Joseph Vondra, 1880 - 1967

Joseph Vondra, 1880-1967



Joe's birth record:
http://www.portafontium.eu/iipimage/30068307/slavikovice-07_0650-n?x=41&y=97&w=452&h=195

Josef was born on March 6 and baptized March 7, 1880 at Usilov house 38, Bohemia. The record says that he was born katolik (Catholic), male and legitimate.

His father was Jan Vondra, blacksmith, at Usilov house 38, son of Matej (Matthew) Vondra, blacksmith, of Usilov house 38 and Marie born Zitek of Melzholz.

His mother was Marie daughter of Jakub Sedlacek, farmer from Mlynic house 6 and Josepha born Marka (Marek) of Mlynic.

This is a snip of 1930 census records which shows Joseph living with his sister Agnes Vondra Thurston's family, as a farm laborer. He is 49 years old. The record says that he is able to read and write. This census records are from Eden township, Hyde County, South Dakota.

1935 census record for Joseph. The record says that he is 56 years old, living in Hyde County, post office in Highmore, in the Eden township. He is listed as a farm laborer. The record says that his father and mother were born in Bohemia. 

This record shows Joe crossing the Canadian border into the United States at Sweet Grass, Montana. He worked on a steam ship for a period of time. His brother in law, Martin Bouzek, sponsored his immigration back to the United States. It is unknown if there was some reason that he left the Thurstons and did not return there. 

Joe is listed on the 1940 census records living with Martin and Mary Vondra Bouzek, his sister and brother-in-law. The full records states that Joe attended school for 7 years. 

Joseph lived his retirement years in a retirement home in DeSmet, Kingsbury, South Dakota. Some of his nieces and nephews did not even know of his existence until his death.

Joe is buried at the Bohemian National Cemetery in northern Hyde County, where much of his family is also buried. At the time of his death, the Vondra family plot was full, so he was buried in the plot of his sister, Josie Sporrer's family where there was space. His headstone is like all of his family's stones, with his first name and birth and death year. Because he is not buried in the family plot, his headstone had been misnamed with another last name, Weisner, on Find a Grave. Only those of us in the know, would realize who he is. It took some searching to find his grave. Also, note the error of his birth year being 1882. These types of mistakes are not uncommon. Joe's brother John was buried in the family plot at the time of Joe's death. Their sister Emma purchased a plot at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Highmore, SD and had her brother John moved there. She is buried beside him there. There is room for Joe to be moved to the family plot now, if anyone would like to spend the money and go through what it would take to get it moved. Photo credit to Ellen Krull Miller, Find a Grave contributor. 

Joseph was committed to an institution in Fergus Falls, Minnesota for a period of time, time frame unknown. At this time, it is also unknown what type of institution it was. Some of his siblings did not want him at the Vondra home place, but others did not want him institutionalized. One of his brothers went to remove him from the institution, creating a rift in the family. Two of his nieces have stated that he was a little slow, one saying he fell down some stairs as a young child. 

Agnes Vondra Thurston, 1884 - 1942

Grant Thurston and Agnes Vondra Thurston

http://www.portafontium.eu/iipimage/30068307/slavikovice-07_0710-n?x=474&y=386&w=519&h=195

Agnes Vondra was born March 26 and baptized March 30, 1884. Her Czech name was Angezchka Vondra-ova. The birth record says that she was katholic (Catholic), female, and legitimate. She was born at Usilov house 38, where her parents lived. The last column on the right indicates the midwife who helped with her birth, Marie ______.

Jan Vondra (her father), was a blacksmith (kovar) from Usilov house 38, son of Matej (Matthew) Vondra, blacksmith, and his wife, Marie, born Zitek of Meltholz house 4, of  _____.
Marie, daughter of Jakub Sedlacek, farmer (rolnika) of Mlynec house 6 and Josepha, born Marka, Mlynec house 5 of Klatovy district.
The section to the right indicates sponsors.

1905 census card, Agnes Vondra, age 21 is a farmer. The card lists her place of birth as Austria and the number of years she has lives in South Dakota and the United States as 21 years.


