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“To America” – Emigration from the Village of Bernartice and vicinity
Page 2
THOSE
WHO SET OUT ON A JOURNEY ACROSS THE OCEAN
Applications for a passport were
given to single men and women, but also those who left for America were
numerous whole families. Jan Petrik from Borovany asked for a permit to
emigrate for him, his wife and eight children. Josef Bares from
Bernartice emigrated along with his six children in 1882, following the time
when his little house was burned down in a great fire of 1875. Jan Vacha,
left from Kolisov, along with his wife and their six children, ranging in age
from nine months to 23 years of age. Several families emigrated with four
or five children. For example: Frantisek Papac from Rataje in 1876; Josef
Kalal from Krizanof in 1881, and Josef Kolar from the village of Borovany in
1884. Families often set out on long and uncomfortable journey with
children, the youngest still being of a nursing age. For example we find
the family of Matej Dvorak from Bernartice who emigrated in 1883. A
numerical ration found between adults and children during the whole wave of
emigration, approximates 3:2. Among the older emigrants we find a 65
year old widower by the name of Jan Kral from Sepekov, who emigrated in 1881
and in the same age category was also the father of Josef Svoboda from Bilina
who left for the journey with his son and the son's family in 1884.
During the years of 1880-1882 especially, we find many under-aged persons
traveling alone. Sometimes the parents set out first on the journey across
the ocean, and then two children followed traveling together. We have the
example of Antonin and Jan Sajbrt from Bernartice, and Jan and Marie Komarek
from Zbesice. Oftentimes the families traveled in successive waves, one
group after another. From the family of Antonin Mikolasek from residence
No. 88 in Bernartice, we have the daughter Marie traveling first, then another
daughter named Terezie, and finally the son Frantisek. This gentleman,
after a few years in America, returned to Bohemia and in 1950 he again immigrated to Chicago.
There were also widows who asked for a permit for emigration. On the 6th of May 1881,
Katerina Han requested a passport for herself, her four daughters ranging in
age from six to twelve years, and for her 20 year old son Frantisek. She
also requested that this son to be relieved from his required army
registration, saying, “I, the below signed Katerina Han, a widow from Bilina,
Krizanov, have decided along with my family, to immigrate to America.
I am a widow with many children that I can not provide for, and these children
are still too young yet to earn a living. I can not continue to live well
here in Bohemia, and not as well as my children who live in America.
My single daughter named Marie is living in Cleveland and my bother Jan has
persuaded me to emigrate. Both have offered to pay all of the travel
expenses. I will not only have a better livelihood in my old age in
America, but the children I have mentioned will also have a better future than
here in Bohemia."
A week later, a widow by the name of Anna Chvatalova from Bernartice asked for
a passport for her, a son and two daughters, and these children were in the
ages of five to 12 years. When Veronika Nemcova, the widow of cottager Matej
Nemec from Okrouhla No.19, asked for a passport for emigration, Jan Macha and
gave her, on behalf of authorities, and dated the 15th
of June, 1885 which said, "This is a certificate
to acknowledge that the executive of the town of Lisnice confirms that
Veronika Nemcova has not only the money needed for emigration but also a
sufficient amount of money for her living in America, with a mention that she
will move to where her two sons Jan and Matej live in Cleveland, and that they
have promised to support her till her death. The executive then has
no objection to her emigration.”
Almost entirely the majority of men leaving the country were common
laborers. There were other various skilled professions represented by the
male émigré population. For example, Josef Simak , who emigrated in 1883 from
Rataje, was a communal blacksmith; Frantisek Kral an emigrant of 1881
from Male Zbesicky was a stonecutter; Frantisek Koutnik, who in
1879 emigrated from Lisnice was a shoemaker; Jan Vejdovec an
innkeeper in Veselicko, prior to his emigration in 1870; Frantisek
Jelinek an emigree of 1881 from the village of Borovany was a bricklayer;
Antonin Sajbrt who emigrated in1882 from Bernartice and Frantisek Mlady who
emigrated in 1881 from Kolisov, were lathe turners, Josef Cap who
in 1884 was a slate roofer, Vaclav Krizek in 1876 an emigrant from
Zbesicky, who was a the assistant to a grain miller; Vaclav Herink who
was a skilled furrier, and Josef Kalal who emigrated in 1880 and was a
recognized wheel maker. There were not many farmers who sold their
farms but we do have the examples of Jan Kodad from Zbesice who emigrated
in 1883, and later Jan Vacha from Kolisov. There were also army veterans among
the emigrants from Oparany. The women who left were usually maid-servants,
for example Antonie Vachutova an émigré of 1870, and Barbora Spitzova in 1871,
both of whom emigrated from the village of Bernartice.
