Title
ZAHRADNIK FAMILY
Creator
Mildred Zahradnik and Mrs. Bud Faller
Coverage
TOWNSHIP 140N RANGE 97W
Text
ZAHRADNIK FAMILY
In August, 1888, three families Joe Novak with two children, Anton Burda with two children and Joseph Zahradnik with two children arrived in Dickinson from New York. They were Catholics that had come to New York from Bohemia. Now the time was short before winter so they erected one sod house on the SE ¼ of 26-140-97 and all 12 people lived there until spring of 1889. Then the Novaks stayed in that home and Anton Burda built a sod house on NE ¼ of 26-140-97 and Joseph Zahradnik built one on the SW ¼ of 26-140-97. There he was unable to find water so he moved his homestead to the NW ¼ of 34-140-97. He had five children, Pauline, married Gustav Vrana, is still alive and lives in New Jersey; Mary married John Tuma; Josie married John Riva; Joseph married Bertha Dolezal and Rose died as a young lady. Then his wife died in childbirth. He then married a second wife who had a daughter but she also died in childbirth. Now in those days a man needed a wife in his home, here he was with five small children and no one to care for them, so he advertised in a paper in New York and a lady there whom he knew before he came to North Dakota had lost her husband and was left with three small children so she answered the ad. Ann Cermak Meyers arrived in North Dakota with three boys; Joseph who married Mary Rogers and twins Stanley and Henry and her mother. They were married in June 1899. Her mother, Mrs. Dovydal took up a homestead that Zahradnik had left on SW 26-140-97. To their union were born four boys, Rudolph, Tempe, Ariz.; Charles died as a young man; Otto married Minerva McClasky and they had two children Dennis and Diana. He died in 1964. Louie married Mildred Oukrop and they had two daughters, Charlene and Rogette. He died in 1974.
Joseph Zahradnik farmed six quarters in the area of his homestead until his death in 1934. Then his son, Rudolph farmed the land and raised sheep there until 1948 when he retired and sold the land to his brother Louis Zahradnik. Louis owned other land in the area, he lived on 24-140-97. In all he farmed and raised about 80 head of cattle on a 11 quarter operation, eight quarters of his own plus three of his brother Otto's. He had the thrill of having oil discovered on his land in 1966.
In 1962 Louis’ son-in-law, William P. Faller, took over the operation. He and his wife Charlene have three children, Danette (wife of Willard Gunwall), James, and Nanette. They also have a grandson Travis.
Rogette is married to Marvin Shannon and they live near Bismarck, N.D. and have three children, Mark, Dale and Dawn.
By Mildred Zahradnik and Mrs. Bud Faller
In August, 1888, three families Joe Novak with two children, Anton Burda with two children and Joseph Zahradnik with two children arrived in Dickinson from New York. They were Catholics that had come to New York from Bohemia. Now the time was short before winter so they erected one sod house on the SE ¼ of 26-140-97 and all 12 people lived there until spring of 1889. Then the Novaks stayed in that home and Anton Burda built a sod house on NE ¼ of 26-140-97 and Joseph Zahradnik built one on the SW ¼ of 26-140-97. There he was unable to find water so he moved his homestead to the NW ¼ of 34-140-97. He had five children, Pauline, married Gustav Vrana, is still alive and lives in New Jersey; Mary married John Tuma; Josie married John Riva; Joseph married Bertha Dolezal and Rose died as a young lady. Then his wife died in childbirth. He then married a second wife who had a daughter but she also died in childbirth. Now in those days a man needed a wife in his home, here he was with five small children and no one to care for them, so he advertised in a paper in New York and a lady there whom he knew before he came to North Dakota had lost her husband and was left with three small children so she answered the ad. Ann Cermak Meyers arrived in North Dakota with three boys; Joseph who married Mary Rogers and twins Stanley and Henry and her mother. They were married in June 1899. Her mother, Mrs. Dovydal took up a homestead that Zahradnik had left on SW 26-140-97. To their union were born four boys, Rudolph, Tempe, Ariz.; Charles died as a young man; Otto married Minerva McClasky and they had two children Dennis and Diana. He died in 1964. Louie married Mildred Oukrop and they had two daughters, Charlene and Rogette. He died in 1974.
Joseph Zahradnik farmed six quarters in the area of his homestead until his death in 1934. Then his son, Rudolph farmed the land and raised sheep there until 1948 when he retired and sold the land to his brother Louis Zahradnik. Louis owned other land in the area, he lived on 24-140-97. In all he farmed and raised about 80 head of cattle on a 11 quarter operation, eight quarters of his own plus three of his brother Otto's. He had the thrill of having oil discovered on his land in 1966.
In 1962 Louis’ son-in-law, William P. Faller, took over the operation. He and his wife Charlene have three children, Danette (wife of Willard Gunwall), James, and Nanette. They also have a grandson Travis.
Rogette is married to Marvin Shannon and they live near Bismarck, N.D. and have three children, Mark, Dale and Dawn.
By Mildred Zahradnik and Mrs. Bud Faller