FAMILY STORIES

Ed Zeleny Family. Bottom Row, L to R.: Elizabeth, Eva, Ruis Regas (From Spain), Jack, Rita; Top Row: Edward, Jonathon, Joseph.

   Emil Hynek and Katie Kaspar married and had three sons -- Phillip, Henry, and George. Henry, my father, and his wife, Elise Satorie Hynek, opened the service station in Morse Bluff that my husband and I still operate.

   Great-grandpa James Satorie and his wife, Katharyn Kutilek, settled in Saunders County in 1878. Their son, James, and his wife, Stella Ondracek, farmed in Saunders County before moving to Dodge County where my mother, Elise, was born.

   Ed Zeleny, whose ancestors settled in Colfax County and Butler County, and I were married in 1954. To us were born three children, Elizabeth, Joseph, and Jonathon. But these are not our only children. We have been blessed with a family from around the world. During the past years we have hosted exchange students from Japan, Spain, and France. What a thrill to get a letter from one of them today! Our family also includes two sons through the foster care program, Jack (John Staska) Zeleny and Lionel White-magpie.

   America is still as attractive to foreigners today as it was to Frank and Rose Hynek over a hundred years ago. We are at present sponsoring twin brothers from Czechoslovakia, Jiri and Vojtech Benes. We call them George and Albert. They arrived here Feb. 11, 1982.

   Watching them adjust to life in Saunders County serves as a constant reminder to me of the hardships my ancestors must have encountered years ago; and I am confident, that just as yesteryear's immigrants coped and made a successful life, so shall today's.

   My maternal grandparents, Frank and Frantiska (Frances) Uroska Zetocha, were born in the year of 1871 in Horni Becva, Moravia, Austria-Hungary or Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. After World War I in 1918, a provisional Czechoslovak government was organized.

   In 1895, Frank and his wife sailed for the United States with Frank's brother-in-law and sister, John and Barbara Zetocha Zitnik, and son, Julius. John Zitnik had already been in the United States in 1890 and had established a home in Weston, Nebraska for his wife and son.

   Frank found employment with the Union Pacific Railroad as a section hand. It seemed the railroad had available jobs for newcomers.

   They were blessed with four children -- Frances, Frank Jr., Gustie, and Andrew.

   In the year of 1911, he purchased a 160 acre farm in Newman township, southwest of Weston and moved his family to the country. Here their children grew to adulthood.

   Frances married Julius Zetocha and reared a family of seven -- Irene, Bettye, Margaret, Frances, Julius Jr., Ernest and Bonita.

Frank Sr. and Frantiska Zetocha Frank Jr. and Frances

   Frank Jr., married Lillian Kubik and had four daughters -- Darlene, LaVerne, Ellen and Berniece.

   Gustie married Anton Novak and had one son, Leonard.

   Andrew married Marie Kubik and had two daughters and one son -- Gladys, Donald and Alyce.

   They enjoyed farming and purchased more land in Newman township. This was the horse and mule era. Their horse-drawn machinery was of the one-row or one-furrow walking type.

   Frank and Frantiska enjoyed visiting with Frank's brother and wife, Sylvester and Veronika Bartek Zetocha, and his sister and husband, Joseph and Anna Zetocha Kosarik, who came from Moravia to live in Nebraska. The rest of the immediate family remained in Europe. Amongst them were his brothers, Jiri and John Zetocha, and his wife's brother, Joseph Uroska, and her sister, Agnes Dancak.

   I admire my grandparents for the courage it must have taken to leave everything behind -- their home, relatives and friends to come to a new country with their few possessions, where they hoped to find a better life for their family.

   Frank died at his farm home in 1939. His wife, Frantiska, remained on the farm before entering an Ashland Nursing Home where she died in 1954. Both are buried in St. John's Cemetery, Weston, Nebraska. Submitted by granddaughter Frances Zetocha Matejcek

   In 1905, at the age of 18, Julius Zetocha of Horni Becva, Moravia, Austro-Hungary (now Czechoslovakia) bid farewell to his parents, George and Frances Kromlis Zetocha, brothers, Joseph, Frank, John, and Robert, and sister, Frances Bila. He sailed for the United States to be with his uncle and aunt, John and Barbara Zetocha Zitnek of Weston, Nebraska, who provided him with the travel fare.

Julius and Frances Zetocha

   Julius found employment with the Union Pacific Railroad as a section hand.

   In 1913, he decided to start a career as a farmer with the help of his Uncle Frank Zetocha Sr. and his cousin, Frank A. Zetocha (the bachelor), in Newman township.

   Frances Zetocha was born May 29, 1895 in Weston, Nebraska, the first child of Frank Sr. and Frances Uroska Zetocha.

   Frances started her education in Dist. 103 and then moved in 1911 with her parents and two brothers, Frank Jr. and Andrew, and sister, Gustie, to a farm in Newman township. Here she renewed her friendship with Julius Zetocha and romance blossomed. Julius took up residence in Union, Montana (which was the only state that allowed cousins to marry). Later, he sent for his future bride. They were married in Glendive, Montana on Nov. 6, 1916.