RESPECTFUL
AND HUMBLE APPLICATIONS
Persons interested in leaving the
country from the Milevsko district sent their applications for emigration
passports to the C.K. executive office in Milevsko. To this famous
executive office they wrote, “in respect, the below signed" or even
"in the greatest humility“. The applicants tried to phrase humble
appeals and on the application they even place a 50 greicar stamp. Along
with the application they also submitted a birth certificate, a domicile card
(a certificate that you have a home right, in a certain town), a workbook (a
record of your work history), a groombook (also a record of work), a statement
from the executive office of the town or village where the applicant
had a right of domicile. Another part of the men’s application, was often
also an application for a release from a branch of the Austrian Army.
A person not considered to be an adult who wished to emigrate still needed to
apply. This even after the father had expressed his desire to leave, and
had already asked for a passport for his child. The child had also
to report to the C.K. executive office to apply. Such was the case of
Antonie Vachutova from Bernartice. "One of my relatives, who settled
six years ago in America in the city of Cleveland and runs a profitable business there", writes
Vachutova,”has already twice invited me to set out for a journey and to accept
a stable employment with him, and so I am sure to have a secure livelihood
forever." She writes further, that she is 22 years old, born
in Bernartice, of the Catholic religion, single, "in politics and
moral regard, blameless" and that her parents not only agreed with her
leaving, but they even " gave me an amount of money totaling 180
goldens for my emigration, and I can show this amount." She finished
her application, written in Bernartice 7th April 1870, ”So I hope that
there is no hindrance for a permit for my emigration to America, and that it
can be given to me." By an action done in Milevsko, on the 9th day of
April, 1870, a permit was done and that was recorded at the C.K. executive
office. This record stated that the father Vaclav Vachuta agrees to the
emigration of his underage daughter Antonie, who wishes to travel to America, and
that the father promises to pay for her all municipal and C.K. tax."
Only rarely did interested persons write their applications in their own hand.
Neighbors, teachers, and sometimes even members of a town executive office
helped them. Some of the applicants had difficulties even with their own
signature. There were even some illiterate persons who signed their
papers for instance with the marking of three crosses. From the texts of
applications it is possible to see that there were not many counselors
available to these applicants. The regional administration in České Budejovice was anxious about the great ebb in the population, and so
they changed their procedures in 1852 and the next year, in what they required
the district offices to do. They had each applicant come in to speak with
someone who would notify them about problems connected with emigration,
especially the loss of a right of domicile and an Austrian
citizenship. They also talked about the difficulties to be expected
on the journey and also problems upon their arrival in America.
In researching these bureaucratic records, we see a high number of positively
executed applications, a quickness of official action, and detailed
records of clerks on these applications. We can assume then that
district offices didn’t try too often to limit emigrations, or if they did,
they were not successful. Sometimes they were satisfied with only being
partially successful in their attempt to slow the course of emigration.
For example, in 1871, on the 12th of May, Barbora Spitzova, a 19 year old
from Bernartice requested in her application for a passport to, “a very famous
C.K. district executive office in Milevsko." She stated, "One
of my relatives, who six years ago came and settled in America in Cleveland, and
has there a prosperous business. He has invited me already twice to go
there and to accept a stable employment with him, and so I will have a
sure livelihood for ever. I have decided to obey the voice of my
relative in America and go to America forever. In Bernartice, 12th May 1871,
Barbora Spitz." Her application was also signed by her father
Mojzis Spitz. Four days later at the district office in Milevsko,
there was a written record made from the questioning of Mojzis Spitz about the
emigration of his daughter Barbora to North
America. The official
recorded, "in this sense, I ask for a passport for her for a time of 6
months only, for a visit with her relatives." After the reading
and approval, this record was finally completed and signed. Rarely did
district executive office refuse to permit emigration; rather they chose to
detain the applicants. Such was the case where an application might
be missing certain important documents, especially the recommendation of the
applicant's municipality office. As example, in 1878 this letter
came to Milevsko, "To the famous district executive office in Milevsko.
