USA > Iowa > Johnson County > Leading events in Johnson County, Iowa history, biographical > Part 46
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Joseph C. Wray gave a right-of-way through his place to the Interurban Railway Company, operating between Cedar Rap- ids and Iowa City, and his farm is known as the Joe Wray Crossing. Mid River Park, a popular picnic ground, beauti- fully laid out and illuminated by means of electricity, is lo- cated on a portion of this farm, the place formerly occupied by David Wray, Sr. Mr. Wray and his brother mentioned above, are fitting representatives of an old and honored pioneer fam- ily, and are accorded the cordial respect and esteem of all who know them.
JOSEPH ZACK
The name of Zack is well known in Johnson county, and stands for good citizenship and honorable dealing. Joseph Zack is a native of the county, born in February, 1866, son of Joseph and Frances (Kosina) Zack, natives of Bohemia, who were reared and married there. They came to America early in 1866 and have since resided there, being at the present time on a farm in Monroe township. Six of their childern lived to reach maturity : Nancy, wife of John Riha, of Monroe town- ship, died in 1902; Anton, died in Nebraska, May 20, 1912; Annie, Mrs. Joseph Koutny, of Linn county; Theresa, Mrs. Wesley Rayman, of Monroe township; Joseph, Jr., whose name
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heads this sketch; William, of Monroe township, a sketch of whom appears in this work.
The boyhood of Joseph Zack, Jr., was spent on a farm in his native county and he there learned the details of farming while living with his parents. He chose this occupation as his life work and has never had reason to regret it. He bought his present place in 1891, and by his industry and perseverance has added much to its appearance and productiveness. He has earned and enjoys a good standing in his community and is in- fluential in local affairs and issues. He has served as school director, but cares little for publie office for himself. In pol-
RESIDENCE OF JOSEPHI ZACK
ities he is a democrat. He is a devout and useful member of the Reformed Bohemian Evangelical church located in Monroe township and helpful in various movements for the general welfare.
In 1891 Mr. Zack was united in marriage with Miss Annie Reyman, a native of Johnson county, whose parents, Wesley and Annie Reyman, were born in Bohemia and came to Amer- ica at an early date. Eight children have blessed this union : Annie, Joseph, George, Milo, Wesley, Agnes, Caroline, and Eleanor. This is a fine family of children and they are being educated and trained in a way to make them useful men and women and a credit to their parents.
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MATHIAS MACHULA
Mathias Machula is one of the most enterprising farmers of Madison township, Johnson county, where he has a well-devel- oped farm, which has been brought to its present condition largely through his own efforts. He has modern machinery for carrying on his operations and has erected suitable sub- stantial buildings where they were needed. He has spent most of his life in the vicinity, where his father located in 1870, and belongs to a well known pioneer family. Mr. Machula has taken an active part in various local affairs and has always been identified with the best interests of the community. He was born in Bohemia, August 10, 1861, son of John and Mary
RESIDENCE OF MATHIAS MACHULA
Vitek Machula. The father died in June, 1910, at the age of ninety-one years and one month, and the mother now resides with her youngest daughter, Mrs. Joseph Hruby, of Oxford township. In 1870 the father settled on a small farm in John- son county and three years later bought eighty acres of land in Monroe township, at a price of about $30 per acre, where he lived until 1903, then sold it to his son-in-law, Joseph Hruby, who made arrangements to care for him during the remainder of his life. There were seven children in the family, six of them born in Bohemia and one in Jolmson county : Joseph, of Linn county; John, died on Thanksgiving, 1910; Mathias and
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Frank, twins, the latter being a resident of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Mrs. Mary Kaplan, of Monroe township; Mrs. Kate Re- bek, of Cedar Rapids; Mrs. Anna Hruby, of Oxford township.
After being educated in the district schools near his father's home, Mathias Machula rented land three years, then for five years worked for farmers by the day. He bought a small farm of 30 acres in Big Grove township, which was partly improved, and operated it for nine years, then sold it and bought the Wil- liam Roberts farm, where he now lives, on Section 34 of Mad- ison township. He has added to the house and in many ways added to its value and attractiveness. This farm consisted of 122 acres of land, to which he has added twelve acres more. While a resident of Jefferson Township he raised 800 bushels of oats on twenty-five acres of land. He is recognized as an able and energetic farmer and has met with gratifying success in his operations. He served five years as a member of the school board and two years as township trustee while a resident of Jefferson township, and at the time of his removal thence was holding the latter office and was chairman of the board. It was necessary for him to resign the office of chairman on ac- count of his change of address. For the past two years he has served as trustee in Madison township. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and is connected with the Farm- ers Bohemian Insurance Company, of Linn county. He has made many friends in the community where he lives and the family is well regarded.
