Mary Vondra and her husband, Martin Bouzek
Birth: | Feb. 2, 1878 Usilov, Bohemia |
Death: | Jul. 5, 1957 |
Mary was born on the 2nd 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.
Emma E. Bouzek Huff (1900 -1982)
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