The board of the municipality Bojenice asks the famous executive office to not
grant a permit for emigration to America for Katerina and Martin Prasek, until
they settle up with us and until they bring a permit from our board
to the district executive board. In Bojenice, 12th April 1878, signed Josef
Spejla, chief magistrate”. This application of the 48 year old
laborer Martin Prasek and his wife who was three years his senior, was finally
affirmed and executed, but not until the 11th of May,
1885.
The board of Krizanov did not recommend in 1878 to give a passport to Frantisek
Kubes. A message was sent to, "The famous district office,
concerning the applicant Frantisek Kubes from Bilina, who owes a contribution
to the grain credit bank of Veselicko 49, and he has asked for a deferment on
the payment of this debt. Frantisek Kubes, with his wife and whole
family, want to immigrate to America, and so he has a liability to pay a certain amount
of money to the Contributed Grain Credit Bank. That is why the signed
board requests and asks the famous district office, to not grant a passport for
emigration to Frantisek Kubes, until he brings from a board member a signed
certificate stating that he has paid that amount of money. The board of
municipality Krizanov, Bilina 5th May 1878, signed Josef Polodna,
chief.“ We also have the case of the farmer-miller Jan Petrik from
Borovany who also had complications with his emigration. On the first of July, 1885, he asked the office for a permit for his son Jiri, who was a
confectionery apprentice in Tabor, to leave to see relatives in America.
This was then followed by the father Jan's decision to request to emigrate with
his whole family. The family was quite numerous, with wife Marie, daughters
Marie, age 19, Anna age 17, Karolina age10, Anastazie age 6, and sons Vaclav
age 13, Rudolf age 7 and Eduard age 3. The father Jan writes
further, "Besides these children, I have also another," he writes in
his application, but he did not ask for them to be issued a permit. The owner
of the confection store, who apprenticed the son, wrote to the district office
against the giving of a passport to Jiri. In his letter he writes
that, "Mr. Petrik has sold off all his immovable property, but for the
training of his son, his accommodation, food and clothing, the father has not
paid anything for a year, although he should have paid 150 golden for three
year of training. That is why he, the owner of the confectionary store,
must bring an action against the father Petrik. If the Petrik's obtain
their passports, then it would be an idle legal action, because they will leave
immediately to America with all their property. Therefore Mr. Jelinek, the
owner of the confectionary, asked the district office to defer giving them
their passports until Mr. Petrik settled his obligations. According to an
order of the district office 13th July
1885, Jan Petrik was questioned and his
testimony recorded at Borovany’s office because of his and his family's planned
emigration to America and he said this, "I had a mill business in
Borovany No. 32, which I ceded to my son Jan Petrik. But the amount
that my son gave me as a compensation for the ceding of the mill, cannot
be at all enough to buy any other business here in Bohemia, with which I would
be able to keep and provide for my family of eight
children. Farms are expensive in Bohemia and not very
profitable. It is obvious then that a small farm, perhaps even
burden with the debt, cannot provide for a large family. Besides all of
that, I think that with the help of these wealthy relatives in America, I
can reserve a proper future for my children, namely for Jiri. Only this
reason leads me to leave my native country and look for my refuge far over the
ocean." The board of municipality, on the 20th July, 1885
noted that Alderman Horejsi, "had no substantial objection against
emigration and he admitted that Mr. Petrik's reasons were
right." Lastly, on the 18th August, 1885, Jan M. Jelinek, the confectioner, gingerbread
maker, and purveyor of Chinese lanterns and wax lights, located in the village of Tabor, gave
a receipt that Mr. Petrik had settled up everything and was given a certificate
which also told of the very good behavior of his apprentice, Jiri.
