Genealogy
of the
Jan "John" & Anna
(Novotony) Smejkal Family
of Crete Nebraska
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Genealogy of the Jan "John" & Anna
(Novotony) Smejkal Family
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CONTENTS
LINKS |
History of the Jihočeskŷ Kraj District Anyone having an interest in this website are encouraged to refer to the book KOMÁROV, A Czech Farming Village, by Zdenek Salzmann & Vladimir Scheufler, Waveland Press Inc., 1974. The book is out of print, but limited number of used copies are available through Barnes & Noble and Alibris websites at very reasonable costs, and available in many libraries and through inter-library loan programs.. Komárov is a small farming village, approximately 20 - 30 km to the south of Drazice, but probably much closer when the village to village roads existed. It is situated in a somewhat different geological area in that it was originally an area of peat bogs in the green shaded area to the south, shown in the Makov-DraZice Area map. At different periods of history, it was probably also under differing political rulers. The peat bogs later were drained and gave way to wheat and other cereal farming. However, it contains a wealth of information on the history, agriculture, architecture, customs, and culture of the immediate region of our ancestors. It is a very readable, interesting, and informative ethnographic study of the region for the average reader.. Much of the historical and cultural information presented on this website is a synopsis of the data from this book. The history of most villages such as Makov and Draznice, and the associated parish records were well documented in the Czech Republic. Most of the parish records were turned over to civil authorities after1945. A complete search of the records archived by the Church of the Latter Day Saints has not been researched to date. A personal difficulty in researching these records is the lack of ability to read and translate the Czech language. Any family member with better language skills is encouraged to contribute to this website and will be given proper credit for their research. GENERAL HISTORY The first ethnic group of Slavs entered the area no later than the 5th Century AD by general agreement of historians and archeologists. They practiced farming and animal husbandry using the two-field system to grow hemp, flax, and the other common cereals. The land with tilled with both wooden and iron plowshares and ceramic ware for domestic use was locally manufactured. The original settlements were probably based on the extended family, but rapidly moved to clustered dwellings with outlying farm land which became the established village structure of Makov, Drazice, and the other villages of the area. By the end of the 12th Century feudalism was well established, and with the exception of a few local regions of peasants, most were forced to tenancy to a local Lord. Any produce that could be spared was taken to the nearest marketplace to exchange for needed crafts and trade items. By about the 14th Century, pressure from the King, the Church, and local nobles for more development and income resulted in a recruitment of German settlers to the region. They were granted certain rights such as tax relief and inheritance rights not available to the local peasantry. By the mid 14th century, the Church had consolidated its influence so that more than a third of the agricultural land was held by parish priests, monasteries, or the archbishops. Based on the lack of German family names recorded in family documents, it can be assumed that the Smejkal and Novotony family retained a Slavic ancestry through this period. In the early to mid 16th Century the area was devastated by the Thirty Years War and epidemics of plaque and other diseases that reduced the population of Bohemia by one-half. It can be assumed the devastation was severe in the outlying villages, as it was in Germany and most of central Europe. The year of 1848, just three years before the birth of Jan Smejkal, a significant change occurred for the Bohemian peasant in that after centuries of servitude to nobles and the Church, he was granted full ownership of his land and enfranchisement. Compensation to the Church and large estates was payable over a twenty year period. This allowed the former peasants capital to make improvements and investments to land they had tilled for centuries. However, laws were in effect that prevented dividing of the land to multiple heirs, which was probably the primary reason for Jan & Anna Smejkal to immigrate to the United States.
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