Chaloupka

I wanted to keep track of all the Chaloupek/Chaloupka branches, thinking that they were two forms of the same name. But I haven't found any connections, so I am going to concentrate on the Chaloupek Branches. Since I have already done the work, I'll leave this page up, in case there are any Chaloupka researchers who might find it useful.

I just found this page, The Chaloupka Genealogy Resource Center, thanks to Annie Chaloupka for pointing it out. Nicole Kenjura told me that this page is not actually online any more, and this link takes you to an archived page, that has not been updated in some time. Some of the links are broken, and some of the information is incorrect.

In the Czech language, Chaloupek means cottager, or someone who owns a small house with no farm land. So it is not an uncommon name, and two people with the name Chaloupek are not necessarily related to each other any more than to another Czech. When translated into English, it is often Chaloupka, Chalopka, Chalzopek, Chalupa, or Chalupnik.

To make the task manageable, I have concentrated on families that first appeared in the US in 1880 or earlier. Unrelated branches will be separated by a horizontal purple line.

Jacob Chaloupka immigrated to the US in 1854. He arrived at the port in Galveston, TX, with a wife and child. I don't know what ever became of them.

Lavaca County, Texas

Martin Chaloupka also arrived in Galveston, in 1854.

Next, there is a record of Martin Chaloupka marrying Elizabeth Bartower, on 25 May 1856, in Washington County, TX (between Houston and Austin).

There is another record of a Martin Chaloupka, arriving in Galveston in 1860.

Another Martin Chaloupka arrived in Baltimore, 1866, but I think this one went to St. Louis (see below).

The first puzzle is to sort out the Martin Chaloupkas. You might think that, if the last Martin was related to the others, he would have come to Galveston, instead of Baltimore.

Several family trees on ancestry.com have a Martin Chaloupka, born 2 Nov 1828 in Sweet Home Twp, Lavaca County, Texas. That's on the gulf coast, between Galveston and Corpus Christie. The same family trees have him with spouse Elizabeth Bartower and son Frank John Chaloupka. However they offer no evidence that he was born in TX, and I find it doubtful. I think the Martin Chaloupka that immigrated in 1854 is the one who married Elizabeth Bartower.

The 1900 US Census for Justice Precinct 2, Lavaca County, TX has the Chaloupke family:

Lawrence has been married 16 years, but no wife listed. Martin is widowed. This must be the Martin Chaloupka who immigrated in 1860, and he must have brought Lawrence with him.

Another family that appears in the 1900 Census for Lavaca County is in Justice Precinct 3, with name spelled Chalonpka.

Frank and Lawrence could almost be brothers, except that they were born 3 months apart, and on different continents! Still, how many Chaloupke/Chalonpka families could there have been in Lavaca County, 1900?

The 1910 US Census for Justice Precinct 3, Lavaca County has

The dates match up well enough - this must be the same family. F.J. is Frank, and his wife is Pauline. Anna and Mary left home. Two more kids had been born since 1900.

Since Frank was born in Texas, 1857, his parents must have been Chaloupeks who had already immigrated by that time.

Houston, Texas

The 1880 US Census for Houston, Texas lists the Chaloupka family:

Since Mary was born in Texas, 1868, Wenzel and Rosa must have immigrated in 1868 or earlier.

The 1900 US Census for Houston has the family name spelled Chaboupka:

I think this is the same family. Wenzel has died some time between 1880 and 1900.

Rosie (Rosa) is listed as a widow. Her birth date has advanced by 2 years, but that kind of mistake is not unusual. The record says that she was married in 1868, and immigrated in 1845. I'm doubtful about the immigration date, although it also says that she has been in the US for 55 years. If it is correct, then she is the first Chaloupek (or variant) that I know of. Still, travelling at age 1 (or 3), she would have been with an adult. Of course, her name would not have been Chaloubpka at that time.

Another child, Wenzel, had been born since 1880. Wenzel and Kattie (Katy) were still living with their mother. Mary, Jacob and Joseph had left home.

The 1910 US Census for Houston lists three Chaloupka households in a row.

Katie and Wenzel are still living with Mom. Another daughter, Ella, had been born in 1886. I don't know why she wasn't in the 1900 Census. Anyway, in 1910 she is married to Milton Geiselman, with one child, and living with Mom.

Since these households are listed consecutively, and they have the same last name, they are likely related somehow. Jon W is probably another child of Wenzel and Rosa, although he was also left out of the 1900 Census. He is now married, with one child.

