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    Frantisek "Frank" BLECHA

    Male 1811 - 1899  (88 years)


    Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

    • Name Frantisek "Frank" BLECHA  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
      Born 15 May 1811  Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 3, 5, 6, 11
      Gender Male 
      Arrival 12 Jan 1858  New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
      1858 Immigration for Frantisek Blecha Family
      1858 Immigration for Frantisek Blecha Family
      Reference Number 624 
      Residence 1860  Trenton, Washington, Wisconsin, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
      Residence 1880  Trenton, Washington, Wisconsin, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
      Marital status: Married; Relation to Head of House: Self 
      Died 20 Jul 1899  Newburg, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
      Buried 20 Jul 1899  Newburg, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
      Person ID I375822  Blecha/McDaniel
      Last Modified 16 Apr 2016 

      Father Vaclav BLECHA,   b. 4 Aug 1774, Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 20 Nov 1836, Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 62 years) 
      Mother Barbora KREIDLOVA,   b. Abt 1780, Trokavec, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location 
      Married 8 Nov 1801  Skorice, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location  [13
      Vaclav Blecha and Barbora Kreidlova marriage in 1801
      Vaclav Blecha and Barbora Kreidlova marriage in 1801
      Family ID F136308  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

      Family 1 Rozalie,   b. 1816, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 17 Mar 1837, Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 21 years) 
      Married 24 Feb 1835  Skorice, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location  [14
      Marriage of Frantisek Blecha and Rozalie in 1835
      Marriage of Frantisek Blecha and Rozalie in 1835
      Children 
       1. Barbora BLECHOVA,   b. Abt 1832, Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 27 Sep 1836, Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 4 years)
      Last Modified 13 Apr 2016 
      Family ID F3206  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

      Family 2 Jozefa "Josephine" BILKOVA,   b. 10 Dec 1819, Skorice 10, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 01 Feb 1890, Newburg, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 70 years) 
      Married 6 Jun 1837  Skorice, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location  [14, 15
      Marriage of Frantisek Blecha and Josepha Bilkova in 1837
      Marriage of Frantisek Blecha and Josepha Bilkova in 1837
      Children 
       1. Jan Nepomuk "John" BLECHA,   b. 04 Jul 1839, Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 02 Nov 1926, Chattaroy, Spokane, WA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 87 years)
       2. Frank BLECHA,   b. 13 Sep 1841, Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Jun 1892, Athens, Marathon, WI Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 50 years)
       3. Wenzl BLECHA,   b. Feb 1845, Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 2 Apr 1845, Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 0 years)
       4. Mary B BLECHA,   b. 30 Oct 1846, Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 08 Feb 1924, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 77 years)
       5. Thomas BLECHA,   b. 15 Dec 1848, Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 06 Jul 1884, Greenwood, Clark, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 35 years)
       6. Barbora BLECHOVA,   b. 6 Jan 1851, Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Feb 1851, Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 0 years)
       7. Jozefa "Josephine" BLECHA,   b. 17 Mar 1852, Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 06 Jan 1938, St. Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 85 years)
       8. Anna BLECHA,   b. 28 Oct 1854, Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 08 Dec 1877, West Bend, Washington, WI Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 23 years)
       9. Vaclav BLECHA,   b. 3 Aug 1857, Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 3 Aug 1857, Skorice 6, Bohemia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 0 years)
       10. Joseph BLECHA,   b. 23 Feb 1863, Newburg, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 24 Dec 1954, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 91 years)
      Last Modified 16 Apr 2016 
      Family ID F136294  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    • Event Map
      Link to Google MapsBorn - 15 May 1811 - Skorice 6, Bohemia Link to Google Earth
      Link to Google MapsMarried - 24 Feb 1835 - Skorice, Bohemia Link to Google Earth
      Link to Google MapsMarried - 6 Jun 1837 - Skorice, Bohemia Link to Google Earth
      Link to Google MapsArrival - 12 Jan 1858 - New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, USA Link to Google Earth
      Link to Google MapsResidence - 1860 - Trenton, Washington, Wisconsin, USA Link to Google Earth
      Link to Google MapsResidence - Marital status: Married; Relation to Head of House: Self - 1880 - Trenton, Washington, Wisconsin, USA Link to Google Earth
      Link to Google MapsDied - 20 Jul 1899 - Newburg, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA Link to Google Earth
      Link to Google MapsBuried - 20 Jul 1899 - Newburg, Washington County, Wisconsin, USA Link to Google Earth
       = Link to Google Earth 

    • Notes 
      • !BORN AT: House #6, in Skorice.

