02/02/09

They moved to Canada and settled in Fraserwood, near Gimli, Manitoba. They had children before their arrival in Canada. Joseph Corkal, their oldest son was born in Colfax County, Nebraska in January 1913.

In an interview with Joseph Corkal on June 10, 1994 in Gimli, Manitoba he told the story of Josef and Miroslav coming together to Fraserwood. Josef then went to work the mines in Alberta. A letter was sent home saying he had saved some money ($1200) and would be coming home for Christmas. Josef was not heard from again. Miroslav tried to find him but was told he would need a private investigator. He did not have enough money to afford one and therefore could not continue. (The existence of Miroslav's brother was a surprise to Alice (Corkal) Koppen in an interview on June 15, 1994. She had not previously known about him)

This was not a good time to be an immigrant from the Austro-Hungarian empire in Canada. The first world war had just broken out against Austro-Hungary. Immigrants from Austro-Hungary were treated very poorly. Many were placed into internment camps and all of their possessions confiscated. Josef was not heard from after 1915.

The Manitoba Archives contain some interesting correspondence. It looks as if Josef may have been the original squatter on the land. Maureen Corkal has provided this information from the Manitoba Archives. I have copied the information from an e-mail from Maureen Corkal to Tom Corkal dated September 7, 1997. Thank you to Tom for providing me with this and for Maureen who did the original research.

Letter 1

Dated May 6, 1914

 Kreuzburg Man (Kreuzburg was the original name for Fraserwood)

I beg to inform you that I am squatting on the S.W. 1/4 od 20-19-2E

I have house and some land cultivated and wish to homestead this Yours Truly

Joseph Cvrkal

Letter 2

Written in Czech and signed Joseph Cvrkal

In 1915 Peter Marak tried to apply for cancellation of the homestead on April 1, on the grounds that no one was in residence.

Letter 3

12  July 1915

M.S. Cvrkal swore that Joseph was the homesteader but was presently working in North Dakota. He is working to save and perform his homestead duties. He will be returning in September. (parts missing)

Next

Then there is a flurry of letters. Finally there is a document that says M. C. Cvrkal has had his residence continuously  since May 1913 to date. (?date)

Log house 16x26 500.00

Log Stable 16x26 50.00

no fencing

Stock 3 head

Miloslav and Vinci had 6 children born between 1913 and 1929. Joe was the oldest, Frank the youngest. Joe was born in Colfax County, Nebraska. By the time Frank was born, Joe was ready to have children of his own and Joe's first child Mercil was born in 1933. This overlap of generations continues to this day.

Vinci Corkal died suddenly on January 14, 1931. She was 41 years old.

Life was rough on the small homestead in Fraserwood.  Julie and Alice had the responsibility of looking after Frank and Russell and would fight about who would put them to bed. There was no running water. (Interview with Alice (Corkal) Koppen, Winnipeg, Manitoba, June 1994).

Miroslav sustained an injury to his leg in a farm equipment accident in 1955. It sounds like a tibial fracture that did not progress to union. He lived with Alice and Bill Koppen in Winnipeg from 1956-1957. He returned to Teulon in March of 1957 when he had a "heart attack". The farmstead was given to Russell Corkal when Miroslav died. Russell sold it and moved some of the buildings to Teulon. Julie and Alice were the executors of the estate when Miroslav died, the farm was given to Russell on the condition that something be given to Alice when the farm was eventually sold. Miroslav wished this to be a wedding present as he had never given one to Alice. (Interview with Alice (Corkal) Koppen, Winnipeg, Manitoba, June 1994).

Generation 2