May have found Anna Kaufnerova and Antonin Vesely in US in 1920.

Question

Hello all,

I posted the following question over a year ago: https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/332934/anybody-translate-marriage-record-antonin-vesely-kaufnerova and have just recently discovered her in the US census in 1920 through an online tree that is misinformed about one of my other relatives, Michael Hruska (https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/148844/michael-james-hruska-no-longer-a-mystery).

Through that same tree, I discovered that Anna, Anton and their 1.5 year old daughter Vera, may moved to the US in 1914 from the Port of Cuxhaven where they were supposed to end up in Texas, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9T6-JJJF?i=311&cc=1368704), and while they may have started in Texas when in the US, they ended up in Chicago, Illinois in 1920. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRXR-8RL?i=14&cc=1488411

A few pieces of information are telling me to take this as a real lead:

1. The 1914 passenger record mentioned Anton(in)'s father as Anton Vessely just like the marriage record shown and translated above.

2. The birthdate for Antonin in both the 1914 and 1920 records match generally within 1-2 years with what I have as his birth year.

3. Chicago in 1920 is where Anna's sister, Peter, lives as well so she could have wanted to be close to him: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJ3K-4XS

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Kaufner-4
Looking at Google Maps, this is just .3 miles from where Peter was living at the time.
4. Anton is a draftsman in 1920 which, to me at least, sounds similar to a mechanic as he was described in 1910.

I am not saying that this is official but just that it is a really good lead based on what I know about the family.

What do you all think? Am I on the right track? If not, what would get me there?

Mike Hruska

Answer 1

Michael Hruska---this may be of no help or use to you but this area of Tama county,Iowa(ie. southern Tama county)is home to a large Czech population.In fact my next door neighbor is a Vesely.Tama county has an EXCELLENT genealogical library in Toledo--they may be able to help you.Cedar Rapids,Ia(2 counties east of Tama county) also has a large Czech population.Tama county is a 6hr drive from Chicago & C.R. is about a 5hr drive.If your kin arrived in Texas it's likely they would have gone through this area &/or stayed with relatives along the way.Just a thought....RG