A birth record from Houston says that Jacob Chaloupka was born to Wenzel "Vincent" Chaloupka and Rosina Rohs on 15 Mar 1870.

A death certificate also says Adam Jacob Chaloupka died 15 Aug 1923, in Houston.

Adam J in the 1910 Census is the same as Jacob in 1900. His full name is Adam August Jacob Chaloupka, also known as Jake, according to several family trees. He married Tina Eddings (b. 15 Feb 1882, Mississippi) in Houston, 11 Feb 1901.

Rosa (Rosie, Rosina) had maiden name Rohs or Rehoa.

The 1910 Census also lists occupations.

The Houston city directory lists Wenzel and/or Rosa Chaloupka as owner/proprietors of a business described as "Groceries and Beer Saloon" during the period 1882-1891.

Last seen in Galveston

Also arriving in Galveston in 1860 was the Chalupa family:

Ignaz Chalupa

Marianne Chalupa

Martin Chalupa

Yes, Chalupa is one of the variants of the Czech name, Chaloupek. I don't think this is a Mexican family, although I've never heard of the name Ignaz. At any rate, I don't know what happened to this bunch of Chalupas!

St. Louis

Yet another Martin Chaloupka arrived in Baltimore, 1866, with an all male (?) group:

You might think that, if the last Martin was related to the others, he would have come to Galveston, instead of Baltimore.

The 1880 Census for St. Louis, MO has the following two Chaloupka families.

Since Thomas (1866) was born in Bohemia and Marie (1869) in Missouri, the family must have immigrated in the period 1866-1869.

An 1877 directory for St. Louis has Jacob, Albert and Martin Chaloupka, living at 1307 Geyer Ave. Their occupations are listed as bags, bags, lab, respectively. I don't know what that means, unless Jacob and Albert were doormen at a Hotel.

M.H. is probably Martin, Josef is Josephine, Albert is Adalbert, Joseph is Joseph and Jacob is Jacob. The dates don't match up exactly, but I think this is the same family that arrived in Baltimore in 1866. Not related to any of the Texas Chaloupkas.

Jackson County, Iowa to Saline County, Nebraska

The 1860 US Census for Monmouth Township, Jackson County, Iowa, has a family, last name spelled Kaloupka.

The 1870 US Census for Oxford Twp, Jones County, Iowa has two families of Chaloupkas,

Jackson County is on the Mississippi River, just south of Dubuque, and Jones County is the next county west of Jackson. So it looks like the family moved from Jackson to Jones between 1860 and 1870.

Catherine has died or left the family. Frank, the eldest son, was not living with the family in 1860, but by 1870 he and his family had moved in next door to his father and siblings. His brothers Joseph and Anton had left home. His sisters Mary and Ann were still at home. Jas is Wesley (maybe Wesley James) and Frances is 10.

It appears that John, Catharine, Mary and Anna must have immigrated in 1854 - 1858. Frank and Anna immigrated some time before their first child was born, in 1863.

Meanwhile, in Nebraska, there was another Chaloupka familly. The 1870 US Census for Swan City, Saline County, NE lists:

The Frank Chaloupka family later moved to Nebraska. The 1880 US Census for Wilber Twp, Saline County, NE has two Chaloupka families.

The first family is clearly the same as the Chaloupka family from Jackson County, Iowa. The second is probably the Henry Chaloupka family from the 1870 census, although some of the names and dates don't match up exactly. Mary has become Anna, and she is 2 years younger. Maybe a second wife. Anthony has become Henry, Jr. But I think it is the same family.

The two families must be related, but I don't know how. Why else would Frank and family move to Saline, Nebraska?

The Belohlavy Family Tree lists a John Chaloupka, from Jackson County, Iowa,

having immigrated with wife

Katerina (Pirka) Chaloupka

and sons

Frank J. Chaloupka, b. 4 Feb 1839, Castolovice, Bohemia, d. 21 Dec 1917, Wilbur, Saline, NE

Henry Chaloupka, b. 1844 Castolovice

However they don't cite any sources for this. It is all consistent with the records I have found. Either Henry was not living with his parents during the 1860 census, or else he is Joseph or Anton. The son of Henry and Anna seems to have been called both Henry and Anton.

The 1910 US Census for Wilbur, Saline County, NE has

and it says that Anna immigrated in 1866. However, the 1880 Census said that her son Henry had been born in Bohemia, 1869. So there is an error somewhere.