Notes:

BIRTH, MARRIAGE, & DEATH RECORDS

Birth register for the parish of Nove Mesto nad Metuji, [c. 4303] for the years 1837-1873, page 63:
Frantisek Tomek was born 24 Dec 1854 in Nove Meste nad Metuji.
Father: Antonin Tomek, locksmith, son of Frantisek Tomek, citizen of Nove Mesto nad Metuji and his wife Barbara , daughter of Jan Cihlar, citizen of Nove Mesto nad Metuji.
Mother: Marie [Cernova], daughter of Frantisek Cerny, citizen of Nove Mesto nad Metuji and his wife Marie [Kramlova], daughter of Jan Kraml, citizen of Nove Mesto nad Metuji.

Illinois marriage license & certificate:
The People of the State of Illinois,
To any Person Legally Authorized to Solemnize Marriage, Greeting: Marriage may be celebrated between Mr. Frank Tomek of Chicago, in the County of Cook and the State of Illinois, of the age of 28 years, and Miss Anna Zak of Chicago, in the County of Cook and State of Illinois, of the age of 18 years.
Witnesses: M. W. Ryan, Clerk of the County Court of said Cook County, and the Seal thereof, at my office in Chicago, this 10 day of May A.D. 1884.
State of Illinois, County of Cook: I, Edward A. Fisher, Justice of the Peace, hereby certify that Mr. Frank Tomek and Miss Anna Zak were united in Marriage by me at West Chicago in the County of Cook and State of Illinois on the 10 day of May 1884.

Illinois death certificate:
Frank C. Tomek, 527 Clarence Ave., Oak Park, Cook Co., IL; died same.
Resided 5 years in town; U.S. resident 44 years.
Male, white, married, wife Anna Tomek.
Born 24 Dec 1854; age at death 69 years 29 days.
Occupation die maker; retired 3 years; employed by American Cutlery Co.
Born Kralove Hre_eck, Czechoslovakia.
Father: Anton Tomek, born (not known), Czechoslovakia.
Mother: Marie Cerny, born (not known), Czechoslovakia.
Informant: Anna Tomek, 527 Clarence Ave.
Died 23 Jan 1924; buried 28 Jan 1924, Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago.
Died 9 p.m. of myocardites (of 2 years duration); contributory illness,
bronchial asthma (of 2 years duration).
Attending physician, Frank Cha_vet, M.D., 619 S. Crawford Ave.
Undertaker, Frank Meucl., 1610 S. Craforwd Ave., Lawndale 6481.

[Newspaper death notice] Tomek--Anna Zak Tomek of 633 Clinton place, River Forest, and 527 Clarence avenue, Oak Park, wife of the late Frank C. Tomek, mother of Mrs. Bessie Fisher, George W. Tomek, Mrs. Georgina Bigelow, and the late Mrs. Libbie Henderson. Services Saturday, 1:30 p.m. at chapel, 720 Lake street, Oak Park. Interment Bohemian National cemetery.

Bohemian National Cemetery
Book 2, page 316
Lot 18, Block 5, Section S
Lot Owner: Frank Tomek
Date of Purchase: May 15, 1895
Price: $75.50
Grave #1, interment #9925: Frank J. Tomak, age 8 mos., 1895
Grave #2, interment #30,700: Anna Liska, 84 yrs., 1913
Grave #3, interment #46,497: Farnk C. Tomek, 69 yrs, 1924
Grave #4, interment #60,880: Libbie A. Henderson, 48 yrs, 1935
Grave #5, interment #62,486: Edward G. Fisher, 65 yrs, 1936
Grave #6, interment #68,264: Anna Tomek, 75 yrs, 1941
Grave #7, interment #95,192: Bessie E. Fisher, 80 yrs, ashes, 1967
Grave #8, interment #98,581: Florence Tomek, 69 yrs, 1971
Grave #9, interment #104,260: George Tomek, 83 yrs, 1979

CENSUS RECORDS

1900 census, Ward 10, Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois:
Frank Tomek, 45-M-Bohemia/BOH/BOH Dec 1853, married 16 years, immigrated 1880; naturalized; foreman, machine shop, rents house
Anna Tomek, 34-F-BOH/BOH/BOH Jan 1866, wife, 5 children, 4 living
Bessie Tomek, 15-F-IL/BOH/BOH Dec 1885, daughter, tail___
Libbie Tomek, 13-F-IL/BOH/BOH Oct 1887, daughter, tail___
Georgia Tomek, 12-F-IL/BOH/BOH Jul 1888, daughter, in school 10 months
George Tomek, 4-M-IL/BOH/BOH Nov 1896, son

1910 Census, 34th Ward, Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois:
Frank C. Tomek, 55-M-Austria-Bohemia/AUS-BOH/AUS-BOH, married once, married 25 years; immigrated 1880; naturalized; speaks English; die maker in electrical works.
Anna Tomek, 44-F-AUS-BOH/AUS-BOH/AUS-BOHY, wife, married once, m. 25 years; 5children, 4 living; immigrated 1868; speaks Eng.; no occupation
Libby Tomek, 23-F-IL/AUS-BOH/AUS-BOH, daughter, speaks Eng.; no occupation
Georgina Tomek, 21-F-IL/AUS-BOH/AUS-BOH, daughter, speaks Eng.; stenographer in Crayon Co..
George Tomek, 14-M-IL/AUS-BOH/AUS-BOY; son, speaks Eng.; no occupation

