Joseph Vorlicky

Joseph Vorlicky is the Great Grandfather of my wife, Krista Ann Vorlicky, and the 2nd Great Grandfather to my children.  Joseph was born 11 February 1861 in Bohemia.  Notes given to me by Doug Roberts, Great Grandson of Joseph, list his hometown as Cuelav Knet Kralve Krodce, Bohemia.  Joseph is the eldest child of Vaclav Vorlicky and Antonia Kaspara.  Joseph emigrated to the United States with his parents and sisters in 1879 to the Port of New York.  See previous blog entry on his parents, Vaclav Vorlicky and Antonia Kaspara for some additional emigration information.

The first record we find for Joseph he is with his parents and sisters in the 1880 Census in Hutchinson, McLeod County, Minnesota.  I am unable to find Joseph in the 1885 Minnesota State Census, his parents are still residing in Hutchinson at that time.  Joseph files for the intent to become a citizen in Polk County in 1884. Joseph marries Josephine Dostal in November of 1885 in East Grand Forks, Polk County, Minnesota. One of the witnesses listed on the marriage certificate is Joseph Dostal.  Josephine has a brother named Joseph, her father's name on her death certificate is also Joseph Dostal - so this could have been her brother or her father.

Joseph and Josephine have their first born child, Emmie Rose Vorlicky, in 1887.  She is baptized East Grand Forks, Polk County, Minnesota.  Their second child, Frank Joseph Vorlicky, is born in February of 1890.  Frank is born in Tabor, Polk County, Minnesota according to his military draft record.  Frank is born deaf.  His draft record in 1917 says he is deaf and dumb and in the 1942 draft record it says he is a deaf mute. Our next record for Joseph is a land record from the U.S. General Land Office records.  Joseph acquires 160 acres of land, the record is issued in Crookston, Minnesota.  It describes where the land is located and references township #153.  This all makes sense when we see the land map - town 153 is Northland, Polk County, Minnesota.



Marie Vorlicky is born to Joseph and Josephine in July of 1893.  The next record we find is the 1895 Minnesota State Census.  Joseph is a farmer in Northland, Polk County, Minnesota.  Emmie Rose Vorlicky, their first born, has passed away prior to this year.  Also living with Joseph is his father, Vaclav Vorlicky.  In the census Vaclav is listed as James Vorlicky.  Rose Sophie Vorlicky is born the following year in 1896.  I would assume Rose was named after her sister whom had passed away.

The next record the Vorlicky family is still residing, and farming, in Northland, Polk County, Minnesota.  This record is the 1900 Federal Census.  The next record is the land map for Northland, Polk County, Minnesota.  Joseph now has 240 acres of land that he is farming.

Joseph is on the far left seated with hat.  This is a hunting party picture.  The date of the photograph is unknown. This would have been taken in Minnesota.

Their next child born in Henry Theodore Vorlicky in 1904.  The picture below is taken around 1908 of the family.

The Vorlicky family approx 1908.  Standing from left is Marie, Rose and Frank.  Seated is Josephine and Joseph.  Standing between them in Henry.

By 1910 the family has moved to Thief River Falls, Pennington County, Minnesota.  Living next door is a Dostal family, presumably relatives of Josephine's.  By 1911 the family can be found on the land map for Cloverleaf, Red Lake County, Minnesota.  They have 160 acres of land.  He also found with 160 acres in High Landing, Red Lake County, Minnesota with another 160 acres in 1911.  It is unknown whether he still owned the Northland property as well.  If he did he could have had around 560 acres of land at this time.  He is also found in 1915 on the land map for the town of Esther, Polk County, Minnesota with 40 more acres.  James Vorlicky is born in 1910.

We find the family in Thief River Falls, Pennington County, Minnesota in the 1920 Federal Census.  He is still farming.  The picture below is taken in the 1920's. Joseph is on the far left.  Next to Joseph is Martin Johnson, then Josephine Dostal, Rose Vorlicky, Marie Vorlicky.  Standing in front on the left is Margery Schwartz and Dorothy Schwartz. 





Sometime in the late 20's the family moves to Spokane, Spokane County, Washington.  The family can be found there in the 1930 Census.  Living with Joseph and Josephine are sons Frank and James.  Also Marie and her husband Martin Johnson, Rose and her husband Arthur Schwartz with their children Margery and Dorothy.

Joseph, taken sometime in the 1930's in Spokane, WA.

Joseph and Josephine had the following children:

1. Emmie Rose Vorlicky - born 1887 in Polk County, MN, dies 1894 in Tabor, Polk County, MN

2. Frank Joseph Vorlicky - born 11 Feb 1890 in Tabor, Polk County, MN, dies 29 Aug 1956.  Marries Almeda Lagman.

3. Marie Vorlicky - born in July 1893 in Polk County, MN, date of death is unknown.  Marries Martin Johnson.  Marries second to a Mr. Stephanson.

