

František Vacek was born on 23 Jan 1840, the second of five children born to Josef Vacek, a farmer from Cetoraz no.26, and his wife Marie nee Berkcová from Bedřichov no. 7. 

 A two years later in Pořin, Marie Dvořáková was born In April of 1842, to Matěj Dvořák,a farmer from Pořin no. 8, and his wife Marie nee Řihové from Pořin no. 8.

In 1865, František and Anna were married.  According to the Sv. Vacláv parish records six children were born to them in Cetoraz no.26:

1st     Kateřina Vacková   24 Nov 1863

2nd   František Vacek      10 Oct 1866

3rd    Matěj Vacek           16 Apr 1869

4th    Rudolph Vacek       14 Apr 1873

5th    Karel Josef Vacek   28 Jan 1876

6th    Marie Vacková        30 Jun 1878

The parish register lists Frantisek's occupation as rolník for the first two children.  In Czech "rolník" translates as peasant, land worker, or agricultural laborer.   At the birth of the remaining children, his occupation was listed as sedlák or farmer.  The “sedlák” owned a farm of from twenty-five to a hundred acres and had a nice “statek” or farmhouse.  Even though it appears that their lot had improved, they decided to emigrate in 1882.  It has been somewhat of a tradition for the youngest son to stay with the family farm and care for the parents until they passed way.  The older sons moved to other farms or took up other trades.  Since Frantisek was the oldest son and he had two younger brothers, he had to move on.

Faced with a similar situation, his  cousin Jan was lured by the promise of plentiful farmland in the United States.    He and his family emigrated to the United States in 28 July 1879.  They left from the port in Bremen, Germany and landed at Baltimore.    From there they travelled on to Iowa and purchased some low-cost farm land in Nebraska.  

Emigration to the U.S.

Then in 1882, František, his wife, Marie, and their six children emigrated  They departed Hamburg Germany on 26 April 1882 in second class accommodations on the steam ship Westphalia owned by Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt-Actien-Gesellshaft under the flag of Germany with Herr Schwensen as captain. 

The ship’s manifest listed the family as being from Cetoraz, Österreich:

Franz Vacek      42      (abt. 1840)       a Landmann (farmer)

Marie Vacek      40      (abt. 1842)       wife

I could find only František and Marie listed on the Hamburger Passagierlisten (Hamburg Passenger list).  Marie was seven months pregnant when they set sail.  Can you imagine; sea sickness AND morning sickness?  After a brief stop in Le Havre, France and two weeks at sea, they landed at the Port of New York NY on 11 May 1882.  The Port of New York recorded that the family was from Austria and arrived on the steamship Westphalia on 11 May 1882.                                                   

The "Westphalia" of 1872 was built in 1868 by Caird & Co., Greenock for the Hamburg America Line. She was a 3158 gross ton ship, length 339.9 feet x beam 40 feet, one funnel, two masts, iron construction, single screw and a speed of 12 knots. There was accommodations for 90 first class, 130 second class and 520 third class passengers. In 1878 she was rebuilt with two funnels and compound engines, and on 30 July 1879 she resumed the Hamburg-Havre-New York service. (Photo is of the Westphalia after the refit in 1878.)  She started her last voyage to New York on 19 December 1886. (North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P. Bonsor, Vol. 1, p. 390) (Merchants Fleets in Profile, Vol. 4 Hamburg America Line by Duncan Haws.)

Names and ages on the New York Passenger list:

Franz           42      (abt. 1850) a workman

Maria           40      (abt. 1842) wife

Katharina     18      (abt.1864) daughter

Franz           15      (abt.1867) son

Matey          13      (abt. 1869)             son

Rudolf         10      (abt. 1872)             son

Karl               6      (abt. 1876)             son

Marie             4      (abt. 1878) daughter

The spelling of several of the names was changed from the way they were listed on the ship’s manifest.  The ages of all were in agreement between the ships manifest and the port of New York records.

It appears that František and his family went directly to McLeod County  Minnesota where there was a Bohemina community.

