Mike Cwach Biography


	This biography appears on page 780 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	MIKE CWACH is one of the most extensive landowners of Yankton 
county, his possessions aggregating eleven hundred and sixty acres. He 
is a self-made man and his life record should serve as a source of 
encouragement and inspiration to others, showing what may be 
accomplished through strong purpose and unfaltering diligence. He was 
born in Bohemia in 1851 and educated in the schools of that country. 
When a youth of seventeen years he came to the United States, locating 
in Missouri, where he remained for three years. In 1872 he arrived in 
Yankton county, where he entered land from the government and started 
upon what has been a very successful career as an agriculturist and 
stock raiser.  

	In 1878 Mr. Cwach married Miss Josie Beachan, a daughter of 
Joseph Beachan, one of the pioneer settlers of South Dakota. Her father 
was born in Bohemia in 1827 and came to this state in 1869, being at 
the head of a Bohemian colony which settled in Yankton county and whose 
descendants are now among the most prosperous and thrifty citizens of 
this portion of the state. Mr. Beachan entered one hundred and sixty 
acres of land from the government and prior to his death, which 
occurred in October, 1902, he had become the owner of more than seven 
hundred acres. He held membership in the Roman Catholic church and was 
a man of strong character and upright principles. He wedded Miss Lydia 
Novak, who was born in Bohemia, in which country they were married. She 
proved to him a faithful companion and helpmate on the journey of life 
and was to her family a devoted wife and mother. She passed away 
October 21, 1899. There were seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. 
Beachan, six of whom are yet living, namely: Frank, Mary, Josie (now 
Mrs. Covack), Fannie, Tony and Aton, all of whom are well-to-do farming 
people of Yankton county. The marriage of the subject and his wife has 
been blessed with ten children, but one died only a few hours after 
birth and another was killed at the age of two years by falling under 
the wheels of a wagon. Those still living are John, Mary (the wife of 
Jim Ripple), Frank, Lydia ( now Mrs. John Peterka), Victor, Joe, Emil, 
Emily, Helen and Georgiana, all of whom are still with their parents 
with the exception of the married daughters.  

	That Mr. Cwach has had a most successful career is indicated by 
the fact that he is today the owner of eleven hundred and sixty acres 
of land, of which he rents four hundred and eighty acres, while to the 
cultivation of the remaining six hundred and eighty acres he gives his 
personal supervision. He is extensively engaged in the raising of stock 
and annually ships a large amount of stock, finding profit in that 
work. He is not allied with any political party, but casts his ballot 
in support of the men and measures whom he thinks best qualified for 
office. In religious faith he is a Roman Catholic and has reared his 
family in that church.