The Kesman Page

Above: Czech band in Deweyville, Texas 

Our Family Story

Marie Kaessmannova (my great aunt) was born March 8, 1903, in Svatoborice, Czechoslovakia, to Marcelin Kaessmann and Anna Zrotalova Kaessmannova.  Her older brother, Marcellin Lavislav Kaessmann (my grandfather) was born February 9, 1898.  In Czechoslovakia her father was a shoemaker in their home while her mother was a housewife who also worked in the fields for local farmers.

In 1908 Marcelin traveled to America on borrowed funds in hopes of making a better wage.  Most people who went to America had friends or relatives waiting for them, but Marcelin went without knowing anyone.  When he arrived in America, he went to Deweyville, Texas, to work for the Sabine Tram Saw Mill.

During the three years Marcelin was in the United States without his family, his son, Marcellin Lavislav had taken on work (he was 10 years old) to help support the family in Czechoslovakia.  

In 1911, from the sale of their house and the money Marcelin had saved, they were finally able to pay for passage to America for the entire family.   The family traveled by train from Svatoborice to Bremen, Germany.  They left Bremen aboard the "Hanover" on October 18, 1911 and arrived in Galveston, Texas, November 11, 1911. (23 days)

In America, the family boarded a train for Deveyville, Texas were Marcelin had found work.  The family ran a small boarding house for the men who worked in the area.   My grandfather, Marecellin Lavislav dropped out of school at age 13 (he did not want to start school over again here in the states) and got a job as a water-boy at the local saw mill.

We have no knowledge of Marcelin Kaessmann having any siblings or other relatives.  Should you have any information about the KESMAN family history please e-mail me.

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