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THE DIARY OF JOSEPH MARECEK
OREWARD
This diary was translated from the Czech language by Mrs. Anne Marecek Urban and her daughter Nancy Urban Brosig. This was done in 1979, some sixty years after it was originally written. The diary was then submitted to the book, History of Ethnic Cultures in the Ballinger Area.
THE DIARY
On the ship, Koln, we sat on July 12, 1906, and then sailed from Bremen, Germany at 4:00 a.m. on July 13, 1906.
July 13, 1906
The ocean is nice and everything is so beautiful that you can't even write about it. At 12:00 noon, the wind was real strong, and you had to be well dressed so that you wouldn't get cold. The ship waved and shook. It was a real storm, and if the ship would turn over, about 1200 people would be drowned. Everyone was getting sick. At 4:00 p.m., the ocean was calm again like a mirror. The ship went smoothly until 4:00 a.m. For 3 hours, storm so strong, that the ship rocked like a rocker. The people couldn't stand up. Everybody is seasick. My wife and 3 oldest children were lying sick as if they were dead. The 2 others, Anne and Libby, and I didn't get sick yet. At 7:00 the sea was calmer. Everyone was not so seasick, and the sea was quiet.
July 14, 15, and 16, 1906
Our ship, the Koln, came close to the English shore. We could see England from early a.m. to 7:00 p.m. First, we saw sand and land, and then forest, and the huge hills and then saw some towns. Saw so many ships, that they couldn't even be counted.
15
th
Windy again. The waves were meeting us; the wind coming toward us. It was so strong, it whistled. It was awful, everybody thought they were going to drown any minute. It was so bad, that it was hard to describe and put into writing. The waves were so high the ship was nearly standing on end and then it rolled to the side until it felt like everyone was going to fall out. Everyone was rushing to the opposite side. The waves were going over the top of the ship.
July 17, 1906
Weather is pretty. Ship is going like a "doll". For how long, I don't know. Last night we saw big schools of fish. The ship didn't even once shake. I bought a Bewmen accordian. I gave 10 Rubles. Last night, I played 'till 12:00 midnight and the people danced. They have their own band. Nearly each night they have drum, piccolo, and accordian. I started playing myself and then all the band went to dance too. I play with them each night that they play.
July 18, 1906
In the a.m. it rained; pretty, ship goes quietly. For dinner we had rice pudding, 2 meats, rolls and gravy. Then everybody got seasick all over again. There are 5 or 6 American farmers who were Czech who are going with us. Also, Moravians and Germans. Weather after dinner was kind of foggy.
July 19, 1906
Foggy; lasted all night. So thick that we had not seen anything like it yet. During the day, it kind of disappeared. Then so thick that we couldn't see but about 100 steps into the ocean. Ocean is quiet. My wife, Anna, is up again on her feet.
July 20, 1906
Seas again rough. Ship is rocking more. My wife, Anna, is well. The fog is thin. Afternoon; fog gone. Sea is quiet like a "mirror". All on ship are Polish, German, Romanian, Moravian, Slovak. 1200 people on ship. Afternoon: 5:00, fog lasted 'till morning. It was so thick you couldn't see anything.
July 21, 1906
Beautiful sunshine! It is windy, it's cool, cool until noon. After dinner, beautiful and warm.
July 22, 1906 Sunday Morning
Thick fog, cold until night. At night, rains 'till half the night.
July 23, 1906
Fog, quiet ocean. Everybody is complaining about bad food. After supper the people were going to break thing up, so they were promised better food. We were being treated worse than hogs.
July 24, 1906
Food no better. Bread is raw. Sugar sold for 1 Mark. Bitter tea. "If you didn't have a good stomach , the hungry would die like dogs." Afternoon: strong wind and big waves. We were used to sugar, and although the sugar was 1 Mark for a quart, we had to buy it to keep alive.
July 25, 1906
Big waves and strong winds. Waves over the ship all night. Morning it was beautiful weather. We would be in the canal all night. For about 8 hours we could see Baltimore.
July 26, 1906
Everything is so beautiful as we were traveling through the land on each side. One didn't know on which side to look so that you could see the most. Everything is so beautiful that the eyes couldn't absorb all that God made. Can't even write how beautiful it was. The ship went around Boston; saw huge factories, homes, and buildings. Going 1 ½ hours beautiful can't even write it. Factories couldn't see over them. Most beautiful part, were the lights at night on the shore. We could see Boston from 10:00 a.m. 'til noon ships along shore were unloading stuff. We went on to Baltimore.
July 27, 1906
Unloading barrels so many couldn't even think to count them. Even had conveyor belts to keep the barrels moving so that they wouldn't have to be carried or lifted. About 100 men were workers. Down off the ship we couldn't go. Americans could come on the ship and sell pears, bananas, and apples for 10 cents a pound. Sausage 3 pounds for 25 cents. Unloading ship all day and unloaded it all night.
