Jacob Vitek and Marie Kulhaneklived in Tlumacov, 6 kilometers from Domazlice, in the Czech Republic.
Jacob Vitek was born January 6, 1853 in Tlumacov to Jacob Vitek and Marie Kovarik. He died February 26, 1923 in Platte, Nebraska and is buried at the Dodge Catholic Cemetery in Dodge, Nebraska.
Marie Kulhanek was born July 10, 1857 in Tlumacov to Josef and Marie Kulhanek. She died January 11, 1937 in Clarkson, Nebraska and is buried at the Dodge Catholic Cemetery in Dodge, Nebraska.
Children:
Marie Vitek
Marie Vitek was the first of her family to immigrate to the US. Marie came to the US with a girl friend in November of 1911 from Bremen, Germany and arrived in Baltimore, Maryland. From there she went to Omaha, Nebraska.
The trunk Marie used to bring all of her possessions in had the following painted on the top:
On the front of the trunk is painted:
Marie came to the US sponsored by her uncle George Kulhanek (her mother's brother married to her father's sister Katerina Vitek Kulhanek). George owned a grocery store in Howells, Nebraska. It was told that the uncle had prospered in the US and encouraged other family members to immigrate.
All of the family immigrated shorlty afterwards except for Josef. Marie's parents (Jakub Vitek and Marie Kulhanek), her sisters ( It is interesting to note there were 1,100 Czech families living in Colfax County, Nebraska according to the 1920 census. The census also reports 15,818 people born in Czechoslovakia living in Nebraska, or 51,000 including the first born generation. These numbers are probably conservative noting that many Czechs were enrolled as Austrians. Austria is noted as the place of birth on Marie and Joseph's marriage license.
Marie worked in Omaha first in a restaurant. She was severely burned when a steam pipe at the restaurant broke and scalded her. Her arms were scarred. She then worked for a family who lived near Dodge Street in Omaha.
While working in Omaha, Marie Vitek met Joseph Prusa who had also immigrated from the Czech Republic. They were married in St. Wenceslaus Church in Howells, Nebraska on February 17, 1917. Father Joseph Drbal was the priest. The attendants were: Anton Remar (one of the men Joseph had immigrated with) and Katie Kresl, both from Omaha. A third man is identified as Frank Mucil of Dodge. It is not know what his relationship was.
Joseph and Marie continued to live near Howells until 1924. All three of their children were born in Nebraska in Dodge and Cumming Counties; The family moved to Dante, South Dakota (approximately 8 miles from Wagner) in 1924. Joseph worked as a farm hand for the Cihak's. The two older children, Mary and Frank started school in Dante, walking to school each day. After moving near Wagner the children attended country school. It wasn't until they went to school that any of the children learned to speak English.
On the farm Marie loved working with her chickens. Mary, Marie's daughter, states the eggs kept the family in groceries and gas.
In the evenings the family would sit around the kitchen table sorting the down from the feathers for the quilts and pillows,
capturing each soft little wisp under an upside down teacup before a puff of air would take it away. Their descendants are still enjoying these feather down quilts and pillows.
The family moved to the Vermillion area in 1939 and lived on a farm on the bluff road north of Vermillion. While there Joe met his bride, Phyllis Christopherson and Frank met his bride, June Clealand. Mary married Joseph A. Soukup from the Wagner area.
Joseph and Marie lived in the area a short time because there was not a very large Bohemian population in the area. Joseph and Marie spoke little English.
Joseph and Marie in 1941 purchased a farm in Lincoln County, Minnesota, between Canby and Hendricks. Joe and Phyllis farmed the land after their marriage from 1941 until 1944 when they returned to the Vermillion area. Frank and June moved onto the home place in 1946 when Frank returned from World War II. Joseph and Marie bought a farm northwest of Canby in 1947. In 1948 they moved to Canby.
Marie battled Parkinson's Disease the last 15 years of her life, at the time it was called "Shaking Palsy."
Marie died September 28, 1959 and is buried at Canby, Minnesota.
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