Oh I forgot to blog this awhile ago: Trip To Kosobud Cemetary

Cherie and I took our annual trip to Grand Forks and it happened that Dad was there at the same time. He was able to talk Grandma into going out with us for a few hours.

 We wanted to go to the Kosobud Cemetary, where Grandma's parents, in laws, sister and lots of relatives are buried.  The Kosabud Cemetary is a Czech cemetary and is a family name. It's out in the middle of nowhere in North Dakota. In order to be buried in this cemetary, you had to be a member of the lodge. Which basically was a mutual insurance company made up of Czechs only. Most local Czechs were members as it provided a safety net.
http://www.interment.net/data/us/nd/walsh/kosobud/index.htm

Perth Twp was settled in 1883 by Czech settlers from the Minnesota towns of New Prague, Montgomery, Veseli, Owatonna and others. The cemetery was organized around the turn of the century and the oldest stone was about 1907.  On many of the stones the ZCBJ crest can be found. The ZCBJ (Zapadni Cesko-Bratrska Jednota) or Western Bohemian Fraternal Association organization as a fraternal organization, provided security and ethnic solidarity for Czech immigrants in America. On one stone I found the Z.C.B.J. crest on a family stone with the words Laska, Pravda, Vernost (Love, Truth, Loyalty). Of interest just north of the cemetery is a large wooden building (Kosobud Hall) where the organization met with the Z.C.B.J. crest on the building. It looks like it is not used anymore. (Well... I guess they don't know about the music lover who is living there now!)
The cemetery was surrounded by tall trees which were recently cut down for some unknown reason. The settlers using this cemetery were associated with Lankin ND 7 miles to the east.

We were able to find Grandma's sister's headstone among others family members. I love her name: Anezka. She was a baby when she died.


We pulled into the Kosobud hall, which has been closed down for years and deserted. I got out of the car and walked close to the building and heard music...


I thought someone turned on the car radio and looked back before I realized that the music was coming from the house... we got out of their quickly.

So that was a nice trip. We stayed at the Canad Inn in Grand Forks. It was a great place to stay and we enjoyed ourselves.