Linn County history links

Thank you to Michael Clark for calling to tell us we had a mistake in one of our links! It has now been fixed. Micheal descends from the early Clark family in Putnam township.

The error was the link to "People in Putnam Township" in the following ....

(Places to search on-line)

*The History of Linn County (1878-1878)   812 Pages
*Pioneer Life In and Around Cedar Rapids - (1839-1839)   258 Pages (you will need to log in to FamilySearch.org to view this)
 

*1907 Linn County Atlas - (1907-1907)   175 Pages

https://linnatlas.advantage-preservation.com/

Photos in this Atlas:
Photos of people in Putnam Township
Photos of people in Monroe and Putnam Townships

Photos of people in College Township

 

 

 Early Clark family photos from the 1907 Linn County Atlas (click the photo to enlarge it)

Ely School Sports Teams

 Mark Krob submitted these two mid-1930s sports photos.
They are from the collection of Bob Krob.

Click each photo to enlarge it, then click again to enlarge more.

Top row, left to right: Dave Clark, Chuck Vavra, Walt Wagner, Leo Pizarek, unknown

Middle row: Dean Lockwood, Norbert Krob, Verne Upmier, Jack Clark, Bob Krob, Joe Becicka

Bottom row: Frank Sladek, Lumir Skripsky, Bud Stahle 

Back row: Frank Sladek, Jack Clark, Walt Wagner,Norbert Krob, Dave Clark
Front row: Lumir Skripsky, Bud Stahle, Verne Upmier, Dean Lockwood, Bob Krob, Chuck Vavra

Esther Zvacek Recital

Bud Goodrow posted this photo on Facebook of an Esther Zvacek piano and accordion recital held at the Ely Legion about 1960. Thanks, Bud! 

Esther Zvacek (1905-1991) taught music to many young people in the Ely area. 

If you wish to identify any of these people please comment below.

Click the photo to enlarge it - then click it again.

 

Esther Zvacek

Cedar Rapids Gazette, November 6, 1991.
(Excerpts)
Esther Zvacek, 86, of 2800 Wright Brothers Blvd. E., died Monday in St. Luke's Hospital following a short illness. Esther was born Oct. 13, 1905, in her home at 2800 Wright Brothers Blvd. E. and had resided there all her life. She taught piano, organ, accordion, and guitar for over 60 years in the Ely area. She was a lifelong member of First Presbyterian Church near Ely, and a member of Johanna Society, American Legion Auxiliary and was Past Noble Grand of Ely Rebekah Lodge 56. 

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Many of you know "Barefoot Becky". She was a student of Esther's. From her web site at https://barefootbecky.com/about/

In 1980, when she (Becky) was ten years old, Becky took her first accordion lesson from Esther Zvacek. Esther was an elderly lady who still only charged a dollar for a lesson! Becky was very close to her teacher. Both Becky and her mother would go over to Esther’s house every Friday night for supper before having their lessons. Her mom even kept a garden there for Esther and Becky mowed her lawn.

Becky's first recital - 1981. Left -Becky, middle-Esther Zvacek, right - unknown