Biography of JOSEPH E. MALEK

JOSEPH E. MALEK is living on section 17, New Oregon township,  Howard Co. Iowa, where he is engaged in farming.  It was in this township that he was born on the 19th of March, 1882.  His father,  Joseph Malek, and his mother Mrs. Sophronia Malek,  were natives of Bohemia.  The former came to the United States when about 13 years of age in company with his parents and settled in Winneshiek county, Iowa,  where the family took up the occupation of farming.  The father of Joseph E. Malek, however, left the farm at age of 14 years and went to Cleveland, Ohio,  where he turned his attention to the tailoring trade, remaining in that city for two years.  He then returned to Winneshiek county and was employed at farm labor in that locality until he was 28 years of age,  when he married.  After working for three years he became the owner of eighty acres of his present farm,  which was then undeveloped and unimproved.  He placed all the improvements upon the property and brought his fields under a high state of cultivation.  His father retired about ten years ago (1909)  and removed to Schley,  where he now makes his home,  but he still retains title to his farm,  which his son now rents from him.

It was on the 4th of June, 1907,  that Joseph E. Malek was married to Miss Barabara Pecka, a daughter of Wenzel and Mary Pecka, the former a farmer of Winneshiek Co. Iowa.   Mr. and Mrs. Malek have become the parents of five children:  Ralph,  Clarence, Evelyn, Louise, and Helen,  all of whom are upon the farm with their father and mother and are being educated in the public schools of New Oregon township.

Joseph E. Malek is also indebted to the public school system of Howard county for the educational privileges he enjoyed and during his later life he has learned many valuable lessons in the school of experience. He is interested in all that pertains to the public welfare and has served as school director for three years. He has membership with the Modern Woodmen of America,  having been identified with that order for about your years. His political faith is that of the democrat party and in religious belief he is a Catholic, his membership being in the church at Protivin.  He has been a very active worker in support of the Red Cross and Liberty Loan Drives and is 100% American in all that pertains to the welfare and  development of the county, the commonwealth and the country.

 

History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties,
By Robert Herd Fairbairn (Published 1919 - Volume II)
S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois
Transcribed by Leonard Granger