Riha, Frank and Anna (Talafous)

(Marie Riha)

Frank Riha, the son of a cotter, was born 17 Nov 1849 in Zabori a village near Protivin, Bohemia. He spent his childhood in Bohemia. After completing his military duty to the Austrian government, he emigrated with his parents Jan and Rozalie Riha to America in search of a new life of freedom and prosperity. Anna Talafous was born 12 Feb 1851 in Mysenec, avillage near Protivin, Bohemia to a blacksmith and his wife, Josef and Katerina (Kopet) Talafous. She came to America 22 Oct 1873 at the age of 22.

Frank and Anna married in 1877; the exact location is unknown. After their marriage they bought a farm 5 miles southeast of St. Lucas, IA where 9 of their 10 children were born. They farmed that land along with additional land purchased until 1897 when they moved to a farm south of Fort Atkinson in Winneshiek Co. They soon acquired considerably more land which was occupied by their sons.

Their children were: John (4 May 1878-15 May 1934) married Barbara Chyla (9 Nov 1888-28 Jun 1965), Wendel (5 Nov 1879-4 Oct 1962) married Anna Bina (25 Jan 1881-26 Sep 1951 (both buried at St. John's cemetery), Joseph (28 Mar 1882-15 Jan 1955) married Mary C. Neuzil (12 Feb 1889-17 Jan 19671. Frank Jr. (24 Mar 1884-7 Mar 1959 married Mary Franzen (23 Sep 1895-29 Apr 1963), Albert (5 Jul 1886-3 Dec 1956) married Mary Kriener Kruse (25 Mar 1891-14 Nov 1953), Mary (3 Jan 1889-8 May 1969) married Albert Panos (6 Jan 1888-21 Jan 1967), Martin (18 Nov 1891-16 Jun 1971) married Anastasia “Stella” Novotny (8 Apr 1900-20 Mar 1989), Anton (23 Mar 1894-21 Feb 1971) married Frances Landa (21 Aug 1900), Thomas (28 Dec 1895-21 Jun 1979) married Bertha Bruenmg (30 Dec 1908), and their 10th child, Anna (4 May 1897- 3 Mar 1982) married Frank Barloon (3 Dec 1891-1 Jan 1955).

Frank Riha was an honorable man who believed in the integrity of a man’s word. He knew German and spoke Czech, but never spoke English. Anna Riha’s kindness and cheer were marked along many paths.

Anna passed away 13 Feb 1923, with Frank following on 28 Mar 1934. They are buried in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery, Fort Atkinson.

Riha, John and Anna (Peliken)

(Rebecca Neuzil)

John and Anna (Pelikan) Riha came from Budovic, Czechoslovakia and with them were their 2 children, 5 year old Joseph and 2 year old Mary. They came over the ocean on a ship and the trip took 6 weeks. John and Anna had 3 more daughters that were born in the United States; they were Anna, Rose, and Elizebeth. John and Anna farmed in Winneshiek Co., Sumner Twp., Sec. 17.

Joseph Riha married Elizabeth Brom 17 Jan 1888 at the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Spillville, IA. They farmed in Winneshiek Co., Sumner Twp, Sec. 17, and had 12 children: Mary (5 Dec 1888) married Frank Alois Stika,

Joseph (11 Nov 1890) married Regina Mracek, Frank (22 Jun 1891) remained single, Ludmilla (28 Feb 1896) married Frank Ryant, William (2 Dec 1897) married Emma Mracek, Albina (14 Apr 1899) married Rudolph Lukes, Rose (30 Aug 1901) married William Praska, Edward married Viola Roethler, Regina (13 Jul 1904) married Frank Mracek, Adella (1907) married Louis Milota, Benjamin (1908) married Anna Voyek, and Emma died 9 Feb 1920 at age 10. Joe and Elizabeth are buried at the Holy Trinity Cemetery in Protivin.

Four generations photo about 1912.
Emma Stika sitting on her great-grandmother Mary (Krai) Brom's lap.
Standing left is Mary (Riha) Stika and right is Elizabeth (Brom) Riha.

Mary Riha married Joseph Ira on 17 Jun 1879 at the St. Wenceslaus Church in Spillville, IA. Joe was born 13 Oct 1861 and was 17 years old and Mary was 16 years old when they got married. They farmed in Sumner Twp. and became the parents of 15 children. Joseph F. (23 Dec 1881) married Mayme Kolishek Shores, Anna (10 Jan 1884) married John Adamec, Frank (10 Jan 1884) married Anna Kovar and Mayme Kalishek Shores Ira, (Anna and Frank were twins), Mary (19 Feb 1886) died at age 5, killed by horses, Adolf (9 Jan 1889) married Emma Cibuzar, William J. Ira, (19 Feb 1892) was a World War I veteran, Edward H. (7 Apr 1896) married Gertie Lentz, Rosie (24 Nov 1900) married William Mrachek, and Louis F. (22 Aug 1903) married Anna Dostal. Six children died in infancy. Joe and Mary are buried at the Holy Trinity Cemetery in Protivin.

Anna Riha married Peter Moudry. They farmed and had 4 children. Stella married John Clark. Joe (7 Apr 1892) married Theresa Pecinovsky, Mary married Charlie Pesek, and Frank (25 Mar 1904) married Mayme Hruska.

Rose Riha married Mike Markovetz and they had 4 children. Mary (30 Mar 1892) married John Vrba, Theresa married Frank Vachta, Elizabeth “Bessie" married John Krivachek, and Adolph died as a young man one day when he went for a walk in the woods. After Mike died