Fauna--the Good the Bad and the Ugly

 Last week Land Girl and I went camping for four nights at our favorite campground in northeast Wisconsin. It was an interesting trip, from a variety of standpoints and provided a couple firsts. This blogpost will be about the good, the bad and the ugly of our experience with fauna, and let me add, bacteria.

Campsite

I am usually a good news last type of guy. I hope the good news mitigates the bad news. In this case, borrowing from the order of the words in the title from whatever it was, (Ugly, Bad and Good just does not ring as well), I start with the good.  As regular readers of this blog will recall, about the same time last year a loon nest was disrupted by four women at the beach lake of that campground, which you can read about here. Our viewing of the nest that year always contained an adult loon so we don't know if the eggs had hatched or not, but given similarities to loon position on the nest from last year and this year, it seems to me the eggs were still unhatched last year at that time. This year, we camped again in mid-June, but we did not have four floating females, but we did come across the same nest, and this time that nest contained one egg. That was a first for the two of us, to see a loon egg in a nest. I watched the nest for a while and was surprised at how long the loon was off the nest. 

Loon on Nest

Land Girl gave up the land to go kayaking a few times on the campground lake, and she was the first to notice a loon nest on a man-made small floating island, and this nest contained three eggs. One day while kayaking I got a photo, and was dismayed that the wind blew me closer to the nest than I had anticipated. At which point the loon near the nest called the mate who flew in. I decided it best to move out of that location. 

Loon on Campground Lake

Loons are subject to a variety of predators. One such predator are eagles, and we saw a couple bald eagles this year, mainly on Monday, but none after that. We saw one flying over the beach lake, and I saw one flying and another sitting in a tree on the campground lake. One camper I was talking with said bald eagles are becoming more common such that they now represent a nuisance, or worse, to the loons. I am not sure of the habitat area required to support a pair of loons or eagles. While on the water I was talking with a fisherman and the efforts put in place to increase the size of the fish on the lake. While the lake has many fish, they tend to stay small. The fisherman, who was in his mid-twenties has been coming here since a young child and he thought the loons and eagles kept the fish size down. I am not sure about that conclusion, but I wonder how the lake supports fish and loons with just small fish. Even if they do keep the fish size small, those species have a right to fish too.

Loon Egg

We also saw other common fauna, deer, birds, humming bird, squirrels, chipmunks, dragon flies and even our first butterfly of the season. When walking to the boat landing from the beach Land Girl thought she heard a bear. When we used to hike the trail around the lake evidence of bears was quite prevalent. There were also mosquitos and horse/deer flies.

These two insects bring us to the bad. The mosquitos were worse at dusk and the first part of the morning. We had temperature variation from the mid 40's to mid 90's during our stay, one time within a 14 hour period of time. This meant that we had to keep the camper windows fully open a couple nights which attracted the mosquitos. They got in when using the door, and going to bed at night they were dive bombing on to us such that I began to realize what sailors on the aircraft carriers during WWII experienced with noise of the Japanese Zero bombers. Being dark, you would slap and of course most of the time miss. We did kill a sufficient number to make the ceiling and walls look like they had chicken pox. 

The mosquitos were bad, but Land Girl suffered many bites from the horse/deer flies. I am not sure which species these pesty flies were, perhaps both, but they are annoying. As I was swimming they flew around my head, buzzing like they were looking for the kill. I would go under, only to resurface and find they were back again. At the beach one day a woman and child were leaving as we arrived with the woman saying the horse flies were just too bad to stay at the lake. We did stay awhile, and did not find them more of a nuisance than otherwise; perhaps the wind kicked up reduce their impact.

Loon moving toward Nest

Sometimes, the smallest thing can cause a problem bigger than what it should. Monday and Tuesday it was quite hot, so I found myself going in the water 9 perhaps 10 times a day to cool off and enjoy a swim. Many of those swims occurred in the water adjoining our campsite, were Land Girl found a dead fish floating around. I got a small cut on my foot while swimming Tuesday, but it did not bleed. Baceria may not be fauna, but the bad kind can lay one up. Later the next morning I noticed the foot was quite red and swollen. Land Girl, my personal RN, had me soak the foot in hot water, and it started to look better, but a little while later the redness started to increase once again. We spent the afternoon traveling to Crandon and back to get medical attention, where I was prescribed a couple anti-biotics and told to stay out of the water until the wound was healed. This was our second first--a trip to a medical clinic, and not as nice as seeing the loon eggs. 

Eagle in Flight

With cuts on my feet I was told to stay out of the water. Land Girl, had an idea to allow me out on the water. She kayaked our kayak to the boat landing from our campsite, while I walked, where I could get in from the pier, and kayak around the lake. She would often see, or hear my cough, coming back and we would meet at the boat landing where I would get out and walk back to the campsite and she would kayak back. It was quite the good idea.  

