Bio: Kokaly, Frank & Antonia

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Kokaly, Krizmanic, Rudie, Masiek, Boh, Hardwig, Feitl

----Source: Family Scrapbook

Born on December 18, 1876, Frank was the son of Mathias and Mary Kokaly of Gorenjsko, Jugoslavia. There were five sons and two daughters in the family. They lived on a farm in Gorenjsko. Frank was nine years old when his parents passed away. He lived with relatives until he was of age to join the army. In 1900 Frank came to the United States, settling in Sunnyside, Utah. He also resided in Pueblo and Louisville, Colorado where he Worked in the mines. He saved his money and bought a house. In this house Mass was said on weekends as a church was being built at that time. Later he bought his own meat market.

Born on May 10, 1883, Antonia was the daughter of John and Catherine Krizmanic, Belgrade, Jugoslavia. There were two sons and three daughters in the family. Antonia worked as a waitress in Belgrade. In 1903 she came to the United States and settled in Sunnyside, Utah where her sister was living. Her sister came to the United States in 1902. Antonia found work as a waitress in a restaurant in Sunnyside. A brother also came to the United States and settled in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The rest of the family stayed in Belgrade, Jugoslavia.

On February 18, 1905 Frank Kokaly and Antonia Krizmanic were married in St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sunnyside, Utah. They kept boarders and had their meat market, which kept them busy. Antonia went back to Belgrade to visit relatives a few times. Two of the children went with her.

Through friends they heard of land for sale in Willard, Wisconsin. They came out to see this land which was in the middle of woods and brush. No roads, just a path through the woods. Not a building on the land. They decided to buy on February 11, 1909. They went back to Colorado, sold their home and meat market and moved with their family in the Spring of 1909.

Frank built a small house so they had a place to live the first year. Next year they built a three room log house and a log barn for several head of cattle. Frank dug the first well by hand with a pick and shovel. It caved in on him. Luckily he was rescued by a neighbor!

As they were young and strong, full of life and enjoyed working they decided to get themselves each an ox. The neighbor and Frank walked to Willard, took the train to Fairchild, Wisconsin where they bought the team of oxen. They walked home with the oxen, stopping many times to rest; and took shelter under a tree overnight, arriving home the next day. That was eighteen miles one way.

They were happy they had a team of oxen to work with. The next year Frank bought a horse. His neighbor had a horse so together they had a team of horses. With them much work could be done. In those days neighbors were very helpful and always ready to help one another.

Frank helped with the building of the first Catholic Church in 1912. He was a church officer and helped with the building of the Catholic Hall.

A son, Frank Jr., passed away at the age of seven years on October 20, 1912. A son, Francis, passed away on May 5, 1915 when he was three years old.

In 1919 the bam was built and in 1921 a seven room house was built. More land was bought. Frank graded the roads with a grader and horses. He made most of the roads in the neighborhood. The children followed behind, picking the stones off the road. They bought more cows. The milk was separated and the cream taken to Willard where it was shipped by train to buyers. The children picked beans and pickles to sell as Willard had a bean and pickle station. Also they picked many quarts of ber¬ries. The family made cordwood and chunk wood to sell.

Everyone walked to church. Children walked to school each day. In the winter when the snow was deep they younger ones had to be carried to school and back home.

No roads were plowed open. A lot of walking to town was done to get supplies. Wherever a person wanted to go, they walked. In 1926 they got their first car, a Model T Ford.

Suddenly on October 24, 1930, Antonia died, leaving nine children. The youngest was five years old; the oldest was twenty-three. It was a very, very sad time for the whole family; but everyone helps Frank and each other, as they were a very close family.

Their first tractor and modern machinery were purchased in 1939. Electricity came in 1941.

As the children left home and married each purchased a place of their own. Tony married Hannah Francel; Rudie married Stella Masiek; Sylvia married Dan Boh; Ann married William Boh; Matilda married Joe Hardwig and Carolyn married Tony Feitl.

Son Tony passed away April 30, 1948; Father Frank passed away October 28 .1951; son Martin passed away February 26, 1970. Mary and Darwin operate the farms in Willard; Rudie lives in Thorp; Sylvia lived in Willard and passed away in September, 1981; Ann lives on Route 2, Greenwood; Matilda lives in Brookfield, Illinois and Carolyn lives in LaGrange Park, Illinois.

Submitted by Ann Kokaly Boh, with the help of her brothers and sisters