Holub Family History

Nana’s last name before she was married was Holub.
This is the Holub Family Crest, or Coat of Arms.

Holub is a surname of Czech, or Bohemian, origin (it means pigeon).
Great, Great, Grandfather Holub, his father, and family before him raised passenger pigeons that would take messages to people many miles away. I understand that passenger pigeons are, sadly, now extinct.  But, years ago, there were like the telephone of present days. Their use in carrying messages was very important. The Holub family, also, had the only grain mill in their area where people would bring the wheat they grew to be milled into flour.  The country where they lived was, at that time, called Bohemia.

The Bohemians were lovers of art and architecture and very proud of their heritage. They were intellectuals having the first university to be established in Central Europe and takes its name from its founder, King Charles IV, King of Bohemia and King of the Romans. Charles University in Prague (Shown Below) was founded in 1348, going on 800 years ago.

The city of Prague, shown above, is so beautiful. Before World War 1,  Bohemia was facing terrible problems and uprisings. It was at that time, around 1908,  that your Great, Great Grandfather left everything back home, came to America, and settled in Chicago, Illinois. There he met your Great, Great Grandmother, Ruzenna Solfronk, who had, also, fled the oppression in the country and immigrated to Chicago with her family.

They had three children whose names were Rose (Ruzenna), John, and Vlasta.   Great, Great Grampa Holub opened the Holub Broom Factory in Chicago where they had their home, and they had a summer home in Fox River Grove, Illinois, on the Fox River. I will add photos of them soon.

This was Great, Great Grampa Holub’s car back in 1916.
Great Grampa Holub is the baby, not quite a year old, in the front seat,
and Great Aunt Rose is the little girl in the back seat. She was only 3 years old.
Your Great, Great Grandmother is in the back seat right in the
middle of the picture with her ruffled bonnet next to her two sisters
and the boy in the front is his nephew.
Great, Great Grandfather was so proud of his car.
Not many people had a car in 1916. And, he kept it very shiny.
The photos below are all over 100 years old.
You have a very rich heritage.
More history to be added.
Love you all so much!

Pre-Wedding Photo

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On the left, is a photo of Great Grampa Holub, his sister, Rose, and his
Aunt Margaret in 1919.
On the left is your Great, Great Grandfather shaking hands on the
purchase of his summer home in Fox River Grove, Illinois.

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Photo on the left is Great Grampa Holub with his sister Rose and his little sister Vlasta. They would go out on the Fox River in their boat all summer long. They were very good swimmers even when they were little. The next photo is your Great Grandpa when he was 12.

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Great Grampa Holub with his father at their new summer home, and a photo of him with his older sister, Rose.

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This is the ship on which Great, Great Grandmother Holub came to America.
She and some other members of the Solfronk family traveled from Bohemia
to the city of Hamburg on the coast of Germany where they boarded
this ship called the Kaiserin Auguste Victoria.
It arrived in America at the New York City
port of entry on August 15, 1908.

All of your family ancestors on Nana and Papa’s side of the family
came over from Europe on ships just like this one
between 1905 and 1908.
Great Grandmother Kudabeck’s family came from Glasgow, Scotland.
Great Grandfather Kudabeck’s parents came from Poland.
Great Grandfather Holub’s parents both came from Bohemia.
And, Great Grandmother Holub’s parents both came from Norway.
They were all very brave for it was not an easy trip, and they were leaving everything
and everybody behind that they knew and loved.