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Martin Marek
Born December 24, 1863 |
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Martin Marek, who owns considerable valuable farming property in Cass township, Jones county, has engaged in general agricultural pursuits throughout his entire business career, and his industry, perseverance and well directed efforts are meeting with most gratifying success. He was born in Bolder township, Linn county, on the Jones county line, on the 24th of December, 1863, his birth occurring in a sod house on the prairie about three quarters of a mile from his present home. His parents were Martin and Anna (Machart) Marek, both natives of Bohemia. The father came to America in 1853, locating in Davenport, Iowa, where he resided for about eight years. During this period he lost his wife, who passed away about two weeks after their arrival in that city, leaving one child, Mike Marek, extended mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume. His union with Miss Machart was blessed with three sons, namely: Charles, who went west nineteen years ago and who is doubtless now deceased, as nothing has been heard from him for about sixteen years; John, a prosperous farmer of Castle Grove township; and Martin, of this review. The father passed away in 1906 and since his demise the mother has made her home with our subject.
Martin Marek, whose name initiates this review, spent the first ten years of his life on his father's farm in Bolder township, Linn county, and then the parents moved across the line into Castle Grove township, Jones county, and within the borders of this county he has since continued to make his home. He remained under the parental roof until his marriage in 1883, when he took up agricultural pursuits on his own account, having gained thorough and practical training along that line during the period of his residence upon the home farm, under his father's direction. He purchased a tract of one hundred and eight acres of land in Cass township, which constitutes a part of his present farm, at a purchase price of twenty-seven dollars per acre. About 1900 he bought adjoining property so that his home farm now consists of one hundred and sixty acres. Later he invested in additional property and his entire holdings amount to two hundred and fifty-six acres in two adjoining farms, each equipped with a set of buildings and each under a high state of cultivation. In connection with his general farming pursuits he engages to some extent in stock-raising and also milks nineteen cows, selling cream to the creamery at Anamosa. He possesses excellent business ability, is progressive and up-to-date in his methods and has made for himself a creditable place among the substantial and representative farmers of the township.
Mr. Marek was united in marriage on the 8th of January, 1883, to Miss Rose Holub, a native of Iowa City, born on the 19th of March, 1864. She is a daughter of Frank and Kate (Berry) Holub, natives of Bohemia, who passed away in this country. Unto this union have been born twelve children, namely Mary, the wife of Henry Evans of Castle Grove township; Rose, who wedded John Fosek, of Osceola county, Iowa; Anna, the wife of Thomas Fosek, a brother of John Fosek, also residing in Osceola county; Frances, Mike, Kate, John, Joseph, Frank, Helen and Lizzie, all still under the paternal roof; and Tillie, who passed away in infancy. The family are communicants of the Catholic church of Prairieburg and in politics Mr. Marek gives stalwart support to the republican party. He filled the office of constable for two years, but otherwise has never sought nor desired office, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his own business affairs, which, carefully and wisely managed, are proving a source of a most gratifying success. He has always stood for all that is progressive in citizenship and which tends to promote the material welfare of the community, and his labors have been a source of benefit to the community in which he has resided, at the same time bringing to him a substantial reward of earnest effort.
Source: History of Jones County, Iowa, Past and Present, R. M. Corbitt, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910, p. 465. |
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