| Notes |
- FRANTISEK was born in Oldris, house # 73, Moravia, Czech Republic (formerly a part of the Austra-Hungarian Empire). Upon arrival in America in late 1886 or early 1887 with ANNA (DRAHOS), his second wife, FRANTISEK preferred to be known as "Frank". He is listed as FRANK in the 1900 and 1920 Census reports for Putnam Township, Linn County, Iowa (See below). He and Anna, his wife, emigrated to the USA in late 1886 or early 1887, settling near Ely, Iowa where they later purchased and operated a farm. He and Anna became naturalized USA citizens in 1892.
FRANTISEK, a Protestant, married his first wife, FRANTISKA (JILKOVA), a Catholic, in Oldris, Moravia on Nov. 1, 1883. The evidence suggests his parents, JOSEF (a farmer) and JOSEFA (Husakova) TOPINKA were living in Betlim, #4 (now part of Borova, about six miles west of Policka). FRANTISEK, on the other hand, apparently continued to live in Oldris, house # 73 (about three or four miles west of Policka) and farm the land which still belonged to his father, JOSEF. Shortly after FRANTISEK's first marriage, his mother, JOSEFA died. It is believed his father, JOSEF, Sr. then returned to live with him and FRANTISKA in Oldris, house #73.
FRANTISEK and FRANTISKA had their bans of matrimony posted in both the Catholic and Protestant churches in Borova on Oct. 7,14 and 21, 1883. Witnesses: Jan Mlynar, farmer in Oldris, #56; Frantisek Rousar from Teleci, #78. Teleci is located about a mile south of Oldris. When their first child, a son (also named FRANTISEK) was born on Dec. 9, 1884, FRANTISKA and her mother had the child baptized a Catholic without FRANTISEK's knowledge. FRANTISKA's parents claimed the baptism was done in accordance with an alleged agreement made between the betrothed, dated Oct. 1, 1883, which provided that all children of both sexes were to be baptized as Catholics in alphabetical order; would confess the Catholic religion and would be brought up as good Catholics.
FRANTISEK denied entering into any such agreement, particularly one that would require all male children to be baptized Catholics. That action apparently resulted in FRANTISEK's decision to divorce FRANTISKA and marry ANNA DRAHOS, his second wife either before or after they emigrated to the States in late 1886 or early 1887.
Several years later (circa 1889), JOSEF, Sr. and his other son, JOSEF, Jr. immigrated to the USA. Prior to leaving for the States, JOSEF sold (circa 1887- 1888) his house in Oldris, #73 and land to JOSEF JILEK, the father of FRANTISKA (JILEK) who was the first wife of FRANTISEK TOPINKA, JOSEF, Sr.'s younger son. Apparently, FRANTISKA and their son, FRANTISEK TOPINKA, Jr. had been living with FRANTISEK, Sr. in JOSEF TOPINKA's home, and continued to live there after her divorce or separation from FRANTISEK, Sr. The evidence suggests JOSEF may have sold his house and land to FRANTISKA's father to pay for FRANTISEK's liberty and enable him to emigrate to the USA.
FRANTISEK is listed as FRANK TOPINKA, age 45, farmer and Head of Household in the 1900 (June 4) US Census for Iowa, Linn County, Putnam Township. He is listed as being born in Bohemia in April, 1859. (Note: Having been born in April, 1859 -- his actual birth date -- his correct age should have been listed as 41. Census enumerators, because of language problems or other reasons, often entered incorrect birth dates and ages and, as indicated below, should not be relied upon as 'proof of birth' of those being enumerated.)
His wife, ANNA, is listed as born in Bohemia in January,1863, age 37. ( Note: ANNA was actually born on January 26, 1864; her correct age in 1900 was 36.)
Also listed is JOE (JOSEF) TOPINKA, father of Frank, born in Bohemia (?) in May, 1829, age 71. ( Note: JOSEF was actually born on February 26, 1829 and was 71 years old in 1900.)
Living with Frank and Anna are their children, all born in Iowa: (Note: All birth dates, except John's, are incorrectly listed. For example, Joseph was born on March 16, 1890; he was actually 10 years old in 1900.)
Joseph, son, born in March, 1888, age 12
Mary, daughter, born in September, 1889, age 10
Annie (Anna), daughter, born in December, 1891, age 8
Emma (Emelia), daughter, born in July, 1893, age 6
Libbie (Elizabeth), daughter, born in June, 1895, age 4
John, son, born in May, 1897, age 3
Rudolph, son, born in April, 1899, age 1
FRANTISEK is listed as Frank TOPINKA, age 61, farmer and Head of Household, in the 1920 (January 5) US census for Iowa, Linn County, Putnam Township. The listing includes his wife Annie (Anna), age 57 ( she was actually 56), and the following of their children, all born in Iowa, who were still living with them:
Libbie (Elizabeth), daughter, age 23 ( Note: Libbie was 21 or 22.)
John, son, age 21 ( Note; John was was 23).
Rudolph, son, 19 (Note: Rudolph was 20 and was also is listed as living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in the home of Charles and Emily (TOPINKA) Easker, his sister.
Carrie (Carolyn), daughter, age 18 ( Carolyn's age in 1920 is believe to be correct.)
Olga, daughter, age 15 ( Note: Olga was 16 in 1920.)
Marvin, son, age 11 ( Note: Marvin was 12 in 1920.)
When FRANTISEK (Frank) died in 1929, it is believed that Anna relied on their son, Marvin (then age, 21) to help her operate the family farm.
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Prior to the opening of Ellis Island on January 1, 1892 -- five or six years after FRANK and ANNA (DRAHOS) TOPINKA emigrated to the States in late 1886 or early 1887 -- immigrant processing was the responsibility of the state(e.g., New York); before 1855, there was no official center.
In 1855, the State of New York began processing immigrants through the facilities at Castle Garden (previously known as Castle Clinton) in response to a massive influx of immigrants. FRANK and ANNA (DRAHOS) TOPINKA are believed to have entered the United States at Castle Garden. This did not prove to be the best possible site, though, because as the new immigrants left the facilities, they were routinely exploited by con men, who sold them phony tickets to various destinations, took their money in exchange for non-existent jobs, or found other ways to part the unwary immigrant with his or her money.
No administrative lists from Castle Garden are known to have survived, but the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has microfilmed copies of passenger lists from this period. That's the good news. Now for the bad news: There is no central index to these records. NARA's "Immigrant and Passenger Arrivals:
Select Catalog of NARA Microfilm Publications (http://www.nara.gov/publications/microfilm/immigrant/immpass.html) lists the following for New York, New York under 'Index to Publications by Port:
Indexes to passenger lists:
--- 1820-1846 [M261]
--- 1897-1902 [T519]
--- 1902-1943 [T621]
--- 1906-1942 [T612]
--- 1944-1948 [M1417]
Passenger lists:
--- 1820-1897 [M237]
--- 1897-1957 (includes crew lists) [T715]
Registers of vessels, 1789-1919 [M1066]
The letter/number combination in brackets is the NARA series number. Within each series are varying numbers of films. The lists of microfilm rolls are available at:
http://www.nara.gov/publications/microfilm/immigrant/rg85.html#nyk
There are efforts to post the lists online through web sites like the Immigrant Ship Transcribers Guild (http://istg.rootsweb.com/), or
Olive Tree Genealogy (http://olivetreegenealogy.com/ships/index.shtml).
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1859 - 1929 (69 years)
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