The Colfax County Press publishes a weekly column entitled Peeking into the Past, which is comprised of articles taken from earlier Colfax County Press files, written by Helen C. Evans. A special thank you to the Colfax County Press for allowing me to reprint those articles! The following are selections from that column:
May 2, 1905 - reprinted October 31, 2001At half past ten o'clock Joseph Marik and Miss Annie Pekny were united in marriage at St. John's Church at Howells, Rev. C.L. Zak having performed the interesting ceremony.
A pretty wedding was solemnized at Zion Church when Rev. Swoboda united Joseph M. Cernin and Miss Emma Zvacek in the holy bonds of matrimony. The ceremony was witnessed by the relatives and a number of the friends of the contracting parties.
The little eight month old son of Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Sedlacek died after a brief illness with lung fever. THe funeral was held from the Catholic Church, services by Rev. Zak.
Another section of the Bilby land has been sold, this time the purchasers being Wm Soll, Geo. Engel and Jos. Nykodem of Howells and Fred Novak of West Point, each taking a quarter. Of course Folda & Mundil made the sale. It is an investment that none of the buyers will ever regret.
At a meeting of the village board held, saloon licenses were granted to Tomes Bros., Tomes & Svoboda, Jos. Slama, Cibulka & Suchy and Carl Kmoch. Each firm paid $750.00 into the village treasury and all but Mr. Kmoch are doing business, as he will open up as soon as his new building is completed.
Jos. R. Koza, the Clarkson druggist, has taken the fever of expansion and will put in a branch store at Cornlea. The new business is to be in charge of Ed. Koza, who is a number one druggist, and the people of Cornlea and vicinity will find him a pleasant and reliable young man with whom to do business. Mr. Koza expects to have his stock in and be ready for business about the middle of this month.
The old photograph gallery which has for years stood on the lots just north of Chleboun's store, was moved by Joseph Krahulik onto some lots owned by him in the southwest of town. Kopac Bros., did the work, and a quick job they made of it. Six-by-sixes were put under the building and then they attached their traction engine with log chains. In a short time things began to move, at first quite slowly on account of the soft condition of the ground, but when the street was reached a lively pace was struck and kept up until the building was in its new location.
W.J. Moore has been a very sick man for some days with a severe attack of rheumatism, and is not yet able to be out of the house.
Mrs. Anton Kubik has sold her residence property to Anton Hejtmanek, and, we understand, will have a residence erected for herself on the five acre tract owned by her in Komensky square.
May 9, 1901 - reprinted October 31, 2001Anton Janda has the frame up for the new home he is building on the tract of land owned by him just north of the depot.
At the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Mastny, occurred the marriage of their daughter, Annie, to Louis Severa, Rev. Swoboda being the officiating clergyman. A large gathering of friends were present to extend congratulations and best wishes to the young people.
Joseph Slama will commence work on a large residence which he will have built on the lots owned by him on the corner just east of his place of business.
Adolf Fillipi, deputy assessor for Adams precinct, has his labors for this year about completed.
Clarkson has a new dray line, started by Frank Sixta, who recently moved here from Stanton County.
Frank Sixta has had a good-sized barn built on lots owned by him in the southeast part of town.
Dr. Petr is now comfortably located in the Kudrna building, which has recently been fitted up for his use.
John Bukacek, Jr., left for North Dakota, where he will put in the summer on his homestead.
May 9, 1905 - reprinted November 7, 2001Emil Mrsny returned from a trip to Mmilligan where he and his family expect to move. While there he met two former Colfax County citizens, R.G. McKibben and Ed Zerzan. Mac is running a drug store, and George is engaged in the practice of medicine and both are doing well.
Kopac Bros. are kept quite busy these days laying pipe for the purpose of connecting a number of our residences and business houses with the new water works system.
F.J. Vogltance was at Dodge to adjust a claim for damages by high wind for the Farmers' Mutual Insurance Co. of South Omaha, of which he is agent.
Jos. Maticka and wife have a little son at their home north of town.
Jos. Jilek is very sick with an attack of rheumatism. Dr. Petr is caring for him.
