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 and Claudia Schuster for transcribing them! The following are selections from that column:
June 1, 1909 - reprinted January 20, 1988A son was born to Frank Vitek and wife last Wednesday.
Some thief or thieves entered the chicken house on the F. J. Lacina farm, two and one half miles northeast of this place, last Saturday night and stole more than one hundred chickens. Considerable thieving has been going on in that neighborhood, and it is about time that the guilty parties were caught and punished.
Theodore Kubik, who with his brother Ladislav, has been attending the Schuyler high school the past year, returned home Saturday and will work at painting this summer with Joseph Mlnarik. Ladislav remains at Schuyler and will clerk for Thos. Wacha until the fall term of school opens, when both will resume their duties.
The Kopietz boys are bailing forty-five tons of hay on the Wisherd ranch for use at the Clover Leaf livery.
Farm Wanted! Wanted to hear from owner of a farm or good land for sale for fall delivery. L. Jones, Box 551, Olney, Ill.
June 15, 1909 - reprinted April 27, 1988A daughter was born to Anton Suchan and wife this past week.
We were shown a book yesterday by Emil Slama which certainly in a rare treasure, being 313 years old. It was printed in 1596 in Old Prague, Bohemia, and is still in a fair state of preservation. The paper used is old fashioned and handmade, and is of excellent quality and has been a well used book with paragraphs being marked, and was rebound in 1768. Mr. Slama’s stepfather, the late Dr. Truhlar purchased it in Bohemia and paid over $3.00 for it. It is a book on plants and each plant name is given in Bohemian as well as in Latin, with vivid descriptions of each plant.
Ed Novotny has purchase of H.J. Sanders of Howells three acres owned by him in Basta’s addition of Clarkson, paying $250 per acre.
Frank J. Miller returned from Omaha where he had just completed a course in embalming and is now a licensed embalmer.
Friends here are in receipt of the news that Anton Jelinek, formerly a musician at this place, and his wife sailed from New York bound for Bohemia where they intend to make their home in the country.
At a meeting of the school board held last week Frank Kucera was engaged to care for the school building and grounds for one year, for which he is to receive $315.
June 22, 1909 - reprinted May 11, 1988Last week, Adolph Fiala sold his barbershop to Will Swoboda, who has been his assistant in the shop for some years. Will is now in charge of the business, and as he is a number one workman, popular with all, there can be no question about him making a success of it.
Joseph Slama has let the contract to John Pospichal for moving his saloon building off of the corner lots where it has stood so long into the street where it will remain until his new two-story building is completed. When the building is completed the lower story will be used for saloon purposes, and he will also conduct a billiard and pool hall on the second floor.
Dr. S.G. Allen sold the Zvacek farm, which he purchased some time ago, to Joseph Jindra. The consideration was $105 per acre.
Mrs. Larison who has been running the Noh hotel since the first of March has disposed of her interest in the same to Adolph Fiala. She left to make her home in Fremont.
This morning Fred Hefti and Miss Bertha Hoessel boarded the train for Fremont where the magical words were spoken that made them husband and wife and united two highly respected families. The groom is son of Mrs. Barbara Hefti and the bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Hoessel of Leigh.
The North Star Telephone Co. had their line, which was completed a short time ago, connected with the Clarkson exchange. The line runs from the Jos. Tomes place north ten miles.
Will Kroeger sold his residence property to George Hagen. The consideration was $2500.
June 29, 1909 - reprinted June 29, 1988Anton Hejtmanek has quit tending bar at the Prazak saloon and engaged in the real estate business with Louis Faltys.
During the storm Sunday, Frank J. Podany living north of town, had a thoroughbred Shorthorn bull and one of his best cows killed by lighting. After the storm their owner found the animals lying dead in the center of the pasture.
Louis Faltys purchased two lots in the east part of town from John Fillipi, paying $300 for them. Dr. S. G. Allen purchased the residence that Frank Jirous has in the course of contruction. The purchase price was $2,525.
Vaclav Severa and John Zrust went to Lincoln, we understand to purchase a steam threshing outfit.
V. L. Prazak and Jos. Krikac have purchased of D. Vahle what is known as the Krupka farm of 160 arces four miles northeast of town, paying $87 per acre for it. It was purchased as an investment, and is a good one.
The school meeting of district No. 48, just east of town, was held and John Faltys was re-elected director. The meeting was held at the schoolhouse and a tax of $460 was voted, and eight months school decided upon.
The barn on the Ed Cinfl farm, northwest of this place, was struck by lightning Sunday. The hired man and one of the Hobel boys of Leigh were in the building at the time and both received a severe shock but escaped serious injury. Luckily the barn was not fired.
Louis Faltys sold the Aldolp Vraspir farm of 160 acres, three mile west of Clarkson, to Emanuel Novotny for $100 per acre. The land joins Mr. Novotny’s home place and gives him a half section in one body and one of the best farms in northern Colfax county.
The Clarkson Gun Club organized and the following officers were elected: Dr. F. B. Schultz, president; Emil R. Dudek, secretary; Anton Kopac, treasurer and Joseph G. Vocasek, captain.
Kopac Bros. have decided upon the plans for their new brick store building, and work will commence about August 1. The building is to be 25 x 100 feet, two stories and basement, and when completed will furnish the boys splendid quarters for their business. The building they now occupy will be moved onto the lot north of their implement house and used for a warehouse.
Mr. and Mrs. John Chleboun and their daughter, Emma and son Earl, left for an extended trip to the western states. They will go first to Caldwell, Idaho to visit their daughter, Mrs. Jos. Pechanec, and family, and from there will go to Seattle to take in the great exposition. From Seattle they will journey by boat to San Francisco and from there, home. They expect to be gone a number of weeks and the trip without a doubt be an enjoyable one.