1920 census, 527 Clarence Ave., Oak Park, Cook Co., Illinois:
Frank Tomek, 64-M-Bohemia/BOH/BOH immigrated 1880, naturalized 1889; die maker, cutlery
Anna Tomek, 53-F-BOH/BOH/BOH wife, immigrated 1872, naturalized unk., no occupation
Georgina Tomek, 30-F-IL/BOH/BOH daughter, secretary, civil service
George W. Tomek, 23-M-IL/BOH/BOH son, road (illegible), International Harv.

On the 1930 census Anna Zak Tomek was living with her son-in-law Robert Henderson in River Forest, Cook Co., Illinois.

HISTORY & BIOGRAPHY

Virginia Dolan: Frank Tomek's birthday was Christmas Eve, and every year Grandma Anna (Zak) Tomek always had the same birthday dinner for him: Baked fish with gingerbread gravy. Because he was the oldest son, he inherited the family estate and money. But he gave it up to his younger brother, Anton, because he felt sorry for his brother. Then Frank Tomek left Bohemia to make his way in the U.S.A. When he was older, he looked like Mark Twain. He loved to read and was a quiet, shy man.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Novo Mesto" means New Place or New Town, my grandmother once told me. My grandpa frank Cyril Tomek was the oldest son & would've been exempt from soldiering since he ran the farm. His younger brother would be called by Empereor Franz Joseph, and Grandpa didn't want him to go, so he gave the farm to him and emigrated to the U.S.A. (I think he must have loved his brother very much). He came over when he was around 21 years of age.

[Letter written by Virginia Fisher Dolan to Georgina Tomek Lubking]
Dearest Ina,
I know this next week will be dreadfully hard on you and mother. Grandma was such a darling you'll miss her dreadfully. I keep thinking of her sitting in her rocker always asking for some mending or sewing to do for one--and how sweet and cheerful she always was. Looking back I can't remember hearing her get cross once or fuss--even when her feet hurt her or she was tired. I hope that I will inherit some of her wonderful cheerfulness of disposition and "sweetness and light." I know I find it had to extoll aloud all the fine things she was to each and everyone in her family, but I hope that her character has impressed some of its fine attributes on my character that she might be as prouod of us as we are of having had her as "head of our clan." I am so happy that grandma lived long enuff for her great-grandchildren to enjoy her and become acquainted with her and for her to be able to say, as she did, with such pride, that she had great-grandchildren.
As the years pass, we are able to judge fineness in character, and I think grandma really had a wonderful personality--one that we can all be proud of sharing.
Love, Virgi

IMMIGRATION & NATURALIZATION

Passenger and Immigration Lists Index: Frantisek Tomek, age 25; arrival date, 1879; port of arrival, New York, New York [from page 162, vol. 5, Czech Immigration Passenter Lists, by Leo Baca]


U.S. Passport Application, Cook Co., Illinois: Frank Tomek, a naturalized and loyal citizen of the United States... born at Novo Mesto, in Bohemia, on or about the 24th day of December 1954; that I emigrated to the United States, sailing on board the Gellert [Gillert?], from Hamburg, on or about the 15th day of May, 1880; that I resided 10 years uninterruptedly, in the United States from 1880 to 1890, at Chicago; that I was naturalized as a citizen of the United States before the Circuit Court of Cook County, at Chicago, on the 25 day of October, 1889, as shown by the accompanying Certificate of Natrualization; ... my permanent residence being Chicago, Illinois, where I follow the occupation of laborer; that I am about to go abroad temporarily; and that I intend to return to the United States [within] two years... sworn to 22 Oct 1890. Description of applicant: age 36 years; 5'5" tall, high forehead, black eyes, sharp nose, oval mouth, sharp chin, black hair, white complexion, long face. Witness to his identity, Anthony Kozel.

Frantisek married Anna ZAKOVA on 10 May 1884 in Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois, U.S.A.. Anna (daughter of John or Jan ZAK and Rosalie MASKOVA) was born on 26 Jan 1866 in Stare Kestrany, Bohemia, Austria [now the Czech Republic]; died on 2 Oct 1941 in River Forest, Cook Co., Illinois, U.S.A.; was buried in Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago, Cook County, IL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Bessie Edith TOMEK was born on 21 Dec 1884 in Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois, U.S.A.; died on 13 Dec 1966 in Urbana, Champaign Co., Illinois, U.S.A.; was buried in Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago, Cook County, IL.
2. Libbie Alice TOMEK was born about 1887 in Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois, U.S.A.; died on 9 Aug 1935 in Oak Park, Cook Co., Illinois, U.S.A..
3. Georgina Marie TOMEK was born on 18 Jul 1888; died on 13 Jun 1974 in Bakersfield, Kern Co., California, U.S.A..
4. Frank TOMEK was born about 1894; died in 1895.
5. George Warren TOMEK was born on 12 Mar 1896; died on 31 Aug 1979.