4. Rose Sophie Vorlicky - born 9 Jun 1896 in Polk County, MN, dies 11 Apr 1986 in Spokane, Spokane County, WA.  Marries Arthur Schwartz.

5. Henry Theodore Vorlicky - born 20 Apr 1904 in Tabor, Polk County, MN, dies 20 Mar 1971 in Spokane, Spokane County, WA.  Marries Marjorie Lorena Bashaw.

6. James Vorlicky - born 19 Oct 1910 in Polk County, MN, dies 13 Jun 1989 in Mead, Spokane County, WA.  Marries Helen Brucker.

Joseph Vorlicky



Vaclav Vorlicky and Antonia Kaspara

Vaclav Vorlicky and Antonia Kaspara would be the 2nd Great Grandparents to my wife, Krista Ann Vorlicky, and the 3rd Great Grandparents to my children.  Vaclav and Antonia's parents are unknown. Vaclav and Antonia were born in Bohemia according to the ship manifest when the family emigrated to the United States in 1879.  The Vorlicky's would have emigrated through Castle Gardens in the Port of New York.

I had thought the Vaclav and family came in through Baltimore, MD but when I sat down to write this blog I was looking at the whole document online at Ancestry.com and noticed something wrong.  On the last page of the list of passengers it listed a different ship and that the origin was Liverpool, England.  Huh.  Something didn't fit because the document stated the origin was Bremer, Germany. So I backed the document up to page one - the front page had the origin as Bremer, Germany...but..wait....the destination of document, Port of New York!    So I believe this document is incorrectly catalogued on the site.  It should New York - not Baltimore.  See picture below from page one.

So Vaclav, Antonia and family came over to the United States in the year 1879, I believe.  There is also no date on the above document, the date on the record is for the ship that went to Baltimore!  In the next picture, a screenshot of the ships manifest, it shows Vaclav's first name as Wenzl.  I'm not sure if this is a language barrier issue or if he might have gone by Wenzl also.  The remaining members of the family fits - so I believe this record to be correct.

The Vorlicky's traveled to the United States on the ship S.S. Leizpig.  This ship was described as the German Dreamship on the document above.  Coming to the U.S. with Vaclav was his wife Antonia Kaspara and his children Joseph, Francisca and Maria.  Vaclav and Antonia would have been married sometime prior to 1861, most likely in Czechoslovakia area. Vaclav was a farmer and his destination was Minnesota.  Most likely Vaclav was meeting other family members here, or maybe relatives of his wifes's.  There are other Vorlicky's in Minnesota but I have been unable to determine a link to them.  Here is the ship they would have traveled on.

The next document we find Vaclav and Antonia in the 1880 Census.  They are now residing in Hutchinson, McLeod, Minnesota.  The same members that emigrated to the U.S. are still living with Vaclav and Antonia.  Daughter Maria is now listed as Adna.  His occupation is farmer.





We find Vaclav next in the Minnesota State Census for 1885, he is still in Hutchinson, McLeod County, Minnesota.  No occupations are listed in this State census.  Their older children Joseph and Francisca, have moved out.  The youngest is now listed as Anna.

Sometime between 1885 and 1895 Antonia passes away. We assume this because the next record we find for Vaclav is the 1895 Minnesota State Census and Antonia is no longer with him.  Vaclav is living with his son Joseph and his family.  They are now in Northlands, Polk County, Minnesota. 

Vaclav passes away in 1899 in Tabor, Polk County, Minnesota.  His headstone is located in the Tabor Presbyterian Cemetery in Tabor.  He has a joint headstone with his granddaughter, Emma Vorlicky.  I have requested a picture from Find A Grave - I will post it when I get it.  Here is the only photograph that I know of for Vaclav.

During their life Vaclav and Antonia have the following children:  ( I was thinking I had a birth record for another child born in Minnesota but I can't find one so I'm not sure about that)

1. Joseph Vorlicky - born about 1861 in Bohemia, died 3 Sep 1936 in Spokane, Spokane County, Washington.  Marries Josephine Dostal.
2. Francisca (Fanny) Vorlicky - born 24 Jan 1863 in Bohemia, died 14 Jan 1940 in Hickory Township, Pennington County, Minnesota.  Marries Frank Zavoral.
3. Anna Maria Vorlicky - born 1875 in Bohemia. Her death date is unknown but it is believe that she died in the Portland, Oregon area.  She married Frank W. Wetherbee.