The year is 1882 and you live in the farmlands of Moravia in Petrovice. You are 16 years old, the oldest son of František and Františka Vybíral (JÍROVSKÝ). You have an older sister and 3 younger siblings. One day your parents tell you “we are leaving for America“.
The excitement of packing up your life, traveling to Hamburg Germany by train and getting on the British Sailing Ship, the Vandalia. The future “man of the house” needs to watch out for his siblings as it takes 17 days to sail across the Atlantic and then you come ashore in New York City at Castle Rock on May 16, 1882.
SS Vandalia
Castle Garden
The family makes its way to directly to Nebraska, settling in Saunders County, Nebraska and purchasing 80 acres of land near Colon.
One day in March of 1883, shortly after your 17th birthday, you go hunting before you do your chores. As I’m sure many 17-year-old young men did on the farm. And then, this happens. From the Wahoo Independent newspaper on March 22, 1883.
Vybiral, Joe The Independent Wahoo, NE Thursday, March 22, 1883 Page 3, col. 4 Accidentally Shot A Bohemian boy about 16 years old named Joe Vybiral, was accidently (sic) shot on Tuesday last, while hunting for geese. We learn that when taking the cow from the stable by some means the animal hit the hammer of the gun with one of her feet or lets in turning round (sic) and the gun at the time pointing toward his lower right abdomen, was discharged, the contents passing through the body coming out low down on the right side of his back bone. Dr. Stone was called to dress the wound and expresses but little hope if any for his recovery. There may be a slight chance for him if the shot did not penetrate the cavity of the abdomen but if it did so penetrate, while death is always sure to follow, it is generally not sudden and follows a few days after the wound. LATER – The young man died at 11 p.m. Wednesday night.
It took 6 days for Josef to die. I can only imagine the agony his parents and siblings went through.
Note from Don: I am still searching for the burial site of young “Joe”.
I remember Great Grandma telling me about this shooting incident. I had been telling her about some gun or another and she was warning me about the dangers of guns.
On an unrelated subject, she told me about her encounters with Indians still living in the vicinity when she was young. I don’t recall anything specific, just that there were some nearby. Pawnees I believe, but perhaps Omahas. Pretty peaceful at any rate.