Memorials › Frantisek Migl

Frantisek Migl

1 Apr 1827 – 3 Feb 1915

Birth	1 Apr 1827
Death	3 Feb 1915
Cemetery	Praha Catholic Cemetery Praha , Fayette County , Texas , USA
Added by	Duwain Pingenot on 26 Dec 2021
FaG	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/97786868

Bio

Published in January 1926, in the "Ceske Zena" (Czech Woman) in Saint Louis, Missouri. Translated from Czech to English in 1949 by granddaughter, Marie Migl Kryistynik. Edited and typed in 1985, and digitized in 2012 by great-great-grandson, Duwain J. Pingenot. Frantisek Migl was born April 1, 1827, in Jama*, county of Budejovice, in Bohemia, where German was the spoken language. At the age of seven he worked for a farmer by taking cows from the village to the outskirts of the village to graze for the day, for which he was paid clothing and board. This was from spring until winter. For the winter he was at home and only then was he able to attend the German school regularly. When Frantisek was 11 he got a job as a helping hand to a farmer in a Czech community on the other side of Netolice, about 25 miles from his home. There he learned the Czech language and to read and write which he accomplished in a short time. As he grew older he started thinking of marriage but realized his poor parents could not help him and he had nothing himself. However, he kept his thoughts of marriage and began looking around for a hard working, religious girl who would be willing to give him her hand. At a dance in Dubenec he met Johana Jezek. They courted and later were married. She was the youngest child of a large poor family, which meant she had no dowry so they started with hope and faith in God. They lived with her parents for three years during which time, Marie, their first child was born. When Johana's father died they moved to a rented farm place where they both worked to pay the rent. The farmer gave them a piece of land to plant potatoes as was the custom. Soon after they were married the area of Bohemia and Moravia suffered severe crop failures for several years; however, Frantisek managed by working in the winter making straw shingles for roofs, repairing tubs and cisterns and weaving baskets, both large and small. For this he was paid in food. Many people died of starvation during this time. People lived mainly on potatoes, with cabbage, mush, barley and foods made of flour. Sometimes Frantisek was given a small piece of pork but this was seldom. After three years of crop failures the fourth was plentiful. Anna, the second child was born April 13, 1853, and Jan was also born while they lived there. In 1855 they moved to Lekarova Lhota (near Netolice) where Frantisek worked as a carpenter's helper building a church. Six more children were born while they lived there and even though they were provided for it took all the money to clothe and feed the family. Frantisek had faith in God and every day he prayed for his benefactors who gave him work so that he could keep himself and his family healthy. The miller, from whom Frantisek rented for nine years often laughed at him and said, "You and your whole family can pray even more and God will still not give you a farm." Good, religious grandmother [Johana] told her children, "Children, we are poor, but as long as we remain faithful to God and humble, we will get along and we will still be rich. Dear children, if you were to grow up in poverty always live honestly. Never take even the smallest thing from anyone. Remember that even poverty comes from God. He blessed the rich more than the poor so that they could employ the poor. If everyone were rich it would be worse on this earth than it is now. Also, never envy anyone anything. If you should someday have your own land and your neighbor should have a better crop, be glad that at least someone has a good crop and will have something to sell to others and the cost of living will not be so high." Grandfather's family with all their poverty, were happy and satisfied. Yes, much more satisfied than the miller, who was very dissatisfied because always, when the stork flew over the mill it took a child to grandfather's little cottage and not to the well-to-do miller's home where a child would have been welcomed. After 11 years in Lekarova Lhota they moved to Kral's [farm] at Poderiste where a girl was born but soon died. Two years later they moved to Holiks [farm] where Theresa, the last of 11 children was born. As a child reached seven years of age they usually went to work as a cattle tender or a babysitter for which they were paid board. Only after they were older and could do heavier work were they paid some money that could help feed and clothe the younger children through winter. In about 1868 six of the children were working as helpers in different homes. The oldest, Marie, was working in a neighboring village in the household of Mr. Frank Pesek. Many families in the area were getting ready to come to America, including Mr. Pesek, his mother and grandmother. [They did come to Texas and in later years Frank was Tax Assessor in Lavaca County.] While working for the Peseks, Mrs. Pesek, who liked Marie, kept trying to convince her to go to America with them. Marie declined the invitation to go to America with the excuse she did not know where she could get the money. Mrs. Pesek kept after her and advised her to go to her parents and ask to borrow the money for the fare. Finally Marie gave in and went home. However, as soon as she told her parents why she had come they told her it was impossible and to get the