Věstník (Temple, Tex.), Vol. 101, No. 21, Ed. 1 Wednesday, May 29, 2013 Page: 7 of 40
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VĚSTNÍK
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
7
SPJST Moravia Cemetery Receives Texas Historie Cemetery Markér
Saturday, Apríl 14, 2013 * SPJST Moravia Cemetery in Moravia, Texas
Historie Texas Cemetery
SPJST Moravia Cemete
Immigrants from Northeastern Moravia (current Czech Republic)
settled in the area presently known as Moravia, Texas. Moravia was
founded by Jakub Hollub and his son-in-law Ignác (J.E.) Jalufka when
they established a store in 1881. They named the community after their
homeland of Moravia . A town quickly grew with a blacksmith shop, a
gin, a school, store, and more. SPJSTLodge No. 23, Nova Morava
was established as a charter member of SPJST (Slovanská Podporu-
jici Jednota Státu Texas), a non-denominational Czech fraternal or-
ganiz.ation, in 1897. The first members of the lodge consisted of
immigrant farmers, storekeepers, and teachers who met at the Moravia
High School. The group built a lodge halí in January 1914 and, in
1922, decided to establish a cemetery. On May 8,1922, SPJST Lodge
No. 23 purchased one and a ha lf acres of land from Frank Blahuta.
The first burial in this historie cemetery is that ofWillie Trojcak,
who was one-and-a-halfwhen he passed away on September 10,1923.
Several veterans from World War I, World War II, and the Persian Gulf
are buried here. The cemetery is bordered by pas ture s and a fence,
and includes granite and marble headstoneš oriented in a feet-to-east
position with nátural vegetation. Originally, the cemetery was estab-
lished as a burial plače for member s of Lodge No. 23 and their fami-
lies but now anyone may purchase a lot. Burials included Catholic
and non-Catholic members. SPJST members provided funeral and
burial Services to its members in the Czech language. The burials here
provide a history of SPJST Lodge No. 23 Czech-Moravians and their
families.
Historie Texas Cemetery -2010
SPJST Moravia Cemetery is lo-
cated on a 1.3 acre-tract of land in
Moravia, Texas, adjacent to the As-
cension of Our Lord Cemetery. Apas-
ture borders the cemetery on two
sides, and natural vegetation grows in
the cemetery. This cemetery was es-
tablished by SPJST Lodge 23, Nova
Morava (New Moravia) in 1922, by
Moravian-Czechs .(1)
Immigrants from northeastern
Moravia settled in the area presently
known as Moravia, Texas, in the
1870s. This area had been previously
settled by Anglo-Americans who
started leaving the area in the latě
1860s. The Moravian immigrants
brought their culture and Moravian di-
alect with them.(2) Just like their
Moravian homeland, this area pro-
vided the Moravian-Czechs with land
for their crops, and wood for their
heating, cooking, and building
needs.(3) Although German immi-
grants, who had lived with the Czechs
in their homeland, also settled in this
area, the Czech immigrants outnum-
bered the German immigrants .(4)
Moravia was founded by Jakub
Hollub and his son-in-law Ignác (J.E.)
Jalufka when they established a store
at the junction of three roads in 1881.
They named the community after their
homeland of Morava. Soon after, a
blacksmith shop, a gin, and a school
were built. In 1889, J.E. Jalufka built
a two story building which housed a
mercantile store, saloon, and dance
hall.(5) The Moravia School was built
on land previously owned by Mrs.
Jakub Hollub, J.E. Jalufka, and Frank
Blahuta, J.E. Janufka’s son-in-law.(6)
In addition, Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Jalufka
donated land for the Ascension of Our
Lord Catholic Church and its ceme-
tery .(7) Last of all, the SPJST Moravia
Cemetery was established on land J.E.
Jalufka sold to Frank Blahuta.(8J
SPJST Lodge 23, Nova Morava
was established as a charter member
of SPJST (Slovanská Podporující Jed-
nota Státu Texas), a non-denomina-
tional Czech fraternal benefit society
in 1897. The first members of the
lodge consisted of immigrant farmers,
storekeepers, and teachers. Ignác
Jalufka was elected the first president
of Lodge 23. The first meetings of the
lodge were held at the Moravia High
School. Later the members of Lodge
23 decided to build a lodge halí which
was completed in January 1914. The
meetings of Lodge 23 were conducted
in the Czech language until 1972.(9)
The members of SPJST Lodge 23
were patriotic. During World War I
and World War II, Lodge 23 purchased
Liberty Bonds and Savings Bonds.
Also, the lodge made contributions to
the Red Cross. Additionally, some of
the lodge members served in the
Armed Forces during World War I and
World War II T0)
The first members of Lodge 23
took a vow to help its members. First,
the lodge offered life insurance to its
members. Second, the members of the
lodge took care of the sick and paid
sick benefits to those in need. Third,
when a member suffered a serious ac-
cident, or if his home or property was
destroyed by fire, local lodge mem-
bers donated clothing, bedding, food,
and cash to the individual. Fourth,
members of the lodge helped support
widows of deceased members with
smáli children.(11) Last of all, Lodge
23 decided to provide a cemetery for
its members and their family.
OverView
SPJST Lodge 23 decided to estab-
lish a cemetery in 1922. In April
1922, Lodge 23 discussed buying one
and half acres of land from Frank
Blahuta. The lodge planned to use
money in their treasury to purchase the
land. They planned to return the
money back to their treasury from the
sále of cemetery lots. Brothers Louis
Breska, Jos. Klapuch, Jan Drozd, Emil
Holub, and Jos. Rektorik were put on
the cemetery committee to purchase
the land. Their duties included look-
ing over the land selected for the
cemetery and finding out the price of
the land.(12)
On May 8, 1922, Lodge 23 pur-
chased one and half acres of land from
Frank Blahuta for $300.(13> They paid
LEFT PHOTO: Setting the historie markér in plače prior to the cemetery left, and Lodge 23 President Albert Olsovsky. RIGHT PHOTO: Speciál
are, left to right, Calvin Kutac, Eddie Vrana, and Albert Olsovsky. CEN- thanks and appreciation to Janie and David Bucek, both of Lodge 151,
TER PHOTO: Honoráry District Six Director Michael K. Ahlstrom, far Wharton. David, who serves as District Six Cemetery Association Pres-
right, reads the text on the cemetery markér following the official dedi- ident, and wife Janie worked countless hours obtaining the Texas His-
cation and unveiling by Lodge 23, Moravia Treasurer Eddie Vrana, far toric Cemetery Markér for SPJST Moravia Cemetery.
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Zavodny, Melanie. Věstník (Temple, Tex.), Vol. 101, No. 21, Ed. 1 Wednesday, May 29, 2013, newspaper, May 29, 2013; Temple, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth631815/m1/7/?q=waco+tornado: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Slovanska Podporujici Jednota Statu Texas.