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Chase County Kansas Historical
Sketches
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Doupnik,Joseph Doupnik Family History By Modena Williams from information provided by Mother, Aunts
and Uncles and Trecek family members.
Joseph Doupmk (September 15, 1823, Brandlin #40, Velka Lhota, Moravia -1878), (the
youngest of four children; Adalbert (May 20, 1818), Frantisek (July 29, 1819), Marrianne
(February 27, 1822) and Joseph) son of Frantisek Doupnik and Anna Kudrna, and
Katherine Zavodsky Doupnik (1830-1921), (the daughter of Frantisek Zavodsky and Anna
Loika, were born in Brandlin, Moravia now Czechoslovakia.
Joseph and Katherine were married 18 February 1855, in Brandlin, Moravia. Seven children
were born to this union, Franziska (Frances) July 23, 1855, (John Kuchera), Joseph July 22,
1858, who died in infancy, Josefal (Josie or Josephine) March 14, 1861 (Vincent Shmidl),
Frantisek (Frank) November 02, 1863; (Anna Huncovsky, Marie (Mary) Trecek and Mary
Becker), Antonia Bet. August 20 - September 03, 1866, (Joe Beneda), Theressa (Tressie)
September 12, 1868 (Joe Valek) and Emma (Mary) December 25, 1873 (Joseph
Huncovsky).
Joseph made his life work serving in the Prussian Army Veteran (1855 -common soldier
who re-enlisted beyond his obligatory service) who served with the customs service (at a
line of Military Posts) and rural laborer and was listed as a Cottager and stonemason in
Brandlin #5d in 1858. Due to ill health, after his discharge from the Army, it was decided
to go across the ocean to the new land of America to see their daughter, Frances Kuchera,
who had previously gone with her Uncle Frank Zavodsky's family to America.
In 1870, they
arrived in the U.S. of A. They departed from Germany. Frank, years later told his children
about their being attached by pirates and many of their belongings were tossed overboard to
lighten the load so the ship could outrun the pirates. A daughter, Emma, was born shortly
after landing in New York. The family traveled to Red Oak, Iowa. They lived there for a
short time before moving to Kansas. It is not known if they were to meet with other
relatives there of if it was because of Joseph's ill health and the alleged healing benefits of
the mineral waters in Red Oak, Iowa that they first went to the Iowa area. They are listed on
the State Census in Richland Township, Cuba, Republic co., Kansas in 1875.
The Doupnik homestead was one mile east and three and one half miles south of Cuba. It
was staked out in 1876, improved and given homestead rights in 1883. Their first home was
a dugout across the road from the homestead claim.
During this time, Joseph was in very ill health and his son Frank, was only 18, and took on
the responsibility of building the rock home and other buildings that still stand today.
Before they could move into their new home, Joseph died in 1878, in the Soddy while dirt
fell on his face. He is believed to be the first to be buried in Kopsa's cemetery.
Katherine on the other hand was a very strong, but small woman. It was often told how she
would walk to Belleville, 14 1/2 miles and carry home a 100 lb. sack of flour. Katherine was
also a midwife and delivered many of the children in the area. It is also told that she had
cataract surgery on the kitchen table. (hand writen note from one of the daughters).
In the following years, the four girls were married and moved to homes of their own. Frank
set out to see the country. After several years of traveling in the U.C. and working on
ranches and in the coal mines of Colorado, he returned home to Cuba.
In 1885, He married Anna Huncovsky (1861-1895). Two boys were born to this union. Joe
(who died very young) and Frank Earl (1888-1962). After ten years of marriage, Anna died
on January 29, 1895 of consumption. Frank Jr., lived with his Aunt, Josie Shmidl after his
mother, Anna's death.
Frank married Marie Trecek, whose family lived on the neighboring farm, February 18,
1896 and they continued living on the homestead for five more years. In this time, four
children were born, Joseph (Golda Campbell), and Anna Elizabeth (Brad Hazen and Ellard Price), Charles
(Mildred Erickson), Frances (Frank Leshosky).
On July 12, 1898, they bought a farm in elk Creek Township, Republic County., Kansas. In
1901, they bought a hardware store in Cuba, sold the farmstead and moved to Cuba. Two
more children were born here, Elnora (James Denk) and John (Lucille Slipsager).
In 1901, Frank Jr., Frank's oldest son graduated from the 8th grand. He attended Salina
School of Business for three years. From there he went to Kansas City and worked on the
railroad. After a few years he ended up in California. He married Janet Sahlstrom; two
children were born to this union, Frank II and Elizabeth.
Frank Doupnik (1860-1947) and Marie Trecek Doupnik (1877-1917), his mother Katherine
Doupnik and six children moved to the farm in Elk Creek Township in March of 1906.
Frank built his family a large rock home, doing all the work with the aid of his relatives and
good neighbors. This took about two years. The family lived in a chicken house in the
meantime. All the rock came from their pasture and was chopped and sawed into
rectangular blocks, weighing 50 to 100 lbs each. At this time, the road came around the
bend to the south, down thru; the yard and out the drive that is still there. This was due to
the horses not being able to pull loads over the long, high hill.
In the following years four more children were born, Edison (Fern Ferris), Helen (Walter
Thompson), Benjamin (Orvilla Cory) and Olive (Emerson Foote). Making an even five girls
and five boys in this marriage.
On June 14, 1917, Marie died of cancer. It is rumored that a stillborn child was buried
beside her. As the funeral homes records were burned in a fire, this information cannot be
proven, but funeral director told Trecek family there was a stillborn baby. Her body was
the first to be carried in Prymeks new motor driven hearse. The children were divided
between the two farms to handle the work, so this left Elnora the responsibility of caring for
the younger children.
All ten children went to Spooner grade school. Eight out of the ten children graduated from
Agenda Rural High School, making this a record for the most in one family to graduate from
the school. Helen Doupnik Thompson went to Hays College and returned to teach at
Spooner grade school and three other schools. Charles and Frances also taught school in the
area.
Only two families remained in the Agenda community, Elnora Denk with six children and
Benjamin with three children. All 9 of their children graduated from Agenda Rural High
School.
Around 1917, Frank married for the third time to Mary Betlack adding two step daughters to
the family. The couple later separated. It is unknown if they ever divorced.
In 1942, Frank retired and Benjamin his youngest son bought the farm. Frank spent his
remaining years living with his son Edison in Lynn, Kansas and with son Benjamin at the
family farm where he died February 18, 1947. Benjamin raised his family at the family
farm. . Benjamin and his wife Orvilla, moved to Agenda and their son Barry lived on the
family home. On Thanksgiving Eve in 1970, the beloved home of five generations burned
to the ground. Sharon Lyn Thompson was the last child to be born in the family home.
Foot Note: I was always told there were only 5 girls in Joseph & Katherine's family and
only one was born in the US of A and that Emma was also known as Mary. I'll will have to
do some checking on Kansas Census's .
Submitted by Deanna T
by Lorna Marvin.
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