idea out of her head. The fare would be about 100 zlatys and where were they to get it? They told her to be satisfied where she was. Marie returned to her work dissatisfied. It seemed to her that it was the will of God that she go to America and the more she thought about it the more a sort of silent voice seemed to say to her, "Go to America. Do not be afraid of anything. It is for the good of the whole family." It seemed to her that it was her duty to help her dear parents, brothers and sisters to an easier life than they had or could have if they stayed in the old country. This gave her heart and she no longer thought of herself; no longer did she fear the distance from her parents, brothers and sisters. She kept thinking, "Help them get to America where a better life is waiting for them." Soon she got ready to go back to her parents with the plea that they give her permission and get the necessary money to pay her way to America. She explained to them her plans, how according to letters from America, she could expect enough pay that in a year's time she could pay back her fare and still have enough money to pay the fare for one of her brothers or sisters. When two of them would already be there they could make enough in a year to pay the way for two or three more, and so in three, or at most, four years, they could all be in America. This plan, the faith and confidence of his daughter, caused Grandfather to reconsider, plan and figure. He remembered that his brother-in-law, John Bubl, the husband of Johana Migl's sister, had some money if he would lend it to him. John lent the money and Frantisek told his daughter, Marie, to go with God to seek fortune for herself and her whole family in far away America. In 1870 she departed. The parents prayed fervently every day for her safety and anxiously awaited her promised letter, which the better educated Mr. Pesek was to write for her. After long waiting the letter finally arrived. She wrote how long the time on the ship was for her, how it seemed to her that the ocean was endless, and how happy everyone was when one day, as if in welcome, a small bird flew to the ship and perched on the mast. Everyone wanted to see the bird, seemingly a symbol of freedom from the long dangerous and tiring trip. Grandfather Migl was very surprised and comforted when he read in a letter that his daughter, Marie, was employed by the Jares family. Frantisek had also worked for them at the time the Jares' were preparing to leave for America. Now his daughter had found a home with them in Mulberry (now Praha) Texas. Marie soon felt at home with them and in later years Mr. Jares often remembered Marie's father and he praised him as a very dependable, honest and good helper. Marie worked and saved every cent just so she could make good her promise to her parents that within a year she would pay the debt to her Uncle Bubl and the fare to America for her sister, Anna. In the meantime she married the Jares' oldest son, Lawrence. Later they moved to Sweet Home where they lived for many years. Before a year had passed, Marie, together with her husband, sent her parents the promised amount of money and in October 1871, Anna came to America. She started working in the home of a German doctor about five miles east of present Flatonia where, besides the doctor, was a general store and a blacksmith shop. Within a year Anna and Marie had saved enough for 15-year-old Magdalena's passage and Lawrence and Marie Jares paid for 14-year-old Katerina's fare. Jan's (17 years old) passage was paid for by the doctor's father-in-law, Mr. Bale, who farmed 50 acres of land and who needed Jan to work for him. On November 12, 1872, the three children arrived in America where Katerina lived with Marie and her husband for two years and then worked in different homes until she married. Jan and Magdalena worked for Mr. Bale during which time they had difficulty with the German language that was spoken in the community. Later they learned to speak English, which made it easier for them. At the end of a year Jan and his brother-in-law, Lawrence Jares, decided to rent a piece of land from Mr. Jares (Lawrence's father) and work it together. The three sisters continued to work in the homes for others. In a little over a year enough money had been saved so that Marie's plan of reuniting the family in America could be fulfilled. Frantisek and Johana Migl, along with their daughter, Rosalie, paid full fare. Tomas, Frantisek and Josef's fare was one-half and the youngest, Terezie, was too young to pay; however, she entertained all the passengers by dancing on deck. They arrived in Galveston on the third Sunday in October, 1874, after the feast of Saint Theresa, which in the old country is a special day of thanksgiving. The reunion after years of separation is difficult to put into words or to describe. Frantisek, Johana and their five children arrived in Flatonia during the night. On the way from Flatonia they had to pass by the home of Mr. Pesek, who with his mother, were waiting for them. They both begged the Migls so sincerely, to get down from the wagon and stay a while, that all the excuses that Marie was at home burning with anxiety and desire to kiss her dear mother and hold and kiss the work-worn hand of her beloved father were to no avail. They stayed a short visit, with the promise to get together the next Sunday, which they did. They wished the reunion could go on and on but realizing that was not possible they promised that they would come home each year to where the Migls would