Honoring our Immigrant Herritage Survey

    During the 19th century, many Czechoslavakians immigrated to the United States.  Many left thier homeland not only for political and economic hardships, but because young men were obliged to spend ten years in the military service.

    M y grandparents, Joseph and Lucie Mlinek, were both born in Czechoslovakia in 1849.  They married in 1874 in a Catholic Parrish in Stara Bella, Proskovic.  Seems like poverty followed the entire family, which at the end they searched for salvation.  So along with 2 sons, Adolph and Norbert, they sailed for the Americas from Hamburg, Germany and landed in New York on November 1, 1884.  They emigrated west and made several stops in different places in the Midwest before finally settling in a Czech community around Voda and what is now known as Collyer.  They homesteaded on 160 acres southeast of Collyer on November 2, 1885.  There a daughter Wilhelmina and 2 sons, Arnold and Felix were born.  Being a good businessman and a hard working farmer,  Joseph was able to acquire more land, which was later given to his sons.  There was also a Czech settlement around Wilson, Ks.

    To name a few of the Czech families who emigrated to the U.S. at the same time were: Mlineks, Hladeks, Kristofs, Zemans, Palkowskys and Razaks.

    Joseph and Lucie became American Citizens in 1885, so proud to be in the promised land of economic and cultural freedom.  They were farmers who lived in a small house where they endured the hardships of pioneer life with Christian fortiude.   And always looking on the bright side and encouraging all they came in contact with.  Later, they built a two-story house to accomodate two families, which still stands today, southeast of town, and is lived in.

    Prices of farm products in May 1895:  Wheat @ 40 cents a bushel, Corn @ 55 cents a bushel, Fat Cattle @ 2 cents a pound, Stock Cattle @ 1-1/2 cents a pound, Milk Cows @ $18.00 per head, Fat Hogs @ 3 cents a pound, Stock Hogs @ 2 cents a pound, Farm Land @ $19.00 an acre.

    Daughter Wilhelmina, age 10, was killed by lightning in 1896 and is buried in the Catholic cemetary.  The Czech people were all Catholics when they arrived in America.  For some unknown reason, when the Russian and German people came, they did not recongnize the Czech people and replaced the Czech priest in the church.  In 1922, when Joseph passed away, the priest at that time would not allow his burial beside his daughter because he was not a regular church attendee.  This caused many hard feelings and alienation of the Czech people.  Joseph had helped build the church and supplied one of the big stained glass windows on the side of the church.  From that time on, the Mlineks are buried in the Collyer City cemetary. 

I was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1916 to Norbert and Marie (Apfelbeck) Mlinek and was one of three siblings, Edward and Alice.  At the sudden death of our parents in 1918, I was brought to Kansas to live with my grandparents, but instead was raised by my Uncle Feliz and his wife Anna who was a mail order Bride from Czechoslavakia.  I had a very happy life on the farm with them and their three children, Robert, Mildred and Irene.

    (Arnold Mlinek also Married a mail order Bride from Czechoslavakia.  Arnold and Felix had a double wedding ceremony.  To this union was born two boys, Joseph and Leo.) 

    We always had a garden and raised our own meat.  Due to no refrigeration, if we wanted chicken for dinner (at noon) we had to catch one, clean it, and cook it immediately.  Pork was cut into big chunks and roasted, then covered with rendered lard in a large crock jar.  Ham and bacon was smoked.  Jaternice' was made by cooking the meat from the pig head, tongue, liver, heart and other parts which was then ground together.  Next you added dry bread soaked in the meat broth, pearl barley, onions, garlic, salt mixed altogether and stuffed it like sausage.  This was a favorite of all.  (Wish I had some - no longer available.)  We always had roasted goose for Christmas Dinner.  Always had homemade bread, and occasionally Kolatches (sweet roll).  We always had a cow or two for milk, cream and butter.

    To survive the hard winter, in the fall, folks would purchase 25 pound sacks of flour, some sugar, boxes of dried fruits (mostly prunes and raisins), coffee and oatmeal for cereal.   It would be stored in an unheated room upstairs and never had to worry about "bugs."

    There was no TV so a group of farmers would meet often in the winter time and have an oyster soup supper in one of their homes.  The men would play cards, usually pitch, the women would clean up and visit and the youngsters would play.

    I not only grew up on a farm, but also married a young farmer, Elmer Jacobitz in 1937.  He was born on a farm near Orion, Kansas in Gove County.  On our farm, southeast of Collyer, we had no electricity or running water and used coal or wood burning stoves to heat until the Rural Electrical Program came in 1951.  We milked cows, raised chickens and had crops in the fields.  With all the farm work, we did not need to diet like today, as we had plenty of excercise. 

    Our daughter Phyllis Marie was born on the farm.  She attended the Collyer Public School and graduated from Collyer High as Valedictorian.  Went on to business school at Brown-Mackie in Salina Kansas.

    We retired from farming in 1979 and moved to a brick house in town, north of the school on Ainslie Ave.  Because of health reasons, we moved to Titusville, Florida in 1999 to be near our daughter.  Elmer passed on in 2003.  I am confined to a wheelchair, but am blessed that I still live alone and take care of myself.  Although I am not very active, I do enjoy going to church, playing games and socializing with a group of 90 year old ladies.

    (as written by Mary Ann in 2006)