This is the record of Agnes homestead.

Mrs. Thurston Buried Last Sunday

Agnes Vondra was born on March 26, 1884, in Bohemia. As a babe in arms she came to the United States. Her people settled in the northern part of Hyde County (South Dakota) during the early eighties, where she has lived all her life.

She received her education in the rural schools with one year in the Highmore Public School, after which time she took the teacher’s examination, received her teacher’s certificate, and began teaching in the rural schools of Hyde and Faulk counties.

She was united in marriage to Joseph G. Thurston on March 30^th, 1910. They established a home in Banner Township, and have lived there up to the time of her death.

To this union two children were born: Marion and Ruth.

She passed away in the early morning of April 16^th at the St. Mary’s Hospital in Pierre, S.D., where she had been taken for treatment.

At the time of her death, she was fifty-eight years and twenty-one days old.

She is survived by her husband, two daughters, one grandchild, four brothers, and seven sisters, all of whom are living in the near neighborhood, except two: Mrs. Hall Jarvis (Jessie) of Faulkton, and Mrs. H. Scott (Barbara) of Chadron, Nebraska. The brothers are: James, Joe, John and Will Vondra. Her other sisters are: Emma Vondra, Mrs. Martin Bouzek (Mary), Mrs. Schuyler Hanson (Anna), Mrs. Ray Hanson (Bessie), Mrs. George Sporrer (Josie). Another brother, Frank, passed away several years ago.

Although she was not well, having been under a doctor’s care for some time, for high blood pressure, and heart trouble, no one thought her in immediate danger. A severe attack of influenza brought on complications which proved to be fatal.

On Easter Sunday she was taken to St. Mary’s hospital at Pierre where she would be nearer a doctor and would receive much better care than could possibly be given at home. For about nine days her condition remained about the same or slightly improved, but the attack of the flu left her with pneumonia and that, with the other complications, proved too much for her to withstand. Her husband, two daughters, and one sister went to her bedside Tuesday, April 14, called there by a sudden change in her condition for the worse, and were with her until the end, which came peacefully, soon after 12 o’clock midnight, Thursday, April 16^th.

The funeral services, under the direction of undertaker, A.N. Hurd, of Highmore, with Rev. Slocum of the United Church of Highmore as minister, were held in the home which she had helped so ably to build and maintain for many year, at 2 P.M. on Sunday, April 19, 1942.

John Lusk, James Palon, Frank Baloun, John Kozel, Ed Volek, and Tom McGough, all friends and acquaintances of long standing were pallbearers.

She was laid to rest in the Bohemian Cemetery in northern Hyde County, among relatives, friends, acquaintances and neighbors who have gone before.

Attending the funeral from outside the community were: Mr. and Mrs. William Morrison of Sioux Falls, Mrs. Harry Peek, Clyde Day, Mrs. Estel Dillman and three children, all of Huron; Mr and Mrs. Porter Hall of Harrold, Mrs. Carroll Davis and Ben Killinger of Holabird, all of whom were old friends. One sister, Mrs. Scott, was unable to be present due to sudden illness of her own young son.

Thus we have come to the end, and close the book of life of one who has been an active member of her community, socially and politically, but the memory of her will remain in the hearts of many for years to come.

CARD OF THANKS

We take this means of expressing our thanks and appreciation for the help, sympathy, and the beautiful flowers sent to us on this occasion of our great loss. To each and every one of you in our hour of trial.