Dispositions of applications for a passport for emigration usually took a very
short time to process. If we compare the dates of the written
applications and their subsequent discussion and approval at the executive
offices, we can judge that some applications were given in person the day they
were submitted. More often, the applications were sent and the
applicants, probably without any negative challenge came to the office after
two or three days to discuss their applications. In the remainder
of the other cases, the applicants were invited to appear and discuss the application
with the board for a very short period of time.
The term of validity for the permit of emigration was for four months.
The cases were slight, where an applicant, even after a positive
disposing his application, stayed at home. There were others who
wanted to live in America, and decided to leave Austria without
the permission of authorities. These were especially men, who
where afraid of the discussion about their release from the Austrian army.
Jan Stejskal from Zbesice was seized by officials in
Cheb, March, 1904. At the same time they detained him, they
confiscated a monetary amount of 143 gl, 43 krejcar and 5 American
dollars. In spite of this, Stejskal succeeded in his goal to reach America and
he settled in North Dakota. He later successfully recovered the
confiscated amount through the help of his relatives and lawyers.
Jan Kunc a peasant from Borovany No. 29 had a problem with a repayment of money
as well. In the fall of 1883, the businessman Natham Fantl from
Borovany went to America without legal permission and he left at home four
children without any means of support: Agnes aged 17, Gottlieb aged 16,
Siegfried aged 13 and Emanuel aged 11 years. "He ran away
because he owed a lot to merchants and neighbors," is what a guardian
of his children, wrote about Mr. Fantl. This guardian was Mr. Jakob
Lederer, a saddler from Milevsko. Mr. Fantl may have run away,
but he did not forget about his children. He wrote several times to Mr.
Lederer to send the children to him. In the middle of
December, 1883 Mr. Lederer finally asked for passports for all of his
children's emigration. Jan Mares, a laborer in the village of Borovany,
requested in January 1881 for, " a release from the Austrian army because
he wished to immigrate to America." He was registered as a member of the
14th regiment of dragoons, but he did not wait for the disposition of his
application. When the district office sent him the summons for an
interview, a magistrate in Blazek sent it back, because, "They say that
Mares has already left for America."
THE ALLUREMENT AND THE WARNING
Unsuccessful emigrants almost never
wrote home. The mail from America brought letters that were largely from
countrymen, who were already successfully settled, had found proper employment
and had good earnings. Letters were read not only by relatives but also
the neighbors; spoken about in courtyards, over fences, in the fields, or
on the way from church, in the pubs or even in the surrounding villages.
Information about the life over the ocean spread quickly and helped to
encourage those hesitating individuals and families, and increased their
courage for following the others to America. Of remarkable importance were the
invitations received that held a promise to cover the expenses for the new
emigrants and a promise to provide jobs and accommodations.
Periodic press articles helped emigration by publishing the advertisements of
companies, which offered safe and cheap crossing. Part of the competitive
business was to make certain offers, such as better prices, free text
books to learn the English language, and free merchandise, such as blankets and
sheets, maps, spoons and forks, dishes and so on. The emigration fever
brought the marine companies a remarkable profit. In a fight to control
the emigrant business, they slandered and accused each other of poor
business practices, and they even threatened to bring other companies to
trial for various reasons. In regional periodicals, and also in Czech
magazines and newspapers published in America, we find examples of this successful business.
In the "Progress of West" a newspaper, was printed, "Thanks for
the excellent service, and mostly for the order." If we notice
comments in articles that were disparaging of the competitions ships, we find
statements that these ships were acceptable rather, "more for cattle”,
than for people”, and that their captains seduced girls by force.
Owners of western European firms soon realized that it was more
advantageous for them to publish newspaper advertisements, and
most especially in the regional press. They also sought to hire
agents, who would give advice and assist émigrés before their
departure. These agents and the advertisements upheld an image of America as a
country of boundless possibilities. In the areas around Bernartice, the
activities of such agents were not very meaningful, but in Milevesko there
was Mr. Vodnansky as an agent. In that time, among regional newspapers, people
mostly read the "Posel od Otavy" (The Messenger, from Otava), other
newspapers were the "Otavan" and "Tabor". The
newspapers were brought in to an area, and used mainly by teachers. From
time to time merchants did bring in newspapers from markets in neighboring
towns. Since the year 1886, those interested could read from the
twice-weekly ”The Pilgrim, from Otava", even in such places as the
pub of Mr. Komarek.
