The following was found in a book at the Nebraska State Historical Society entitled "Bohemian Settlements In Nebraska" which appears to be a collection of translations of Bohemian newspaper articles, some cited, most not. Transcribed by Linda Berney:
Reminiscences of Frank Karnik, Dodge, Nebraska -
I came to Nebraska, to Fremont, October 1, 1877. Nowadays the trip is much shorter and pleasanter, it was not so then. The old pioneers were good hearted, they were willing to help others, although they had nothing themselves. We came to the farm of Ignac Vlasak, thirty miles northwest of Fremont. He had a large family, and they lived in a dug out, but they welcomed us with open arms and for two weeks we enjoyed their hospitality. thanks be to him! A number of Bohemians were settled in the vicinity and I wanted to be near my own kind, but no homesteads were to be had any more so I bought 80 acres, to be paid for in ten years. The first payment took all the money I had. How was I to build a home? Two neighbors came, one with a team, the other with a breaking plow. One plowed up building material, the other planned the house and then we began. In three days our "residence" was ready, together with home made furniture. I bought a cow and two old Texas oxen, owing for them, and I made a sleigh on which I rode summer and winter.
The next year I broke 20 acres in May and June and July my wife and I worked for a neighbor, tying bundles of grain. The third year I sowed the 20 acres and broke 20 more. The grain was fine, but the grasshoppers finished it in two hours. The fourth year I sowed 40 acres and when the crop began to get green, the grasshoppers began to hatch and in a month nothing was left. What now? It was still time to plant more corn, but there was no seed. I heard that a car of corn had been brought to town, so several neighbors went there and bought corn in the ear at $1.60 bushel. To buy two bushels took all the money I had. After planting came cold rains and the crop rotted. Four years of lost time and effort! How to get seed for spring? How to get food, shoes, clothing? That was a question I could not answer.
People were leaving the country, they wanted to sell but ther were no buyers. But I gathered courage and thought of my two strong hands. The State of Nebraska offered help to the needy, but the Bohemians were timid and did not ask for it. Some few that did got nothing. The Bohemians are good to work and pay others, but they do not get much appreciation in return. I managed to get some seed and planted it, the crop was good and was followed by other good crops, which we took to town sixteen and twenty miles with our oxen. Corn sold for 10 and 11 cents per bushel, wheat 35 cents per bushel, hogs $1.75 per hundred. If we had an accident on the way and were obliged to spend the night in town, we had hardly enough left, after selling, to buy half a gallon of molasses and a package of coffee. We had to sell at any price. No one had credit, we had to pay. When a farmer wants to go to market now, he asks the price by telephone. If the price is low, he does not sell, because he does not have to, he has money now. If he has not money, he has credit and he has business knowledge that enables him to wait for better prices.
Times grew better, eventually I bought 200 more acres, and some of our countrymen more. Where you saw sod houses you now see fine residences and surrounding buildings that look like half a village in Bohemia, to say nothing about stock and poultry. Where we used to ride slowly, even in sleighs in summer, you see our grandsons shoot around in automobiles. Land sells for several hundred dollars per acre.
[The rest of the article talked about changes in education, etc from the old days. He ended by stating, "I am quite satisfied with the fruits of my efforts."]
Reminiscences of Frank Karnik, Dodge, Nebraska -
I came to Nebraska, to Fremont, October 1, 1877. Nowadays the trip is much shorter and pleasanter, it was not so then. The old pioneers were good hearted, they were willing to help others, although they had nothing themselves. We came to the farm of Ignac Vlasak, thirty miles northwest of Fremont. He had a large family, and they lived in a dug out, but they welcomed us with open arms and for two weeks we enjoyed their hospitality. thanks be to him! A number of Bohemians were settled in the vicinity and I wanted to be near my own kind, but no homesteads were to be had any more so I bought 80 acres, to be paid for in ten years. The first payment took all the money I had. How was I to build a home? Two neighbors came, one with a team, the other with a breaking plow. One plowed up building material, the other planned the house and then we began. In three days our "residence" was ready, together with home made furniture. I bought a cow and two old Texas oxen, owing for them, and I made a sleigh on which I rode summer and winter.