July 28, 1906
After breakfast, we are playing cards, then had dinner, and then cards again. They were loading coal all night and all day. The ripples on the water were like our lakes at home. Ships all over. Baltimore each day it is interesting on water. One or two ships each day. They go around our ship. You can hear music and see dancing. Two weeks since we left home.
July 29, 1906 Sunday 6:00 a.m.
Leaving Baltimore and going back through same canal to Galveston, Texas. The same Captain of the ship was still with us (Anthony Kocemom). We sailed until 7:00 p.m. We had a good dinner like we hadn't had on ship before. Pork, potatoes and gravy, rice pudding, and sweet rolls with raisins.
July 30, 1906
Windy and ship is rocking. After breakfast, real strong wind and it was warm. At night the shores disappeared and again we have the trip from Baltimore to Galveston (1558 miles). Afternoon, strong fog, so thick, that one's shadow couldn't be seen if on deck. This lasted 'till 5:00 p.m. It left and at night pretty weather. My wife (Anna Marecek) got up.
July 31, 1906
Sea is calm and the ship "went like a doll". The people are happy and my wife is well again. The eats and food as bad as they had it before. Often, we get rotten meat. Today, we didn't even get dinner. It was so bad, you can't even write it.
August 1, 1906
This is the calmest the ocean has ever been since we left. The only waves are what our ship make. Went by small islands. Food is not for the people, but for dogs. Bad food.
August 2, 1906
Water is still calm. We went all night until 7:00 a.m. around land of Florida. It is awful hot. So hot, it is hard to believe. We spread a sheet over our heads so that the sun wouldn't be so hot while we were on deck. The night is beautiful. It is full moon. It looks like a million stars reflect in the waters. Anne (our daughter) got sick.
August 3, 1906
Seas calm and quiet. We had a little shower. It cooled things off. Anne (our daughter) got strong fever and cold. She is so hot that she is like a hot iron and has a strong cough. After dinner, we saw a "school of fish". About eight different kinds. The food was terrible. Those who don't have money can't buy a glass of beer. (Those suffer a lot). A glass of beer is 7 cents.
August 4, 1906
The water is like a "mirror". Nothing new, only that 2 men robbed something and they were told that they wouldn't let them off in America. Then they were given a beating. After dinner, we are coming into Galveston. Galveston was so much prettier than in BaltimoreThe houses along the shore. Don't know what's what because it was getting too dark. From the mainland to Galveston, a railroad track was being built.
August 5, 1906
In the morning we had to go through customs. When it was our time to go I was pleading. They wanted me to go and my family to go back to the ship, since Anne (our daughter) has smallpox. They finally let us all go back to the ship. Becannovi (the people that we traveled with) had to go on the ship with us. He was real mad and cussing us out.
August 6, 1906
About 10:00 a.m., we again came before customs. They then sent my wife (Anna) and daughters Libby and Anne to the hospital in Galveston. I took the 3 other children (Mary , Joe, and Laddie) and we went to a rooming house. To the hospital I had 15 vest. Becana were free to go and they immediately went to Rowena on a farm.
Vest unidentified in meaning.
August 7, 1906
I went to the hospital with my children to see my wife and daughters, but we were not turned in. So that we would not get smallpox. It didn't cost us anything. The ship's insurance paid for all the hospital expenses. The town in beginning to grow. The streets aren't paved (a hurricane destroyed the town in 1900). A few houses are brick, most are lumber. We will be here about 3 more days because my wife and daughters are still in the hospital.
August 8 and 9, 1906
Nothing new, it is raining for 6 hours. The flowers are in bloom. Some streets were paved but the rest were sand. The car wheels went into the sand 1 ½ inches. There was so much sand.
y wife, Anna, and daughters, Libby and Anne were released from the hospital at 3:00 and then we are going in 7 ½ hours to "some kind of Rowena". We still haven't eaten dinner.
Some Facts found in the diary:
1. Joseph had $750.00 when he came to America.
2. Joseph gave $345.00 for the 5 acres of land in Rowena where the house was built.
. He bought cattle and pigs for $64.60.
. The trip from Bremen to Galveston was 5400 miles.
. The shipmaster was Captain Anthony Kocemom.
6. John Sealy Hospital Ambulance took the children to St. Mary's Infirmary Hospital.
7. The traveled to Rowena by train.
Other notes of interest:
Annie Bohacek Marecek was born July 26, 1876 in Ulbarov, Russia. She died April 18, 1959. She came to America in August 1906. She had one brother. Name unknown.
Joseph Marecek was born October 10, 1871. He died October 3, 1908. He first built a house in Rowena. He was then building a house for Vinc Dusek, Sr. in Lowake. He had to walk from Lowake to Rowena in the rain one evening. He got cold and wet. He died shortly thereafter. According to his death certificate, he died of exhaustion and consumption (Runnels County, October 21, 1998).
e had two brothers. One was named Vaclav Marecek.
Rewritten by Leah Brosig Schniers on October 29, 1998.
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