John and Christina
Chumchal
John Anton Chumchal
...son of John Chumchal and
Genefeva Bialek was born on May 10, 1885, at Sweet Home, Lavaca County,
Texas. He was baptized on May 23, 1885, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church
in Hallettsville, Lavaca County, Texas. His sponsors were Philip
Chumchal and Joanna Bialek. John had light eyes (sometimes blue and
sometimes green) and black hair. He could speak English pretty well but
usually spoke Czech. He also could write a little. It is believed that
he attended school through the 3rd grade.
Christina Slovacek
...daughter of Paul Slovacek and
Mary Kopecky, was born on May 15, 1888, at Ellinger, Fayette County,
Texas. She was christened at Evangelical Reformed Church at
Fayetteville, in Fayette County, Texas, on April 22, 1889, with
Frantisek and Marie Mikeska as sponsors. Later her family moved to
Sweet Home. Christina had brown eyes and dark brown hair. She could
speak some English, but preferred to speak Czech. It is believed that
Christina never attended school. She had a beautiful voice and enjoyed
singing.
When Christina was a young
woman, her parents bought her an new pair of shoes and a new red dress
so that she could attend a house dance. john was also at this dance.
When he saw Christina, it was "love at first sight" and he knew that she
was the girl he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
On October 23, 1905, John and
Christina were married at the Presbyterian Church in Gonzales, Gonzales
County, Texas. Christina later became a Catholic and they were
remarried in the Catholic Church. After their marriage, the rented a
farm near Kokernot where John Jr. and Joe were born. Around 1909, they
rented a place called "Green Ranch" around the Nickel-Dilworth
Communities. Genevieve and Albert were born on this farm. The family
lived here until 1912 at which time they bought a 61 acre farm near
Dilworth (not too far from the Green Ranch). John and Christina worked
and saved $1000. With this money, they built a 2 story house which
consisted of 1 large bedroom and a kitchen downstairs and an upstairs
area. John and another man dug a well by hand. One day, Albert almost
fell into the well, so John put a cover on it. Willie, Louis, Julius,
and Bettie were born on this place. In 1918, John and Christina sold
the 61 acres and bought a 79 acre farm just down the road with a bigger
house on it. The seven remaining children were born while living on
this farm. John and Christina continued to live on the 79 acres until
John's death. At this time, Christina bought a small house on the
former Green School property near Shiner where she lived the rest of
her life.
John passed away at the family
home on Sunday, February 17, 1952 at 11:35 a.m. at the age of 66 years.
Having suffered from high blood pressure for several years, John
apparently died from a stroke.
Christina passed away in the
Frank Wagner Memorial Hospital in Shiner, on Wednesday, February 9,
1966, at 10:00 p.m. at the age of 77 years. She had suffered from
hardening of the arteries and diabetes which eventually led to her
death.
Both John and Christina are
buried in the Shiner Catholic Cemetery.
John and Christina had fifteen
children, namely, John Jr. (died in infancy), Joe, Genevieve, Albert,
William (died in infancy), Louis, Julius, Bettie, Richard, Edwin, Edna,
Isabella, Rosie, Alfred, and Felix. Christina also suffered a
miscarriage between Joe and Genevieve.
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