Flora--Indian Paint Brush

Seeing the loon eggs was undoubtedly the highlight of our trip and showed that we can always experience a first even at a campground we have visited many times. The bad--mosquitoes and horseflies come with camping, and they can be a nuisance, particularly when trying to sleep and all you hear is buzzing. The ugly was the bacterial infection in my foot, which limited my activity. However, I am not so sure what looked worse, my foot or Land Girl's bitten legs.

A Bike Crash

While Land Girl did not do much a week ago to warrant a post, I figured I had better write about a recent event in my life, since Land Girl told me that there should be a blog post about this. It was not as definitive as she usually says, "There better be a blogpost about that!", but close enough. Due to my foot problems I have been doing more biking, and have not done my daily walk since early January, although I have done two short hikes (on ground or grass) in that time frame. Perhaps at some point the medical providers will figure out the issues, but so far, they have failed me. On Tuesday morning, June 14, I had a misfortune of a crash while biking.

I bike for about 40 minutes, generally the same route, but may alter the route based on how things are going on a specific day. My last section of the route has me enter the cul-de-sac on which we live by its only road intersection then I bypass our house that is on the right getting up speed to go around the cul-de-sac a few houses beyond. I do this to approach our garage from the left, gaining speed, so as not to downshift going up our steep driveway. And, until that day, I found it sort of fun--seeing how fast I can go around the cul-de-sac bulb.  Apparently, I should not be going as fast as I was, particularly with detritus on the pavement.

Land Girl has seen me do this and seemed rather perplexed as to why not just go up the drive rather than bypassing the house. I think she did her favorite thing when she first saw me do this, which of course is to shake her head. For some reason, I think she confuses the head shakes, as they are most always side to side (disapproval or no) rather than up and down (approval or yes). Going by the house that one day a month or so ago she must have been mistaken in shaking her head side to side, surely she meant up and down.

How did I crash?  I hit detritus from the leaf out of Locust trees which are one of the common street trees on our street. That detritus combined with the rain from the day before left a squishy, slippery layer on the pavement. The result of the crash was road burn and some large contusions on my left forearm, near the elbow, my left knee and calf, and my left hip. A couple days later I started suffering a stiff neck. Thankfully, I had on cargo shorts with thick pockets which I think helped protect my hip from even more road burn. Luckily, I did not have my phone with me as that may well have gotten banged up as it is usually in my left pocket. Of all the bruises the one on the hip seems to be the worst, but it has, due to the cargo shorts, little road rash. I am also lucky that the road was repaved a few years ago and it has yet to be seal coated. Seal coating puts all those little pebbles colored black with tar which results in a more rough surface--ideal for road rash and cuts, and ripping off skin. With the bike on top of me, I laid on the pavement for a moment to mentally assess my injuries before getting up. I got up and walked the bike to the garage. I entered the house, expecting my wife (aka Land Girl), a registered nurse to be there, but she was not. I called upstairs and looked and called out the back, but no nurse. I then tended to myself wiping off the road rash and getting an ice pack. I was about to get a cloth to put between one of my bruises and the ice pack, which I decided against, when Land Girl walked in, she was visiting a neighbor, and saw me holding the ice pack. She asked if I got hurt. I told her the story. She had walked with a neighbor that morning and she said the neighbor slipped on the same stuff, but did not fall. My bike wheel and I were not as fortunate.

I expected a lecture, about biking too fast, but she was actually more sympathetic and even said she was sorry she was not home to help tend to my wounds. I think this is because she knew how bad it was since the neighbor slipped. Later of course, she said she tells me to be careful, to which I responded that she had not said be careful that morning but take it easy. The take it easy was a reference to the heat. I of course may have jinked myself because I made the comment as I got in the garage that I will live up to my middle name, which I have told her in the past is "Careful." I think I have to stop telling her that is my middle name.

I thought I was careful, but the top of the leaf spoils was dry, and below was wet. I wonder if E-bikers, and E-Assist bikers have crashes, and what that can do to the electronic system of their bikes? You can spot e-bikers quite easily and not by looking at the bike, but at the position they ride the bike and that very smug smile on their face going up a hill without a care in the world. I see this frequently now. In fact, that Tuesday of the crash I passed one on a bike path. The most smug of the smug faces of these electronic bikers where a couple at Hartman Creek State Park. I was doing some off road trails, but passed on the mountain bike trails, and there they were heading toward me with their four inch wide fat tire bikes made more for winter than mountain biking. I was going down a hill, and there they are coming up with the smirks on their face, not breaking a sweat, despite the heat, and hardly peddling. I saw them on the way back too, with the opposite--they going down and I going up. These E-bikers could well be singing a song from Mary Poppins as they looked like practically perfect people peddling the path. Needless to say with the little effort they expend they had not to worry about their faces getting to the red color of their fat tired bikes.

