(updated Oct 2007)

THE KUBALEK FAMILY

Emigrated from Velká Ves, near Lukavec, Pelhrimov County, Czech Republic
to Tama County, Iowa, 1905

The Vaclav Kubalek family came from a village in Bohemia, about 60 km or 42 miles southeast of Prague, named Velká Ves, which translates as "Big Village".  Velká Ves is near the town of Lukavec, and it is in Lukavec that the family attended church, and where the family graves are located. 

IMMIGRATION:  Vaclav (known as James in the US) and Mary (Kout) Kubalek arrived with their family in the United States at New York Harbor on December 1, 1905, aboard the ship "S.S. Friedrich der Grosse", having sailed from Bremen, Germany on November 18.  The ship manifest states they were going to Vaclav's brother John Kubalek in Chicago.  At the time the family's ages were stated as Vaclav 40, Marie 36, Frantisek (Frank) 14, Antonie 11, Barbara 10, Frantiska (Fanny) 8, Marie (Mary) 6, and Bozena (Bessie) 6.   Their son Joseph was born March 19, 1906, just 3 1/2 months later in Chicago.  The family stayed for a year or so in Chicago, and then moved to the area of Clutier, Tama County, Iowa, where they farmed most of their lives.

Vaclav's brother, John Kubalek, landed at New York Harbor aboard "Trave" on June 14, 1898 at age 17, going to a brother in Chicago.  Traveling with him was Marie Dubina, age 18, also from Velka Ves.  We believe Marie was probably a relative.   John lived in Chicago and married there, then moved to Clutier, Tama County, Iowa, before 1907, where he operated a general store.  He helped several relations from his village come to the United States.  Later on he ran a general store in Cedar Rapids, in the Czech community on 16th Avenue, and then operated a business in Toledo, Tama County, Iowa.

Vaclav and John's sister, Mary (Kubalek) Kos (immigration date 1891) and her husband and family were already living in Chicago when John arrived.  The only known child of this couple was George Kos.

The Kubalek family home in Velká Ves

The above photo has been extremely helpful in locating family relations in the Czech Republic.  Tomas Fried of Prague recognized the house as the same house in Velká Ves in which his sister-in-law lived, and was very surprised.  He was kind enough to gather family information from Kubalek relations living in Velká Ves.  Through his and his wife Katerina's efforts, family that was lost is now found and for that we are grateful!  In the summer of 2000, Charlie Krizek, great-grandson of James and Mary Kubalek, and his wife Vicki, traveled to the Czech Republic.  Tomas and Katerina arranged for them to go to Velká Ves to meet the family.  Charlie's story  of the trip is below.

Another possible relation in the Czech Republic.  Jiri Vlach, contacted me telling me that his aunt recognized the house as Velká Ves No. 26, and that it was in this house that his great-grandmothers lived.  He said he would try to find out how and if his family is related but I have lost contact with him.  The saying "A picture is worth a thousand words" is true.  It has joined lost relations across time and many miles, bringing news of the family in the new world back to those still at home.

