Vaclav Novak Biography

	This biography appears on pages 736-737 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.

	This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside
	a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at

	http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm



	VACLAV NOVAK.  It is customary when a life record has been ended 
to review the history and note the points that are worthy of emulation 
and in an analyzation of the work of Vaclav Novak we see much that is 
commendable. He was born in Bohemia in March, 1832, and none of the 
sons of that land who have come to the United States have been more 
worthy of public regard or the confidence of their fellow citizens than 
was Mr. Novak. He acquired his education in the schools of his native 
country and became a teacher of music there. His parents were wealthy 
people of that land, having extensive property interests. Mr. Novak had 
excellent opportunities to cultivate his artistic tastes and won more 
than local fame as a violinist. He played the violin in one of the 
Catholic churches of his native country. At the age of twenty-two years 
he was married in Bohemia and to this union were born two sons. one of 
whom died in that country. The other son, Vaclav, enlisted in the 
American army during the Spanish-American war and is now in the 
Philippines. The mother passed away just four years after their 
marriage and in 1861 Mr. Novak was again married, his second union 
being with Miss Barbara Hurkova, who was born in Bohemia, where the 
wedding. was celebrated. They had four children who were born in 
Bohemia and after the emigration of the family to the new world seven 
more children were born.  

	It was in 1870 that Vaclav Novak came to the United States, his 
destination being South Dakota, for he had received favorable reports 
concerning this portion of the Union. He at once purchased one hundred 
and sixty acres in Yankton county and with characteristic energy began 
its development and improvement. He was systematic and methodical in 
his work, progressive, practical and enterprising and not only did he 
place his farm under a high state of cultivation, but also extended its 
boundaries by the purchase of an additional quarter section, so that at 
the time of his demise he was the owner of three hundred and twenty 
acres of valuable land which he personally managed and cultivated.  

	The children of Mr. and Mrs. Novak born in Bohemia were: Mary, 
Lewis, Anton and Antoine, while those born in the new world are Joe, 
Albert, Julia, John, Annie, Cecelia and Sophia. All married with the 
exception of Cecelia. Mary is now the wife of Frank Kulis, a resident 
farmer of Yankton county. Lewis wedded Annie Slaba and carries on 
agricultural pursuits. Anton is now living in Omaha, Nebraska, where he 
occupies the position of salesman in a clothing house. Antoine is now 
the wife of Frank Kastron, a resident farmer of Yankton county. Joe, 
who was engaged in business in the city of Yankton, died March 1, 1904, 
aged thirty-two years. Albert wedded Mary Sterna and is a farmer of 
this county. Annie is the wife of N. Kaiser, who also carries on 
agricultural pursuits in this county. John married Miss Mary Kronaizl, 
a young lady who was born in Bon Homme county near Tabor, while her 
parents were natives of Bohemia and are still living upon the farm 
which they purchased when they came from the old country to the new 
world. Sophia is the wife of Joe Kaiser, a resident of Yankton county. 
Julia is the wife of James Petrik, a resident of Bon Homme county.  

	Mr. Novak departed this life on the 22d of September, 1899. He 
was a member of the Roman Catholic church and a gentleman whose 
integrity was above question. His conduct was ever manly, his actions 
sincere and his sterling worth was widely recognized so that his death 
was sincerely mourned throughout the entire community by young and old, 
rich and poor.