The next year I broke 20 acres in May and June and July my wife and I worked for a neighbor, tying bundles of grain. The third year I sowed the 20 acres and broke 20 more. The grain was fine, but the grasshoppers finished it in two hours. The fourth year I sowed 40 acres and when the crop began to get green, the grasshoppers began to hatch and in a month nothing was left. What now? It was still time to plant more corn, but there was no seed. I heard that a car of corn had been brought to town, so several neighbors went there and bought corn in the ear at $1.60 bushel. To buy two bushels took all the money I had. After planting came cold rains and the crop rotted. Four years of lost time and effort! How to get seed for spring? How to get food, shoes, clothing? That was a question I could not answer.
People were leaving the country, they wanted to sell but ther were no buyers. But I gathered courage and thought of my two strong hands. The State of Nebraska offered help to the needy, but the Bohemians were timid and did not ask for it. Some few that did got nothing. The Bohemians are good to work and pay others, but they do not get much appreciation in return. I managed to get some seed and planted it, the crop was good and was followed by other good crops, which we took to town sixteen and twenty miles with our oxen. Corn sold for 10 and 11 cents per bushel, wheat 35 cents per bushel, hogs $1.75 per hundred. If we had an accident on the way and were obliged to spend the night in town, we had hardly enough left, after selling, to buy half a gallon of molasses and a package of coffee. We had to sell at any price. No one had credit, we had to pay. When a farmer wants to go to market now, he asks the price by telephone. If the price is low, he does not sell, because he does not have to, he has money now. If he has not money, he has credit and he has business knowledge that enables him to wait for better prices.
Times grew better, eventually I bought 200 more acres, and some of our countrymen more. Where you saw sod houses you now see fine residences and surrounding buildings that look like half a village in Bohemia, to say nothing about stock and poultry. Where we used to ride slowly, even in sleighs in summer, you see our grandsons shoot around in automobiles. Land sells for several hundred dollars per acre.
[The rest of the article talked about changes in education, etc from the old days. He ended by stating, "I am quite satisfied with the fruits of my efforts."]
The following was found in a book at the Nebraska State Historical Society entitled "Bohemian Settlements In Nebraska" which appears to be a collection of translations of Bohemian newspaper articles, some cited, most not. Transcribed by Linda Berney:
Reminiscences of Frank Karnik, Dodge, Nebraska -
I came to Nebraska, to Fremont, October 1, 1877. Nowadays the trip is much shorter and pleasanter, it was not so then. The old pioneers were good hearted, they were willing to help others, although they had nothing themselves. We came to the farm of Ignac Vlasak, thirty miles northwest of Fremont. He had a large family, and they lived in a dug out, but they welcomed us with open arms and for two weeks we enjoyed their hospitality. thanks be to him! A number of Bohemians were settled in the vicinity and I wanted to be near my own kind, but no homesteads were to be had any more so I bought 80 acres, to be paid for in ten years. The first payment took all the money I had. How was I to build a home? Two neighbors came, one with a team, the other with a breaking plow. One plowed up building material, the other planned the house and then we began. In three days our "residence" was ready, together with home made furniture. I bought a cow and two old Texas oxen, owing for them, and I made a sleigh on which I rode summer and winter.
The next year I broke 20 acres in May and June and July my wife and I worked for a neighbor, tying bundles of grain. The third year I sowed the 20 acres and broke 20 more. The grain was fine, but the grasshoppers finished it in two hours. The fourth year I sowed 40 acres and when the crop began to get green, the grasshoppers began to hatch and in a month nothing was left. What now? It was still time to plant more corn, but there was no seed. I heard that a car of corn had been brought to town, so several neighbors went there and bought corn in the ear at $1.60 bushel. To buy two bushels took all the money I had. After planting came cold rains and the crop rotted. Four years of lost time and effort! How to get seed for spring? How to get food, shoes, clothing? That was a question I could not answer.
