James Beranek was born in Austria, October 16, 1881, to Frank & Rosalie (Skala) Beranek. At age 8, he came to Chicago with his parents and three brothers. After living in Chicago for three years, the family came by train to Miller, Hand Co., South Dakota in the fall of 1891. His Uncle, Matje Koc came to pick them up and take the family to his farm 32 miles southwest of Miller.
The Beranek family lived with Matej and Mary (Skala) Koc for the first year. Their nearest neighbor was Thomas and Anna (Rinda) Puffer and family, who lived a mile and one half away. Since James played the accordian, he played for dances at Puffer's sod shanty for the neighbors.
In the spring of 1892, his father, (Frank) filed on a homestead in Como Township. The neighbors all helped with the building of a sod house, which the Beranek's lived in for two years. James spent that summer herding his uncle's cattle, as there were no fences at that time. Since there were no crops that first year, and no work, his father went with some neighbors to North Dakota for threshing work for two months.
As homesteaders came in and started farming and raising cattle, James looked for work wherever he could, working out until he was 21, then he filed on a homestead in Como Township.
On January 7, 1905, James, 23, married Anna Puffer, 21, (daughter of Thomas & Anna (Rinda) Puffer). They began building their home on the prairie. They had three horses, seven cows, and no money to build with. They made their living milking cows. As time went on, they added more rooms to the house, and built a barn. They lived on that farm for 57 years, except for three years in Miller during WW I. They were the parents of two children, Joe (who married Alice (Heenan) in 1929), and Bessie, (who married William Werdel in 1932). Both lived in Como Township close to their parents.
Joe and Anna celebrated their 50th anniversary at Stephan Mission in 1955, and their 58th at Prairie Center Home in 1963. They had retired from the farm and had moved to Prairie Center in Miller, June 1st, 1962.
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From family bio - Bring On The Pioneers - History of Hand County, SD 1979.
The Beranek family lived with Matej and Mary (Skala) Koc for the first year. Their nearest neighbor was Thomas and Anna (Rinda) Puffer and family, who lived a mile and one half away. Since James played the accordian, he played for dances at Puffer's sod shanty for the neighbors.
In the spring of 1892, his father, (Frank) filed on a homestead in Como Township. The neighbors all helped with the building of a sod house, which the Beranek's lived in for two years. James spent that summer herding his uncle's cattle, as there were no fences at that time. Since there were no crops that first year, and no work, his father went with some neighbors to North Dakota for threshing work for two months.
As homesteaders came in and started farming and raising cattle, James looked for work wherever he could, working out until he was 21, then he filed on a homestead in Como Township.
On January 7, 1905, James, 23, married Anna Puffer, 21, (daughter of Thomas & Anna (Rinda) Puffer). They began building their home on the prairie. They had three horses, seven cows, and no money to build with. They made their living milking cows. As time went on, they added more rooms to the house, and built a barn. They lived on that farm for 57 years, except for three years in Miller during WW I. They were the parents of two children, Joe (who married Alice (Heenan) in 1929), and Bessie, (who married William Werdel in 1932). Both lived in Como Township close to their parents.
Joe and Anna celebrated their 50th anniversary at Stephan Mission in 1955, and their 58th at Prairie Center Home in 1963. They had retired from the farm and had moved to Prairie Center in Miller, June 1st, 1962.
----
From family bio - Bring On The Pioneers - History of Hand County, SD 1979.
James Beranek was born in Austria, October 16, 1881, to Frank & Rosalie (Skala) Beranek. At age 8, he came to Chicago with his parents and three brothers. After living in Chicago for three years, the family came by train to Miller, Hand Co., South Dakota in the fall of 1891. His Uncle, Matje Koc came to pick them up and take the family to his farm 32 miles southwest of Miller.
The Beranek family lived with Matej and Mary (Skala) Koc for the first year. Their nearest neighbor was Thomas and Anna (Rinda) Puffer and family, who lived a mile and one half away. Since James played the accordian, he played for dances at Puffer's sod shanty for the neighbors.
In the spring of 1892, his father, (Frank) filed on a homestead in Como Township. The neighbors all helped with the building of a sod house, which the Beranek's lived in for two years. James spent that summer herding his uncle's cattle, as there were no fences at that time. Since there were no crops that first year, and no work, his father went with some neighbors to North Dakota for threshing work for two months.
As homesteaders came in and started farming and raising cattle, James looked for work wherever he could, working out until he was 21, then he filed on a homestead in Como Township.
On January 7, 1905, James, 23, married Anna Puffer, 21, (daughter of Thomas & Anna (Rinda) Puffer). They began building their home on the prairie. They had three horses, seven cows, and no money to build with. They made their living milking cows. As time went on, they added more rooms to the house, and built a barn. They lived on that farm for 57 years, except for three years in Miller during WW I. They were the parents of two children, Joe (who married Alice (Heenan) in 1929), and Bessie, (who married William Werdel in 1932). Both lived in Como Township close to their parents.
Joe and Anna celebrated their 50th anniversary at Stephan Mission in 1955, and their 58th at Prairie Center Home in 1963. They had retired from the farm and had moved to Prairie Center in Miller, June 1st, 1962.
----
From family bio - Bring On The Pioneers - History of Hand County, SD 1979.
The Beranek family lived with Matej and Mary (Skala) Koc for the first year. Their nearest neighbor was Thomas and Anna (Rinda) Puffer and family, who lived a mile and one half away. Since James played the accordian, he played for dances at Puffer's sod shanty for the neighbors.
In the spring of 1892, his father, (Frank) filed on a homestead in Como Township. The neighbors all helped with the building of a sod house, which the Beranek's lived in for two years. James spent that summer herding his uncle's cattle, as there were no fences at that time. Since there were no crops that first year, and no work, his father went with some neighbors to North Dakota for threshing work for two months.
As homesteaders came in and started farming and raising cattle, James looked for work wherever he could, working out until he was 21, then he filed on a homestead in Como Township.
On January 7, 1905, James, 23, married Anna Puffer, 21, (daughter of Thomas & Anna (Rinda) Puffer). They began building their home on the prairie. They had three horses, seven cows, and no money to build with. They made their living milking cows. As time went on, they added more rooms to the house, and built a barn. They lived on that farm for 57 years, except for three years in Miller during WW I. They were the parents of two children, Joe (who married Alice (Heenan) in 1929), and Bessie, (who married William Werdel in 1932). Both lived in Como Township close to their parents.
Joe and Anna celebrated their 50th anniversary at Stephan Mission in 1955, and their 58th at Prairie Center Home in 1963. They had retired from the farm and had moved to Prairie Center in Miller, June 1st, 1962.
----
From family bio - Bring On The Pioneers - History of Hand County, SD 1979.
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