Hrabak's Near Belle Plaine, Iowa
It sounds like you may be related to my son's fathers family. They are descended from Vencil Hrabak who was born in 1850, in Dobriz, Bohemia. He lived in Vining, Iowa, and had a brother named Joseph (born 1846), who was in the lumber business. One of Joseph's sons was an undertaker. If this sounds familiar, you could E-Mail me at n.goring@verizon.net. I can send you a GEDCOMM file, so you could compare notes.
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Re: Hrabak's Near Belle Plaine, Iowa
MY GGM was named Marie/ Mary Hrabak, born in Bohemia in 1848. Her parents were Wencl and Josephine. SHe had at least one brother John. By 1886 she was in Western PA, Fayette Co, near Connellsville/ Dunbar where she married my GGF Frank Cervenka. He was also from Bohemia, born in 1845. He died in a coal mining accident in the HC Frick mine in 1891, they had 3 children, James, Frank and Rose. Her bother lived nearby and had at least 2 children, John and Ella.
Is Josephine the mother of your ancestor Wencl? The time frame is about right for him to be a brother to Marie. I do not know what town my GGM came from in Bohemia. Would appreciate more info if you have any. Thanks
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Re: Hrabak's Near Belle Plaine, Iowa
Hi - I don't think the two families are closely related. The Iowa one went directly to Iowa, and didn't stop in the Pittsburgh area.
You might get some help with their home-town if you can find an obituary. Some of the old obituaries are full of history.
I also checked my photocopies from Baca's "Czech Immigration Passenger Lists", however, I didn't see a family that sounded like yours. (Vencil or Wenzel was fairly common for Hrabak men.)
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Re: Hrabak's Near Belle Plaine, Iowa
I am searching for ties with my Hrabak ancestors who lived in the village of Jivina, Bohemia which is around 10 or 12 miles east of Plzen. Although I have many connected surnames who settled here in Chicago from Jivina and surroundings, I do not know if any Hrabak "kin" came to Chicago. I have several obits from the Bohemian Chicago Denni Hlasatel newspaper of Hrabaks who died in Chicago, but have not been able to make a concrete connection with them. If anyone has Hrabaks from the area of Jivina, I would love to hear from you.
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Re: Hrabak's Near Belle Plaine, Iowa
Hi, Do all three children of Frank and Marie/Mary Cervenka (James, Frank and Rose) use the last name Cervenka? I have a Ggf Frank Hrabak born around the late 1880's. Just wondering if there is a connection.
Thanx, Anne
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Re: Hrabak's Near Belle Plaine, Iowa
The children of Frank Cervenka and Marie Hrabak in western PA became Swinkers by accident of spelling when my GF went to school.
Marie had at least one brother John in Fayette Co PA, Dunbar Township area---he was born in Bohemia. His children include John, b 1895 and Ella b.1895in PA--mother Marie Vild. There may have been another brother who immigrated, I have not found yet. There are several families in the area.
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Re: Hrabak's Near Belle Plaine, Iowa
My Hrabak GGM was daughter of Wencl and Josephine, B near Pilsen born about 1848 or 1850, immigrated abt 1886. There were relatives in Chesnovice and Rokycan, both villages east of Pilsen. She had brothers John, Vaclav and Albert all born in 1850s who also came to the US in1882 to western PA and some on to OH.
Do not know if these are near your villages? But would like to hear from you. Thanks
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Re: Hrabak's Near Belle Plaine, Iowa
Yes, my Hrabaks lived in several villages in the same area as your Hrabaks including the village of Jivina. Jivina is only a few miles from Chesnovice (Cheznovice). I am in touch with others doing Hrabak research and I would be happy to put you in touch with them. My other connected surnames are: Franta, Balej, Ungr, Anyz, Cerny, Strnad, Vodrazka, Vajner, Ekl, Ernest, Humelhonza, Fajrajzl, Kopp, Holman, Opatrny, Hanzal, and Kriz. Do you have any of these surnames connected to your Hrabaks?
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Re: Hrabak's Near Belle Plaine, Iowa
None of those other families are familiar. Vaclav married an Agnes Hasman of Cheznovice in Bohemia and John married a Marie Vild of Prague in PA. Albert maried an Hannah/Anna in Bohemia. Mary/ Marie was married once in Bohemia; her second marriage in PA was to a Cervenka. A descendent of Vaclav has some contacts in Europe and hopes to prevail on him to do some research in Europe, sometime. We do not have any info on the GGgrandparents, Wencl and Josephine, who stayed in Bohemia.
Would appreciate any contacts related to that region. Thanks
There was also a Joseph Hrabak b.1837 who came to PA with wife Mary in 1879. We have not found a link to him, but since everyone ended up in the same small town or within 10 miles, we wonder if he may have been an uncle or older cousin?
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