Descendants of Frantisek Kubalek, Velká Ves, Czech Republic  1   Frantisek KUBALEK b: BOH d: 24 Sep 1912 BOH ..  +Frantiska ZAMRZLA b: BOH d: 15 Dec 1903 BOH Note:  There may be errors and ommissions in the families listed below, but this is what we know of the family at this time. (Vaclac/James and his wife Mary came first to Chicago and then on to Tama County, Iowa, near the town of Clutier.) ................ 2   Vaclav (James)  KUBALEK b: 1865 BOH d: 1944 Tama Co., IA ....................  +Marie Frances KOUT b: 9 Apr 1871 BOH d: 5 Jan 1953 Tama Co., IA (Mary's parents were Frank KOUT and Barbora CHROMOSTA) ................................... 3   Frank KUBALEK b: 26 Oct 1890 Velká Ves,BOH d: 6 Oct 1973 Clutier, IA .......................................  +Mary HALA b: 1 Feb 1891 d: 22 Jan 1968 Clutier, IA ................................... 3   Antonie (Tena) KUBALEK b: 10 May 1892 Velká Ves, BOH d: 3 Jan 1972, Antigo, WI .......................................  +Bedrich (Ben) FRANCL b. 1 Aug 1888 in Bohemia; d. 9 Jan 1969 Antigo, WI ................................... 3   Barbara KUBALEK b: 29 Sep 1894 Velká Ves, BOH d: 11 Sept 1983, Cedar Rapids, IA .......................................  +Ludvik SIMANOVSKY b: 12 Aug 1892  Trhove Dusniky, BOH d: 15 Aug 1970 in Iowa .................................... 3   Frantiska (Frances or Fannie)  b: 14 Feb 1897 Velká Ves,BOH d: 3 Feb 1986 Cedar Rapids, IA .......................................  +Joseph PELISEK b: 17 Oct 1884 Rouckovice, near Pacov, BOH d: 26 Nov 1961 Whittier, Linn Co, IA ................................... 3   Mary KUBALEK b: 15 Aug 1900 Velká Ves, BOH d: 31 Oct 1986 .......................................  +Joseph Leo DRAHOS d. 1939 ................................... 3   [2] Bessie KUBALEK b: 10 May 1904 Velká Ves, BOH d: 17 Nov 1992, Traer, IA .......................................  +Edward DVORAK b: 9 Mar 1894 d: 22 May 1946 ...................................  *2nd Husband of [2] Bessie KUBALEK:  .......................................  +Joseph F.  KUBIK, b. 27 May 1898, Tama Co., IA; d. 1 Oct 1989 Cedar Rapids, IA ................................... 3   Joseph KUBALEK b: 19 Mar 1906 Illinois d: 20 Mar 1967, Toledo, Tama Co., IA .......................................  +Gladys WISNER  ................................... 3   James KUBALEK b: 22 Jun 1908 Tama Co., IA d: 18 Jul 1932 Tama Co., IA ................................... 3   George J. KUBALEK b: 18 Feb 1911 Tama Co., IA; d. 23 Aug 1997 Rural Toledo, Tama Co., IA .......................................  +Blanche UCHITIL b. 25 Mar 1914 Tama Co., IA; d. 20 Jan 1997, Marshalltown, IA ................................... 3   Charles KUBALEK b: 16 May 1913 near Dike, Grundy Co., IA  d. 14 Dec 2001, Cedar Rapids, IA .......................................  +Gladys HYNEK  ................................... 3   Blanche KUBALEK .......................................  +Emmett EVANS b. 28 Sep 1914 (Antonie's sons John and Vaclav (James in the U.S.) immigrated together in 1913.  See more information on this family below.) ................ 2  Antonie Kubalek b. 1869 in Bohemia d. Bohemia ................    + Jan Cech ................................... 3  John Cech, b 18 Jun 1893, Lukavec ................................... 3  Vaclav (James) Cech b. 26 Oct 1895 Lukavec; d. 1 Oct 1974 Grundy Center, Grundy Co., IA (Mary Kubalek Kos and her husband lived in the Chicago area.  I hope to find out more about this family in the future.) ................ 2   Mary KUBALEK b: May 1876 in Bohemia ....................  +Joseph KOS b. Aug. 1873 ....................................3  Frank KOS b. Dec 1893; d. before 1910 ....................................3  George KOS b. about 1901 (Stepan Kubalek remained in the old country, we believe in Velká Ves) ................ 2   Stepan KUBALEK b: Unknown d: 13 Sep 1925 Boh ....................  +Marie DUBINA  ................................... 3   Frantiska KUBALEK b. 30 Jul 1908; d. 17 Oct 1985 .......................................  +Karel DUBINA b. 30 Dec 1895; d. 22 May 1970 ................................... 3   Emilie KUBALEK  .......................................  +Frantisek ZAMRZLA b. 16 Dec 1907; d. 17 May 1983 ................................... 3   Marie KUBALEK b: 13 Sep 1910 d: 24 Jun 1989 .......................................  +Frantisek ZEMAN b: 2 Dec 1903 d: 29 Jun 1993 ...................................................... 4   Frantisek ZEMAN  ..........................................................  +MARIE  ...................................................... 4   Jiri ZEMAN  ..........................................................  +Miloslava PUDIK  ...................................................... 4   Jindrich ZEMAN  ..........................................................  +Marie JELINEK  ...................................................... 4   Stanislav ZEMAN   ..........................................................  +Eva HANZLIK  (John Kubalek came to Chicago, Illinois and married Antonie Zamrzla there.  They then moved on to Clutier, Iowa) ................ 2   John F. KUBALEK b: 15 Sept 1880 BOH  d: 28 Jun 1969 Hiawatha, Linn Co., IA ....................  +Antonie ZAMRZLA  ................................... 3   Blanche KUBALEK b: Jan 1907 Clutier, Iowa; d. 1 Mar 1992 Cedar Rapids, IA .......................................  +Vince BARTUNEK d, 1847 (This family stayed in Velká Ves.  Frantisek Kubalek, son of  Frantisek Kubalek (b. January 1940) still lives in the above pictured house.) ................ 2   Frantisek KUBALEK  d: 1963 ....................  +Frantiska DUBINA  ................................... 3   Frantisek KUBALEK b: 1906 d: 1977 .......................................  +Antonie SIMANLD b: 22 Aug 1909 d: 19 Nov 1983 ...................................................... 4   Frantisek KUBALEK  ..........................................................  +Marie MIMRACEK b: 13 Sep 1946 d: 17 Aug 1994 ...................................................... 4   Marie KUBALEK  ..........................................................  +Jan KRUPICKA  ......................................................  *2nd Husband of Marie KUBALEK:  ..........................................................  +Pavel TOUREK  ................................... 3   Josef KUBALEK b: 1914

