Sirek family donates Bible to historical society

Kristin Schroers, vice president of the New Prague Area Historical Society, left, holds a Bible being donated by Don Sirek and his sister Donna Giesen. (Patrick Fisher photo)

A Bohemian Bible from the 1800s, or earlier, was recently donated to the New Prague Area Historical Society (NPAHS) by Don Sirek along with his sisters; Betty Birnstiel, Mary Lou Harvey, Peg Raber, and Donna Giesen.

The Sirek religious family book was given to Don by his father, Andy Sirek. The Biblical text was passed down to Andy Sirek from Jan Sirek, Don's great-grandfather, and Jan’s wife Anna Korbel Sirek. Jan and Anna were both born in Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic, and emigrated with their parents to America. Jan was born in Lamnic, Bohemia in 1855 and Anna Korbel was born in Boselic, Bohemia in 1856. Jan crossed the Atlantic at age 4 with his parents. They arrived in Baltimore and traveled by rail and steamboat on the Mississippi to Minnesota. Anna Korbel crossed the Atlantic with her parents and disembarked in New York and traveled to Minnesota by rail and steamboat on the Mississippi River. Both families disembarked at Belle Plaine and traveled by oxen teams to New Prague. The Sirek family was among the first families to settle in New Prague. Jan and Anna were married in 1877 at St. Wenceslaus Church.

Don Sirek explained the page with the print date for the Bible...

To see more on this story pick up the June 9, 2022 print edition of The New Prague Times. 

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