Frank Ptak Biography


	This biography appears on pages 576-577 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				FRANK PTAK. 

	Frank Ptak, a lumberman and extensive landowner residing in 
Tyndall, South Dakota, is a native of Johnson county, Iowa, born near 
Solon, April 2, 1860. His parents, Joseph and Anna (Mainer) Ptak, were 
natives of Bohemia, where their marriage occurred in 1851. Four years 
later they emigrated to America and first located in Johnson county, 
Iowa. They resided upon a farm there until removing to Bon Homme 
county, this state, in 1870. The father came to that region in the fall 
of 1869 and in the March following brought the family to his claim near 
Tabor. His farm consisted of a quarter section, which he had secured 
under both the preemption and the homestead laws. He lived but a few 
years to enjoy his new home, as, while returning from a mill on the 
Sioux river, he contracted a severe cold, which developed into 
pneumonia and caused his death in January, 1874. His wife was left with 
a family of six sons to provide for and rear and this she did with the 
courage that many men do not possess. She lived to see al] of them 
prosperous and worthy citizens and was rewarded by their filial 
devotion. She passed away May 18, 1914, at the ripe old age of eighty-
six years. 

	Frank Ptak was the third in order of birth in a family of six 
sons and remained with his mother until he was thirty years of age, 
giving her his time and labor in order that she might live in comfort 
in her old-age. After his marriage he farmed part of the family estate 
for one summer and the following fall, in partnership with his brother, 
Tomas V., bought a lumberyard in Tyndall. They continued to operate it 
and branch yards together until 1905, when the partnership was 
dissolved, Mr. Ptak of this review taking as a part of his share in the 
business the yard at Avon, which he still owns but entrusts the details 
of its operation to a manager, while he still maintains his residence 
in Tyndall. His lumber business has proved very successful and he has 
been able to invest in land from time to time. As he is a firm believer 
in the value of agricultural property in South Dakota, he has invested 
the profits which his farms return him in other land. He is one of the 
extensive land owners in Bon Homme county and in addition to the twelve 
hundred acres which he owns in that county, he has a half section in 
Charles Mix county, an equal amount in Edmunds county and a quarter 
section in Buffalo county. All told, he holds title to over two 
thousand acres of excellent farming and grazing land. The mere 
statement of the extent of his property is sufficient proof of the 
success which has been gained by methods above reproach. 

	Mr. Ptak was married in Tyndall, May 5, 1890, to Miss Frantiska 
Totusek, a native of the village of Prosetin, in the province of 
Moravia, Bohemia, born in 1870. Her parents, Vincent and Frantiska 
(Blaha) Totusek, were natives of the same province and emigrated to 
America in 1879, sailing from Hamburg on the steamer Frisia. They 
landed at New York and thence made their way to Colfax county, 
Nebraska, where they settled. Mrs. Ptak met her future husband while 
visiting her brother in Tyndall. By her marriage she has become the 
mother of four children, namely: Alma, who was graduated from the Iowa 
State University at lowa City, in June, 1914, and is now teaching in 
Bon Homme county; Lillie, who is a graduate of the Tyndall high school 
and is also a teacher in the Bon Homme county schools; and Libuse and 
Sylvia, who are attending Tyndall schools. 

	Mr. Ptak affiliates with the Bohemian Brotherhood known by the 
initials Z. C. B. J., and is a republican in politics. He has served 
several terms on the city council and was for many years a member of 
the board of education, being president of that body for the greater 
part of the time. While in the country he was president of the township 
board of education. He knows by personal experience the many hardships 
and even dangers of frontier life in South Dakota, but he did not 
become discouraged and is now reaping the reward of his faith and 
perseverance. The family suffered from the grasshopper plague for 
several years in the early '70s, losing everything but sorghum, which 
the insects would not eat. A number of years later the subject of this 
review and his brother were caught out in the blizzard of January 12, 
1888, but were able to make their way in safety to old Bon Homme, where 
they spent the night in a store. As they had kind nothing to eat since 
morning they, together with several others, made an oyster stew on the 
stove in the store and enjoyed a midnight feast while the storm raged 
without. As Mr. Ptak endured the hardships of the early days and still 
retained his faith in the state, it is but fitting that he should now 
share abundantly in prosperity which has come to the great northwest.