People were leaving the country, they wanted to sell but ther were no buyers. But I gathered courage and thought of my two strong hands. The State of Nebraska offered help to the needy, but the Bohemians were timid and did not ask for it. Some few that did got nothing. The Bohemians are good to work and pay others, but they do not get much appreciation in return. I managed to get some seed and planted it, the crop was good and was followed by other good crops, which we took to town sixteen and twenty miles with our oxen. Corn sold for 10 and 11 cents per bushel, wheat 35 cents per bushel, hogs $1.75 per hundred. If we had an accident on the way and were obliged to spend the night in town, we had hardly enough left, after selling, to buy half a gallon of molasses and a package of coffee. We had to sell at any price. No one had credit, we had to pay. When a farmer wants to go to market now, he asks the price by telephone. If the price is low, he does not sell, because he does not have to, he has money now. If he has not money, he has credit and he has business knowledge that enables him to wait for better prices.
Times grew better, eventually I bought 200 more acres, and some of our countrymen more. Where you saw sod houses you now see fine residences and surrounding buildings that look like half a village in Bohemia, to say nothing about stock and poultry. Where we used to ride slowly, even in sleighs in summer, you see our grandsons shoot around in automobiles. Land sells for several hundred dollars per acre.
[The rest of the article talked about changes in education, etc from the old days. He ended by stating, "I am quite satisfied with the fruits of my efforts."]
Reminiscences of Frank Karnik, Dodge, Nebraska -
I came to Nebraska, to Fremont, October 1, 1877. Nowadays the trip is much shorter and pleasanter, it was not so then. The old pioneers were good hearted, they were willing to help others, although they had nothing themselves. We came to the farm of Ignac Vlasak, thirty miles northwest of Fremont. He had a large family, and they lived in a dug out, but they welcomed us with open arms and for two weeks we enjoyed their hospitality. thanks be to him! A number of Bohemians were settled in the vicinity and I wanted to be near my own kind, but no homesteads were to be had any more so I bought 80 acres, to be paid for in ten years. The first payment took all the money I had. How was I to build a home? Two neighbors came, one with a team, the other with a breaking plow. One plowed up building material, the other planned the house and then we began. In three days our "residence" was ready, together with home made furniture. I bought a cow and two old Texas oxen, owing for them, and I made a sleigh on which I rode summer and winter.
The next year I broke 20 acres in May and June and July my wife and I worked for a neighbor, tying bundles of grain. The third year I sowed the 20 acres and broke 20 more. The grain was fine, but the grasshoppers finished it in two hours. The fourth year I sowed 40 acres and when the crop began to get green, the grasshoppers began to hatch and in a month nothing was left. What now? It was still time to plant more corn, but there was no seed. I heard that a car of corn had been brought to town, so several neighbors went there and bought corn in the ear at $1.60 bushel. To buy two bushels took all the money I had. After planting came cold rains and the crop rotted. Four years of lost time and effort! How to get seed for spring? How to get food, shoes, clothing? That was a question I could not answer.
People were leaving the country, they wanted to sell but ther were no buyers. But I gathered courage and thought of my two strong hands. The State of Nebraska offered help to the needy, but the Bohemians were timid and did not ask for it. Some few that did got nothing. The Bohemians are good to work and pay others, but they do not get much appreciation in return. I managed to get some seed and planted it, the crop was good and was followed by other good crops, which we took to town sixteen and twenty miles with our oxen. Corn sold for 10 and 11 cents per bushel, wheat 35 cents per bushel, hogs $1.75 per hundred. If we had an accident on the way and were obliged to spend the night in town, we had hardly enough left, after selling, to buy half a gallon of molasses and a package of coffee. We had to sell at any price. No one had credit, we had to pay. When a farmer wants to go to market now, he asks the price by telephone. If the price is low, he does not sell, because he does not have to, he has money now. If he has not money, he has credit and he has business knowledge that enables him to wait for better prices.
Times grew better, eventually I bought 200 more acres, and some of our countrymen more. Where you saw sod houses you now see fine residences and surrounding buildings that look like half a village in Bohemia, to say nothing about stock and poultry. Where we used to ride slowly, even in sleighs in summer, you see our grandsons shoot around in automobiles. Land sells for several hundred dollars per acre.
[The rest of the article talked about changes in education, etc from the old days. He ended by stating, "I am quite satisfied with the fruits of my efforts."]
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