The day after I crashed, a Wednesday, I was more careful on curves. I am on the bike path coming to an intersection by Chase Lumber and I see a five or six year old on an electric scooter on the bike path. Not the type of scooter you stand on, but those that like like small motor bikes that you sit on. Really, a small kid riding an electric scooter. I am not sure the rules of electric powered items on a bike path. Driving down the road in an electric car, perhaps some will wish to avoid a back up and just tool down a nearby bike path. To meet American Association of Highway and Transportation Engineer Standards, bike (or recreation paths) should be minimum 8' wide, preferably 10' with a 2' clear zone on each side, plenty of room for a car as one way traffic.

I am not sure what is next for my feet, but I hope I can once again, and soon, get back to activities, such as golf, badminton (maybe take up pickle ball, even TJ Watt plays it), hiking with Land Girl, and of course a daily walk where I can travel paths less used, take time to enjoy the surroundings, and look at wildlife. In the meantime, I will watch the speed on curves and watch for kids on scooters, not to mention the smug expressions of the practically perfect people that are E-bikers.  

Theresia and the Handover Contract

After a brief interlude talking about ducks, and with all quiet on the Land Girl front, this post gets back to the Havel family history. An earlier post  dealt with the marriage contract between two of my third great grandparents--Theresia Jiral and Frantisek Hawel. That contract was entered on November 3, 1796 several days after their October 25, 1796 marriage at Dolni Chrastany. This post will primarily focus on the handover contract to Theresia from her stepfather, Wenzel Fitzl, for the farm which originally belonged to her mother and father. This is an important document in the Havel family since it is not only the start of Frantisek and Theresia's marriage, but their management of the farm associated with 18 Dolni Chrastany.

Indication Sketch (Abt 1830), House #18
Dolni Chrastany. 

Before we get into the contract some background is in order. Theresia's father Mathis passed away in 1773 leaving debt on the farm he obtained from his father-in-law Wenzel Ruessmueller. At the time of his death Mathias Jiral still owed 60ß to Wenzl Ruessmueller and 12 to his oldest daughter, Maria. Theresia's mother, Katharina, married Wenzel Fitzl in 1774, and a contract was entered into between Katharina and Wenzel where he would hold the property for twenty years for one of her and Mathias' two living children--Maria or Theresia. Wenzel Fitzl, upon marriage to Katharina became the head of household, and would take the property in his name. Theresia, who was born in 1772, was the younger of the two children, but she would inherit the house and farm as her older sister, Maria, who was described "as frail on her feet," passed on the ownership. Maria, who was born in 1761, never married and died in 1805. Katharina (Ruessmueller, Jiral) Fitzl passed away in 1793, meaning that when Theresia married Frantisek Havel in the fall of 1796 both her parents were dead. That left her stepfather Wenzel Fitzl in full control of the property, and without benefit of Katharina's advice. 

As noted in the marriage contract, if Frantisek passed away and the marriage did not produce any children the land would revert back to Wenzel. If this had occurred it would leave Theresia in a precarious position because she would not have land or a pension on which to fall back. She would need find her way in this culture. Although she had the bride price paid by Frantisek to help offset the condition in which she could find herself. If she had property under her control she would be an attractive option to a single man, particularly one looking to move up the socio-economic ladder. Even if much younger a single man would marry an older widow. One only needs to look at the situation with Wenzel Fitzl as an example.  Wenzel was 15 years younger than Katharina "the cougar" Jiral. For Katharina it was a matter of economics for a man to manage the farm and hold the land in trust for her daughter. 

Land Register, Ordinal 20, part of image 443

Here is another interesting bit of family history. On the same day that Theresia Jiral married Frantisek Havel, Wenzel Fitzl married Maria Mika the widow of Vaclav Mika from Hrbov. Maria, born in 1770, was fifteen years younger than Wenzel, and get this, her maiden name was Havel. After an afternoon or more of research it turned out she was Frantisek's sister. Extending this family connection, Frantisek and Theresia's granddaughter Anna (sister to Martin Havel) married Jakub Fitzl, the grandson of Wenzel Fitzl and Maria Havel, in Jefferson, WI.  Wenzel and Maria would live in the Mika house in Hrbov, while Frantisek and Theresia took over the Jiral farm that had been held in trust by Wenzel Fitzl. I was able to find some plots of land associated with Hrbov house #14 in the south part of the Hrbov Indication Sketch, owned at the time of the sketch by a man with a surname Weber. The position with land holdings was important. But, so was marriage for a farming couple. It was often thought, both culturally and economically, that a farm had to be headed by a married couple, otherwise it was considered unviable. Generally, farm parcels could be a good walk away from the village home, and someone had to tend the house, farmstead, and children. It took a team to run a farm. Remarriage was a method to hold the farm in trust for a child. Frantisek Havel gained the farm through his marriage to Theresia Jiral, and while the hand-over contract identifies Theresia as the heiress of the farm, Frantisek would now be its head and owner. The asterisk by Theresia Jiral's name in the introductory clause makes clear her marriage, as the asterisk noted: "*who has married Franz Havel from the village of Melhutka." As readers of the blog know, Melhutka was the German name for Ratiborova Lhota. It seems, rather unusual that Wenzel Fitzl did not remarry earlier after Katharina's death, marrying almost three years later, but Theresia was 21 at the time of her mother's death, and hence was no longer a minor. Marianna was older, and probably could get by to a degree even though she was frail. In other words, both children were adults. With this background we can now explore the handover contract. 