        !NOTES: His name appears to be Czceh. spelling. On both is declaration of intention to become a citizen and on his naturalization it shows his first name as Franz. From obit record of his son Jan Blecha he came to the U.S.in Jan. 1858 with wife, 4 boys and 3 girls from Bohemia and settled in Washington County, WI. English spelling would be Frank. Spelling of the town could be Skoric, Skorice, or Skoritz since there was no standard grammar during that time period. Their homestead is now at 559 Decotah Rd., West Bend, WI53095. Marriage certificate of daughter Josephine Bleacha gave his first name as Francis.

        !PORT OF ARRIVAL: New Orleans, LA, Jan 1858

        !IMMIGRATION: Source was Czech Immigration Passenger Lists, author a Leo Baca, 1983, revised in 2000. Vol. 1, page 92 relates that between the years of 1848 to 1879 some 4,400 Czechs immigrated though the port of New Orleans and headed for Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Arkansas, Nebraska, Kentucky, Wisconsin and Texas. Information in this book was found at the National Archives. Page 94 has the vessel Bessel arriving at the Port of New Orleans on 12 Jan 1858, with 12 Czech immigrants on board. Page 98 has the following listing. Blecha, Franz 46, Josepha 37, Johann 18, Franz 16, Maria 6, Josepha 10, Thomas 8, Anna 2, Skortiz; Bessel, 12 January 1858; St. Louis.

        The last line has the note after Anna’s name of Skortiz, which confirms the spelling of their home town in the 1850’s. It goes on to give the name of the ship Bessel and the ending port which is St. Louis.

        Reference was found for the Bessel, Type:, steamship. Built:, 1854 by Caird & Co., Greenock, Scotland for the Cunard Line.  No known photo or information available. This listing for the steam ship had a link to the family name RIEPE, which said a Mary came to America at age 38 years on the "Ship Bessel" with her husband and children. The ship bearing the RIEPE family departed from Bremen, Germany and arrived in St. Louis, MO on December 7, 1858. The Blecha's arrived some eleven months earlier in the year on January 12, 1858, in St. Louis on the same ship. If you look at the map of Germany, the inland Port of Bremen is some 42 miles by river from the North Sea at the Port of Bremerhaven giving a direct link to the North Atlantic Ocean via the North Sea. Bremen to Skortiz is some 320 airmiles, quite a distant to travel by road in 1858. Question, was the Steamship Bessel employed in a series of round trips from Bremen to St. Louis? If so, checking of the records of departures from Bremen would be in order. The missing Thomas is listed with the family on this record. Most of the ages given on the record are within one or two years of what is already recorded, and the difference would depend on how you round off the ages. One slight difference is with Josephine, who is listed as ten years old when prior records would have her about seven years old when on the ship. Another difference is with Maria [Mary] who would of been 12 years of age, not 6 as listed on the ship's record.

        !DECLARATION OF INTENT: From Ruth Blecha, June 1995. Franz Blecha Declaration to become U. S. Citizen, from Vol. II 1857-1861 Location of Court, Washington County, West Bend, State of WI Declaration Number Vol. II, page 64. October 4 1858. Born Bohemia 1811 Port of arrival - Jan. 1858 New Orleans, LA. On second card at same location Certificate No. 6 392, Naturalization Oct. 21, 1868, Witness: Charles J Kletzsch and John Sievers.

        !SOURCE: State Regional Archieves, Plzn, Czech. Records of the Skorice R. C. parish, Vol. 2, Page 59.

        !LAND: Plat book of Trenton, township 11 north, range 20 east, tract index of section #11, township #11-range 20 east, NE 1/4 of SE 1/4 of range 20. Vol 12, D 187. Daniel Wells Jr to Frank Blecha, Nov. 12, 1860, $470 for 47 acres. Sold to Joseph Blecha Dec 24, 1886 from Frank Blecha and wife [Josepha], for $1,500. Vol. 50, D 223. During a personal visit by Jerry and Rosemarie Konoske in 1996 with Gene and Ruth Blecha it appeared that the house continued to be lived in by current owner.

        !BURIED: During visit by Jerry Konoske on June 9, 1995 obtained following information at Holy Trinity Cemetery, Newburg, WI. The cemetery is located one-half block north and one half block west of Holy Trinity Roman Catholic church. The gravesite marker is a tall six foot gray granite tower with a cross on top. On the bottom, in large letters, is "BLECHA". On the north side of the marker is engraved "Josephine Blecha, Died Feb 1, 1890, Aged 70 yrs 2 mo". On the opposite side is engraved "Frank Blecha, Died July 20, 1899, Aged 88 yrs 2 mo."