be living. That was the birth of the Migl family reunion. Each year they would meet regardless of distance, weather, and in horse and buggy days with poor roads, it created a hardship; however, the reward was worth the effort. Frantisek [Frank] Migl rented some land from his former employer in the old country, Mr. Jares, Sr., and he worked hard so he could buy his own land. After six years they purchased 100 acres of untilled land three miles south of Praha at $8.00 per acre and after six more years they added 60 acres at $10.00 per acre. In later years when Frank was getting too old to farm, the children decided to have the reunion alternately at their respective homes. On October 19, 1924, the Migls celebrated (without a break) their 50th reunion in America. However, Frank and Johana were no longer living. Johana died in 1903 at the age of 73 and Frank died in 1915 at almost age of 88. They are both resting in peace in the Praha cemetery. May the eternal light shine on them and may they rest in peace. * Dobcice, Bohemia The 50th jubilee was planned on a big scale. It was held at Alois Kallus' at Wied, Texas, in a dance hall, which was protected in case of rain. A church was nearby for those who wished to attend Mass. At 9 a. m. on Sunday morning people were coming from all directions as if it were a large parish celebration. Of 60 descendant families, 53 were represented at the reunion and of 311 descendants, 275 were present. Although they were descendants of the Migl's, many had to get acquainted with each other. The celebration with food and reunion lasted until evening, and was enjoyed by those in attendance. In the afternoon a photograph was taken of the group, which measured four feet in length. In the evening dancing was enjoyed by all, the kind of dance that Frantisek and Johana enjoyed when they first met at a dance in Dubenec. The story could end here; however, it is interesting to know more about the Migl children, especially knowing that among them they had 94 children. Most of the information on the children probably reflects their status in 1924. Marie was happily married to Lawrence Jaresh [Jares] and lived at Sweet Home, Texas with four of their seven children in good circumstances. Anna married Frank Jakubik, a schoolteacher. Later he bought the "Obzor" newspaper in Hallettsville, Texas and made it a Catholic weekly, the Novy Domov which he edited until his death on Christmas eve in 1904, and was buried in the Catholic cemetery in Yoakum. Anna not too long afterwards sold the newspaper and moved to her farm on the outskirts of Yoakum where she still lives. Of their 15 children, 10 are still living. One became a nun in the order of Incarnate Word in Victoria, Sister M. Aloisia, and a granddaughter, Sister M. Cecilia Smykal, is a nun in the same order. John married Marie, daughter of Kaspar Holub who was the caretaker of the cemetery at the village in the old country where most of the Migl children were born. After 30 years of married life she passed away and is buried in the Catholic cemetery in Praha. Of 13 children, five preceded her in death and their adult daughter, Anastasia, passed away after the death of her mother. Anastasia had been married five years to Jos Koudelka and left four small children. After three years John married again. His wife was the former Anastasia Koudelka and together they now have six children. For that reason they feel they will have their own help for a long time. Magdalen was married to Lawrence Jaresh's brother, Frank, and she passed away in 1907, leaving her husband and four small children. Katerina married Ludvik Horak, who after a number of years of married life died, and was buried in the Catholic cemetery in Praha, and Katerina later married Jan Dostalik with whom she lived a number of years, now both resting in peace in Praha. Four children from each marriage are all on their own. Rosalie married Joseph Hybner. They are now living in retirement in Shiner. Their two sons live with their families on their father's farm. All three of their daughters entered the convent. Tomas married Katherina Stary and they live three miles from Praha on their farm. Besides farming he takes care of his cotton gin and sawmill for cutting wood. Of 11 children three died and one daughter, Sister Stanislava, became a nun in the order of the Incarnate Word in Victoria. Frantisek (Frank Migl, Jr.) married Theresa Barta and they, too, live in retirement in Shiner. Of 14 children they already have 10 children married. Joseph married Aloisia Mikulik and they live on their farm four miles from Praha where, until recently, he also followed the ginning trade. Of 13 children five are already on their own and the rest are at home with their parents. Theresa, the dancing child of the ship, married a teacher, A. J. Kallus, who later operated a drug store in Ammansville and then a general store at Wied, about halfway between Shiner and Hallettsville. His energy and wisdom have given his store a very good name. Now his daughters take care of the store most of the time. Of 13 children, two daughters are married and the rest live with their parents. Their son, Jaro, died while he was a student at Saint Mary's Seminary at La Porte. Jaro's younger brother Vaclav is also a student there. The above story was also published in Czech in the "Novy Domov" in 1963 and translated to English by granddaughter Janie Jakubik Pribyl.

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Johana Jezek Migl 1830–1903

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