When Arthur Frank Vanek and Mona Inez Leeson wed on August 31, 1949 they linked the following family trees, [Maternal ~ Muench and Leeson] [Paternal ~ Vanek and Gremaux].
Family ancestry charts, if I have any, were posted previously. Use the Archives to find them, scrolling downward and reading each previous post.
LIFE & HISTORY OF JOSEPH F. VANEK FAMILY, As they pioneered to settle Central Montana -- compiled and
written by Marie Vanek, about 1980.
Joseph F. Vanek was born in Nejepin, Bohemia, Czech-Slovakia,
December 16, 1871, a son of Joseph and Anna (Sramik)Vanek. In 1881 he came to
the United States by boat, at the age of nine, with his parents, brother James
( born February 26, 1875), and a sister, Antonia (born June 13, 1877) . All
were born in Bohemia. They lived in Cleveland, Ohio for one year. The father
was a shoemaker by trade and a farmer.
Finding Cleveland not to their liking, they moved farther
west, to Colfax, Nebraska, where he received his early schooling and lived on a
farm.
1897 was a busy year as their sister, Antonio was married April
26, 1897 to Joseph Folda, and on June 8, the two brothers, Joseph and James
married sisters, Emma and Josie Ciha of Huen, Nebraska, daughters of John and
Josephine (Janecek) Chia, in a double-wedding ceremony.
All were married in the same church near Huen, Nebraska.
Chia was a carpenter by trade and a farmer, coming to the United States from Boucek,
Bohemia in 1867 and settling in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for seven years. In 1874
he moved his family to Nebraska and settled near Huen.
Emma Chia Vanek had a twin sister, Tillie. She married Anton
Jonas. She received her education and grew to womanhood at Huen.
The Joseph F. Vaneks lived on a rented farm in Nebraska and
three children were born to them: Victoria (born March 22, 1898), Frank (born
February 25, 1900), and Martha (born October 22, 1902.) It was during these
years the west was opening up for opportunities to find new land. The two
brothers, desiring to own places of their own and upon reading about the land
opportunities in the Judith Basin in Montana, decided to look the situation
over.
Joseph, in the company of a friend, Vaclav (James) Hruska,
came to Lewistown, Montana in the fall of 1902, found he liked it very much and
purchased a place on Cottonwood Creek west of Lewistown. He returned for his
family.
In the Spring of 1903, the family took a passenger train
from Howells, Nebraska, departed with all their belonging, machinery, horses
and cows, loaded in an emigrant car on the railroad for Lombard, Montana.
Thence to Harlowtown on the "Jawbone" The trains at that time were very slow and it
took three weeks to get to Harlowtown.
At Harlowtown their possessions were loaded into a lumber wagon,
and Mrs. Vanek and the three children had to finish the trip in a two-wheeled
cart.
It was very slow going and took eight days to get to their
new home on Cottonwood Creek, about three miles from where Glengary now stands.
Mrs. Vanek had many scruples about what she was getting into -- so many open
miles of vast open range country with ranches miles apart, so different from
her home in Nebraska, where there was a farm on every 40 acres.
She did a lot of praying that it was the right thing to do
and that her family would find good living in this vast big land.
They were met by Joseph Vanek and Joseph Hruska with a sled
and a four-horse team. Their possessions arrived sometime later. The James
Vaneks' bought a place adjoining Joseph's place. The Joseph Folda's (sister,
Antonia) also came to live near them, in 1903.
The emigrant cars were very slow in getting through, so all
the Vaneks stayed together. Not having beds to sleep on, one room was covered
with about two feet of straw, covered with blankets. This is where all the
children slept until the furniture arrived. The two brothers farmed together
under the name of the Vanek Brothers.
The two families lived in this community about seven years.
Two more children were born -- Anna (October 1904) and Albert (February ___).
The James family had four more children -- Charles, Agnes,
Noe J. and Margaret.
The children attended the Jennie School, first known as the
Brass School, along with the Jennie children. There was much musical talent
among the pioneers, with fiddle and accordion music, beautiful waltzes, polkas,
mazurkas of the old country were played, as well as the western square dances
for which both Jim and Joe furnished some of the music.