Joseph G. Thurston an Marion

Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Lusk (Ruth) and Rita Ann

Mr. and Mrs. Martin Bouzek and Family

James, Joe, John, Will and Emma Vondra

Mr. and Mrs. Hall Jarvis and Family (Jessie)

Mr. and Mrs. Schuyler Hanson and Family (Anna)

Mr. and Mrs. Ray Hanson (Bessie)

Mr. and Mrs. George Sporrer and Family (Josie)

Mr. and Mrs. Harris Scott and Family (Barbara)

James Vondra, 1877 - 1947, Oldest child of John and Marie Sedlacek Vondra

James was the first born child of John and Marie (Sedlacek) Vondra. He was born January 6, 1877 in Hoslov (Usilov), Klatovy, Plzen, Bohemia and attended a few months of school before he came to America with his family in the spring of 1884.
Jim did have a girlfriend for a period of time and wanted to marry the girl. There was a difference in religion. The girl was Methodist and Jim was Catholic. It was for this reason that they did not marry. 
Homestead information shown below includes information about Jim's homestead. Jim was one of the people who won the lottery for land, and was fortunate to have land close to his parents land. Requirements for proving up on land included residency on the land. Jim lived on his land during this period of time, but then moved back home and for a period of time rented his land out. In 1930, his land was rented to his niece, Nellie Bouzek Coates, and her husband Albert Herrick Coates. During this time, he was a lodger at another ranch. 
He had his threshing machine and did custom work for others. He also did custom plowing for others. He did census work in 1905, as can be seen when looking at census cards for his family. 
He passed away December 19, 1947. He suffered from Parkinson's disease. (as told to Rita by Jim's sister, Josie Vondra Sporrer)

This is a snip from the records of Jim's birth in Bohemia. 

http://www.portafontium.eu/iipimage/30068307/slavikovice-07_0590-n?x=482&y=394&w=546&h=195

Jim, as he was called by his family, was born January 5 and baptized January 6, 1877. The family was living at Usilov house 38. The records says that he was katolik (Catholic), a male and was legitimate. His father is Jan Vondra, kovar, a blacksmith of Usilov house 38, son of Matej (Matthew) Vondra, kovar, blacksmith, or Usilov house 38 and Marie Zitek from Mezholz.

Jim’s mother is Marie, daughter of Jakib Sedlacka, Rolunska, (farmer) of Mlynec house 6 and her mother, Joseph, born Marek of ___________.  The last 3 columns tell the sponsors, the priest, and the midwife.

The following document tells of homesteads that were awarded. Jim, his father, and his sister Agnes, each received homestead land. They all proved up on their land.

Jame Vondra, World War I draft registration

James' threshing machine

1905 Census Card for Jim

1915 Census card for Jim

1930 Census record shows Jim as a lodger.

1935 census card for Jim

Jim owned this farm from 1906 until 1942. We see from census records that he lived other places. Perhaps he rented his place out to someone else.

Mary Vondra Bouzek, 1878 to 1857

Mary Vondra Bouzek, oldest daughter of John and Marie Sedlacek Vondra

Mary Vondra and her husband, Martin Bouzek

Birth:	Feb. 2, 1878  Usilov, Bohemia
Death:	Jul. 5, 1957

http://www.portafontium.eu/iipimage/30068307/slavikovice-07_0610-n?x=14&y=469&w=546&h=195

Mary was born on the 2^nd of February, 1878, and baptized on February 4. She was named Marie 

Vondra. The record states that she is Catholic, female and is legitimate. Jan Vondra was her father, a blacksmith from Usilov house 38, son of Mathias Vondra of Usilov house 38 and Marie born Zitek from Mezholz.

Her mother, Marie, the daughter of Jakub Sedlacek, a peasant from Mlynec house 6 and her mother, Josefa born Marek of Mlynec, Klatovy district.

God parents ___, priest Frantisek ___, and midwife was Marie Marzova of Slakovice.

Mary Vondra and Martin Bouzek wedding announcement from newspaper (transcription)

Hyde County Bulletin (newspaper)

Hyde County, South Dakota, Saturday, November 13, 1897

Matrimonial Bliss

Married: At the residence of Mrs. Reha in this city, Wednesday afternoon, November 10, 1897, Mr. Martin Bouzek and Miss Mary Wandra (sic). Justice O. L. Whitcher officiating.

The love happy affair was witnessed by a small number of friends and relatives of the contracting parties.

The groom needs no introduction to our readers. He is one of the thrifty farmers of Eden Township, and by pluck and perseverance is succeeding to building up a home in this new country. He represented his district in the county board for four years and made an enviable record. During the last year of service on the board he was the chairman.