The contract is dated November 3, 1796 the same day as Frantisek and Theresia's marriage contract explored in an earlier post. The first clause notes the transfer to Theresia as heiress of the farm for 18 Dolni Chrastany "left behind by the late Mathias Jiral, because Mariana as the elder daughter of Mathias has fully ceded her hereditary right, with all Rustikal land holding belonging with it, and with all rights and justice to her ownership in the previous land register valuation of 120 Schock groschen" which would be 140 Gulden in Rhenish currency.  While I have not had the original contract transcribed/translated, it is likely Mariana received an earlier payment for her share of the farm since the second clause lists payment to "Wenzl Fitzl" and Theresia herself.

The required payment, referenced in clause two, amounts to 140 Rhenish gulden but values are also provided in Shock currency. The payments are rounded, so they do not correctly add when going between currencies, but that is immaterial. The payment, to be made in "annual installments of 10 Rhenish gulden" would total 123 Rhenish gulden and 22 kreuzer for Wenzel and 16 Rhenish gulden and 38 kreuzer for Theresia. Theresia, while the farm heir, and which farm is now in her husbands name, is identified which is most likely for bookkeeping purposes. With Frantisek controlling the land, he and Theresia saw that she got paid off quickly--in 1798. This is so Theresia could create a slush fund like Marie Barone did in an episode "Everybody Loves Raymond." Marie Barone used her slush fund to take the whole family on a trip to Italy from New York, I suppose Theresia used hers to travel to Netolice, just up the road. This payment was in addition to Frantisek's payment of 150 Rhenish gulden as a bride price. One could say the bride price was not only an insurance policy for Theresia, but he was paying Theresia for the farm. 

With this farm price, a number of items were included, each of which were valued. The total paid to Wenzel and Thresia herself, was 140 Rhenish gulden, so any valuation of items was part of the set farm price. Valuation was generally accomplished by the headman of the community, or a group of men and then negotiated and agreed to by the parties. If the parties did not come to agreement, the village headman would decide the terms that were under disagreement. Hence, this headman served as an arbiter. The third clause notes that since Wenzel "took on some cattle, he is obliged to leave the following livestock at the farm at no charge" in accord with an earlier agreement. Under this provision Wenzel was required to keep with the farm at 18 Dolni Chrastany one pair of oxen, at 43 Rhenish gulden (Rg), so they were likely older oxen than the two pair provided by Frantisek, which were valued at 110 Rg or 55 Rg per pair. Also provided was one calf (10 Rg), three sheep (6 Rg), and one pig (3 Rg). Interestingly, no chickens or horses were provided. Perhaps Frantisek grabbed some from his father's farm. 

Beyond the farm animals there is a breakdown of equipment received with the farm, which tells us much of the time. Combined with the animals, this provides a good view into a late 18th century Bohemian farmstead. Carts were the highest valued pieces of equipment with two of them valued at 30 Rhenish gulden. Oxen were most likely the beast of burden for the farm, and in this case at turnover there would have been three pair (six oxen) to house and feed, the four (two pair) bride price paid by Frantisek and the two (one pair) left by Wenzel Fitzl. 

Equipment Item	Value: Rhenish gulden – kruezer
2 carts	30
1 plow with iron share	1 – 30
1 pair of harrows with ironwork	1
4 hoes	2
2 sets of wagon chains	2
1 timber saw	1 – 30
1 set of harness tack	1 –30
4 reaping scythes	1
Remaining household equipment	6
Total (including animals)	108 – 30

Take note that the value of the animals and the equipment is 108 Rg and 30 kreuzer meaning that the rest of the property was valued at just under 32 Rg. This is likely because the land was not owned by the peasant farmer, but the domain, and the farmer was only taking over the long-term lease on the farm in alignment with customs for Bohemia. We do know that Wenzel obtained a loan in 1794 from Maria Jiral to rebuild a house that was destroyed by fire of 105 Rg, although it does not identify the address or village. Whether it was the house at number 18 Dolni Chrastany or not, it does provide an idea of the cost to construct a dwelling. Farm dwellings at the time often had some farm outbuildings attached; we do not know if just the dwelling was destroyed or the attached farm outbuildings. 

