Hello!
My name is Nancy (CHMELAR) Grejtak. I believe you are looking for Anna Chmelar. While i have found an Anna she is much younger than what you are looking for. I found that i have run into many dead ends looking for clues on the Chmelars. I can tell you that the name referes to the hops farming, its industry and the general area of eastern europe which we are decended from.
I am looking for clues to my Granddad, PETR CHMELAR.
As follows what I have found out so far:
He was born in Warsaw, Poland on March 1 or 21, 1885. His father's name may
have been VALCLAV (John) The only notation I have on his mother is the
word "BRONISLAVA" b. Feburary 3,1844 d. March 21,1890.
Pete,as he was known, immigrated to America between
1900 & 1910 from easter Europe. There is a possibility that he was part
of a group of men and boys that agreed to work off their passage. He
was destined for New York City but for what ever reason the group was
detered to Galveston, Texas where they were put to work in the coal
mines. On June 29, 1910 he married JULIA ANN SNOBL in Lovelady, Texas.
As the story goes according to a tape made of my Granddad about a year
before he died:
Pete and Julia's two of brothers had been trapped in a coal mine
cave-in. For
seven days they survived on rats they had killed with thier shovels and
picks and whatever moisture they could lick from the walls of the mine.
When they were rescued, Julia ran up to Pete hugging and kissing him.
"Why you kiss me and not you brothers?" he asked. Julia replied, "I
like them but I love you." As the story goes, Pete paid $100 bride
price to her father and they were married a few days later. On the tape
Pete says," We happy only short time...52 year. Then she go away to
God!"
Their first child, my Dad, ANTONE ("Tony") CHMELAR, was born there on
August 29,1911. There were five other children. Mary Roberta also born
in Lovelady. TX, Anna, Joesph,Peter, Jr and James. (The later children
were all born in Minnesota.)
My Grandmother, JULIA ANN SNOBL was born March 7. 1894 in Maly Ujezd,
Czechslovakia the daughter of FRANTISEK SNOBLE (born March 31. 1862 in
Maly Ujzed) and MARIE NESVERA (born October 3, 1857 in Cerny Kostelec,
Czecslovakia.) Most of the family immigrated to the United States of
America in1909 aborad the "Frankfurt" departing from Bremer, Germany.
They arrived in Galveston, Texas on July 24, 1909. Most of the family
migrated north the majority of them settling in Iowa. One of Julia's
brother Antonia (aka Thomas or Tommy Snoble remained in Texas, possible
in Houston, operating a barber shop or maybe a beauty salon or a
combination of both. He had one daughter Lona.
Frantisek's father was JOHN SNOBL (b.1899 - d.1905); his mother was MARY
HENDRICK (b.1901 - d.1907). Both are believed to be buried in the
Catholic Cemetery in Maly Ujezd.
I can also tell you that my father was an aide to Gen. Eisenhower during WWII. When he went to the ate he thought the family may have come from people there were afraid and would tell over and over, "You are safe my Lord we will never tell your grandfather's secret, not even to you!" I have only bits and pieces but nothing solid to go on. I do have a list of name and address of people in Europe that might help. If you would like to contact me at home my address is below.
Please help me if you can to find clues to my ancestery or forward this
on to anyone who might help me, either way please contact me at
kanasia@redred.com. Send snail-mail to:Mrs. Nancy A.
Grejtak, 851 Vandenburg Avenue, Delhi, Minnesota 56283, USA.
Thanks, Nan Grejtak