The bride is the daughter of John Wandra (sic) of Union township, and is an estimable young lady.

The Bulletin joins with their many friends in wishing them a long and happy married life.

Mary Vondra Bouzek

By Mamie Kopecky (Mary’s daughter) (transcribed from Hyde Heritage, ©1977, p. 114 - 115)

Mary Vondra was born February 2, 1878, at Hoslov, Czechoslovakia, to John and Mary Vondra. At the age of five years she came with her parents, two brothers and a sister to the United States in the spring of 1884. Mother was the second oldest child, Jim was one year older and he had attended school four months in the old country. Joe was three and Agnes was two months. 

It took them eleven and one-half days to make the trip across the water.

They settled in Chicago for two months. Grandpa Vondra got a job in a lumber yard. He was not used to that kind of work. His trade was a blacksmith in Bohemia. He served as a gunsmith in the War of 1866. Grandpa used to say he couldn’t even take time to wipe his nose. He quit his job and moved to Wisconsin for one month and then on to Hyde County, South Dakota in the summer of 1884.

He took his claim in northern Hyde County in the northwest part of Eden Township, about one mile west of the Henry Rezac place. The family stayed in Highmore at Shreve Van Camp’s. None of the family could speak English. Rose Kosek, a neighbor girl was working in Highmore and if Grandma wanted anything she would get Rose to interpret for her. Because there was a Bohemian settlement in that locality, the Vondras got along without the English language. When it came time to buy groceries, sometimes it was difficult to what they wanted. There was a store located about four and one-half miles west of their place. The storekeeper used a wagon and oxen to get supplies from Highmore for his store. Grandpa Vondra walked to the store and carried groceries home on his back.

Mother (Mary Vondra Bouzek) received her education in Eden Township and later in Union Township. In those days, school consisted of a three month term. Etta Belle Morton was one of her teachers.

There was a Sunday school in that community and if Mother was absent the teacher missed her voice. As she grew older, it fell on Mother to help take care of her brothers and sisters. Her mother helped Grandpa with outside work. I believe it was the Bohemian custom for the women to be at the side of their mate in helping to provide for their family.

A twin brother of Frank’s died at birth. He was buried on the prairie close to their home. At that time there was no cemetery. Mother assisted Grandma Vondra with the birth. She was young at the time but it had to be done. She happened to be on hand when Phil Zeigler, a neighbor was born. In those days people did not have a doctor for childbirth. Mother herself never had a doctor. Grandma Vondra was on hand.

Times were hard and mother quit school at an early age and went to work in Highmore for Mrs. Green and also as a cook in the McGlinchy Hotel. She would get $1.75 a week.

On November 11, 1897, in Eden Township she was married to Martin Bouzek. He had pioneered in Hyde County, arriving in 1885. They were the parents of five girls and two boys.

In the early days, Indians would come across the prairie with two or three wagons and their families. It would be nothing unusual to see an Indian walking along looking for wild turnips which they dug and ate. It was all open country with very few fences at that time. The Indians would pitch their tent near our place, especially if they bought a critter with a lump jaw from a farmer. They would get the animal cheap and would take care of the meat before moving on. They also traded their beautiful moccasins for farm products. They were always friendly, but I was scared of them. I was burned brown from the sun by not wearing a sunbonnet, and mother would say that they would mistake me for one of their kin. So I would hide under a feather bed until they left.

Times were hard but the folks managed to give an education to all of us. Three of us went to Northern Normal of Aberdeen (teacher college)—Emma, Nellie, and myself (Mamie). Ben and John attended State College at Brookings. Etta (Henrietta) took home economics in Aberdeen and Frances, high school in Highmore followed by a business course in Aberdeen.

Mother and father resided on a farm in Eden Township until January of 1943, when they moved to Highmore. On November 11, 1947, they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at an open house reception for them at the home of Nellie Coates, giving their many friends and relatives an opportunity to greet them.

With the education Mother acquired, she read a lot, but never learned to write. My father wrote the grocery bill and did all the corresponding. After father passed away it was up to us to do what corresponding Mother requested.

