Frantisek "Frank" BLECHA^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]}

1860 - 1912  (51 years)

• Name	Frantisek "Frank" BLECHA  [7, 8]
  Born	7 Oct 1860	House #46, Podmokly, Czech Republic   [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
  		House where Frantisek Blecha was born
  Christened	8 Oct 1860	House #46, Podmokly, Czech Republic   [5, 6, 7]
  Gender	Male
  Immigration	27 Apr 1905	New York, New York
  	Immigrated with family to America
  	Information on the ship manifest when Frank and his family immigrated to this country: The Ship: S.S. Barbarossa, left Bremen Germany on April 11, 1905 and arrived in New York (Ellis Island) April 27, 1905 (16 days) Frank Sr. is listed as a "gardener". His son Rudolf is a "baker". Other son Frank is a "farmer". Frank, his wife (Anna) and all of the older children are listed as being able to read and write. Their last residence was Podmokly. Frank Sr. is listed as bringing $1,500 with him. The manifest states that the family is going to live with "Adolf Blecha in Chicago. Address: 1417 Turner Ave." It states that "Adlof" is Frank's "brother". After living a short time with Adolf, the family moved into 2452 Turner Ave, Chicago.
  		Ellis Island Dedication Certificate for Frantisek and Annastazie Blecha Family As a dedication to my family who came through Ellis Island in 1905, my wife and I made a donation to the Ellis Island Foundation so that an inscription will be made on the Ellis Island Wall of Fame recognizing this family. Any family member will be able to visit Ellis Island to see this inscription. [Inscription should be finished sometime during 2014]
  		Frantisek Blecha and Family Immigration in 1905
  		Barbarossa: Ship that brought Blecha family to U.S. on Apr. 27, 1905
  Immigration	6 Jul 1909	New York, New York   [9]
  	Frantisek returned from a trip back home to Podmokly.
  	As per the article regarding Frantisek's death in the Denni Hlasatel, I confirmed that Frantisek returned to his home in Bohemia. He returned back to the US on July 6, 1909 through Ellis Island on the Kronprinzessin Cecilie having departed from Bremen. In that manifest he is listed as 38 yrs. old [but he was really 48] and single. On this manifest, it says he was returning from Lhotka, Radnice where his brother Josef lived.
  		1909 Ship Manifest for Frank Blecha
  		Kronprinzessin Celilce The ship that brought Frantisek Blecha back to America in 1909
  Other	Apr 1912	Chicago, Cook County, Illinois   [10]
  	Frank's estate is probated and handed to Anna.
  		Frank Blecha Probate in 1912
  Died	17 Apr 1912	2727 S. Christiana Ave., Chicago, Cook County, Illinois   [1, 11]
  	Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre1916 BLECHA, FRANK 04/17/1912 CHICAGO 51 YR U 00011918 COOK Information contained on the Death Certificate of Frank Blecha states: "Strangulation due to the deceased hanging himself with suicidal intent while temporarily insane." The address was 2727 S. Turner Avenue. He died on April 17, 1912 and was buried on April 19, 1912. John Blecha provided the information for the Death Certificate. As best as we can read the certificate, it states that his father's name was John Blecha, born in Bohemia. We cannot read the mother's maiden name. DEATH: He hung himself. Tradition has it that he came home from work on day an had an argument with Annastazie, his wife, and he hit her. She fell and hit her head and was unconscious on the floor. He saw the blood, and thinking he had killed her, he went upstairs and hung himself. The home address was 2727 S Turner Ave. However, a newspaper article in the Denni Hlasatel gave a much more clear picture of this attempted murder and suicide.
  		Death Certificate 1912
  		Home purchased by Annastazie Blecha in 1909 and where Frantisek Blecha hung himself. This was 2727 S. Turner Ave, Chicago, but it was renamed to 2727 S. Christiana Ave.
  		Blecha House in Chicago
  Buried	19 Apr 1912	Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA   [1]
  	He was buried at first in a rental grave. He was later reburied on Nov. 7, 1920 From R1, 485 6. He is currently buried in Lot 86, section 19, plot 3. BURIAL: He was buried in 1912 in a "rental grave" at the Bohemian National Cem. in Chicago, IL, Gr. R1 Lot 485, blk 6. The Undertaker was J. T. Chrastka. He was later moved to Lot 86 - 19, sec. 6 on Nov. 7, 1920 after that plot was purchased by Anastazie on Dec. 31, 1919. His original interment # was 28482.
  		Headstone for Frantisek, Annastazie & Jaroslav Blecha Bohemian National Cemetery
  Person ID	I746	Blecha/McDaniel
  Last Modified	1 Feb 2018

