Memories of the Life of Joseph Krenek of Ellinger
This biography of Joseph Krenek, written in Czech by Jan Kucera before he passed away in 1949, was translated into English by Bessie Walla Hruska of Ellinger in 1983. Jan Kucera was born in the same small Moravian village two years after the birth of Joseph Krenek, so they undoubtedly were lifelong friends. Krenek, a successful merchant and civic leader, died relatively young, so Kucera honored his good friend by writing his biography. Additional information has been added to clarify certain points.
He was born on July 15, 1853 in Lichnov, Moravia near Frenstat. (Frenstat pod Radhostem, Czech Republic). He went to school at Lichnov for about one year.
In 1860, his father (Ignatz Krenek) made a fast decision to make a move to America. He (Joseph) was about seven years old. In this group there were about seven families that came to America from that area. A sales agent came to brag about America. They came in a large schooner; it took about 13 weeks of sailing. They were granted some land and settled near Fayetteville, Texas, since there were some other Czechs that settled near Fayetteville in 1855.
Somewhere around this time, the Civil War broke out, and his father was called to war just like anybody else; he was very lucky because he hauled Confederate cotton for the whole time of the war.
A little later after the war, Ignatz (and wife, Johana Veselka Krenek) bought 90 acres of land near Fayetteville and settled on this land. Joseph helped on this farm and studied reading and writing from newspapers, because there were no schools. The Kreneks and others established and built the Osveta School across from Rudolph Minarciks. Also not far away, the Kreneks donated land for the Rocky Hill School.
At the Osveta School the first teacher was Professor Gus (Augustin) Haidusek, later the Fayette County Judge. Also Jan Hruska permitted Gus Haidusek to have night school at his farm home, which Joseph Krenek also attended and this helped him a lot.
Shortly after this, he got a job in a small store at Fayetteville, Texas. In this store, he worked about a year. After that he was a clerk in Columbus about two years. He got acquainted with Marie Anna Zapalac (daughter of John and Apolonie Orsak Zapalac), whom he later married and established a business on his father-in-law’s farm.
In the year 1881, the town of Ellinger was established and he moved his business to Ellinger. He was a very friendly and likeable person, and his business prospered for many years. So he left his wife and four children a nice sum.
He fell to a very serious illness, cancer of the throat, and for two and a half years, he suffered as a bed patient. He died at the age of 48 (on December 30, 1901 and was buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery at Live Oak Hill, now Hostyn Hill near Ellinger).
As a naturalized citizen of America, he was a very good Democrat. At Ellinger, he was among the first who helped organize the Czech-Moravian C.S.P.S. Sometime after 1881, he was among the first to help organize the C.S.P.S. Czech School, near where the Ellinger water tower is located. He was at that time about 28 years old. He was an officer in C.S.P.S. (a fraternal insurance organization) until his serious illness. He had to give up the job as officer, because of his illness.
His wife after sometime sold the property at Ellinger and bought and built next door to her daughter, Mrs. Louisa Krenek Baca, at Fayetteville. Both the houses at Fayetteville, plus the home at Ellinger still stand.
I remain his dear friend,
(J.K.) John Kucera
[Additional information was added by Mrs. Hruska in 1983: The Mary Krenek home in Fayetteville is now owned by Mrs. Kovar. The Baca home is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Ronnie Pflughaupt. The former home at Ellinger is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Rich Johnson.]
Endnote:
The Louisa Baca home, located at 301 N. Rusk St., was built prior to her purchasing it after her husband, Joseph O. Baca’s, death in 1920. Her home was purchased from her descendants by the Pflughaupts in 1972, but was subsequently sold again. The home built next door by Mary Krenek was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Emil Kovar; it too has new owners. Mrs. Pflughaupt is a granddaughter of the Kovars.
Joseph Krenek was among the first to purchase a lot in the new town of Ellinger, and his general merchandise store was the first business in town. The large two-story Victorian-style home built in Ellinger by Krenek shortly before the turn of the 20th century was sold to C.W. Ellinger by Mary Krenek in 1932. The Richard Johnsons, who were later owners, renovated the home and obtained an historical medallion and marker in 1984; however, they sold the house in 1989-1990, at which time it was moved to Austin County in the vicinity of New Ulm, resulting in the loss of the historical marker.
Joseph Krenek’s mother passed away on March 11, 1879; his father, Ignatz, married Alzbeta Roznovjak a few months later on July 22, 1879; they moved to Seymour, Baylor County, Texas, where Ignatz died at age 82 on January 18, 1908; he was buried in the Old Seymour Cemetery with the name E.C. Krenek on his tombstone. Joseph Krenek’s wife, Marie, died on October 29, 1944 and is buried in the Fayetteville Catholic Cemetery next to their daughter, Julia Krenek Meyer.
Sources:
Ancestry.com
Johnson, Pat, Ronnie Pflughaupt & Norman Wied: Endnote information
Hruska, Bessie. Translated story for Fayette County, Texas Heritage, Vol II; Curtis Media, 1996
Martinek, Ruby. Photograph of Krenek-Ellinger house; “Ellinger Yesterday and Today”; 1987
Footprints Of Fayette
Fayette County is one of the most historic counties in Texas. In this weekly feature from the County Historical Commission, a rotating group of writers looks back at local history.