   They returned to Nebraska and farming in Newman township. Here two daughters, Irene and Bettye, were born.

   Julius sent money to his brother, John, in Moravia to come to Nebraska. After John arrived, they decided to farm together in Butler County in the Brainard-Dwight area. Here two more daughters, Margaret and Frances, arrived.

   The brothers, being tenant farmers, moved again, this time to Seward County, four miles north of Milford. Their first son, Julius Jr., was born.

   The brothers decided to dissolve their partnership and returned to Saunders County in 1928. Here two more children arrived, Ernest and Bonita.

   Finally in 1944, he purchased 80 acres of land adjoining his widowed mother-in-law in Newman township. Later in 1946, Julius and his wife purchased the 160 acres farm from mother, Frantiska.

   Julius and Frances remained on this farm until their youngest son, Ernest, married. They retired to a home in Weston, Nebraska in 1952.

   Julius farmed during the last of the horse farming era -- cultivating corn, one row at a time -- walking behind a harrow drawn by four horses, shocking grain in preparation for the neighborhood threshing crew, and picking corn by hand.

   Frances remained a homemaker. Her hobbies were crocheting and playing the piano. She belonged to the American Legion Auxiliary and the Catholic Church.

   Frances died March 11, 1966 in her Weston home and Julius died March 5, 1969 while residing in Gray's Nursing Home in David City.

   You may wonder, whatever became of John? -- He remained a bachelor and a farm laborer in the Wahoo-Weston area. He retired to a home in Weston and later to Gray's Nursing home where he died in 1974. They are all buried in the family lot in St. John's Cemetery, Weston, Nebraska. Submitted by daughter Frances Zetocha Matejcek

   I remember my tomboy days spent with my brother, Julius George Zetocha Jr. One summer we built a go-cart and sped it down hill, past the house and towards the hog shed at the bottom of the hill. We never minded pulling it back up to do it again.

   Julius was born Dec. 12, 1923, two years after I arrived, at the home of Julius and Frances Zetocha on a farm four miles north of Milford, Nebraska in Seward County. He was the first son but the fifth child of a family of seven. There are five girls and two boys, namely -- Irene Tvrdy, Bettye Hall, Margaret Tomsicek, Frances Matejcek, Julius Jr., Ernest, and Bonita Arney.

   Julius, with his parents and family, moved to Saunders County in 1928. He entered kindergarten in Dist. III at Touhy, Nebraska, then went to Dist. 17, and finally graduated from the 8th grade from Dist. 113 in 1938.

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Pvt. Julius G. Zetocha Jr.

   Julius was baptized in the Catholic faith in St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Bee, Nebraska. His godparents were George (Jiri) and Celestine Walla Bartek of Dwight, Nebraska.

   Julius helped his parents farm with horses in the Valparaiso area in Newman township.

   He drove a 1929 Model A Ford Sedan to country dances and the outdoor free movies.

   His hobbies were playing cards with families in the neighborhood. A winter sport was to hunt rabbits in neighborhood fields. During the depression it was a welcome hobby.

   In 1944, he traveled by bus to Ozark, Alabama to drive a Ford coupe home for me (Frances) and my baby, Donna Rae, as my husband, Sgt. Joe Matejcek, left us to serve time in the European Theater of War.

   Driving through the cities was a very trying experience, as Julius never drove a car in a city before. The mountains -- that was something else -- I recall the sign reading "PROCEED IN GEAR" at the top of a mountain in Alabama. Julius shifted into second and we prayed all the way down into Birmingham.

   On January 15, 1945, Julius was drafted into the army and took training at Camp Hood, Texas. In July he left for overseas duty in the Philippines and Kobe, Japan. He entered the U.S. Army Hospital in Kobe, Japan on Nov. 26th and died November 30, 1945. He was buried at the U.S. Armed Forces Cemetery, Yokohama #1, Japan. He was transferred to St. John's Catholic Cemetery, Weston, Nebraska on Dec. 20, 1948. Submitted by Frances Zetocha Matejcek

   Laurence and I were both born and raised in the Memphis, Nebraska area. Laurence's parents, Alva and Ethel Ziegenbein, were born and raised in the same area. Alva was the son of Fred and Arlina (Shields) Ziegenbein. Ethel was the daughter of David and Sara (Standish) Ramsey, a descendant of Miles Standish. Laurence's grandfather Ziegenbein came from Germany. The Ramsey's came to Saunders County from Hookstown, Pa. soon after their marriage in 1880.

   My parents, George and Anna Jacobs, grew up in the Memphis-Ceresco area. George was the son of William and Caroline (Speckman) Jacobs; Anna, the daughter of Fred and Mary (Becker) Otto. All of my grandparents came from Germany.

Back Row, L. to R.: Mrs. Andrew Hutson (Sandra), Mrs. Tom Markel (Sharon), Larry Ziegenbein, Mrs. Larry Finley (Bonnie); Front Row: Mrs. Laurence (Alvera) Ziegenbein, Laurence Ziegenbein.