The land was tilled by horse-drawn machinery, raising mostly
wheat and oats. Large gardens furnished families with their year's supply of
food which was preserved by canning and storing in root cellars.
The women folks did all their own sewing for all members of
the family. They raised some cattle and hogs which provided them with plenty of
meat. They also raised chickens which provided them with ample eggs the year around
with some to spare to take to the grocery store to exchange for groceries.
Joe built a house, a barn and a chicken coop to replace the
ramshackle ones they moved into when they first arrived.
The grandparents lived in the old log house in the winter as
it was warmer than the homestead shack they lived in in the summertime. The
grandfather took the children mushroom hunting in June after a June rain. He
also kept the shoes in repair for all the families as he was a shoemaker by
trade.
In 1910 the Vanek brothers found the places were too small
for their growing family, and began looking elsewhere to resettle. They wanted
a place where they could raise more cattle.
They found two ranches they liked very much, located between
the North and South Moccasin Mountains -- the Horseshoe-Bar Ranch and Chas.
Clover Ranch, adjoining the brother's ranch of Fred Clover.
They decided to buy the Clover Ranch because it had a large
two-story house on it along with other useable buildings, large enough to accommodate
the large families they had, until more suitable quarters could be built.
The ranch was located in a very serene valley with lots of
water and grass; located where the community of Brooks was just being born, as a
railroad from Lewistown had just begin to be built by "Pick Handle
Burk" using horse-drawn power graders and lots of muscle power on pick and
shovel. Burke received that name because when his men came to him to get paid
their wages, he hit them with a pick handle.
A large grove of cottonwood and box elder trees was an added
attraction which yielded to the use of many community and family picnics, as a
place to play baseball, a sport of all the young men of the community.
Again the two families worked together for many years. A new
set of buildings were built a short distance away for the James Vanek family,
with Martin Skapik as the carpenter.
The grandparents lived in a little log cabin across the
creek from the Joe Vanek family, and needless to say, the grandchildren loved
going to hear the stories of the old country and experiences of the west.
The old folks helped where they could -- babysitting,
cooking, gardening and the chores. It took a lot of bedding for such large
families, so ducks and geese were raised and in the winter much time was spent
stripping feathers for quilts and pillows.
The house had no modern conveniences of any kind; old
kerosene lamps that had to be filled daily, coal and wood range for cooking that
required a supply of wood to be brought in daily in order to prepare a meal as
well as to keep the house warm on cooler days.
That's where a large family had the advantage of plenty of
help around to do these daily chores. Even the water had to be carried from a
well out in the yard a short distance from the house.
The washings had to be done by hand on an old wash board and
boiled in the house -- later replaced by a hand-operated machine. With a large
family that spelled many, many gallons of water used each day.
What food was not raised on the ranch was purchased in
Lewistown, a distance of eight miles away. Where the mode of transportation was
with a team of horses. A trip that far was not made unless it was essential and
combined with a business trip as well.
October 24, 1910, the Joseph F. Vanek family were blessed
with twins, Wencil J. and Emma, joining five other brothers and sisters. The
families were still living together, making for a very over-crowded house.
The James Vanek family then moved to their new home. By this
time they had acquired considerable livestock and machinery, and there being
several growing boys capable of doing a man's job in the family, they found this
place a prosperous venture.
They were able to milk many cows, sell cream and butter, eggs
and vegetables to the man that were working building the railroad. They plowed
the land with horses and seeded oats and wheat. There was plenty of grass for
the cattle to graze in the summer and a good share was put up for hay for use
in the winter.
All of the older children went to school, which was a log
building on what is now the Frank Sramek ranch. There were about 30 pupils. A
new school was built, which was later moved to the present location of Brooks
in about 1912.
With the large growing families the Vanek ladies were kept
very busy providing the food for the daily table. Break was all baked at home
with not less than 8 large loaves every baking day. Once a week rolls and
Kolaches were baked for a special treat for the Sunday breakfast and dinner.
All the clothes that could be made were made for all the
children. Clothes were worn and then handed down to the younger children and
worn until they were worn out. All the children were happy when school was
about to start, as that usually meant a new pair of shoes for all, as well as new
clothes that were sewed during the summer months.
