Milam County Historical Commission
Milam County, Texas
Requests for Info
Received via Website
2017-02-27
John Hamilton
a.p.hamilton@att.net
910 W. Marvin Ave.
Waxahachie, TX 75165
972-921-2083
My grandmother, Christine Isabel Lesovsky Lindsay was born in Cameron about 1895. Her parents were Anton and Albena Karasek Lesovsky. His obituary appeared in the local paper and we got a copy.
It is said they owned a meat market. His nephew was Frank Lesovsky. Frank's widow turned a large box of material over to the museum and we were able to go through it but hardly anything was identifiable.
Do you have any information on where they lived and where their market was?
Also the last name of Christine's best friend was Farlance. Is there information on her? Thank you.
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2017-02-27
Standard Reply to Mr Hamilton. Email forwarded to MCHC members and others interested in M.C. history
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2017-02-27
Thank you, Jerry.
Attached is a picture from about 1910 of the young woman my grandmother called "Farlance" and my grandmother, Christine Isabel Lesovsky. My grandmother is wearing the buckle shown in the picture.
My grandmother said Farlance was the last name and that's just what girls called each other then. We probably have other pictures of the Lesovskys if you are interested.
John Hamilton
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2017-02-27
John Brooks <bjohnr2010@hotmail.com>
Mr. Hamilton,
I recalled seeing your inquiry regarding your grandmother recently but didn't have the time to pursue it. Last evening I discovered this unrelated and over 100 year old article which had Frank Lesovsky's fingerprints on the same (attachments # 1-3). Since you visited the Milam County Historical Museum, and Charles King who works there published it, I hoped that you were aware of it. It came from Tales from the Museum Volume #3 pages unnumbered. This reference was compiled and edited by Charles King and is on file at the MCHM.
Attachment #4, reflecting the interment of Anton, Albina and Frank, I noted no interment of Christine in Oak Hill Cemetery. The same above reference surname index noted on attachment #4 listed no Farlance's interred in any Milam County cemetery. I found no record of any Farlance surname during my digitized search.
I spent a considerable amount of time researching the Surname Lesovsky through the Portals of Texas web site through the Lucy Hill Patterson web site. In this manner, all local digitized newspapers(Cameron Herald & Rockdale Reporter) could be accessed. The digitization of these newspapers is an ongoing process. It appears that the late 1800-early 1900 Cameron Herald newspapers have not been digitized since none of my searches brought up any articles in that particular newspaper. On the other hand, numerous article were found in the Rockdale Reporter newspaper. Dealing with more than 18 articles(1900-1919) that I did search, most were related to the very community minded and politically active Frank Lesovsky.
I wish that I had the time to search the Micro-tape archives at the LHP Library or the Milam County Historical Museum for you. This is a very slow process, but I'm quite sure that it would uncover a treasure trove of the information that you desire. Unfortunately also, is your 2 and one half hour drive/ 140 mile distance to do the same.
Since your email stated that Christine was born in Cameron, and I noted that Anton was interred in Oak Hill Cemetery in Cameron, I assume that Anton's meat market was in Cameron as well. The news paper micro-tape archive of the Cameron Herald would more than likely have advertisements of his business and the location. Possibly even realty transactions reflecting a family home address. The Milam County County Clerks office, located on the Courthouse square, should have records of both business and residential filings unless rented/ leased property.
Please find attached a few interesting articles dealing with Frank and his interests.
Respectfully,
Jack Brooks
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![Lesovsky](images/lesovsky01.jpg)
![Lesovsky](images/lesovsky02.jpg)
![Lesovsky](images/lesovsky03.jpg)
![Lesovsky](images/lesovsky04.jpg)
![Lesovsky](images/lesovsky05.jpg)
![Lesovsky](images/lesovsky06.jpg)
![Lesovsky](images/lesovsky07.jpg)
Attachment 1
Attachment 2
Attachment 3
Attachment 4
Attachment 5
Attachment 6
Attachment 7
2017-04-12
John and Arlene Hamilton <a.p.hamilton@att.net>
Jack,
This is very interesting and we appreciate getting the information. We actually visited your museum probably 25 years ago. Toni Lesovsky had passed away and left her effects to a friend who donated two boxes of pictures, etc., to the museum. At that time the newspaper furnished a microfilm and the library had a player so I found Anton's obituary.
As I recall my grandmother had eight sisters. She was third from the youngest. Their cousin, Frank, also lived with them. Anton was also from Muscoda, Wis.
My grandmother, Christine Isabel Lesovsky Lindsay and her husband Elwood William Lindsay are buried in Stillwater, OK where I grew up. They had two daughters, Mignon Christine Lindsay Hamilton and Helen Lindsay Gibbs.
Mollie or Amalie was an older sister who married Willard "Hop" Nabours. They are both in your cemetery. The stone right next to the Lesovskys is another of her sisters and her husband. I don't have the detail accessible right now but his nickname was Paddy and she died within a year of her father's death.
If you stand facing the Lesovsky's marker and look back over the hill you will find Albina's parents, the Karaseks. Her parents had immigrated in about 1850 and she was born in the Industry, TX area and they apparently lived on a farm in Colorado County.
Perhaps we will venture your way again and see what new information is available since our last visit. Thanks again for taking the time to do this research.
John Hamilton
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2017-04-13
Mr. Hamilton,
Thank you for sharing more of your rich family heritage.
I was wondering why I couldn't find Christine Lesovsky's place of interment on Find a Grave. A remarriage and new surname. As if genealogical studies aren't already challenging enough.
I'm going to talk with Melanie Todd, library director of the Lucy Hill Patterson Library in Rockdale. She is quite knowledgeable regarding the progress of the digitization of the Milam County newspapers. I'm sure that there's an abundance of historical information in those early editions of the Cameron Herald that would answer inquiries such as yours if only they could only be easily searched.
This is the link that will take you directly to all currently digitized Milam County newspapers. I apologize for failing to send this to you in my earlier email.
https://texashistory.unt.edu/explore/collections/TDNP/browse/?q=Rockdale&fq=untl_institution%3AROCKD&t=fulltext
It is necessary to spend some time becoming familiar with the tool bar functions to get the most out of this site(and save time).
Wishing you continued success researching your ancestral roots.
Regards,
Jack Brooks
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2017-05-02
John Brooks
Mr. Hamilton,
Unfortunately, I'm unable to find any digitized copies of the Cameron Herald prior to 1940 through the Portals of Texas, newspapers site. The attachments above may be of some interest to you. Farlance was a complete strike out. If you'll note attachment #4, There is a Toni Frances.............draw your own conclusions. The meat market was during much earlier days since Anton expired in 1919. Hence I I found absolutely no old referenced advertisements for the business.
Best regards,
Jack Brooks
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2017-05-03
John and Arlene Hamilton
These are fabulous. We couldn't figure out how Albina, a Texan, and Anton, a Wisconsonin, got together. Many of the details in the obituaries were new too. Thank you again. John Hamilton
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