  
  

  Father	Jan BLECHA,   b. 30 Jul 1827, Kladruby No. 30, Bohemia ,   d. 9 Feb 1900, Podmokly No. 115, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia  (Age 72 years)
  Mother	Annastazie HULKOVA,   b. 8 Oct 1832, House #46, Podmokly, Czech Republic ,   d. 30 Aug 1895, House #46, Podmokly, Czech Republic  (Age 62 years)
  Married	20 Oct 1856	Zvikovec, Bohemia   [12, 13]
  Notes	In the marriage record for Jan, it appears that his father is listed as Vaclav, but this has to be the same son of Frantisek from Kladruby 30. [13]
  Family ID	F527	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Annastazie SOMMROVA,   b. 27 Apr 1863, Podmokly 79, Podmokly, Ceská republika ,   d. 5 Jan 1946, 3314 W. Walnut Street, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois  (Age 82 years)
  Married	27 Jan 1885	House #46, Podmokly, Czech Republic   [4, 14, 15]
  	Type: Catholic
  	Marriage record of Frantisek Blecha and Anastázie Sommerová Parish register of Zvíkovec No. 6, book of marriages, 1765-1905 Page: 524-525 Year, month, day of wedding: Jan 27, 1885 Priest: Frantisek Strnad, parish priest Place: Podmokly No. 46 Bridegroom: FRANTISEK BLECHA, son of Jan Blecha, farmer from Podmokly No. 46, and mother Annastasie H?lková from Podmokly No. 46 Age: 24 years old; 7.10.1860 Religion: Catholic Unmarried Place: Podmokly No. 79 Bride: ANNASTASIE SOMMROVÁ, daughter of Josef Sommr, farmer from Podmokly No. 79, and mother + Barbora Fronková from Podmokly No. 14 Age: 21 years old; 27.4.1863 Religion: Catholic Unmarried Witnesses: Václav Albrecht, farmer; Václav Týsl, cottager, both from Podmokly Notes: Jozef Somr, consenting father of bride; Jan Slapni?ka farmer from Podmokly, witness; Jozef Hlad, verger, witness; baptisms of both in baptismal parish register IV, p. 239 and 291 Language of record: Czech
  Children	1. Barbora BLECHOVA,   b. 23 Sep 1882, Podmokly 79, Podmokly, Ceská republika ,   d. 21 Jan 1883, Podmokly 79, Podmokly, Ceská republika  (Age 0 years) + 2. Frantisek "Frank" Xaverska BLECHA,   b. 2 Dec 1883, Podmokly 79, Podmokly, Ceská republika ,   d. 27 Sep 1960, Cook County, Illinois  (Age 76 years)   3. Anna BLECHOVA,   b. 19 Jul 1885, Podmokly 79, Podmokly, Ceská republika ,   d. 15 Jan 1886, Podmokly No. 115, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia  (Age 0 years) + 4. Rudolf (Rudolph) BLECHA,   b. 8 Sep 1887, Podmokly No. 115, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia ,   d. 28 May 1971, Ogden, Weber, Utah, USA  (Age 83 years) + 5. Marie "Mary" BLECHA,   b. 29 Dec 1890, Podmokly No. 115, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia ,   d. 27 Oct 1974, Cicero, Cook Co., Illinois  (Age 83 years) + 6. Jan "John" F BLECHA,   b. 13 May 1892, Podmokly No. 115, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia ,   d. 7 Sep 1968, Elmhurst, Cook, IL  (Age 76 years) + 7. Vaclav "James" BLECHA,   b. 3 Jun 1894, Podmokly No. 115, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia ,   d. 20 Mar 1947, 4010 S. Prairie Ave., Brookfield, Cook County, Illinois  (Age 52 years)   8. Josef BLECHA,   b. 17 Mar 1897, Podmokly No. 115, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia ,   d. 5 Aug 1898, Podmokly No. 115, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia  (Age 1 years)   9. Anton BLECHA,   b. 26 Jul 1898, Podmokly No. 115, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia ,   d. 25 Nov 1919, 2727 S. Christiana Ave., Chicago, Cook County, Illinois  (Age 21 years) + 10. Blanche BLECHA,   b. 17 Jun 1900, Podmokly No. 115, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia ,   d. 1 Nov 1979, Cicero, Cook Co., Illinois  (Age 79 years) + 11. Joseph BLECHA,   b. 17 Apr 1903, Podmokly No. 115, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia ,   d. 20 May 1988, Berwyn, Cook County, Illinois  (Age 85 years)   12. Jaroslav BLECHA,   b. 16 Jan 1907, 1339 South Christiana Ave., Chicago, Cook County, Illinois ,   d. 29 Oct 1907, 1339 South Christiana Ave., Chicago, Cook County, Illinois  (Age 0 years)
  Last Modified	5 Sep 2014
  Family ID	F525	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 7 Oct 1860 - House #46, Podmokly, Czech Republic Christened - 8 Oct 1860 - House #46, Podmokly, Czech Republic Married - Type: Catholic - 27 Jan 1885 - House #46, Podmokly, Czech Republic Immigration - Immigrated with family to America - 27 Apr 1905 - New York, New York Immigration - Frantisek returned from a trip back home to Podmokly. - 6 Jul 1909 - New York, New York Other - Frank's estate is probated and handed to Anna. - Apr 1912 - Chicago, Cook County, Illinois Died - 17 Apr 1912 - 2727 S. Christiana Ave., Chicago, Cook County, Illinois Buried - 19 Apr 1912 - Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Frank Blecha
  		Frantisek Blecha Suicide Daily Tribune April 18, 1912
  		Frank Blecha English Denni Hlasatal with Footnote.pdf

