| Note* | | The Ondrej Gallia family arrived in Galveston, 18 November 1860, on the bark “Jeverland†out of Bremen, which set sail on 20 September 1860. They had to travel overland to Navidad (Dubina) via ox wagon, where they rented a log cabin on the Caldwell farm. Shortly thereafter, the Civil War began, and in July 1861 Ondrej enlisted in the Confederate Army. Although Ondrej was furloughed at times, this left Mariana Gallia, his wife, to manage for herself in a rented cabin with seven children of various ages: Terezie Gallia b. 1842, Mnisi, Moravia m. John F. Holub Josef Gallia, b 1844, Mnisi, Moravia m. Magdalena Roznovsky Karel Gallia b. 1851, Mnisi, Moravia m. Aneska Hermes Klara Gallia b 1854, Mnisi, Moravia m. Domenic Rosenauer Valentin Gallia b. 1856, Mnisi, Moravia, m. Frances Horak Ignac J. (I. J.) Gallia, b 1859, Mnisi, Moravia m. 1. Annie Nikel m. 2. Julie Nikel m. 3. Theresa Russek August Charles (A. C.) Gallia b. 1864, Texas m. Julie Russek According to I. J., for a short period after their arrival in Texas, the Gallias shared accommodations in the log cabin with the Ignac Pavlicek family. Veronika Miculka was his wife. The Pavliceks bought land with his brother, Martin and wife, and left the log cabin to the Gallias, where they remained throughout the Civil War. The Pavlicek Children were: Johanna Pavlicek b 1850, Moravia, m. Ferdinand Morys John Pavlicek b. 1858, Moravia, m. Frances Sedlacek Vincent Pavlicek b 1860, Moravia m. Agnes Broz Mary Pavlicek b. 1863, Texas m. Anton Miculka Rosilie Pavlicek b 1863, Texas m. Frank Bucek Veronika Pavlicek, was younger than Mariana Gallia and had a babe in arms, Vincent, on the ship “Jeverland,†and delivered two girls in Texas. Ignac Pavlicek died suddenly in 1866 and Veronika raised her children alone thereafter. She lived to October 1918 and died of the flu, as did her daughter, in September 1918. During the lean years of the Civil War, these women with their children, without knowing English, managed to survive by helping each other. These couples were some of the progenitors of the Charles Rudolph Hrncir/Ida Vast Gallia Hrncir family of Hallettsville. As the war continued, the oldest son, Josef Gallia, became a teamster taking cotton bales to the border for sale to the ships in the harbor at Brownsville, and this was one more burden on Mariana, his mother. Karel Gallia, the next son, was about eleven years at that time, Valentin was five years old in 1861, and I. J. was two years, and in 1864, A. C. was born. Marianna was thus very short-handed in trying to keep the family alive by herself. In 1862, Ondrej Gallia returned to Navidad when he was paroled by the Yankees after capture at Glorieta Pass. After all the deprivation, and overwork, Mariana, 49 years old, finally died in childbirth, September 21, 1866. Hers was the first burial of record in the Praha Catholic Cemetery. For, after the war, the Gallias had finally bought land on Mulberry Creek, near the future town of Praha, where Mariana died and was buried. Ondrej built a house and later enlarged the house and added a cellar. By 1876, he had added a merchandise store and a tavern and operated it until his death in 1876, ten years after his beloved wife, Mariana died. He was 57 years old. He had married a second wife, as he still had so many small children to raise. When he died, and his wife married again, the children had to leave and received nothing for all the hard work and grief and pain that their parents had devoted to their welfare. So, because their mother and father both died too soon, the younger members of the Gallia family suffered much trauma and were forced to begin as their parents had – from nothing – to build their lives and fortunes for their own children. They succeeded nevertheless. Published 1988, Czechs in the Grey and Blue, Too! Compiled and Edited by Jody Feldtman Wright, San Antonio, Texas. This story contributed by Marilyn C. Hrncir of Austin, Texas. |