The Vanek children had many good times with their cousins
and the Joe Folda family, as they lived a few miles of each other in the Brooks
valley. Each town in those days had a baseball team and many a Sunday afternoon
was spent wherever the team played. People visited often, getting into the
buggy and would drive to the neighbors where the children would play games in
the parlor and the old folks would play cards.
During the years of 1910 to 1916 the lands to the east had
been opened to the homesteaders and the Vanek ranch became a stop over for many
of the early settlers.
The Vanek brothers would help many an early settler to acquire
horses, grain, and mostly any kind of help, if they were able to oblige, to
get. The stop over was especially appealing to those of the Czech speaking
tongue.
Many of these people had come from Nebraska as the Vaneks
had. Many of these people would come back in the fall of the year to earn a few
dollars helping with the grain harvest at the Vanek ranch and other ranches
that had threshing done for them with a steam engine and threshing machine. As
many as 18-21 men would make up the threshing crew. That made for a lot of
cooking for the women folks who had to prepare the food with the conveniences
of refrigeration or modern methods of this day.
It was hard to keep large amounts of food from spoiling.
Vaneks did put up ice during the winter months so the ice could be used to help
keep the meat.
The ice was cut in blocks on the creek and packed in sawdust
in a building.
When the hogs were butchered the ham and bacon were
processed and smoked at home. Some of the meat was canned, or fried down and
covered with lard to seal. The poultry had to be (butchered and) dressed for
each meal the evening before so it wouldn't spoil for the next day's meal.
During threshing days as many as 7 to 8 chickens had to be (butchered and) dressed.
All the neighbors exchanged help with one another.
Brooks was quite a busy little town as the railroad was
being built from Lewistown to Hilger. The first store, owned by Mr. Milne, then
acquired by Dusek, who sold it to Jim and Joe Vanek. They had a man named Vacha
run it for them for a while and later sold it to C.A. Gramley. Joseph also
became associated in the banking business in 1920 in the town of Hilger, with
Frank Rusicka.
The James Vanek had another son, Anton, making eight
children in all.
March 17, 1916, another set of twins was born to the Joseph F.
Vanek family -- Stanley and Stella. That made nine children in their family.
In 1919, they purchased the Miller ranch that adjoined them
and then the Vanek Bros. dissolved their partnership of 19 years, and divided the
entire place in half. Joseph stayed on the place purchased from Clover and
James had most of the Miller place and from there on the family farmed
individually.
The dry years had hit the area between 1919-1920. The grain
was very short and had to be harvested with a header barge. There was not
enough hay, necessitating the shipping of hay in from the east at very huge
prices.
Joe broke his arm hauling the hay. Many hardships were
endured by the family these years. A farm organization called Farmers Equity
was organized in Brooks to help get a farm voice in Washington D.C. Joseph was
very active in its promotion.
The older children were getting married and starting homes
of their own. Victoria married George Cerovski, June 22, 1922, and lived down
on lower Warm Spring Creek area and Plum Creek, where they raised five
children. Victoria passed away May 18, 1956.
Frank married Dorothy Gremaux, May 19, 1925, and lived on
Bull Creek, not too far from home, and later, in the 1930s moved to the western
part of Montana, and settled near Heron, Montana. They raised six children.
Frank passed away July 7, 1973.
Martha married Charles Spika, September 2, 1924, and lived
in the Coffee Creek and Denton area, raising three children.
Anna married Charles Storfa, in June 1928. They lived around
Brooks until Charles passed away in 1939. They raised two children, and Anna
later moved to Bigfork on the Flathead Lake, where she grew cherries.
Albert married Elenora Teirney in May 1932, and lived in
Lewistown for the most part, being a State Highway Patrolman. They raised one
son.
Both of the Vanek families were very active in raising cattle
and grain all through these years. They took very active parts in the building of
the community of Brooks, taking parts in all the social and church activities.
They helped build the Brooks Community Hall and belonged to the St. Victors
Catholic Church located at Hilger, Montana.
Joseph was civic minded and took active interest in politics
and became a leader in the Democratic Party circles, serving in the State
Legislature at Helena, as a State Representative, for two terms -- in the years
1936-37 and 1939-40.
In the 1940s, he was an active promoter of the Central
Montana Fair and became one of the directors for many years.
