VARGA, Francis

VARGA, MARDARISZ, MAJTHENYI, DRAHOS, ZANDERS OR SANDERS, GATEHALL, PIKE

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 4/10/2015 at 08:48:40

Obituary ~ Francis Varga
August 08, 1817 ~ April 05, 1902

In Memory of Francis Varga

Reported in Leon, Iowa Newspaper

Thursday, May 15, 1902

"The autumn leaves are falling off the tree." Falling and dropping -- one today, two tomorrow, and shortly not one will remain of the living witnesses to tell the tale of the heroic period.

One eminent in the Hungarian revolution, who with wounded heart came to free America, has a few days ago closed his eyes forever. Francis Varga, the deceased with eighty-five years on his shoulders, on the evening of 5th of April, died of old age, in the State of Iowa, city of Leon. The readers of "Szabasag" well knew of the deceased. From time to time he contributed to this paper. The famous actor of the great period was Francis Varge. From his own biography we extract the following.

Francis Varga was born at Debreczen, Hungary, August 8, 1817, where his father acted as professor in the Protestant College. He went to school in his native city and in 1840 was graduated as attorney of law. Shortly thereafter he went to Nagy-Becskerek, whereat he was appointed as attorney for the Kiss family's estates, therefore for Erno Kiss who was executed October 6, 1849. In 1840, during the bloody riots of the Serbs and Wallachians, there had been a vigilance committee of five members appointed of which he was chairman. This committee, during six months of its services, had convicted twenty-three persons.

In 1840, in the month of January, he was elected chairman of so called "Danger Committee' at Szeged. This committee soon finished its work, and Francis Varga was elected Vice Lord Lieutenant,and transferred his place of business to Nagy-Becskerek.

When the southern army was conquered, Francis Varga, with the rest of Towntal officers, crossed the River of Maross and onthe 13th day of August arrived at Villagos, where the Hungarian army surrendered. About 2,000 civilians under Russian escort were sent toward Kiss-Jeno. Among these was Francis Varga in a vehicle with five of his comrades. Near Gyula the coachmen succeeded in getting away wit all that were under his charge. Varga then went to Gyula where his relatives resided. Here, however, he was not in safety and, acting upon his uncle's advice, he went to a village; later to his mother, who resided at Hajdu Boszormemy, whence he was compelled to flee. After roaming for four months there was nothing left for him but to leave the country more so as he was searched for everywhere. Through his cousin he succeeded in obtaining a passport.

With chemicals he erased his name and the description of the person to whom it was issued and substituted it with the name of Frank Wagner and set forth therein the description of his own person. After a hard struggle he arrived at Krakkaw. With the assistance of a worthy Polish physician he succeeded in obtaining a passport and with that he went to Hamburg where he met several of his fleeing countrymen.

The officials of Hamburg soon grew tired of the hospitality shown to the patriots, so they went over to Altona (Scheswig Holstein) where they remained until the 1st day of January, 1851. Then with Laeslaus Mardarisz, Joseph Majthenyi and several others, he went to London.

The following period, the deceased himself describes as follows: "Here (in London) we spent six months without molestation, free as birds of the universe, longing and waiting that something might happen whereby we may return to the East. We soon realized that there is not a ray of hope, however, and we decided to immigrate to America.

"Madarasz and Majthenjy spent five months at Ostend. Madarasz's son also came there (William) as did Mrs. Majthenyi with her only son Theodore. Before we embarked, about 40 Hungarians arrived at Southampton from Turkey. They were all Bem's army. They were under the command of Captain Bissinger, whose real name was Erno Drahos. He waas at one time attorney at law in th County Torental and Chairman of the Vigilance Committee at Szeged. The unfortunate fellow did not have money enough to come in, so I took him to my lodging. We spent a few days in London and afterward we bade farewell to Europe. At Liverpool we embarked on the steamer, Manchester -- Majthenyi and Madarasz with their sons, also Drahos and myself. The captain, and English fellow; I should term him a "stuck up fellow" therefore I could not say that our trip was an enjoyable one. It took us twenty-two days to cross the ocean. During that time we had severe storms. Finally on the 13th day of August we reached port. While we greeted our new country with hail, with a powerful sign did we think of the betterment of our beloved country. We did not far any better than the average of the immigrants."This relates the history of his life who had lost his country. For fifty-two years he was away from his native land for whose sacred duty he sacrificed his youthful enthusiasm and whose lost cause made him a wanderer. During this long period but once did he see his fatherland during the millenium.

The deceased was married in 1858 to Mary Zanders, a German. There were seven children born to them, one son and six daughters. His son is an attorney of law at Leon, Iowa. His daughters, Clara, Emma, Rose, Esther, Mary, and Nellie, are all married, whose families with weeping eyes stood at the white haired veteran's bier.

In our thoughts let us make a pilgrimage to his last resting place; let us pray to our God to give an easy rest beyond to him who while amid his loving family always felt the loss of his beloved country for a long half century.

* * * *

Cleveland Szabadsag -- April 10, 1902

The old warrior died. The powerful enemy has wrenched the banner from his hands -- DEATH -- who come like a thief.

Cannons did not war, guns did not crackle -- but only the mourning family, loving and esteemed friends stood around the bier of the snow-haired patriot. The coffin was almost hid from view by flowers.

There, in the big crowd, stood another snow-haired gentleman, Stephen Radnich, who was also a witness of those great days, and in this strange land in the far away, they could only tell each oter their great torment. Only these two gentlmen could understand each other sincerely whenever they met. We imagine how their faces were blushing whenever they met. And now all is over. Mr. Radnich remains all alone, all alone of the exiles.

The other gentlemen, who after a half century, still remained a Hungarian with heart and soul, has been buried.

Not his own, but foreign soil, has been thrown on his coffin. Not Hungarian, but strange tears have been shed, and a strange psalm was sung, but his heart rests not under foreign but under Hungarian soil. During the Millenium Exhibition while visiting his native country on his return he brought no silver, norgold, but a handful of dear Hungarian soil.

His heart ached and pained still after a half century for his dear old country soil. He silenced and consefaited that heart, which heart ached, but his eyes smiled sometimes on that package of Hungarian soil upon which has placed the inscription, "Handful of Native soil to quiet the heart's trouble."

The funeral was held April 7th (1902). The city of which he waas for a long time the most prominent man, a good citizen and an esteemed gentleman, also a veteran of liberty, closed the doors of the public buildings and every business was generally suspended during the day.

* * * * * * Typed August 1964 from the copy that Mrs. Edna Gatehall Pike had made from the newspaper clipping of May 15, 1902. (The original newspaper report was copied in December 1954).

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, April of 2015