McLeod County, Minnesota

Minnesota became a part of the United States as Minnesota Territory as in 1849, and became the 32nd U.S. state on May 11, 1858.   It is believed that the first Bohemian  settler in Minnesota was Frank Pesek in 1854.  Other Bohemians followed in '55 and '56.  Then in 1858, the first Boheminas arrived in McLeod County.  Most of these settlers came from Wisconsin, Illinois, or Iowa, where they had immigrated shortly before.  Almost all of them settled on farms located in or near other Bohemian immigrants in rural centers such as New Prague, Hopkins, Silver Lake, Montgomery, Owatonna, Tabor, and Pine City.

Settling in Rich Valley

Shortly after they arrived their seventh child arrived on 20 July 1882.  Frantisek and his family settled on a farm located south of Silver Lake in Rich Valley Township of McLeod County in the early 1880's.   The land was similar to that of the old country.  It had forested areas, open areas of tall-grass prairie, and was dotted with small lakes and creeks. The climate was about the same as Cetoraz in the summer, but much colder in the winter.   Most of the farms were small, but were capable of supporting a family. The area is described a decade later in a story carried by the Hutchinson Leader in its December 24, 1897, issue titled “Silver Lake, As She Was, Is and Is to Be”.

“One of the best towns in McLeod County and, in fact, in this part of Minnesota is the little city of Silver Lake which nestles on the north bank of the beautiful sheet of water known by the same name. It is prettily situated and forms the heart of one of the richest sections of agricultural lands on earth. In the neighborhood small farms are the rule, many a 20-acre tract supporting its family of father, mother, sons and daughters. For the west, the neighborhood may be said to be densely populated with a thrifty, honest people, the large majority of them having come from downtrodden Poland and Bohemia. The population of the village is made up of the same class of people, intelligent, frugal and honest."

Both Frank and Rudolph became naturalized U.S. citizens in 1900.  By law their wives and children had also become citizens.  The names of family members were "Americanized" to fit in with their new home:

both Františeks  (Franz)     became      Franks

both Maries (Maria)           became      Marys

Kateřina (Katharina)          became      Catherine

Matěj (Matey)                    became       Mathias

Rudolph                               didn't change

Karel                                    became       Charles or Charlie

Anna                                    didn't change but was sometimes noted as Annie 

• Catherine married Joseph Jiran on 1 Jan 1887 in Glencoe, McLeod Co., MN.  Joseph was born in Bohemia too. 
• Young Frank married Frances Abbott on 25 Jan 1887.  She was born in Michigan.
•  Mathias marred Anna Bednar on 12 Nov 1895.  Anna was born in right there in Rich Valley.

The Minnesota state special census taken for Rich Valley Township in June 1895 documented name changes.  Anna was the only child counted

Frank Vacek                55                 (abt. 1840)             Farmer

Mary Vacek                 52                 (abt. 1842)

Anna Vacek                 12                 (abt. 1883)

The 1895 special censu document the growth of the family of Frank Jr. and his wife Frances nee Abbot:

Frank Vacek                28                 (abt. 1867)             Farmer

Fannie Vacek               22                 (abt. 1873)            

Frank Vacek                 8                  (abt. 1887)

Anna Vacek                  6                  (abt. 1889)

Move to Collins Township

Rudolf married Mary Navratil in 1899.  Mary was born in Collins township, near Stewart, Minnesota.  After fifteen years on the Rich Valley farm, sometime around 1898, Frank and family bought a farm about 30 miles away in Collins Township adjacent to the Navratil family farm.  The 1900 Federal census records for Collins Township, McLeod County, Minnesota taken on 11 June recorded the following:

F. Rudolph Wacek       Head             27     (Apr 1873)    Farmer

Mary Wacek                Wife             21     (Oct 1878)

----  married 0 yrs (abt. 1900) with no children              

Frank Wacek               Father           60     (Jan 1840)    Farmer

Mary Wacek                Mother          58     (Apr 1842)

----  married 35 yrs (abt. 1865) with 6 children                

Charles Wacek             Brother         24     (Mar 1876)   Farm Laborer

The name was recorded as "Wacek" instead of "Vacek".  Except for his wife, Mary, who was born in the U.S, All other family members had emigrated to the U.S. 18 years before, in 1882.  They owned the farm; it had no mortgage.  All could read and write, but the record indicated only Rudolph and his wife could speak English.