While men did most of the farm work, the existence of four scythes and four hoes indicates that perhaps both husband and wife worked and harvested, along with sufficient aged children, and/or hired hands were engaged. Depending on time and weather hired hands may have been used. Despite some emancipation rights for serfs, the serfs were still under robot service to the domain. The peasants were first at the call of the manor, and so the peasant's crops were especially susceptible to weather conditions. Late to plant, late to weed, late to harvest. 

The grain required scythes. We could wonder if the scythes were used in the peasant revolts of 1775 or 1821, but I doubt it. Wenzel Fitzl was also leaving to Theresia "all of the harvested hay, and remaining produce, as well as the winter seed (rye and wheat) with the farm. As we know from a prior post, peasant farmers had to pay an urbarial obligation due on St George's Day, and St Gall's day. In this case, the last payment probably had not yet been made, since the contract stipulates that Theresia, as the receiver, "is obliged to pay the urbarial obligations for the current half of the year;" I have not found an Urbarium record which would indicate what such obligations may have been. This was, if the Stable Cadastre of the first half of the 19th century is an indication, a larger farm than what Mathias owned, so the farm would have had greater payment obligations.

Martin Hovel Family, Circa 1897
Martin (2nd from L)was born at 18 Dolni Chrastany,
and is a grandson of Frantisek and Theresia Havel

With the handover of the farm, however, 41 year old Wenzel received an annual pension package which was primarily provided in grain. Rye was the greatest amount, while wheat followed by barley, and then oats. He also received two vrietel of peas. While the US is a wheat country, at the time in Bohemia rye seemed more important. Hay was also involved. First, Wenzel received hay from the Babice Trasska a four oxen cart amount, which it also says is about six Zentner. He also received the meadow land at the Cibuzar meadows for grazing, "with the exception however, that Wenzl only receives the provision of the meadowland on the Czibuzar meadows, when he comes to surrender the Mika farm" in Hrbov. Here, we see that Wenzel likely had a similar arrangement with Vaclav Mika's widow, Maria Havel to hold the farm in trust for one of his stepchildren as he did with Katharina Jiral. As an interesting aside, Johann Mika took over the Mathias Havel farm from Frantisek and Maria's brother John. When the time comes for Wenzel to handover the Mika farm he can, in part, rely on hay from the Czibuzar meadow to help provide some income. However, the Czibuzar meadow is also in play in provision of assistance to Mariana Jiral.

The final clause of the document is interesting as Wenzel Fitzl agrees to provide a share of his pension to Maria Jiral. The following chart identifies both Wenzel's pension and the portion of the pension he would provide to Maria. As can be seen, he gave over one-third of his pension to Mariana. In addition to the pension, however, he provided accommodation in the annex room for as long as she lives. Wenzel also provided the earlier described meadowlands located at the Czibuzar meadows to Maria. There was a stipulation that Theresia is to grant her sister that provision for life if Wenzel were to die before Maria.  If Maria died before Wenzel he reserved the right to receive his full pension as originally allocated.

Item	Wenzel Pension Strich	Wenzel Pension Viertel	Gave to Maria Strich	Gave to Maria Viertel
Wheat	–	3	–	1
Rye	6	–	2	–
Barley	–	2	–	1
Peas	–	2	–	1
Oats	–	1	–	1

The contract was signed at Petruv Dvur on 3 November 1796, by Wenzel, Theresia and Mariana (Maria).  Wenzel Wolfl was the village headsman and signed as a witness as did Bartlmer Grill and Joseph Winzig. The contract was then authorized for "incorporation into the land register" on 4 November 1796 by Gabriel Platzer, Estate manger, and Jon Trnka, Judicial officer. Upon entry into the land register, it later became the public record that was now transcribed and translated, and which provides us with this invaluable insight into the life of peasant farmers in the late eighteenth century. 

Present day House #18, Google Maps

The record does not end there, as we are fortunate that payments are listed by year. From this we find that the first payments occurred in 1798, and in that year the debt to Theresia was paid off at 16 Rhenish gulden and 38 kreuzer; there was also paid 10 Rhenish gulden to Wenzel Fitzl. Payments to Wenzel in the amount of 10 Rhenish gulden would occur for most of the years from 1799 through and including 1809. There was paid 15 Rhenish gulden to Wenzel in 1812 and the final payment of 8 Rhenish gulden and 22 Kreuzer to Wenzel occurred in 1813. The record indicates a missed payment in 1800 due to adverse weather (hail/storms). But for some reason the years 1805, 1810 and 1811 are not even recorded, and we can take it no payments were made.  At least in 1800 a reason was provided. Wenzel had his full payment of 123 Rhenish gulden and 22 kreuzer in 1813, Theresia had her full debt of 16 Rhenish gulden and 38 kreuzer paid in 1798. 