Mother loved flowers and they always seemed to bloom for her. No matter how crippled she was she had a garden that she took care of. She kept her high school girls until the last winter she lived alone. She wasn’t too well, but she liked the privacy, as long as she was able to take care of herself. Neighbors and friends dropped in, however, the make the rounds of news.

She passed away quietly on July 5, 1957 and was laid to rest in the Czech National Cemetery in Eden Township. She was a true pioneer and endured bravely all the hardships of early pioneer life: severe cold winters, drought, hail and wind storms and when little or no return was brought from harvest.

***************************************

Mary and Martin's children:

Henrietta Mary Bouzek (1898 - 1927)

Benjamin Martin Bouzek (1899 - 1976)

Emma E. Bouzek Huff (1900 -1982)

Mayme Alice Bouzek Kopecky (1903 - 2001)

Nellie Bouzek Coates (1904) - 1956)

John William Bouzek (1907 - 1965)

Frances Bouzek Hall (1911 - 1990)

Click on the images to enlarge them.

Martin Bouzek 1905 census card, age 39



Mary Bouzek, 1905 census card, age 29

Martin and Mary 1910 census record

1940 Census record
Martin Bouzek, head of  house
Mary Bouzek
James Chappelle, laborer
Joe Vondra, laborer, Mary's brother

Marie Sedlacek Vondra

Marie Sedlacek Vondra

33^rd In A Series on Hyde County Pioneer Daughters (Hyde County, South Dakota)

Marie Sedlacek Vondra Came from Czechoslovakia to US in 1884

Written by granddaughter Mayme (Bouzek) Kopecky (edited into two parts by Rita Sporrer, great-grandaughter of Marie, one part more about Marie, the other part more about her husband, John Vondra)

Marie Sedlacek was born in Hoslov, Czechoslovakia in 1855. She had three brothers: George, who remained in Czechoslovakia, Joseph in Chicago, Illinois; Jacob in Mishicot, Wisconsin; and one sister, Josephine Mencl in Chicago, Illinois.

(Rita's edit: Marie was born in Mlynec, Polen, Plzen, Bohemia. Her husband, John Vondra was born in Hoslov, usually written as Usilov and is in Domazlice, Plzen, Bohemia. Marie's brother George, died in 1863 from polio.)

In her native land, Marie would bake sweet breads and cakes for weddings.

Marie Sedlacek married John Vondra who was a blacksmith. He served in the War of 1866 as a gunsmith.

Marie and John Vondra with their four children came to the United States in the late spring of 1884. Jim was six and had attended school for four months in his native land. Mary was five, Joe three, and Agnes was two months old. It took them eleven and a half days to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Marie was sea sick most of the time and taking care of little Agnes was hard on her. 

They settled in Chicago for two months at her brother’s Joseph Sedlacek and her sister’s Josephine Mencl homes. John got a job in a lumberyard and his boss was after him so he would hurry up. John used to say he couldn’t even take time to wipe his nose. He was not used to that type of work. He quit his job and went to Mishicot, Wisconsin to visit another brother of Marie’s, Jacob.

Vondra’s came to South Dakota in the summer of 1884. John took a claim in September on land in northwestern Eden Township in northern Hyde County. The family stayed in Highmore at Shreve Van Camps’s home. No one in the family could speak English. Rose (Kozel) Forman, a neighbor girl was working in Highmore and if Marie wanted something, she would get Rose to interpret for her. It took John almost two months to build the sod house for his family.

There was a Bohemian settlement in Northern Hyde County so they got along without the English language. But when it came to buying groceries, it was sometimes difficult to get what they wanted. There was a store located at Sedgwick, about seven miles southwest. The storekeeper would take oxen and a wagon to get supplies from Highmore for his store. John would walk to the store and carry groceries home from the store on his back.

For fuel, they used twisted hay or buffalo chips.

John bought two oxen and a milk cow from Albert Zemlicka who was considered a big operator to the northeast.

