Villages – German / Czech Names http://www.jewishgen.org/ShtetlSeeker/LocTown.asp Searching for towns within 10 miles of 49°32’N 12°46’E Trohatin.  Village Coordinates Maps Country Distance/Direction from 49°32’N 12°46’E 10 mile radius Alt Gramatin 49°33’N 12°45’ Czech Republic  1.4 miles NNW Alt Parisau 49°28’N 12°50’ Czech Republic  5.5 miles SSE Alt Possigkau 49°27’N 12°49’ Czech Republic  6.2 miles SSE […]

Reference Section Basic Genealogical Vocabulary English                                                    German                                 Czech birth                                                   Geburt                                           narození born                                                   geboren, geb.                                narozený(á), rozený(á) (il)legitimate                                  (un)ehelich                                      (ne)manželský(á) […]

In 1842, the year prior to the emigration of this family, Charles Dickens traveled to America. Some of his experiences and some of the places he visited were very similar to those described here. Dickens’ account of his trip was published as “American Notes.” “Imagine the wind howling, the sea roaring, the rain beating: all […]

OHIO (1868), AMAZZONE [1894/95], RIO SANTA CRUZ [1896] Photograph (detail) of the OHIO in the Neuer Hafen, Bremerhaven, about 1887. Source: Arnold Kludas, Die Geschichte der Deutschen Passagierschiffahrt, Bd. 1: Die Pionierjahre von 1850 bis 1890, Schriften des Deutschen Schiffahrtsmuseums, 22 (Hamburg: Kabel, c1986), p. 171. Photo used with permission from the Steamship Historical Society […]

The massive steamship OHIO of the North German Lloyd line pulled away from the dock in the northern German harbor town of Bremerhaven, port terminus of the city of Bremen, to venture beyond the mouth of the Weser River and into the cold green waves of the North Sea. Picking up speed, the ship steamed […]

The Trip to the New World While we do not have any diaries, journals or first hand information documenting the Franz & Barbara Prokosch trip, I have included an interesting story of another family that made the trip, likely under similar conditions just a few months prior to the Prokosch trip…. Preparing to Leave At […]

After a voyage where you were seasick much of the time due to rough weather, you finally arrive in the Chesapeake Bay. Public health inspectors board the ship as it enters the bay and begin physically inspecting the passengers (Esslinger 1988). They are looking for illnesses like typhus, cholera, smallpox, tuberculosis, and trachoma. Luckily, you […]

Imagine yourself in this situation. Times in the old country are hard, food is scarce and expensive. Your family has scraped up enough money to buy you a ticket to Baltimore. There will be one less mouth to feed, and, once in Baltimore, you must get a job and send money home. You will come […]

Background information: The influx of immigrants to American shores between 1831-1930 can be arranged into 3 great waves with peaks occurring in the 1850’s, the 1880’s, and the decade before World War I. (Jones 1976) High school students at the Academy for the Advancement of Science and Technology in New Jersey have posted a chart […]

Many emigrants from Germany, Austria and Central Europe headed for the German port of Hamburg. Hamburg became a port of emigration because of its competition with Bremen as a seaport for trade. In the early 1830s, Bremen was doing well in its trade with America, while Hamburg trade was mostly with the West Indies and […]

There is very little written about every day or seasonal life, unless you look under “Holidays” which are well reported elsewhere; but since farm life did not change all that much within 50 or so years, I will translate the cycle of seasons and work schedule. Crops were distributed over all fields and measured in […]

Amplatz/Oplotec is located approximately 4.5 km northeast of the town of Hostau in the district of Bischofteinitz. The road leading through the town connects the state road Bischofteinitz – Eisendorf at the intersection Gänsberg via Hassatitz, Amplatz, Liebeswar with Route 92 (Emperor’s Route, Bischofteinitz – Plan – Eger). Connecting roads and short-cuts led to the […]

Horou was located approximately 2 km southeast of Hostau; it had belonged to the parish since 1784. In official documents, Horou was mentioned as “Horau” or “Harou” and was part of the parish of Schlattin as well. Horou was chronicled in 1379 for the first time (as per E. judges) “Horuss.” In 1388, the town […]

Melmitz (Parish for Franz & Barbara Prokosch, also Lilla – Wiesner families) The old parish village of Melmitz, located about 5 km (3 miles) northeast of Hostau, was mentioned for the first time in 1235. The village, which is located near a creek bearing the same name, was located between the Greschin (526 m) 325 […]

Berg (German) / Hora Svateho Vaclava (Czech) the Catholic Parish for 3 + generations of Prokosch families).  Berg is located 2 km Southwest of Trohatin.   The old parish village of Berg, (means hill) is located about 4 km (2.5 miles) northwest of Ronsperg (Poberzovice), probably derives its name from an old castle or fortress; the existing […]

The only photos of Franz & Barbara Prokosch, that I am aware of (Undated)…

SS OHIO Manifest An update on the Franz Prokosch family immigration records. I finally was able to find the correct records.  Their immigration records were miss-posted in the Leo Baca Immigration Records, Volume VIII for arrival in 1874 vs. the actual year of 1879.  Franz Prokosch and family (included 2 Lilla kids) immigrated to the […]

How many generations of PROKOSCH’s are there? That is a great question… So far I have worked my way back to the 1680’s… I am sure in time we will be able to go back even further… here is a snapshot of what we know… Prokosch History: 1) Josepho Joannes & Kunegunde (Beckin) Prokosch-Trohatin #6 […]