  
  

  Documents

  Frantisek Blecha News Article Apr 18 1912

  
  

  Albums

  Frantisek Blecha Suicide April 17, 1912 (8) This album contains images of the actual newspaper articles describing the suicide of Frantisek Blecha in 1912. It was big news in the Czech papers in Chicago, but it was minor news in the English papers because the Titanic had also just sunk and that news outshadowed the Blecha story.

  
  

• Notes

  Parish register of Zvíkovec No. 4, book of baptisms, 1850-1868 Page: 238-239 Date of birth: Oct 7, 1860 Date of baptism: Oct 8, 1860 Baptizing priest: Josef Dvorák, parish priest Name of a child: FRANTISEK Religion: Catholic Gender: male Legitimate Father: Jan Blecha, tenant from Podmokly No. 46, son of + Frantisek Blecha from Suchomelka by Pra?ný Újezd, and Anna Bornová from Bujesily Mother: Annastasie, daughter of + Ján Hulka, tenant from Podmokly No. 46, and Marie Richterowa from Podmokly No. 46 Place and house number: Podmokly No. 46 Godparents: Václav Tjsl, tenant from Podmokly No. 53; Anna Hulkowa from No. 33, housekeeper at parsonage Midwife: Johana Thorowa from Zvikovec, examined Language of record: Czech Interesting Note: Frantisek and Annastazie were godparents in 1901 to Jan Andrse, son of Vaclava Andres, in Podmokly. In May of 2010 during our visit to Podmokly, we met the lady who is the daughter of this Jan, and she provided us with a copy of the god-parent paper.

  
  

• Sources

  [S495] Frank Blecha's Death Certificate (State of Illinois) 1912. [S493] Anastasia Blecha's Death Certificate, State of Illinois (1946). [S496] Ellis Island Record: Arrived April 27, 1905 (New York) on S.S. Barbarossa from Bremen. [S832] Parish register of Zvikovec No. 6, book of marriages, 1765-1905. [S833] Parish register of Zvikovec No. 4, book of baptisms, 1850-1868, p.238. [S917] Parish register of Zvikovec No. 4 book of baptisms, 1850-1868., (As stored in the archives in Plzen, Czech Republic), 238-239. [S1267] Czech Church Records for Birth Death Marriage, Zvikovec 04, Page 122 of 205. Actual Image at: http://www.portafontium.cz/iipimage/30070547/zvikovec-04_1220-n [S1795] Czech Church Records for Marriages, Birth, Deaths, Zvikovec 08, Page 250, entry 3. Birth record for My Grandfather, Vaclav Blecha, in 1894 Actual image at: http://www.portafontium.cz/iipimage/30070551/zvikovec-08_2500-n?x=107&y=309&w=568&h=205 [S913] Ellis Island Record: Arrived July 6, 1909 on Krouprin Zessin Cecelie from Bremen. [S1712] Probate documents for Frank Blecha in 1912. [S175] Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre–1916. [S1169] Jan Zajicek Email. [S1795] Czech Church Records for Marriages, Birth, Deaths, Zvikovec 06, Page 211 of 283, Bottom entry. Marriage record for Jan Blecha and Anna Hulkova in 1856 Actual image at: http://www.portafontium.cz/iipimage/30070549/zvikovec-06_2110-o?x=17&y=657&w=429&h=147 [S182] 1910; Census Place: Chicago Ward 12, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_254; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 623; Image: 712. [S530] 1930 Census.