Bio: Lucas, John & Margaret

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Lucas, Morgal, Volk, Kohl

----Source: Family Scrapbook

My mother, Margaret (Dergance) Lucas came from Austria where she was born in 1880, in a village called Movarna Vas, Post Semic. The area later became Jugoslavia.

My father also was born in Austria in 1877, where he was raised in the village of Metlika. It too became Jugoslavia. My dad came to Salt Lake City around 1895. My mother was approximately 18 years old when she arrived in the United States, so I'll venture to say she arrived in 1898 and went to Salt Lake City, Utah where she had a sister. This is where they met and were married, the date is unknown.

My father worked in the gold mines and moved about considerably wherever there was work. They moved to Bisby, Arizona. Here Rose and John were born. (They are both deceased). Frances was born in Cripple Creek, Colorado. (She died in November 1979).

My parents found out about the Willard area through a Slovenia newspaper; an ad was placed by a Mr. Cesnik. The ad said "No Stones!" I believe they fell for that principal after my father digging in rock for gold out West, must have tired of rock. He always wanted to be a farmer so they packed up and headed for Wisconsin. Originally they purchased land in Gorman (which I believe was John Morgals by Volks). For some unknown reason they were dissatisfied so they bought 80 acres where my nephew (third generation) is farming now (North Willard area).

My experience, as well as all members of our family was that everyone had to work hard and do without luxuries; however, I am grateful to my parents for their perseverance in teaching us principals and that hard work was the way to make progress.

Mother said the trees were so tall, that if you wanted to see the sky, you had to look straight upward. They had no house when they arrived, but stayed with the Plautz family until they built their log home. They chopped down trees and cleared the land, just as all of the folks that came to Willard. Because of the woods they came to, it took much effort on their part to make a farm. It's amazing that they survived and didn't give up, although I understand that on one occasion my folks were all ready to go back to Europe, but decided to stay after disposing of their few possessions. I never did know why they decided against it but I felt it was a good decision from what I saw of the conditions in some parts of Jugoslavia when we were there.

Chester (my husband) and I visited mother's birthplace twice, where I have several cousins. It is very much the same as mother used to talk about.

The house and barn are on the premises over a hundred years old and remarkably well preserved. My cousins still employ oxen, although one cousin has graduated to two fine horses, which they hold in high esteem: to own horses in that area gives them a certain prestige. The small plots of land that they own are scattered about, often taking them 45 minutes to reach on foot or oxen.

They still raise most of their food which consists mainly of bread and sunka (ham) which is very dry and salty. In the summer their gardens produce an abundance of fresh vegetables. Water is not very palatable, so wine is mostly used as everyone seems to make barrels of it from the grapes they harvest on their land. They tended their grape vines like a mother over her children.

We also visited Cripple Creek, Colorado one time. It was entirely abandoned. We saw all of the old mines just as they left them. Many of the shacks that the miners occupied still stand, weather beaten, and empty. It is fast becoming a tourist attraction.

Seven children were born to my parents: Rose, John, Frances (as mentioned before), Margaret, Josie, William, Mary were born in Willard. William is also deceased. William Jr. owns the farm now.

Surviving are: Margaret, Oakbrook, Illinois; Josie, Pagosa Springs, Colorado and Mary (Mrs. Chester Kohl), Northbrook, Illinois.

By: Mary (Lucas) Kohl