In 1904, Charles married Anna Popelka.

1910 Federal Census

The names from the 1910 Federal census records for Collins Township, McLeod County, Minnesota recorded on 22 April:

Charlie Vacek              Head         34            (abt. 1876)     Farmer

Annie Vacek                Wife          28            (abt. 1882)

Joe Vacek                    Son              5            (abt. 1905)

Helen Vacek                Daughter    3            (abt.1907)

Mary Vacek                 Daughter   9 mo.     (abt. 1909)

Frank Vacek                Father      72            (abt. 1838)        Farm Laborer

Mary Vacek                Mother      68            (abt. 1842)

Looks like Rudolph and his wife moved away from the farm and Charlie (Karl) took over.  Karl had married Annie and they had three children.  .  Now in his 70's, Frank's occupation was listed as farm laborer.  At this time, the members of the household could all speak English, except for Frank and his wife Mary, who spoke Bohemian.

1920 Federal Census

On 28 Aug 1911, Frank and Mary's oldest daughter Catherine Jiran passed away at the age of 49 leaving six children in the home; the youngest was just 6 years old.

Frank's wife, Mary, passed away on 14 Aug 1917 at the age of 77.  They were married for over 55 years. Frank continued to live on the farm with his son, Charles, and his family.  The names from the 1920 Federal census records for Collins Township, McLeod County, Minnesota recorded on 27 January:

Charles Vacek             Head          44            (abt. 1876)     Farmer

Anna Vacek                 Wife           38            (abt. 1882)

Joseph Vacek              Son             15            (abt. 1905)

Helen Vacek                Daughter   13            (abt.1907)

Mary Vacek                 Daughter   10           (abt. 1909)

Charles Vacek              Son            11 mo.     (abt. 1919)

Frank Vacek                 Father      79            (abt. 1841)        none

Frank is listed as a widower, was naturalized in 1890 and had no occupation.  His son Rudolph owned an adjacent farm.  On the same census page as Rudolph, his wife and three children, were listed:

Rudolph Vacek            Head         45         (abt. 1875)    Farmer

Mary Vacek                 Wife          43         (abt. 1877)

Rose                            daughter    14         (abt. 1906)

Agnes                          daughter      9         (abt. 1911)

Theophile                    Son               6         (abt. 1914)

Less than two years after the 1920 census was taken, Frank passed away the day after Christmas on 26 Dec 1921.  Frank's life is best summarized by his obituary published in The Stewart Tribune of 30 Dec 1921: 

 "Frank Vacek of Collins town died at the home of his son Charles Monday morning at eight o'clock.  Death was due largely to infirmities of old age. 

He was born in Bohemia Jan. 23, 1840, and came to America in 1882 with his wife who preceded him to the grave in 1917.  They settled on a farm in Rich Valley town where they lived for 15 years.  From there they moved to a farm in Collins where they had since lived.  Seven children were born to this union, one of whom, Mrs. Joseph Jixson (Jiran), passed away 10 years ago.

The surviving are Frank of Glencoe: Mike of Hassan valley; Mrs. Mary Bednar of Silver Lake; Mrs. John Dusek (Dushek) of St. Paul; and Rudolf and Charles of Collins.  He also leaves 27 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

Funeral services were held at. Boniface Catholic church in Stewart Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock.  Rev J.J. Mies officiating.  Interment was in the church cemetery.  Pall bearers were Joseph and Charles Navratil of Silver Lake, Joseph and Frank Navara, John Novotny, Sr, and Frank Kasal, Sr. of Stewart.  Requiem mass was celebrated.  Rudolph Vacek, a son, was unable to attend the services because of an accident, but the rest of the children were present."

And so the long Journey of  František Vacek and Anna Dwořáková from Cetoraz, Bohemia to their final resting place in McLeod County, Minnesota was complete.