In the press, from time to time, there appeared articles, which warned against
the journey and life over the sea. Already in 1866 the newspaper showed
"...a hearty sorrow with our poor countrymen, who are seeking to obtain
physical wealth but who also decay spiritually. What will become of their
children, who could have been good citizens, well educated people and a support
to their native country, if only their parents would not have left so
carelessly the dear land of their fathers? We say without care, because
it is not anything else less than carelessness when a man, who has a passable
property, sets out himself and his children on the greatest danger of their
lives. This all comes about because of untruthful news about a better and
easier way of life. He goes on this far journey because of fear and
dread, for what he would not have in his country even after 20 years.
What can these people have in their hearts? They have set out on journey
for an uncertain and doubtful profit; for an unreasonable expectation of an
"easy" life, and for that peculiar paradise. That which gave
him this image began (as it is so often) by an aversion for work and an
unwillingness to limit his expenses for unnecessary things. The leader of
our country is full of grief when he remembers that each year crowds of Czech
people leave our dear country. On the other hand, there were many
foreigners who came here, to run businesses and factories and for the sale
of crafts, from which they got rich here. What many good things and much
more useful for our country, could have been done with the money that our
emigrants gave for a dangerous journey across the sea. Many times
all they found was a grave in cold sea water, where they can not be found and
where there is no one who remembers the love they had from and for, father,
mother, friends, and fellow countryman."
These beautiful and flowery sentences sure had no influence because they did
not evaluate correctly the true social situation that the applicants for
passports faced. The number of applications for emigration gradually fell
from about the time of 1890, or late in the 19th century. People still were interested
in the life over the ocean and they still were not discouraged with the news
about ships disasters, or with negative news published in local
newspapers. For example we have one from the ”Otavan", where on
the 15th of April, 1882 was written, "The move out to America still gains
greater dimensions. In the first quarter of this year there came to New York,
68,685 émigrés, as compared to last year at the same time, when the figure was
only 45,543.
The United States government has intent to establish a tax for all
emigrants, so that everyone who looks for a new home in that country over the
seas will be welcomed with a tax when he steps out on that
continent". An article of the 24th of June, 1882 gives more warnings of problems in emigration. Since the turning
of the New Year, there came to New York more than 142,000 emigrants and it is possible to
presuppose that by the end of year this number will be a million. The
commissioner of government lands for settlers, reports that in less than maybe
one or two years. “It will be only for those that that have money, and a lot of
money, who will be able to buy land.” As soon as the government’s
lands are used up, the price of other private lands will go up greatly.
Due to the immense number of immigrants, the price of food increased for the
last half of the past year. The food, already exported, is transported back
again and is sold with a great profit. The poor people don't eat meat and they
buy cheap fish.”
In 1895, an article written on the 25th of January brought this warning,” We
warn against a move to America. A long time ago, America
ceased to be “Eldorado”, the fabled City of Gold, for emigrants, especially
Czech emigrants. Many thousands of them each year went to this new part
of the world to look for their luck. News coming from back from Nebraska,
tells that a lot of families have nothing to eat, no fuel, no clothing and
almost no chance for improving these hard situations, because of a lack of any
type of job. Similar sad news comes back from Chicago, and
from other places. So if these poor people will not have soon in time an
effective means of support, a lot of families will end in irreversible
destruction." Two years later the warnings were
repeated. "The warning against an emigration to an “Eldorado” of all
wealth can be seen with the sad return of 8 emigrants, who last Saturday went
through Prague, coming back from America in quite a beggared
condition. These poor, told by news in the daily press, sadly took up the
journey back to the Pisek region. The official papers of the district executive
office don't stop to notify municipal offices, to warn in their district about
these foolish persons, who believe that they will find in America a
country full of milk and honey, and without hard toil. They forget: East
or west - home is best." (14th August 1897.)
For emigrants took interest a lot of companies
1881