Mr. Machula was married May 1, 1886, to Miss Mary Vorel, of Monroe township, daughter of John Vorel and sister of John Vorel, Jr. She was born in Bohemia and brought to America by her parents at the age of three years. Children as follows have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Machula : Emma mar- ried Frank Louver, of Jefferson township, and they have two children, Amelia and Libbie ; Mary and Mike, at home.
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NICHOLAS ZELLER
In the town and neighborhood of North Liberty, Iowa, no name is held in greater respect and reverence than that of Nicholas Zeller, Sr., father of the subject of this sketch. His remains and those of his beloved wife rest in the cemetery on the hill near the village, and a monument erected by his own hands, carved from slate stone taken from his own quarry, marks the graves of this venerable couple. On this monolith is inscribed this passage from St. John xvii, 17: "Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is truth." This quotation from Scripture, selected by the deceased, gives the index of his character, which was that of a conscientious, consistent Chris- tian and useful, upright citizen. Old residents of Penn town- ship recall his numerous acts of kindness and charity. It is said of him that wherever and whenever he could assist the needy it appeared to be a delight to him. It was his custom to seek out those who were in want and make them donations of flour and provisions. Benevolence was his predominating trait. He believed in living his religion in the open, not within closed doors and cloisters. His conscientiousness is indicated by the fact that, when converted, although he had been pre- viously sprinkled in infancy, he decided, after careful study (in order, as he said, not to dishonor his parents) that im- mersion is the true mode of baptism, and in accordance with this conviction was immersed in the Iowa river. He was straighforward in his expressions of his religious convictions. It is told of him that while boarding at a hotel in Keokuk county he met a very profane and vicious man, whose cursing and swearing in the dining room made him a conspicuous object. Although the offender in avoirdupois was three times the size of Elder Zeller, the latter made bold to approach him, feeling it his duty to rebuke the man in the interest of his own soul. The man listened attentively, admitted his wrong-doing and re- spected Mr. Zeller's advice to abstain from his profanity. Nu- merous acts of religious service of a similar character are re- membered by the friends of the deceased. His loved ones de- light to think of him as "among the chosen of his Master," and cite the following passage of Scripture as a fitting tribute to
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his memory: "Mark the perfect man; behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace."
Nicholas Zeller, Sr., was born March 19, 1819, in Cumber- land county, Pennsylvania, and died in May, 1885, at his home in Johnson county. His parents were David and Mary Zeller, who, in 1836, removed with their family from Cumberland county to Franklin county, Pennsylvania. In 1846, at the age of twenty-seven, young Nicholas decided to go west and seek land for a homestead. In pursuance of this purpose, he left his Franklin county home with his knapsack on his back and walked alone over the mountains to Pittsburgh. His religious convictions were in evidence even at this early day, for he
RESIDENCE OF NICHOLAS ZELLER
chose to make the trip alone rather than to start on Sunday with four others who were bent on a quest similar to his own. In justification of his position, Mr. Zeller used to point to the fact that one of these four died on his arrival in Johnson coun- ty. The journey from Pittsburgh was made by packet steamer down the Ohio and up the Mississippi to St. Louis; thence by steamer to Muscatine (then Bloomington), and to Penn town- ship by wagon. The young emigrant's first purchase in John- son county was the one-fourth section of Robert J. Groff, which is now the site of the residence of Mrs. Alex. L. Moreland, his daughter. Some improvements had been made upon the Groff place, among which were log buildings. Young Zeller incurred a debt of $500.00 in this purchase, and after a trip to Dubuque
