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St. Wenceslaus Cemetery walk set for June 7

On Sunday, June 7 at 9:00 a.m., the Chalupnik family will be featured in this year’s walk at St. Wenceslaus Cemetery. This church and cemetery are located two and a half miles west of Clutier. The annual Corpus Christi Mass and Procession begins at 10:30 a.m. A potluck dinner at the former Immaculate Conception Social Center in Clutier will follow. Historically, Corpus Christi has been the main church festival for which the St. Wenceslaus Parish was noted.

Anton Chalupnik came to Iowa 150 years ago in 1865. He was born in house # 86 in Prosec a town in eastern Bohemia. At that time, Bohemia was part of the Austrian Empire. Today it is in the Czech Republic. Although he did not come directly to Tama County, he was one of the first of many Czechs from Bohemia to settle in central Iowa.

In 1866, Anton’s older brother and sister-in-law, Jan (John) and Anna (Kubik) Chalupnik and their seven children sailed for America. Tragedy struck when one child died enroute and was buried at sea. The Jan Chalupnik family arrived in Baltimore and lived on the ship, cleaning it for its return passage. They also shucked oysters to pay for their trip the following spring to Iowa via the new railroads which had recently connected Iowa to the east coast.

Both Jan and Anton (who married after coming to Iowa) had large families. There are five different spellings of the family name on tombstones at St. Wenceslaus. This will be noted and explained. Dozens of those who rest at this beautiful cemetery are members of this pioneer Czech family. Many other points of the family history will be outlined for younger generations.

For more information, contact Florence Seda, 500 Toledo St., Traer, IA 50675 or call her at (319) 478-8327.

St. Wenceslaus Cemetery walk set for June 7

On Sunday, June 7 at 9:00 a.m., the Chalupnik family will be featured in this year’s walk at St. Wenceslaus Cemetery. This church and cemetery are located two and a half miles west of Clutier. The annual Corpus Christi Mass and Procession begins at 10:30 a.m. A potluck dinner at the former Immaculate Conception Social Center in Clutier will follow. Historically, Corpus Christi has been the main church festival for which the St. Wenceslaus Parish was noted.

Anton Chalupnik came to Iowa 150 years ago in 1865. He was born in house # 86 in Prosec a town in eastern Bohemia. At that time, Bohemia was part of the Austrian Empire. Today it is in the Czech Republic. Although he did not come directly to Tama County, he was one of the first of many Czechs from Bohemia to settle in central Iowa.

In 1866, Anton’s older brother and sister-in-law, Jan (John) and Anna (Kubik) Chalupnik and their seven children sailed for America. Tragedy struck when one child died enroute and was buried at sea. The Jan Chalupnik family arrived in Baltimore and lived on the ship, cleaning it for its return passage. They also shucked oysters to pay for their trip the following spring to Iowa via the new railroads which had recently connected Iowa to the east coast.

Both Jan and Anton (who married after coming to Iowa) had large families. There are five different spellings of the family name on tombstones at St. Wenceslaus. This will be noted and explained. Dozens of those who rest at this beautiful cemetery are members of this pioneer Czech family. Many other points of the family history will be outlined for younger generations.

For more information, contact Florence Seda, 500 Toledo St., Traer, IA 50675 or call her at (319) 478-8327.