DUANE
Duane's take
Well, the official marker tells it this way, and I'm just Duane, passing it along. Now here's a story that doesn't start in Texas. It starts long before Texas was even a glimmer on the American horizon.
People from Czechy began coming to America for liberty as early as 1633. That's not a typo. Sixteen thirty-three.
By the time the Revolution rolled around, by the time the Republic of Texas drew its first breath, Czechs had already been making that crossing for generations. The first known Czech to set foot in Texas was a man named Jiri Rybar — you might know him better as George Fisher — who was working as a customs officer in Galveston in 1829. Others trickled in after him, one by one, quietly, for years.
No fanfare. No parade. Just folks arriving on their own terms.
But then came a letter. Or rather, letters. The Reverend Josef Arnost Bergman, who had settled at Cat Spring in 1849 — that's just nine miles south of where this marker stands — began writing home.
And when word gets back to the old country that a man of God has found a place worth putting down roots, people listen. Those letters inspired immigration in large numbers. Now the man who helped turn inspiration into action was Josef Lidumil Lesikar, born 1806, died 1887.
He was instrumental in forming the first two large migrations — one in 1851, and another in 1853. The ship logs tell the tale in names and numbers, and those numbers are worth hearing. The Silar family, sixty-nine souls.
The Lesikar family, sixteen. Mares, ten. Pecacek, nine.
Rypl, seven. Coufal, six. Rosler, six.
Motl, five. Jezek, four. Cermak, three.
Janecek, three. Jirasek, three. Kroulik, two.
Tauber, two. And Marek and Pavlicek, one apiece. Families.
Not statistics. Families crossing an ocean with everything they owned and a name on a ship log. With Pastor Bergman's counsel guiding them once they arrived, many of those Czechs began to farm right here in Austin County.
More immigrations followed through the 1850s, and they grew heavier still in the 1870s. Over time, Czechs spread throughout the state, earning a reputation for industry, thrift, and cultural attainments that reached well beyond the farm. They weren't content to let the old ways fade either.
They pushed until a chair of Slavic Languages was established at the University of Texas in 1915, and later at other schools. Their ethnic festivals have been held in various cities for many years and counting. From a customs officer alone in Galveston in 1829, to families pouring off ships by the dozens, to university chairs and festivals still going strong — that is one long, determined thread running right through the heart of Texas.
And it started with a letter from Cat Spring.
What the marker says
People from Czechy began to come to America for liberty as early as 1633. First known Czech in Texas was Jiri Rybar (George Fisher), customs officer in Galveston in 1829. Others arrived individually for years before letters sent home by the Rev. Josef Arnost Bergman, an 1849 Czech settler at Cat Spring (9 mi. S), inspired immigrations in large numbers. Josef Lidumil Lesikar (1806-1887) was instrumental in forming the first two large migrations, 1851 and 1853, with names of family parties listed on ship logs as Silar (Shiller), 69; Lesikar (Leshikar), 16; Mares (Maresh), 10; Pecacek (Pechacek), 9; Rypl (Ripple), 7; Coufal, 6; Rosler (Roesler), 6; Motl, 5; Jezek, 4; Cermak, 3; Janecek, 3; Jirasek, 3; Kroulik, 2; Tauber, 2; Marek, 1; Pavlicek, 1. With Pastor Bergman's counsel, many of the Czechs began to farm in Austin county. Other immigrations occurred in the 1850s, and became even heavier in the 1870s. Czechs eventually spread throughout the state, gaining recognition for industry, thrift, and cultural attainments. To preserve their heritage they succeeded in having a chair of Slavic Languages established (1915) at the University of Texas, and later at other schools. Their ethnic festivals have been held in various cities for many years. See incising on back of marker (1974)