Josef, the 4th child of nine children (2 died as infants), of Jakub and Anna Mracek Skluzacek, was born March 14, 1843 in Dunajovice, a small town in the vicinity of Budejovice in southern Bohemia. His father, Jakub Sr, for 25 years was a blacksmith who had a small farm of 8 acres on which he had two bulls and two cows. Josef went to school and studied very well, learning German literature and loved arithmetic.

When Joseph was fifteen years old, while pouring cold water on some coals, he decided to wade in the cold water and got an inflammation in one of his legs. They had to take him to the hospital. At first he thought he would lose his leg. He went through much pain. Josef prayed and promised that if he would get well every day at the hospital he would pray four rosaries.

In the year of 1856, a friend of his father's, Father Bruzek, came to America and settled in New Prague, Minnesota. In 1859, Father Bruzek wrote to the Skluzacek family saying that the parish of New Prague needed a blacksmith. On Deember 31, 1859, the Skluzacek family arrived in New York. The whole family suffered many hardships and hunger on their journey. In 1860, on the day of the Three Kings (January 6), the family landed in St. Louis, Missouri.

Josef said that his luckiest day of his life was when both legs touch the ground in St Louis. Because the Mississippi River was frozen, the Skluzacek family had to remain in St. Louis until spring. Then after purchasing some used blacksmith tools, they started their trip to Minnesota. They reached Shakopee by ship safely. Vojtech Vrtis, a member of the parish in New Prague came to meet them with a wagon driven by oxen and took them to Philippovi, who was the organizer of the parish. The family settled in New Prague, started a blacksmith shop and farmed.

In 1865, news came that the priest was leaving the parish. Everyone was sad because the people knew no other language or to read and write. So all those who wanted to get married, decided to do so before the priest left. So Josef married also. He married Katherine Bruzek, whom he knew from Europe and who lived with the Skluzacek family for seven years and the couple farmed. Josef then built a tavern on an acre of property he received from his father-in-law. The tavern was across from the church. During the week when it wasn't too busy he would help out in the tavern and on Sunday after church services he would be host at his tavern, pouring beer, but he himself would not drink because since his leg had healed, he suffered severe headaches.

In 1872 Josef's wife died after the birth of their fourth child. On her dying bed she prayed to God that he would also take the lives on their two younger children who were suffering from small pox. Her prayers were answered a few days after her death. The baby [Anna] died and not too long after, the two year old son [Thomas] passed away after getting a vaccination the neighbors said he should have.

Josef remarried in 1872, after his mother stopped by the home of the Sticha's, about two miles from New Prague. The two mothers put their heads together and soon the widower, Josef, married Katherine Sticha. They had thirteen children together, eight sons and five daughters. However the last girl died right after her birth [Julie].

In 1902 after Mass, Josef got into his buggy and the horse jumped and he fell to the ground and broke his hip bone. He was in much pain and put to bed for many weeks with weights so his leg wouldn't be any shorter. In 1908, he went back to Bohemia to fulfill a promise he made and went to the little chapel of Mary where there was a little fountain. There he prayed and drank from the fountain. This seemed to help his aching leg and helped him so much that he was able to walk up and down stairs again.