You marry the widow of Franciscus Babinec who has 9 children in 1745. You have one child with your wife in 1747, and no others (probably because she is getting on in years and no longer in a fertile stage of life). In 1755, your wife predeceases you. 5 of her children from her first…
Author: Kate Challis
Do you want to inherit…goat cheese?
I am translating a land record and I saw something that made me laugh. “jedne hever dvoje šýrý” Google translate had this coming up as: “one two jack cheeses.” To me, this sounded like “pepperjack cheese.” Yum yum. But I was seriously confused. It doesn’t really make sense to inherit…cheese. Especially because this was listed…
Look at the Historical Map, Duh!
Hindsight is always 20-20. Czech people married in the bride’s parish of origin, and frequently began their married life in the groom’s parish of origin. I knew where the groom was from. Mniší. I knew the bride’s first name, but not her surname (her maiden name). After they married, they went back to Mniší to…
Church Record Sunday: Jan Valum-Ann Rekelna Marriage in Merklín,1698
Here is a direct link to the original image. Transcription Z Merklýna 23 9bier [1698] Potvrzen jest Wstavu [v stavu] smateho Manželstvypocztívy Mladenecz Jan Valum, S Anau RekelnauSmiedkome Waclaw Kottna, Josef Jelynek,Potvrzeni oddnajuzti hodneho P. Patera Ssymona Janotyv Pýesnelyzch. TranslationIn Merklín 23 November [1698] [I] confirmed in the state of marriageHonest lad Jan Valum with An[n]…
March Blog Goals
Here’s my very meta-blogging post for you that is probably not going to be that interesting. I apologize in advance. Here are my blog/research goals for March: Blog every day! Answer at least 5 genealogy related emails every day! I am so backed up! I really apologize, blah blah blah. Seriously though. I feel embarrassed…
Puzzilla.org
Have you checked out puzzilla.org yet? It is a really cool tool that uses the familysearch API to let you look at your family in a new way. It looks like a spiderweb, but it can really help you visualize where there are gaps in your research, and where you should focus.
1755 “Deflorata”
Wenceslaus, born 1 March 1755 in Vlčovice to Barbara Kladivi. After her name is the Latin note: “de-florata” which means, “deflowered, no longer a virgin.” I had assumed this meant “raped” but I suppose there are multiple scenarios, and the actual meaning of this word does not let us know what exactly happened, except that…
Přemysl the Ploughman
I came across an interesting Czech legend about a man named Přemysl. From wikipedia: According to a legend, Přemysl was a peasant of the village of Stadice who attracted the notice of Libuše, daughter of a certain Krok, who ruled over a large part of Bohemia. Libuše succeeded her father, and her councillors demanded that she married, but because…
Ultimogeniture
Apparently Czechs practiced ultimogeniture, which is “the tradition of inheritance by the last-born of the entirety of, or a privileged position in, a parent’s wealth, estate or office” according to Wikipedia. So, before the laws passed allowing land to be subdivided (circa ~1850), the youngest son would inherit the father’s house. I wonder if this pertains…
Uhersko, Banat
Yesterday, feeling frustrated, I contacted several of my Czech research contacts. Dr. Josef Šimíček emailed me back. He is a genius. He has written volumes and volumes of books that pertain to the exact area that I am researching, about the emigrants from the Moravian Czech lands to the United States, and mostly to Texas….