Pioneer Czechs
In Colfax County
Written in 1926.
Chapter 6
(Continued from last week.)
of the present town of Schuyler, but when they arrived with their families two years later, they found that the locater had not advised them properly, for others occupied their homesteads. They were obliged to go further north, fifteen miles from town and railroad. Molacek and his three sons took a homestead and bought additional land at $5.00 per acre, on terms, so that they had in all 760 acres.
They came from Iowa by wagon, drawn by horses and oxen, and they brought with them cattle and farm implements. The trip required three weeks’ time and they arrived in November. They hauled some building material from Schuyler, which was sold from the freight car, there being no lumberyard as yet. They built a house of simple construction and a shelter for the stock. There was no hay to be had so they cut up dried grass for feed, but the animals did not thrive on such fare and by spring were full of vermin. Food for humans was not much better in comparison. There was plenty of meat, for game was abundant, but flour was scarce and seldom to be had—there were no mills, no stores, no supplies. The only mill in Columbus had just burned and the damaged flour was cheap. Our countrymen got some and were supplied at least for the winter. Luckily it was a mild season.
JOHN FOLDA, the oldest son of Martin Folda, and brother Frank, came to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in 1860. The day his parents left for America, John was detained in the old country and, had to serve in the army for a period of three years. He then followed his parents to America. At first he farmed, then engaged in business. In 1861 he married Josephine Sinkula, born in Prodeslady near Kozlany. In 1869 he came with the other members of his family to Colfax county, where he took a homestead. In 1879 his wife died and a year later he married Katherine Panek. Twelve children were born of both marriages. His seven sons with Frank Folda and his son Engelbert, established and conducted six banks, which are still in the hands of the remaining members of the family.
The oldest son, LAMBERT, was born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in 1862 and died in 1910. Until the year 1887 he engaged in the drug business, then with his uncle Frank Folda and Joseph Smatlan they established the bank in Howells, where he was active until his death.
LONGIN was born in Tisch Mills, Wisconsin, March 15, 1864 and died in Corpus Christi, Texas, April 17,1923. He used to assist his uncle Frank in Schuyler, then entered the services of the First National Bank in Schuyler in 1885 while having an interest in the other Folda banks. In 1897 he bought the Clarkson State Bank. Later he retired from the banking business and engaged in real estate speculations in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he died. He had some literary ability, having written a play, “The Merchant and the Poet,” and he also compiled a system of book-keeping or accounting books for banks.
EMIL FOLDA, the oldest of the brothers now living and also the oldest member of the Folda family living, was born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in 1866. He is president of the Clarkson State Bank (Clarkson is his home), Colfax County Bank of Howells, Farmers & Merchants Bank of Linwood and Pilger State Bank of Pilger. These four banks with the Banking House of F. Folda and the Bank of Rogers, constitute the six Folda banks. Emil Folda was also a member of the State Bankers Guarantee Fund Commission and for 13 years head treasurer of the Z. C. B. J. society. He entered the banking business in 1889, when he received a salary of $5.00 and board. He came to Colfax county in 1869 with his parents and his first home was a sod house. At that time there were but three farms in an area of twelve miles north of Schuyler. No bridges, no roads and no horses, only oxen. The nearest town was West Point, in Cuming county, forty miles distant and the trip by oxen took a long time. The settlers made coffee of parched grain and sugar was scarce. Mr. Folda remembers the grasshoppers of 1874 and for several years thereafter; the bad dust storm of 1880, which raged many days and drifted the soil from fields into drifts several feet high. He remembers the terrible blizzard of January 12, 1888; the prairie fires that destroyed everything not protected against them; winter storms, when the snow swirled over the burned-over lands; Indians; wild game, which had to be driven away, for it destroyed the crops; antelope and deer; streams and hallows, where the buffalo and deer shed their horns—the creeks were full of them—all this he remembers and has seen it vanish as when the curtain falls and rises again to show a new landscape. In 1904 his first wife, born Emily Pesek, of David City, died and he married Miss Antonie Sadilek, daughter of F. J. Sadilek of Wilber. His son by the first marriage, Albin, was killed in the World War (1914–1918); his daughter Laura, married Joseph A. Kucera and his daughter Olga, by the second marriage, is married to Prof. Orin Stepanek.
ADOLPH, the fourth son of John Folda, was born in 1869 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and died in 1914 in Howell, where he was cashier of the Colfax County Bank. His son, Lambert, has taken his place. He left his wife, one son and two daughters surviving, the daughters are, Leona and Martha.
RAINOLD, the fifth son, was born in 1873 in Colfax county, Nebraska, and died in 1906. He was assistant cashier of the Clarkson State Bank. He left his wife, one son, Lawrence, and two daughters, Elva and Arline, all living in California. Lawrence is connected with a large bank in San Diego.
JAROSLAV, the sixth son, was born in 1875 in Colfax county and is cashier and manager of the oldest and largest of the Folda banks, Banking House of F. Folda, also vice-president of the Bank of Rogers
JOHN, the youngest son, born in 1887 in Colfax county, is managing president of the Colfax County Bank in Howells.
From the foregoing, in connection with data about Frank Folda, it is evident that the Foldas, as a pioneer banking family, occupy a prominent position among Nebraska Bohemians. Bohemians, as a rule, at least the immigrants are content with modest though steady gains, enough to help their children and insure old age. As a whole, they do not have the qualities that enable them to grasp financial opportunities, especially when it means a risk. They have always been good and useful citizens, ready to support all worthy objects.
JOSEPH, the third son of Martin Folda and brother of Frank and John, was always a farmer and died in 1904.
More than twenty male descendants of Martin Folda lived in Nebraska and achieved good positions. Could they have done this in the little village of Holovousy, the birthplace of their father and grandfather? John Folda died in 1895 and is buried, as are his parents, in Heun cemetery, for which he donated half the land. The Heun church also stands on the land that he donated in 1877.
(To be continued.)
