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My Uncle George, who is 90 years old, just sent me this collage of pictures. It features my grandfather, George Tichacek, and his wife, my grandmother, Josephine (see their wedding picture in the upper left hand corner). Especially poignant is the clipping from the Jan. 9, 1918 St. Louis Post Dispatch, announcing "G.R. Tichacek, like three brothers, weds servant." (Sixty-nine years later, to the day, our daughter Susan would be born.)
Grandma T. (Josephine) had a difficult life. She was a Bernat, a people now known for their yarns. Her family made linen sheets, and I recall Grandma telling about how her father would "break in" the sheets by having the family use them. Once they got softer, they would be ready to sell. Josephine's mother died giving birth to her younger brother. From that point on, her older sister took over the household; but as soon as she could, left for America, and settled in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
That left Josephine in charge. She was a bright girl, and dreamed one day of being like the lady who ran the village post office. She even won a scholarship to continue her education, but her father forbid it. Josephine was crushed, but not broken. The Austro-Hungarian empire was on the brink of war, and when she was 16 years old, Joesphine told her father she was going to a local dance. In reality, she was immigrating with two other girlfriends.
They went to the dance, then changed out of their party clothes in a field and made their way to Graz, then Marseilles, then Ellis Island. Josephine found work as a cook's helper in St. Louis. One day, George was hired to do some interior painting, and Josephine caught his eye. Thus began (from what I can figure) a stormy marriage. Grandma was proud and independent for a woman those days, and Grandpa was quite the male chauvinist, being one of 10 brothers, and eleven years older than Josephine.
One of those brothers, Louis J., and his wife Anna are pictured in the lower right corner. Grandpa George's drafting table and his father's missal have been passed on to me. Thank you, Uncle George, for sending these photos.
Grandma T. (Josephine) had a difficult life. She was a Bernat, a people now known for their yarns. Her family made linen sheets, and I recall Grandma telling about how her father would "break in" the sheets by having the family use them. Once they got softer, they would be ready to sell. Josephine's mother died giving birth to her younger brother. From that point on, her older sister took over the household; but as soon as she could, left for America, and settled in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
That left Josephine in charge. She was a bright girl, and dreamed one day of being like the lady who ran the village post office. She even won a scholarship to continue her education, but her father forbid it. Josephine was crushed, but not broken. The Austro-Hungarian empire was on the brink of war, and when she was 16 years old, Joesphine told her father she was going to a local dance. In reality, she was immigrating with two other girlfriends.
They went to the dance, then changed out of their party clothes in a field and made their way to Graz, then Marseilles, then Ellis Island. Josephine found work as a cook's helper in St. Louis. One day, George was hired to do some interior painting, and Josephine caught his eye. Thus began (from what I can figure) a stormy marriage. Grandma was proud and independent for a woman those days, and Grandpa was quite the male chauvinist, being one of 10 brothers, and eleven years older than Josephine.
One of those brothers, Louis J., and his wife Anna are pictured in the lower right corner. Grandpa George's drafting table and his father's missal have been passed on to me. Thank you, Uncle George, for sending these photos.
2 comments:
About thirty years ago I purchased a painting in St. Louis. There is a note attached to it that indicates it is a watercolor painted by George R. Tichacek in 1904. Did your grandfather have a father by the same name who was an artist? Do you know of a relative who was a painter? Thank you.
Izzy, I sent your comment on to my uncle, who is in his 90's. THis is what he wrote back:
"My dad was George R. Tichacek, 2/12/1885-9/21/1941. He would have been 19 years old in 1904. Though I knew he did some drawing, I remember no watercolors of his. My cousin, Louis Tichacek, was an accomplished watercolor artist, but he could not have been more than an infant in 1904. Lou’s brother, Greg, was a painter too, but he worked in oils. Uncle Gus used to be an artist too.George R. Tichacek, 2/12/1885-9/21/1941.
IZZYDIVY said he purchased this 30 years ago. Perhaps he can trace this through the seller. Also, there may have been another George R. around."
The Tichacek brothers must have been talented artists. I remember a beautiful mountain scene that my grandfather (George R. Tichacek, 2/12/1885-9/21/1941)did in pastels.My father also spoke about how he carved the butts of his shotguns and rifles with leaves and animals. Can you tell us anything more about your watercolor? What is the subject matter? the size? Is it for sale?
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