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This story takes place around 1875. It was late one evening when the work had been done, the family was sitting on the front porch of the house enjoying a cool breeze when a band of gypsies approached. Grandma told the kids to keep an eye on them, as they were notorious for stealing anything of value that they could get their hands on. The story goes on to describe how the gypsy offered to give Grandma a free fortune.
The fortune was that before the year was out, a cock would crow and the house would catch fire and burn down and Grandpa would be able to save his daughter from the fire. She goes on to say that they would all go to a new land across the water and their little daughter Rosé would die along the way but would soon be replaced by a new daughter.
That winter the house caught fire and luckily they all escaped. It seems Rosé had gotten wet and cold and had gone back into the house in order to warm up. Grandpa got her out shortly before the Thatch roof collapsed. Shortly after that a Rooster perched atop the collapsed building and began crowing.
The story goes on to tell of Grandpa travelling to Prague to arrange travel to America. While in Prague, he saw the great Clock. It would ring on the hour and little horses and men would come out and circle around sort of like a merry go round. He went back home and brought both families to Prague, which I sort of gathered was the jumping off point for the travel. One of the Grandmas became too ill to travel and the decision was made to leave her in the care of some Catholic Nun’s who promised to care for her. On the way to America, the daughter Rosé died just as the Gypsy had predicted. Another daughter was born and the decision was made to call her Rosé in honor of the daughter who had just died.
James? Halepaska was born in Bohemia somewhere near Prague Sept 15, 1828
Anna ? Hoff was born April 12, 1836 somewhere in Bohemia. They married in 1854. In 1875 they left for America. We're not real sure how many were in this group but by one account "they left one of the Grandma's with a convent since she was too ill to travel". I would take this to mean that James and Anna brought their parents but have found nothing to support this. We don't know how they traveled to America or their port of entrée.
Peter & Catherine LaBarge (Lavina’s Grandparents) came to St. Charles County in Missouri in the late 1840’s from the Chateauguay, Mercier area of Quebec Province, Canada. Peter was a younger half brother to Etienne (Stephen) LaBarge, a riverboat Captain. This riverboat captain was already well established in St. Charles Mo. He would later buy 880 acres of land in Richardson County Nebraska near Rulo in 1863.
It’s not known when Charles LaBarge (Lavina father) arrived in St Charles County MO. The riverboat captain, Etienne, was an uncle to Charles and a half brother to Peter. On July 18, 1860, Charles married Catherine LaBarge, daughter of Peter & Catherine. In the late 1860’s, Peter, Catherine and family, Charles and Catherine bought land from Etienne (Stephen) and went to farm near Rulo, Nebraska. Charles and Catherine LaBarge brought their two children Marceline and Grandfather Peter to Nebraska. Charles and Catherine went on to have 4 more children together including Lavina.
The first Catherine LaBarge died in 1879. Charles married Catherine Halepaska in Aug of 1879. They went on to have a second family with 6 children.
James settled in Pawnee county Nebraska in 1875. From the obituary of Anna Hoff Halepaska. They immigrated to this country in 1875. They first settled in Pawnee County where they resided until 1884 when they removed to Miltonvalle Kansas. The Obituary goes on to say that the first permanent home was established at Humbolt, which is in Far West Richardson County near Pawnee County.
In the early 1880’s, Peter and Catherine La Barge moved to near Aurora Kansas. Charles and Catherine Halepaska LaBarge an
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