        !CENSUS: July 6, 1860 census showed him to be 50 yrs old, M and a farmer, taken at the post office in Myra, Town of Trenton, WI. Value of Real Estate listed as $4511, and personal property as $511. Shows Franz Blecha as being a farmer born in Austria. Living with him were his wife Josepha F 42 born in Austria; John F. M 21, farm laborer, born in Austria; Mary F 14 - Austria; Thomas M 11 - Austria; Josephine F 8 - Austria; Anna, F 5 - Austria. Sheet 539, page 165, line 12. June 1 1880 census, Town of Trenton; Frank Blecha, WM 69 yrs; Josephine WF 61yrs; Joseph WM 17 yrs.

        !1885 Special Census, Town of Trenton, Washington County, WI June 1885. Listed as Frank Blecha, 2 WM's and 1 WF living at the house. Also lists 2 being born in Germany and 1 being born in the US.

        !DIED: July 20, 1899, death certificate #01307.Second copy has number 2746 and 1250753 on it.

    • Sources 
      1. [S3933] U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s, Ancestry.com, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;), Place: New Orleans, Louisiana; Year: 1858; Page Number: 91.

      2. [S3926] Researched by Gerry Konoske.

      3. [S3931] 1880 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;), Year: 1880; Census Place: Trenton, Washington, Wisconsin; Roll: 1450; Family History Film: 1255450; Page: 502A; Enumeration District: 250.

      4. [S3930] Wisconsin, Deaths, 1820-1907, Ancestry.com, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2000;).

      5. [S3932] 1860 United States Federal Census, Ancestry.com, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2009;), Year: 1860; Census Place: Trenton, Washington, Wisconsin; Roll: M653_1438; Page: 489; Image: 495; Family History Library Film: 805438.

      6. [S1258] Old Czech Church Records online, Skorice 07, Page 7 of 175.
        Birth and Death Record for Vaclav Blecha in 1857
        Actual image at: http://www.portafontium.eu/iipimage/30068288/skorice-07_0040-n?x=504&y=396&w=375&h=127


      7. [S1258] Old Czech Church Records online.
        Birth record for Tomas Blecha in 1848
        Actual image at: http://www.portafontium.eu/iipimage/30068287/skorice-06_0230-n?x=44&y=583&w=687&h=232


      8. [S1258] Old Czech Church Records online, Skorice 06, Page 43 of 318.
        Birth record for Jozepha Blechova in 1852
        Actual image at: http://www.portafontium.eu/iipimage/30068287/skorice-06_0430-n?x=32&y=588&w=674&h=228


      9. [S1258] Old Czech Church Records online, Skorice 06, Page 227 of 318.
        Birth record of Anna Blechova in 1854
        Actual image at: http://www.portafontium.eu/iipimage/30068287/skorice-06_2270-n?x=57&y=410&w=674&h=228


      10. [S1258] Old Czech Church Records online, Skorice 13, Page 63 of 180.
        Death record for Barbora Blechova in 1836
        Actual image at: http://www.portafontium.eu/iipimage/30068294/skorice-13_0630-z?x=478&y=158&w=476&h=161


      11. [S1258] Old Czech Church Records online, Skorice 02, Page 33 of 246.
        Birth record for Frantisek Blecha in 1811:
        Actual image at: http://www.portafontium.eu/iipimage/30068283/skorice-02_0330-n?x=474&y=596&w=559&h=189


      12. [S1258] Old Czech Church Records online, Skorice 14, Page 31 of 296, bottom entry.
        Death record for Wenzl Blecha in 1845. Actual image at: http://www.portafontium.eu/iipimage/30068295/skorice-14_0060-z?x=116&y=601&w=507&h=188


      13. [S1258] Old Czech Church Records online, Skorice 09, Page 6 of 91, Right page, #4.
        Marriage record for Vaclav Blecha and Barbora in 1801. Actual image at: http://www.portafontium.eu/iipimage/30068290/skorice-09_0060-o?x=402&y=557&w=662&h=224




      14. [S1258] Old Czech Church Records online, Skorice 10, Page 3 of 64.
        Marriage record for Franisek Blecha and Rozalie in 1835
        Actual image at: http://www.portafontium.eu/iipimage/30068291/skorice-10_0030-o?x=11&y=514&w=817&h=277


      15. [S1258] Old Czech Church Records online, Skorice 10, Page 6 of 64.
        Marriage of Frantisek Blecha and Josepha Bilek in 1837
        Actual image at: http://www.portafontium.eu/iipimage/30068291/skorice-10_0060-o?x=-44&y=535&w=812&h=275