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to properly make his entry at the United States land office, he made the return trip to Pennsylvania in order to earn the money with which to pay off his debt. He left Iowa with $17.00 in his pocket and worked at odd jobs on the way, reaching Pennsylvania with only 40 cents. Three years of hard work and economy enabled him to extinguish the debt on his Iowa homestead, and in 1849 he returned to Johnson county, bring- ing with him a wife and three children, Mary, the eldest, now the wife of A. L. Moreland; Barbara, wife of John Bowman; and Nicholas, our subject, then four weeks old. His wife was Catherine Sleichter, to whom he was married in Pennsylvania in 1846. The return journey to lowa was made by canal, steamer, stage and wagon. On reaching the homestead in Penn township, the little family took up their abode in the primitive log cabin, to which one room was added and was called "the north room." This cabin was their residence un- til 1865. In the meantime two more daughters were born, Martha, wife of Jacob George, of Penn township, and Sarah, wife of Frank B. Meyers, of Madison township. In 1865 Mr. Zeller sold his farm to David S. Miller. With the proceeds he bought a quarter section from Francis Bowman in section twelve and also a quarter section in Keokuk county, where his daughter, Mrs. John Bowman, now lives. He resided on the Francis Bowman place until failing health compelled him to forego the hard work of the farm, whereupon he bought thirty- six acres for a home and retired. Mr. Zeller was well educated, having in his earlier years taught school. He always took a great interest in educational matters of his township, as well as publie matters in general. He served seven years on the board of supervisors, during which time he helped to save the county the payment of $5,000.00 in bonds of a railway project which never materialized. George Paul, J. P. Miller, Mr. Gay- man and Mr. Stevenson, father of S. K. Stevenson, of Iowa City, were members of the same board with Mr. Zeller and helped to save the county the payment of these bonds. Mr. Zeller also served as township clerk and trustee, and was ad- ministrator of several important estates, among them being the Orris, Michael Snavely and George Hoover estates. In his early days on the farm he was a hard worker, using the prim- itive tools of the time. He dressed his hogs for the market and
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hauled wheat to Muscatine, selling the former for $2.00 per hundred and the latter for 40 cents per bushel. Mr. Zeller died at the age of sixty-six and his wife at sixty-seven. Both were members of the Church of God, having united with the church at revival meetings held in the little log school house in North Liberty. Mr. Zeller was for years a ruling elder in the church.
Nicholas Zeller, Jr., is the only son and third child of Nich- olas and Catherine Zeller. He was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, April 18, 1849, and same with his parents to Johnson county in 1849 when four weeks old. He was raised on the old home farm in Penn township, and was educated in the district schools of the township and the high school of North Liberty. He recalls that two of his instructors were Mattie Bowman and Lizzie Hess, and speaks of them as "profit- able teachers." Mr. Zeller supplemented his high school course by a commercial course in MeLain's Academy at Iowa City, whereupon he returned to the farm, continuing to reside there until 1908. In that year he sold the home farm to Sam Ranshaw and established his residence in North Liberty.
Mr. Zeller has served as township clerk and trustee and was school treasurer for thirteen years ; also served as secretary of the school board twelve years. During his incumbency he drew the contract for the new school building at North Lib- erty. He takes a prominent part in the affairs of the Church of God, of which he is a member, having served as deacon, elder and Sunday school superintendent. He served fifteen years as treasurer of the Eldership of Iowa for the church, and at the end of that time was given a unanimous vote and complimen- tary bondsmen for his sixteenth term. In the fall of 1910 his report as treasurer of the Eldership of Iowa showed that thou- sands of dollars were then being received for the church work instead of hundreds as it was when he took hold. Mr. Zeller has settled two large estates, and has been the custodian at one and the same time of eight different funds.
Mr. Zeller was married March 11, 1880, to Miss Emma Mey- ers, daughter of Valentine Meyers, of Madison township. The couple have been blessed with five children : Raymond C., mar- ried to May Koser, of Webster county, Missouri, father of two children, Clyde H. and Marvin L .; Okle, graduate of the Iowa
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City Academy and Irish Commercial college, married to Ogle Beacon, now residing in Chicago, father of two children, Lane and Margaret; Frank, graduate of Iowa City high school, mar- ried to Edna Meyers, daughter of Isaac Meyers, residing at Winterset, Iowa; Mabel, graduate of Iowa City high school and the University of Iowa, teacher in public schools, having seenred positions in six different towns withont solicitation, a girl of beautiful character and fine accomplishments, with many friends ; Alton, graduate of Iowa City high school, with his brother Okle in the wholesale silverware business in Chi- cago. The children are all members of the Church of God.
The greater portion of the town of North Liberty, part of the Zeller farm, has been platted and laid out by Mr. Zeller.