In 1886, Frank’s twin brother died at birth. He was buried on the prairie close to their home in Eden Township. At the time, there was no cemetery in northern Hyde County.

Four years later, because lack of water, John took a pre-emption claim near Rice Lake in Union Township. He built a home near the lake. They dug a well near the lake which furnished them and their stock enough water for their stock and personal use. They had a garden spot near the well so they could irrigate it.

In the olden days when the buffalo roamed the countryside, they left a trail leading to Rice Lake to get a drink of water and to wallow on the edge of the lake, a landmark. Another landmark was a big hill located south of the place and it was known as the Vondra Hill. From the top of the hill with naked eye you could see twenty miles south. In the horse and buggy days, the girls would walk to the top and look if their father was coming home from Highmore.

Marie would assist as midwife for her neighbors and for her daughter Mary. She was on hand for seven grandchildren. For herself, she would have a neighbor in the community for midwife: Mrs. Phil Ziegler, Mrs. Frank Kozel and others.

Marie came from a musical family. Her brother, Jacob was a band instructor in Wisconsin. She herself had a good singing voice. When her neighbors would visit in the Vondra home, they would ask Marie to sing in her native language.

She was blessed with thirteen children. Five sons, Jim, Joe, Frank, Bill (William), and John and eight daughters, Mary (Mrs. Martin Bouzek), Agnes (Mrs. Joe Thurston), Jesse (Mrs. Hall Jarvis), Emma, Annie (Mrs. Schuyler Hanson), Bessie (Mrs. Ray Hanson), and Helen (Mrs. Harris Scott), and Josie (Mrs. George Sporrer).

On November 11, 1897, Marie had a chance to use her talent in baking Czech sweet breads and cakes, which she prepared for the wedding dance in her home for her oldest daughter, Mary (Mrs. Martin Bouzek). Even seventy-three years later, her oldest grandson received a letter from Will Elsnic who attended the dance and commented on all the Czech goodies served on the occasion. They danced all night to the music of Phil Ziegler on the accordion and Anton Elsnic on the violin.

Along with her own large family, she took in two grandchildren, Ben and Etta (Henrietta) Bouzek, so they could attend school for their first grade in Union Township in 1905. There was no school in south Eden Township. Agnes Vondra (their aunt) was the teacher.

In her native land when Marie was a girl of nine years, she jumped from a stone wall and hurt her leg. As she grew older, her leg became more painful. She had TB of the bone. As I remember grandma, it was Fourth of July and a celebration was held at Phil Ziegler’s. My parents, sisters and brothers stopped to see grandma who had been in bed for a couple of weeks. She insisted on giving each of us a token to spend at the celebration. In the evening on our way home we stopped and she kissed each of us for the last time. Two weeks later she was admitted to St. Mary’s hospital in Pierre. In surgery the doctor amputated her leg. Following surgery, the shock was too much for her system. She passed away at the age of 58 years. She was laid to rest at the National Czech Cemetery in the year 1913. Surviving her at the time were all of her children and her husband John. Helen was the youngest girl, 8 years old.

Josephine Mencl

There were four Sedlacek siblings who came to the United States.

This information and photos are of Josephine (Josefa) Sedlacek Mencl and some of her family. Josephine is the sister of Joseph (Chicago) and Jacob (Jakub) Sedlacek (Wisconsin) and Marie Sedlacek Vondra (Hyde County, South Dakota).

Josephine Sedlacek Mencl

Marriage record for Albert and Josephine (Josefa)  Josephine Sedlacek married Albert Mencl on January 27, 1873, at Saint Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Chicago.

Josephine and Albert Mencl

1880 City directory information tells that Albert Mencl was a shoemaker who lived at 820 S. Ashland Avenue, Chicago, Ill.

The following information is from the 1885 Chicago City Directory and tells of Albert Mencl, boots and shoes, 158 West 19th, Chicago, Illinois.

Vojtech Albert Mencl

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=155495213

Boarding house that was run by Josephine Mencl in Chicago. Josephine is standing in the entrance way to the building.

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=155495178

Bessie Mencl, daughter of Josephine and Albert Mencl.

