Reverend J.M. Trunk - Nebraska 1912

Copyright © 1996, 1997, Slovenian Genealogy Society International, all rights reseved

These Rev. J. M. Trunk texts were published originally in 1912. Part 8, History of Slovene Communities, contains significant genealogical information about Slovenian immigrants, the places they lived, the organizations they formed, and the churches they attended.

Translators for the Slovenian Genealogy Society have been working to translate many texts published early in the 1900s that contain significant genealogical information. Our translators are not professional linguists, and they do not complete a translation with rigorous academic oversight. The goal of our translation projects is to make information available to the American descendants of Slovenian immigrants.

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The Slovenian Genealogy Society collects church histories. Readers with information on Slovenes in the communities listed, the churches mentioned, or other information on Slovenes, can contact:

Slovenian Genealogy Society
52 Old Farm Road
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania 17011-2604

The society accepts donations of Slovene books, texts, and publications for its genealogy library.

Nebraska

Omaha. Rev. J. Zaplotnik sent me a highly extensive report which unfortunately I cannot publish in its entirety due to lack of space. The first Slovene, Lovro Erlah, came here in 1868. A larger number settled during the last two decades. The majority came from Bela Krajina. Some of them also came from Prezice (Stajerska) and other places.

There are about 40 families and some 50 single persons here. They are divided into two groups. The first is in Omaha proper and the other in South Omaha, which is sort of a suburb with an independent administration and 26,000 inhabitants. The former are employed mainly in the smelters and the other in the Packing Houses. Some are businessmen, merchants, and engineers at the various enterprises. Many Slovenes have gotten ahead nicely. About 24 fellow countrymen have their own houses. Some even have more, for example, Jos. and Ant. Schweiger, Jos. Herman, M. Papez, etc.

In Omaha they have the Society of St. Stephen #11 JSKJ, with 50 male and female members. In South Omaha, there are the Societies of St. Cyril and Methodius #90 and Marija Pomagaj #139 KSKJ. The latter have about 40 male and female members. Some Slovenes are also members of the H. Z. (Croatian Union).

The Slovenes share the church with the Czechs and the English. Since 1 July 1908, they have had their own Slovene priest, Rev. Ivan Zaplotnik, at the Church of St. Agnes, to whom they go for their spiritual needs. When they become strong enough, they intend to establish their own Slovene church and school. The children go to parochial school where Sisters are teaching.

Near the city several farmers have settled, for example: M. Papez, in Bassett, A. Cadonic in Gretna, I. Panija in Cedar County, etc.