FRANK LOUVAR
Frank Louvar is the owner of 196 acres of well cultivated land in Jefferson township, which has been his home for twen- ty-five years. His original purchase was 110 acres. He was born in Bohemia in June, 1848, and came with his parents to
RESIDENCE OF FRANK LOUVAR
America at the age of nine years. His father was Francis Louvar and his mother Francy Netolecky, both natives of Bo- hemia. The parents settled in Jefferson township on a farm,
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where they resided until death. They had two children be- sides our subject, namely : John, who died about twenty years ago, and Henry, living on a farm in Linn county.
Our subject has always been a farmer, and today ranks as one of the best agriculturists of his township. He was mar- ried in 1874 to Miss Mary Febeker, who was born in Jefferson township in 1856. Her parents were among the early settlers of Johnson county. Mr. and Mrs. Louvar have eight children : Jerome (see his sketch elsewhere in this volume) ; Frank, mar- ried and living in Jefferson township; Joseph; George; Mary and Annie, living at home; Libby, now Mrs. Charles Biscup, living on a farm in Jefferson township; Frances, now Mrs. Francis Becicka.
Mr. Lonvar is affiliated with the republican party, and has held numerous local offices. He is an enterprising, public spirited man, highly esteemed by his friends and respected by his neighbors.
JOSEPH ROZEK
For a more extended account of the family of Joseph Rozek the reader is referred to the biography of Daniel Rozek, his father, published in this volume. Our subject was born in Bo- hemia, January 28, 1876, his parents being Daniel and Mary (Bartosh) Rozek. He came with his parents to America in 1880. When twenty-one years of age he began business for himself as a farmer. At the end of seven years, in 1904, he purchased his present farm of 116 acres, upon which he has lived and labored ever since. When he began for himself four- teen years ago, our subject was not possessed of a dollar, hav- ing no capital but brains, brawn and energy. Today he is worth upwards of $10,000 - a fair example of the possibilities confronting the young man in Iowa who is willing to work and save his money. Mr. Rozek is a single man, and devoted to his farm. He proudly points to his productive, well-tilled acres and the success which he made.
Mr. Rozek is a democrat, and is a member of St. Wenceslaus Catholic church, of Cedar Rapids.
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THEODORE DETERT
Theodore Detert is a native son of Jefferson township, John- son county, Iowa, and during his entire life from boyhood has been a farmer by occupation. He was born in March, 1868, and is the third son of Frank and Pauline (Bartosh) Detert, who were born and married in Bohemia, their two oldest sons being born there. The elder Deterts came to America in 1866 and settled on a farm in Jefferson township, where they lived for thirty-nine years, or until 1905. The names of the three sons of Frank and Pauline Detert are: Frank, living in Ce- dar Rapids; Joseph, living on a farm in Jefferson township (see his sketch), and our subject.
RESIDENCE OF THEODORE DETERT
In 1893 Theodore Detert purchased his father's okl home- stead. He lived upon and farmed this place until 1905, when he purchased his present farm. On the sale of the old home- stead, the parents came to live with their son Theodore and now reside on a portion of his farm in a house of their own.
Our subject was married May 18, 1895, to Miss Mary Stran- sky, a native of Johnson county. They have five children : Jerome, Louis, Milver, Romeo and Lizzie. Mr. Detert is a democrat, a man of great industry, and is held in universal re- spect by his neighbors.
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JOSEPH DETERT
Joseph Detert, born in Bohemia in January, 1856, came with his parents, Frank and Pauline (Bartosh) Detert, to America in 1866, and settled with them on a farm in Jefferson township. (See sketch of Theodore Detert.) The parents remained on this farm for thirty-nine years, but are now residing near their son Theodore on his farm near Shueyville. There were three children in the family : our subject ; Frank, living in Ce- dar Rapids ; and Theodore, residing on his farm in Jefferson township.
RESIDENCE OF JOSEPH DETERT
Our subject has always farmed, having lived on his present farm about thirty years. He was married in 1883 to Miss An- nie Dlouhy, a native of Bohemia. Miss Dlouhy came to Amer- ica with her parents when less than a year old. The latter set- tled on a farm in JJefferson township, where they resided until 1895, when Father Dlouhy died. The mother is now living with her danghter, Mrs. Detert. There were seven children in the family: Mary, who died in infancy; William, Charles, Emma, Mary, James and Frank.
Mr. Detert is a democrat politically, and he and his family are members of the Evangelical church.
