Sunday, November 24, 2013

Joseph F. Vanek and James Vanek Families

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.
 
###############################

No comments:

Post a Comment