He took an active part in the school system of the Brooks
School as a trustee for many years. He was a promoter toward the progress of
his community at all times.
His wife was devoted to her undivided tasks of raising the
children and an active member of the Brooks Community and Women's Club, and her
Church and Altar Society. She entered her prize needlework in County fairs and
received many ribbons.
At this time only a few children went further than the 8th
grade in school but the Vaneks believed in further education, so saw to it that
7 of their children received a high school education. Several even got to go to
college and became teachers. Several
learned to play musical instruments and used this musical knowledge all their
lives, either playing for church, community activities, orchestras, or just
giving music lessons to others.
They made great sacrifices as making trips for this education
had to be made in buggy. or sleigh in the early years, and later, in the old
Model-T Ford, over ungraded roads, and boarding the children in town during the
week.
Education was very much appreciated by the children. Their
son, Wencil, had so wished a high school education but it was willed that
someone had to stay home and help care for the livestock and do the farming,
while the others were boarded out to attend school.
It was during these years that the Great Depression of the
1930s was taking place, as well as a very dry period for agriculture, making it
very hard to get money together to afford any comforts of life.
Wencil devoted much of his spare time to trapping and doing
taxidermy work, and repairing machinery and engines to supplement his spending
money. He became a self-educated man and did very well for himself, in spite of
all the drawbacks.
During the 1930s there was not much progress made on the
farm because the prices were depressed and there was not too much to sell
because of the drought. Wheat was selling for about 25 cents a bushel, cows for
$10 a head, and hogs from 2 to 8 cents a pound. It was even hard to scrape
together enough money to pay taxes.
The Vaneks borrowed money from the Federal Land Bank to help
finance themselves and save from losing the farm they had worked so hard for.
The twins were old enough to be married; Emma married Ray
Wherley, August 19, 1935, and they lived in Lewistown and Grass Range, having
five children, and later moved to Missoula, Montana, where they were able to
afford a college education for each of their children.
Wencil married Marie V. Marushka, June 10, 1940, and they
purchased the Warm Spring Ranch, where they raised three children. Wencil
passed away April 16, 1968.
Stella married Lloyd Rixe, in 1936, and they, too, lived
around Lewistown, and raised five children, all girls.
Stanley married Dolores Crook, November 27, 1944, and they
lived on the home ranch and raised seven children. Dolores passed away in April
1977.
Come 1945, after all their children had gotten married,
Joseph retired from active farming and rented the ranch to the last two sons,
Stanley and Wencil, and moved into a little three-room house in Brooks,
overlooking their ranch to the south.
They occupied their time raising a garden, flowers, and
trees. Seven years before their retirement their toils were eased with the
coming of electricity (Rural Electrification Association - REA) to their ranch. They
were able to enjoy the many luxuries electricity affords.
Mrs. Vanek got her first electric washing machine in 1940.
There had been many years she had washed all those clothes by hand for such a
large family, then the boys fixed her up with one that had a stationary
gasoline engine, which was a big help, but not as nice as an electric one.
The Vaneks had the good fortune to live a bountiful life and
celebrate their50th Golden Wedding Anniversary on June 8, 1947, along with
their brother and sister, Mr; and Mrs. James Vanek, being married the same day
the same year. It was celebrated at the Brooks Community Hall with all the
festivities and Church services, climaxed with a dance for all their relatives,
children and friends, with music provided by the many musically gifted children
of both families.
The James Vanek, too, had retired to live next door in
Brooks. It was a memorable celebration with all of their children living and
attending, along with 23 grandchildren present, 4 great-grandchildren, and many
relatives from Nebraska. The twin sisters, Tillie Jonas, who was the bridesmaid
50 years ago came. The Joe Foldas, Mrs. Folda, a sister to the Vanek brothers.
All the friends and other relatives and pioneers that they
became associated with during their productive years in Central Montana. They
had a lifetime of many hardships, sorrows and joys, a very full life many
people never get to realize.
They both, or it should be said, they all the remaining
years to the ripe old age of 75 to 80 years.
Joseph F. Vanek passed away May 23, 1952. Emma Vanek passed
away March 24, 1954. Both are buried at Calvary Cemetary, Lewistown, Montana.
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