Biographies

The Selement Family

By Brenita Turner and Melinda Melichar Norton

Selement, Adult children with Frank

Joseph and Anna (Belshan) Selement immigrated from Czecholslovakia in 1884, arriving in NY harbor and going through Castle Clinton, the immigration depot, along with their married son and his family.  Frank had married in 1882 Josephine Weiss Bohn, born Mar 18, 1862.  

Initially, thy wanted to stay in New York, but they were unable to find work, so they moved to Caldwell, KS, where theu stayed with the Melichar family for a year.  Frank later moved his family to a homestead in Coldwater, KS, where they resided in a dugout cave.

Frank and Joseoh, with their families, made the Run of '89, claining homesteads.  Frank's was on SW1/4-23-12N-6W, and Joseph's the quarter section across the road to the south.  The original house was a dugout cave inside a banked hill (I hear it is still there).  A new 2 story house was built in 1891.

Anna assisted many of the area women as a midwife, often walking miles from home to home in the Yukon area.  

Joseph and Anna had only one living child, Frank.  They had had 5 others who died in Czecholslovakia, and 2 enroute to Kansas.  They both died in the early 1900's and are buried in Yukon Cemetary.

Frank and Josephine had the following children:

Joseph born in Bohemia, March 16, 1883 and lived in the Yukon area with family. He never married and died at age 55 in 1939, and buried in Yukon cemetery near his parents.

Mary was born in Coldwater, Kansas, June 14, 1886 and died 6 Oct., 1954. She married Joe Santin Nov. 25, 1908 in ElReno, Oklahoma. It was a double ceremony, with her sister Anna and Jerry Melichar. They had two children: (1).Stanley born, 2 July 1909 in Yukon (married Bessie Sales) Stanley Died in Yukon, 30 Nov. 1976. (2.) Josephine born, 4 Feb. 1912 in Yukon (married Myron D. Pyles 29, Oct. 1933) died 21 Dec. 1993, buried in Bluff City, Kansas.

Frank J. was born 4 Dec. 1887 in Coldwater, Kansas and died 1 June 1970. He is buried in the Czechoslovakia National Cemetery, Okla. City. He married Mary Swanda 22 Dec. 1922. They had one child, Eleanor born 27 Nov. 1923. in Oklahoma, City, Okla. She married John Martin

Anna Selement born 20 March 1890 in Yukon, Oklahoma Territory and died 9 June 1961 in Denver, Colorado and buried in the Czech Cemetery in Caldwell, Kansas. She married Jerry W. Melichar in ElReno, Oklahoma. They were married in a double ceremony with her sister, Mary and Joe Santin. Anna and Jerry had five children all born in Caldwell, Kansas, :(1) Felix, born 3 Nov. 1909. (married Doris Lewis) died 6 Nov., 1995 buried in Czech Cemetery, Caldwell, Kansas. (2) Milly born 30 Jan. 1911 and died a few days later. (3) Albert Austin born 1 Jan. 1912 and died 3 April 1995, buried in Denver, Colo. (married Elsie) .(4) Rosa Laura born 14 June 1913, Caldwell, Kansas, married Dean Gaynor and later after Dean died, married Charles Aiken. (5) Melo, born 14, Nov. 1914, died 21 Nov. 1980 buried in the Czech Cemetery, Caldwell , Kansas. (Married Helen Taylor 28 April 1940)

Doc (Roy) married Bessie Martin 10 June 19123. They had no children. He was born 17 Dec. 1891 in Yukon. He died 30 July 1940 and is buried in the Yukon cemetery. Doc was a pioneer veterinarian and hatchery man. He received his veterinarian of medicine from Veterinarian College at Kansas City, Mo. in 1912. He served his in WW1. His picture hangs in the Yukon Historical Society Wall of Fame.

Rose, born May 29, 1894 in Oklahoma Territory.

Charles Rudolph, b.  22 Mar 1896 in Oklahoma Territory.  He married Evelyn Stierlin and they resided in Banner, OK until their deaths.   Both are buried in Yukon Cemetary.  They had 6 sons:  Charles, Wesley, Leslie, Robert Warren, George Neal, and Curtis Lynn Rudolph & Adolph, twins born and died in 1898, buried in Yukon Cemetary.

Otto, born Feb 6 1899, Oklahoma Territory

Edward, born Apr 26, 1901, Oklahoma Territory

Lottie, born Aug 12, 1903, Oklahoma Territory. She married "Charlie" Stejskal, and they resided in Canadian County.  Lottie was known for her paintings, especially on

Selement Home - 1903