While Frantisek and Theresia had more freedom as peasant serfs than their parents, farming was difficult, and life was complicated by the required robot service. Theresia bore seven children, but many failed to make it beyond one year of age, with Tomas, Martej and Maria all deceased within about a year of their birth. I have not found a death record for their son Martin (b 1808), or their daughter Katharina. Given that the name Katharina was given to another child born to Frantisek and his second wife (Katharina Borowka) it makes sense that the Katharina born to Theresia also passed away before the second Katharina was born in 1821. Theresia passed away in September 1819, and Frantisek remarried two days after Christmas that year. The sixth child of Frantisek and Theresia, my second great grandfather Josef Havel would take over the farm upon Frantisek's retirement. 

Josef and his wife Anna saved sufficient funds to travel to America and would join Jakub Fitzl in Jefferson, WI. The final sale of the farm at 18 Dolni Chrastany appears to have taken place in August 1868, after Josef and Anna arrived in the United States. The act of emigration changed the course of family history. Josef's descendants would grow up in the United States and would not have to face the break up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, occupation by Nazi Germany, or live behind the iron curtain as part of the Soviet Union sphere of influence. This all became possible because of the care Katharina Jiral undertook to marry Wenzel Fitzl and have him hold the Ruessmueller family farm in trust for her daughter, Theresia. The Havel family set down new roots in a distant land, but the land they left provided the income necessary to meet the expenses of travel and purchase of new farm land in Wisconsin. This is all part of the emigrant story.

 Source:

https://digi.ceskearchivy.cz/720659/443/3331/2060/17/0, Images 443--445

Transcription and translation of above document by Richard D' Amelio of Boheimb        Research Services, May 2022

Henry

For many years now we have had two ducks, male and female, hanging around our yard starting in mid to late spring generally through early summer. There had been a few years when a third duck joined them. One year they had a nest by our mailbox, but a raccoon put an end to any egg hatching. Watching them the past few days, I came to the conclusion that Henry and I share some commonalities.

First off, we both watch over our spouses. Henry looks around while Henrietta eats the bird food that fell on the ground out of the bird feeder. He is like a sentinel on guard duty to assure no animal comes into their space. If I walk out on the deck and head to the garden I may come across them in which case, I take a longer route to avoid encroaching on their space. If I do not see them right away I usually catch them waddling away, and I would then try to adjust my route. Sometimes they just keep waddling away.

Second, we both have similar traits in our spouses. I saw Henry alone Sunday in the yard looking around, and quacking, probably looking and calling for his spouse. Who knows what his spouse was doing. I can sympathize with Henry because at times I think my spouse and her inability to sit still (hyperactivity?) has her floating around only she knows where, leaving me to guess. The best example is a few decades ago when we were dating and we got to the top of Mount Washington in New Hampshire, if you live in the US you may recognize it as the place where the highest ever recorded wind speed for the nation. Well, my then girlfriend was no where to be found, and I was getting a little concerned as it was approaching the time to leave. I like to think that is how Henry was feeling last Sunday.  All of a sudden on Mount Washington my then girlfriend, now wife, showed up like she had not a worry in the world. Fast forward to last Sunday and all of a sudden Henrietta flew in like she had not a care in the world, after a few minutes they both flew away. I am thinking she wanted to take Henry shopping.  Although Henrietta does not have red hair I wonder if she posses many of the stereotypes that go with a red head?  I think in the duck world she could well be the equivalent of a red head.

Henry has been alone in the yard more that Sunday, and Monday which makes me wonder if Henrietta has been making a nest or sitting on an egg. Yesterday, I did notice either of them in the yard until later in the day when they both showed up. When my wife was pregnant her nesting instinct kicked in more than usual. One night, yes, night, she could not sleep and proceeded to can several jars of apple pie filling. 

The next way we are Henry and I are alike is how we walk. I am amazed at how fast he waddles, faster than my perpetually aching feet can take me. Given my feet I suppose I look like I waddle more than a walk. His palmate feet have a larger surface area to accept the blows when he walks, not to mention how fast he can propel himself when he swims. My comparatively smaller feet accept more blows per square inch than does his webbed feet.

As I write this we have yet again another day of duck weather--cool and rainy. It is too bad I cannot converse with Henry as perhaps we could talk about how we each attempt to manage the high-energy levels of our respective spouses.  I might be able to learn a few things. 

Photos by author. I would have gotten some photos of Henrietta, but she does not stay still too often. 