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JOSEPH LOPATA
Lopata is a familiar name in Johnson and Linn counties, and the family bearing it have been closely identified with the growth and development of the region for a period of more than half a century. Joseph Lopota was born in Bohemia in 1858, son of John and Mary (Spieral) Lopata, who brought him to America when he was six years old. The family settled first in Linn county, remained there thirty-four years, the father passing away in 1901 and the mother in 1893. They had the following seven children: Mary, died about twenty years ago; Barbara, Mrs. John Reohen, of Linn county; Annie, died
RESIDENCE OF JOSEPH LOPATA
in 1903; John, also deceased ; Joseph, whose name stands at the head of this sketch; Louisa, Mrs. Frank Novak, of Monroe township; Ernest, of Cedar Rapids.
Joseph Lopata was reared to farm work and has been en- gaged in this occupation for himself sinee early manhood. He first began operations in Linn county, where he purchased eighty acres of land when he was twenty-two years old, and in 1898 he sold out and purchased his present farm of 160 acres in Jefferson township, Johnson county. He was married, upon reaching majority, to Miss Mary Stepanek, dangliter of Joseph and Mary (Sulek) Stepanek. Her parents were born in Bo- hemia, Mr. Stepanek coming to America when about twenty-
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three years old and the mother being brought to this country by her parents. All located in Jefferson township, Johnson county, where several members of the family now reside. There were seven children who reached maturity, and who are given mention in connection with the sketch of Joseph Ste- panek, Sr., which is given place in these pages. They were pioneers and helped materially in the early upbuilding of their part of the county.
Mr. and Mrs. Lopata have four children: Joseph is mar- ried and lives near his parents : Annie, Mrs. Louis Castek, lives in Monroe township ; Sylvia, Mrs. Vonrocek, lives in Arizona ; Leo lives at home. Mr. Lopata is a Catholic in religious views and in politics is a democrat. Fraternally he belongs to Fairfax Camp, Modern Woodmen of America. He is recog- nized as an able and enterprising farmer and is esteemed be- cause of his fair and honest dealings with his fellows.
JAMES W. BANE
The family of which James W. Bane was a member was one of the earliest to locate in Johnson county, where it now has many worthy representatives. His parents were pioneers of two States-Illinois and Iowa - and were of old Virginia stock. They belonged to that noble band of men and women who have made present-day civilization and comforts possible. James W. Bane was born in Mercer county, Illinois, November 11, 1838, son of Robert and Sarah G. (Davidson) Bane, natives of Rockbridge county, Virginia. The father was born August 25, 1805, and died July 23, 1888, and the mother was born Octo- ber 3, 1807, and died July 21, 1888, within thirty-six hours of the death of her husband, both passing away on the place where their son lives, in Penn township, Johnson county. The pa- rents were married in their native State, and in 1836 came, with covered wagon and four horses, to Mercer county, Illinois, bringing their two children : John D., who was a member of the Twenty-second Iowa Volunteers and was killed at the battle of Winchester, Virginia ; and Elizabeth G., who died in Johnson county, when twenty years old.
Two children were born to Robert Bane and wife in Mercer
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county : John W., whose name stands at the head of this sketch, and Mary Jane, who died at the age of nineteen years, in Iowa. In October, 1842, the parents, with their four children, came west into Iowa, bringing some cattle and horses with them, and transporting their household effects in a covered wagon, drawn by two horses. They landed at Iowa City when that place was a small village, and went on to the trading post, where they spent the first winter. They then moved to the Jacob Stover farm in Pleasant Valley Township, remaining there six years, and there their son Calvin was born. In 1848 they moved to the old Denton place east of Iowa City, which Mr. Bane had purchased, and he improved some of the land, then sold out to
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RESIDENCE OF JOHN W. BANE
James McCadden and lived a year and a half at Iowa City. Meanwhile, he had bought a claim which was jumped ; 120 acres of land was entered on Section 17 of Penn township, and this he purchased at $4.50 per acre. Later he entered land, in- cluding the eighty acres where his son James W. now resides. He bought a Mexican War soldier's warrant, and the esti- mated cost of this per acre was thirty-six cents. In the fall of 1849 he erected a substantial two-story frame house, 20x28 feet, which is still standing. Two children were born in this home : Samuel R. and Narcissa V., the latter of whom died at the age of sixteen years.
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