Will Noh was down to Shell Creek on a fishing excursion and among his catch was a six-pound carp, said to be the best fish taken out of the creek this spring.
Joseph Hanel went to South Omaha to represent the local lodge, A.O.U.W., at the grand lodge of the order, now in session in that city.
About June 1st Rudolph Mundal [sic] will move his restaurant into the building he recently purchased of Anton Janda, and the building vacated by him will be occupied by its owner, R.P. Basta, who will put in a first-class restaurant. He has already ordered some of his fixtures, which include a fine soda water fountain. Before moving into his building, Mr. Mundil will give the same a thorough overhauling and make some quite extensive repairs.
On the 16th of this month, Jos. Krikac will conduct a landseekers' excursion to Pawnee, Payne and Lincoln Counties, Oklahoma. We understand that quite a number have already made arrangement to accompany the excursion.
The brick work on the Kmoch building is completed and the plate glass front in. Contractor Basta expects to have the front room of the lower story completed so that Mr. Kmoch can engage in the saloon business by June 1st, and perhaps a littl sooner.
Dr. Allen was called to Leigh to assist Dr. Alger in caring for John Eggers, a farmer living a short distance northeast of that place, who was accidently shot. The facts in regard to the accident, briefly stated are as follows:
Last evening, Mr. Eggers left home to go to his brother-in-law's, Nick Claussen, and took his shotgun with him, thinking he might see some game on the way. The next seen of him was when he made his appearance at the home of a neighbor with the entire lower jaw shot away.
Dr. Alger was sent for and later Dr. Allen and members of his family. The physicians could do but little for him, and he died. It is supposed that the gun was accidently discharged while Mr. Eggers was crawling under a fence. The deceased was about twenty-eight years of age and leaves a wife and three children.
May 30, 1905 - reprinted October 15, 1980Markets in May 1905: Wheat $0.72 to$0.80; rye $0.58; corn $0.36 ½; oats $0.24; eggs $0.12; butter $0.13; hogs $4.65 to $4.75.
John Pechanee, 62, who had been in feeble health for 3 or 4 years died at his home in town yesterday. Survivors are his wife: sons, Joseph of Market Lake, Idaho and John of this place: daughters, Mrs. Anna Sobeslavsky of this place, Mrs Janak of Brainard and Miss Bessie, who is still at home.
Joseph Vitek, 51 died at the family home Sunday afternoon, after an illness of only a few days. He held memberships in the following orders: ZCBJ, AOUW and WOW carrying insurance in the three to the amount $3,800.00. Left to mourn his death, his aged mother, who made her home with him, a wife, five sons, Joseph, Frank, Emil, Adolf and Edward and one daughter, Emma.
Gus Koza, carrier on route two, had the misfortune to lose one of his mules he used on his mail wagon. The patrons whom Gus has faithfully served since the establishment of the route felt that he should not be asked to bear the loss alone, and unknown to him took up a subscription to which all most willingly contributed and succeeded in raising a purse of $48.60, which will be presented to Gus, and which will go far toward replacing his loss.
One of the heaviest rains of recent years fell on Sunday afternoon and evening. Maple Creek was out of its banks and the extreme eastern parts of town was flooded.
Jos. Rayman and John Pospichal returned from the extreme southern part of the state. Mr. Rayman is well pleased with the country and plans to invest in land there.
S. R. Rosenberry of Stanton precinct was in North Bend several days consulting a physician in regard to his health, which has been quite poor for some time.
[Not dated, but followed above article - other articles were from March 22, 1917]
J.W. Koza Pharmacy held its grand opening of its Ice Cream Parlor and Soda Fountain. Specials were all flavors of Sundaes, $0.10; Banana Split, $0.15; all drinks, Buttermilk, Coca-Cola, Flavored Phosphate and Root Beer, $0.05While engaged in shelling corn on his farm, a mile north of town, Joseph Tuma caught his left hand in the drive chain of the sheller and had the index finger so badly crushed that it was necessary to have it amputated. Dr. Allen did the work.