Frantisek and his Bride Price

When I hear the term dowry, I often think of traditions where the bride's family makes a payment of money or goods to the groom. This payment can go the other way, too. This blog post will focus on the marriage contract between my third great grandparents, Frantisek Havel and Theresia Jiral, and what is termed the "bride price" which included cash and in-kind contributions that Frantisek provided to his bride Theresia. Even though summer is fast approaching Land Girl, my wife, surprisingly has not done anything I can think of on which to write a post about, so here I am once again writing my ancestors. I usually can count on her for a few blog posts a year, but right now that is not occurring. In the meantime, let us explore Frantisek's "bride price" and the marriage contract between him and Theresia Jiral, which provides a glimpse into their household and socio-economic situation.

The marriage contract was actually located by, transcribed from German and translated into English by Richard D' Amelio who I engaged to do some transcription and translation on some varied records I had located. Richard well knows his way around the digital archive, and in particular the land registers. The marriage contract is rather simple, and consists of three stipulations. Before, I get into the contract, and the dowry, a few events in family history are necessary to understand the situation.

Page 1 of Marriage Contract
Source: Trebon Archives

Theresia Jiral was born at house #18 in Dolni Chrastany, Bohemia on 26 Sept 1772. Her father was Mathias Jiral and her mother Katharina Ruesmueller. According to a land record, Mathias Jiral acquired the farm associated with 18 Dolni Chrastany at the time of his marriage to  Katharina in 1760 from Katharina's father Wenzel Ruesmueller, who was retiring from farming. Mathias was under contract to make installment payments of 120 Schock Groschen for the farm. Of this total purchase price 100 was paid to Wenzel Ruesmüller, and 20 to Wenzel's oldest daughter Maria. Wenzel obtained the farm from his father, Bernard. From the land records, it is safe to conclude that Theresia, Katharina, and Wenzel were all born in the same house. My great grandfather Martin and his father, my second great grandfather, Josef, would also be born at 18 Dolni Chrastany. 

Here is where it gets tricky. Mathias Jiral passed away in 1773, just shy of Theresia's one year birthdate, he was still holding farm debt of  60ß to Wenzel Ruesmuller and 12 to Maria. His widow, Katharina, as was customary at the time, remarried in January 1774 in order to keep claim to the property rights for one of her children. At the time of Mathias' death she had two living daughters, Maria and Theresia. Her second marriage was to Wenzel Fitzl, a relative of three degrees of consanguinity, which we know as the received dispensation is noted in their marriage record. Katharina Ruesmuller Jiral Fitzl passed away in 1793, and Wenzl Fitzl remarried a widow with the last name Mariana Mika, from the village of Hrbov (this relationship is interesting, and will be discussed in a bit more detail in a follow up post). Wenzel and Katharina had a marriage contract which named Katharina's and Mathias Jiral's two living children Maria and Theresia as possible heirs to the farm associated with18 Dolni Chrastany. The farm was held in trust by Wenzel for twenty years or until the children grew up (it would turn out to be over 22 years). Due to the "frail" nature of Mariana (Maria) she gave up rights to the property and passed such property rights to Theresia. Many children died at a young age, as was the case with at least three of Theresia's older siblings. I have found birth or death records for three siblings who are not listed in the handover contract between Wenzel and Katharina. Some of these deaths occurred around the time of, or the year after the famine caused by floods, of 1770 through 1771. While many children died at an early age, this also likely means that many other children who were born had at birth, or perhaps later developed, some type of debilitating condition(s) or underlying morbidity.  This was probably the case with Theresia's older sister Mariana. The final stipulation of a handover contract between Wenzel and Theresia identifies Mariana as "being frail on her feet." In the long and short of it, both of Theresia's parents died before her marriage to Frantisek, and she was only 21 years of age when her mother died. That means that Mathias Fitzl, her stepfather was the main person on which she and her sister could depend.

Marriage Contract, page 2
Source: Trebon Archives

Theresia Jiral, who really never knew her father, entered the bonds of holy matrimony with Frantisek Havel who hailed from Melhutka on October 25, 1796. She likely was walked down the aisle by her step-father, Wenzel Fitzl. The ceremony was either at the chapel in the village, but more likely in the parish church located in Netolice. Interestingly, this was an antenuptial agreement as it was signed on 3 November 1796 and ratified and incorporated into the marriage contracts register on 4 November of that year. The introductory statement of the contract makes the clear that the terms of the agreement were reached following the wedding ceremony, as, after identifying both parties, it says "...was agreed following the wedding ceremony:".  Frantisek's father Mathias and his mother Marie were still farming in Ratiborova Lhota (German name Melkutka) and were probably happy to see the eldest son take on, what appears to be a larger farm obligation than they themselves had. When Mathis passed away Frantisek's younger sibling Johann would take over the Havel farm in Ratiborova Lhota. In 1781 a patent was issued that allowed the serfs freedom to chose who to marry, that a Lord's permission was no longer required, that a serf could move where they wished, and were free to chose an occupation. Frantisek, unlike his father, enjoyed the freedom of not having to obtain permission from the lord of the domain to move from Ratiborova Lhota, or to marry a young lady in Dolni Chrastany. He did, however, continue the family tradition of farming. 

