Joseph Ferdinand Kresha
(1876-1945)
Joseph in 1911
Joseph Ferdinand Kressa was born February 13, 1876 to Theodor and Cecilia Kressa in Hradecna. He also was baptized at the local church nearby. He was the baby of the family.
Joseph attended school until the age of 15, as prescribed by law. He immigrated to the United States in the summer of 1891, accompanied by his parents. They all had plans to stay, but Theodor and Cecilia thought it was too hot and humid and decided to go back. Joseph stayed.
Joseph was employed by farmers in the Merrick County, NE area, where his sister Anna and her husband Martin Karges, Sr and sister Amelia and her husband Adolf Kuhnel farmed.
Joseph attended school until the age of 15, as prescribed by law. He immigrated to the United States in the summer of 1891, accompanied by his parents. They all had plans to stay, but Theodor and Cecilia thought it was too hot and humid and decided to go back. Joseph stayed.
Joseph was employed by farmers in the Merrick County, NE area, where his sister Anna and her husband Martin Karges, Sr and sister Amelia and her husband Adolf Kuhnel farmed.
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Joe Kresha and Laura Reed, 1900
About nine years later, Joseph met Laura Reed, the daughter of a local Silver Creek farmer (born Mar 5, 1884). Joe and Laura were married in St. Lawrence Catholic Church of Silver Creek in December of 1900.
Joe and Laura had two children:
1. Irene Lerinda Kresha, born Mar 31, 1903; married Charles Hudson Frye Sep 25, 1921 in Denver, CO; died Nov 26, 1978 in Homedale, ID;
2. John Glenn Kresha, born Sep 16, 1904 in Silver Creek, NE; married Inez Mary Newman Nov 18, 1933, Pennington, SD; died Jan 27, 1989 in Cottonwood, CA
Joe and Laura were farmers and took a chance on a farm near in Cozad, NE. Not long after the move away from family, Laura became very sick from cancer. She was hospitalized in Kearney, NE, but died May 1, 1909 at age 25 with two small children. She is buried in an unmarked spot in a Cozad cemetery.
Joe and Laura had two children:
1. Irene Lerinda Kresha, born Mar 31, 1903; married Charles Hudson Frye Sep 25, 1921 in Denver, CO; died Nov 26, 1978 in Homedale, ID;
2. John Glenn Kresha, born Sep 16, 1904 in Silver Creek, NE; married Inez Mary Newman Nov 18, 1933, Pennington, SD; died Jan 27, 1989 in Cottonwood, CA
Joe and Laura were farmers and took a chance on a farm near in Cozad, NE. Not long after the move away from family, Laura became very sick from cancer. She was hospitalized in Kearney, NE, but died May 1, 1909 at age 25 with two small children. She is buried in an unmarked spot in a Cozad cemetery.
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Joseph and Ruth Eastman Kresha 1911
The census of 1910 shows that Joseph had met Ruth Eastman and were living on a farm in Gillan, NE in Dawson County, NE. Living with them were Irene and John, Joe's children with Laura and two children Ruth had from a previous marriage, Harland and Vera. They got married on Jan. 1, 1911. They later moved north into South Dakota.
Joe and Ruth had two children of their own, joining the other four:
1. Glenn William Kresha, born Nov 5, 1910; married Ruth Georgia Johnston in 1958 and Mildred Stinson in 1982; died Dec 13, 1995 in Santa Rosa, CA
2. Ruth Kresha, born April 30, 1917 in Crawford, NE. She had three marriages: Johnny Mitchell, Charles Yost, and Richard Mullins. She died April 24, 1984 in Manderson, Wyoming.
Joseph Ferdinand Kresha died from cancer Apr 30, 1945 at the age of 69 in Contra Costa, CA, while living with his oldest daughter, Irene Lerinda Frye. He is buried at a cemetery in Martinez, CA.
Ruth lived 24 more years, dying September 10, 1969 and is buried in Worland, Wyoming.
Joe and Ruth had two children of their own, joining the other four:
1. Glenn William Kresha, born Nov 5, 1910; married Ruth Georgia Johnston in 1958 and Mildred Stinson in 1982; died Dec 13, 1995 in Santa Rosa, CA
2. Ruth Kresha, born April 30, 1917 in Crawford, NE. She had three marriages: Johnny Mitchell, Charles Yost, and Richard Mullins. She died April 24, 1984 in Manderson, Wyoming.
Joseph Ferdinand Kresha died from cancer Apr 30, 1945 at the age of 69 in Contra Costa, CA, while living with his oldest daughter, Irene Lerinda Frye. He is buried at a cemetery in Martinez, CA.
Ruth lived 24 more years, dying September 10, 1969 and is buried in Worland, Wyoming.
