Vaclav Krizek

Digital Tree

Vaclav Krizek (b. 11/30/1873 Pisek, Bohemia - d. 10/03/34 at age 60)

married Anastasia Beneda (b. 4/15/1873 Pisek, Bohemia - d. 12/22/63 at age 90)

Vaclav worked for the Goodwilly Lumber Company unloading lumber from the boats in the Chicago River. Next the pair owned a small coffee store on Kedzie Ave. Vaclav was a musician during this period and organized his own brass band. He worked as a beef splitter for Swift and Co. He and his wife moved into a house on 28th and St. Louis that uncle Rezek, a contractor, built for them. The house later was sold and Vaclav bought a tavern with a bowling alley in 1905. In 1912, he sold that business and bought another tavern with a bowling alley. During this time Anastasia became estranged from the Catholic church since they deemed owning a bar not proper for a Catholic. The second bar was sold in 1917 and Vaclav went back to work for Swift & Co. as Chief Beef Splitter. He took a pension from Swift in 1930.

Around 1916 or so, The Lawndale National Bank would raffle off a lot in their new Berwyn subdivision every Sunday, with the understanding that the winner would build a home on the lot within a year. Vaclav entered this raffle and won a lot. While he stated that he couldn't build a home in one year, he gave a sign of good faith by buying two more lots and the bank approved his terms.

In 1918 the Krizeks moved to 6822 W. 30th Place, Berwyn, Illinois. At the time this home was only the 3rd house in the entire Berwyn subdivision, stretching from Oak Park Avenue to Harlem.

In September of 1934 Vaclav trapped a rabbit in Hayward, Wisconsin, which he promptly skinned. In so doing, he pricked his thumb, which he put into his mouth. Soon afterwards, he developed a high fever, Tularemia (rabbit fever) and was taken to the doctor who advised them to go back home. He was assigned a 24 hour nurse, but the fever got worse. He developed sores in his mouth and throat, followed by a painful death. Yet the family ate the rabbit with no ill effects.

Vaclav Krizek

Digital Tree