Cadastral Map of Dolni Chrastany, about 1830
Source: https://ags.cuzk.cz/archiv/

Frantisek and Theresia's marriage contract is basic and straight forward. The first stipulatory clause of the contract is perhaps the most touching, and reminds us of the basic tenants of the marriage vows. This reads, as translated from German: "First: The above-named bridal couple promise each other their conjugal love and fidelity, and agree not to part until death, rather instead to faithfully help each other in sharing the fortunes and in bearing the misfortunes which may lie ahead."  I find this a beautiful stipulation, and while perhaps invoking their vows of several days earlier when it gets to a specific contract on what is brought to the marriage they still saw fit to promise life-long fidelity, and work together through the bad times. Frantisek and Theresia would have seven children together and see at least three of the children die (of those of which I can locate death records) at a young age. Heartache, and trials of the times were never far away as the death of child was all too familiar. 

While the two faithfully enjoyed their marriage, Frantisek made dowry, or bride price, payments in both cash and animals to Theresia. The second stipulation is the guts of the contract. The clause has Frantisek bestowing upon his future wife (use of the word future seems to indicate that this was paid prior to their October marriage) 150 Rhenish gulden. In addition he provided four head of oxen valued at 110 Rhenish Gulden and two head of dairy cattle at 30 Rhenish gulden. The value of the oxen certainly give recognition to the importance of beasts of burden were to the farm operation. It may also indicate how his father, Mathias, met the required haulage robot labor--using oxen rather than draft horses. Robot haulage required either two draft horses or two pair (four) of oxen. The total value, of cash and animals totaled 290 Rhenish gulden. Frantisek would have been the one to use the oxen, and I suspect Theresia milked the cows. The last part of this clause is important. We know that death can come early to children and adults, after all Theresia's father was 41 years at the time of his death in 1773. This clause says: "...if the groom should die before the bride and no children have been born of the marriage, then she shall be the lawful heiress of the entire dowry (bride price), however if there are also bereaved children, it shall be divided into equal parts." This seems to me to function almost like a will and the payments as a life insurance policy--Theresia, and the children have some money to rely on, along with oxen to use in farm chores, and dairy cattle to provide milk, and make into butter and perhaps cheese. This bride payment is not so much to the bride as it is to this new family unit created by marriage of Theresia and Frantisek several days earlier. I am sure it must have taken some time for Frantisek to raise sufficient cash to make his payment of 150 Rhenish gulden. Or, perhaps there was a loan from his father. 

18 Dolni Chrastany, present time
Source: Mary B Hovel

In taking over the farm Frantisek had to make payments to Wenzel. According to the marriage contract Frantisek was required to pay Wenzel Fitzl 140 Rhenish gulden. These payments were made on an installment basis, according to a different land register (which will be explored in a later post). If Franz died before Theresia and the marriage did not produce any children, however, the farm would revert back to Wenzel Fitzl. While this did not occur, if it did Theresia would not have had any land on which to rely, nor to perhaps use to help land another husband. A widow with land had more value than one without property. It was a hard life, and economics was important. What is interesting to me is that the payments to Wenzel for the farm, 140 Rhenish gulden, was less than the 150 Rhenish gulden Frantisek paid as part of his bride price, or dowry. Add in the value of the oxen and dairy cows, and the total value of what Frantisek paid as his "bride price" is more than twice what he had to pay Wenzel Fitzl for the farm.  

Frantisek would continue to farm the property until the 1840's, when the ownership would move to his son, my second great grandfather, Josef.  After Theresia passed away in 1819, Frantisek would remarry. Josef, Anna Jodl, his wife and eight children (they had nine children but one died at about 6 months of age) would emigrate to the United States in 1868. The sale of the farm would be completed after Josef and Anna were already settled in Wisconsin. We know what Frantisek brought in terms of cash and livestock to the marriage, but what else was with the farm handover from Wenzel to Theresia and Frantisek?  The handover contract between Wenzel Fitzl and Theresia Jiral will be explored in a future post. Tune in to a future episode as we continue to explore the history of the Havel family.

Source: https://digi.ceskearchivy.cz/124713/169/6525/2703/9/0 (Images 169-170) Transcribed and translated (May 2022) by Richard D' Amelio of Bohemib Research Services.