The Cech Family in Iowa - sons of Antonie Kubalek and Jan Cech of Lukavec
October, 2006
For many years it was suspected that another relation of the Kubalek family came to the United States, but we could not prove it.  This month we have found proof.   Antonie Kubalek, who we believe was a daughter of Frantisek Kubalek and Frantiska Zamrlza,was married to Jan Cech. 

We know that two of their sons, John Cech and James Cech emigrated in about 1913.  On John Cech's World War I Draft Registration June of 1917 at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he lists his birth date as June 18, 1893 and born in Lukavec, Bohemia, Austria.  His brother James' marriage certificate lists his parents as Jan Cech and Antonie Kubalek.  A newspaper clipping states that James was married at his brother's home in Cedar Rapids. 

James Cech bought his Uncle John Kubalek's general store in Clutier, Iowa, and operated it until 1932 when he moved to Grundy Center where he opened Cech's Grocery Store.  This store changed its name to Jim's Supermarket in the 1950's.  James Cech was married to Anna E. Slatinka, September 8, 1919.  She was the daughter of Frank Slatinka and Anna Seda, who lived in Traer, Iowa.  Frank Slatinka was born at Oujezd [The village of Oujezd later became Ujezd u Chocne.] Bohemia, Feb. 22, 1856 and came to the United Sates in 1888, coming to Traer.

James Cech's son stated that his grandparents were Joseph Cech [note: James' marriage certificate says his father was Jan Cech] and Antonia (Tena) Cechova and that they had 6 sons (Joseph, Charles, Antone, John, James and Jerry) and two daughters (Frances and Emma) and that the family lived in Lukavec.  He stated that Antonia, his grandmother, was killed by a bolt of lightning that hit her house and followed a wire to a stove.  According to James, another brother, Jerry, came to the United States and lived in Chicago.  His wife's name was Rose. 

We hope to find more about this family in the future.