   At the time of our marriage, January, 1936, Laurence was doing farm work by the month. The fall of 1936 he went to Iowa to pick corn, due to a poor crop in Nebraska. November 19, 1936, our first child, Bonnie (Finley) was born so Laurence quit his job and came home.

   In February, 1937, Laurence went to Morrison, Illinois to find work, a house and furniture. He purchased second-hand furniture in Sterling, Illinois. Bonnie and I came by train and stayed with relatives the first night. Laurence didn't purchase a baby bed so Bonnie slept in the buffet drawer.

   Laurence's salary was $40 per month, ½ hog, ½ gallon milk per day and enough corn cobs to start the fire. We had to buy coal for heating and cooking. We had no electricity but a cold water faucet was piped in from our landlord's house. I washed our clothes on a wash board and boiled them on the stove. This is quite a contrast to the automatic washers of our day.

   In the spring of 1938, we moved back to Nebraska near Swedeburg. We started farming and have lived and farmed in this county ever since. The deed to 80 acres of the farm we now own near Memphis was signed by Ulyssis S. Grant.

   December 11th, 1938 our son, Larry, was born. November 19th, 1942 our second daughter, Sharon (Markel), was born and 9½ years later on June 11, 1952, Sandra (Hutson) was born.

   We have eleven grandchildren -- 4 grandsons and seven granddaughters.

   Laurence's interests are sports (especially softball and baseball), horses, and music. As a young man he played the trumpet in a dance band. He has now retired from farming due to his health.

   My interests are church work, cooking (collecting recipes) and ceramics.

   Our three daughters live in this area. Our son, Larry, lives in Montrose, Missouri. We enjoy many family get-togethers and spending time with our grandchildren. Grandpa's farm holds a special place in the hearts of all our family. Submitted by Mrs. Laurence (Alvera) Ziegenbein

   Dr. Oscar Ziegenbein, born on a farm near Memphis, Nebraska, was one of eleven children born to Charles and Martha Humbolt Ziegenbein who immigrated to the United States from Germany. He attended elementary school in Memphis and graduated from Ashland High School in 1917. He entered the University of Nebraska School of Music but later changed to the School of Dentistry. He graduated in 1924 and started his practice that same year in Ashland. He practiced 57 years and was a member of both Nebraska and American Dental Associations all his professional life.

   Dr. Ziegenbein was an accomplished musician. He played trumpet in the Lincoln Theater Orchestra and later string bass in the Stuart Theater Orchestra. He was a member of both Lincoln and Omaha Symphonies where he played string bass for over 35 years. He was also a member of the Sesostris Temple Shrine band and the Lincoln Municipal band for many years. Dr. Ziegenbein formed and directed both Ashland town band and Ashland school band.

Dr. Oscar Ziegenbein

   In 1946, Dr. Ziegenbein led in planning and building of the Ashland Memorial Stadium. He superintended the work and spent many long hours of hard labor helping with the actual work. It has been said that without his inspiration and active superintending, the stadium would not have gone up with all-volunteer labor, gift-free to the school district. He served 21 years on the District One school board and served for many years as president.

   He was a charter member and past president of the Ashland Rotary Club and received his 50 year pin. He was also a 50 year member of Pomegranite Lodge A.F. and A.M., Ashland, Scottish Rite and Sesostris Shrine. He was crowned the first king of the Ashland Stir-Up.

   Dr. Ziegenbein was an avid fisherman and spent many hours fishing at the sandpits near Ashland. In later years his hobby was repairing old clocks.

   In 1934, he married Josephine Henry of Ashland. Two children were born to them: a daughter, Elaine, and a son, Kent. (See under Dr. H.L. Henry family)

   Dr. Ziegenbein died in 1981 after a lingering illness. Submitted by Josephine (Henry) Ziegenbein

   It was a snowy, cold day in Wisconsin in 1874 when August Zinke said to his bride of one year, (Nov. 28, 1873), Maria Frau Von Zinke, "I think we should move on to Nebraska." They had recently come from Germany to escape the turmoil and threat of war. August was eager to start farming and had heard that the winters in Nebraska were not quite so long or severe as in Wisconsin. Besides, he and Maria were young and adventurous -- August was born in Germany, August 31, 1843 and Maria was also born in Germany, December 5, 1848. So it was that a couple of years later they found their way to a farm near Memphis, and, in 1888, moved to a farm a few miles southwest of Ithaca. There were ten children born to this union -- Ida, William August, Anna, Louis, Albert, Martha, Helena, Ella, George, and Sadie. Louis and Albert died as young children from diptheria and Ella died as an infant.

   Sixteen years after moving to Ithaca, August died, July 11, 1904 leaving William August, the older surviving son, whose birthdate was February 9, 1876, to care for his mother, who was in ill health, and his brother, George, his two sisters, Helena and Sadie, and niece, Rachael, daughter of Martha Zinke Schiefelbein who died in childbirth. After William's mother, Maria, died December 24, 1908, William bought 80 acres one and one-half miles north east of Ithaca where he lived until his death, April 29, 1956. He was the only one of August and Maria's children to make his permanent home in Saunders County. On September 2, 1913, William was married to Charlotte Anna Frey, youngest

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