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Mencl&GSfn=Bozena&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=155495254&df=all&

Emma Vondra, Olga Mencl, Agnes Vondra (Thurston) and Will Vondra (Vondra cousins of Olga Mencl)

 

Julia Mencl



Julia Mencl's wedding

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=176646714 Birth: Jul. 15, 1891
Death: April 8, 1983
Julia Winkle, nee Mencel, age 91 of Ashland, Ore., formerly of Evanston, April 9, beloved wife of the late Edward; loving mother of Mrs. Eleanor Maldaner of Columbus, N.C., Miss Grace Winkle of Walworth, Wisc., Mrs. Marjorie (Carroll) Elkier of Ashland, Ore., Mrs. Lorraine (Charles) Hallock of Forest Park, Ill., Robert (Leila) Winkle of Wauwatosa, Wisc. and Leonard (Bonnie) Winkle of Huntley, Ill.; grandmother of 13; great-grandmother of seven; preceded by three brothers and six sisters. Former secretary for 20 years at Marshall Field & Co., Evanston. Noted artist Clearwater, Fla. and San Jose, Calif. Resting at Querhammer Funeral Home, 500 W. Terra Cotta Ave., Crystal Lake, 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, where services will be held 10 a.m. Wednesday. Interment Memorial Park, Skokie. Memorials may be made in her name to The Christian League for the Handicapped, PO Box 98, Walworth, Wisc.

 

3 photos of Laura Mencl

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=155495352

1900 Christmas photo from the Mencl family. The second image shows the writing on the back of the photo. When looking at the photo, 3 of the girls resemble each other, and the other 2 closely resemble each other.

Sons of Albert and Josephine (Sedlacek) Mencl. Ladimer, born in 1884, Otoker (Otto) born December 4, 1889.

 Mencl girls

No names were on the back, so who they are individually is unknown.

Mencl girl, first name unknown

Otto Mencl

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=42513883














Known Children:

Bessie Mencl - died 1950, buried in same family grave site.
Mildred Mencl Jones - married Charles Jones - died in 1950
Jaroslav Mencl - died in infancy - buried in same family grave site
Elizabeth Mencl Breen - married Patrick Breen on 1-25-1901 - died in 1960
Lillian Mencl Boorman - married Fred Charles Boorman
Ladimer Albert Mencl - married Ruth H. Carlson on 1-20-1920 - died in 1969
Olga Louise Mencl - died 1945, buried in same family grave site.
Otto Mencl - married W. Caroline Bartell on 4-20-1915 - died in Pinellas Florida in 1961
(Otto Mencel late of St. Petersburg, Fla., formerly of Chicago, beloved husband of W. Caroline, nee Bartell; loving father of Marshall and Grace C. Bray; seven grandchildren; fond brother of Latimer, Julia, Winkle, and Laura Mencel. Services Friday, 1:30 p.m., at Oehler Funeral Home, Lee and Perry streets, Des Plaines, Ill. Interment Ridgewood.)
Julia Mencl Winkle - married Elijah (Edward Winkle) on 6.12-1916 - died in Oregon in 1983
Laura Mencl - died in 1965 - buried in same family grave site

Census Records
1880 Illinois Cook Chicago D055 Page 23 153 19th St.
Albert 38, Josephine 28, Bozina 6, Mlada 4, Vlasta 1
1900 Illinois Cook Chicago Ward 10 D0267 Page 21 794 W 19th
Albert 58, Josephine 48, Bessie 24, Millie 22, Elsie 19, Lily 16, Ladiner 16, Olga 14, Otto 10, Julia 8, Laura 7
1910 Illinois Cook Chicago Ward 11 D0560 Page 4 1748 W 20th St
Albert 68, Josephine 57, Bessie 30, Millie 28, Lillian 26, Laddie 25, Olga 20, Julia 18, Laura 17
1920 Illinois Cook Chicago Ward 34 D2161 Page 17 4242 21st Place
Widow Josephine 67, Bessie 35, Lillian 30, Ladimer 28, Olga 26, Laura 24