Bio: Petkovsek, John & Mary

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Petkovsek, Germosek, Gregorich, Prebil

----Source: Family Scrapbook

John Petkovsek Sr. was born on December 16, 1870 in Jugoslavia. He worked there as a miner for 23 years. In 1893 he went to Germany and later served in the Austrian Army. In 1897 he came to the United States and settled in Springfield, Illinois where he returned to mining.

He married Mary Germosek June 1899, in Springfield. In about 1911 he saw an ad in the Springfield paper, put in by Cesnik, for land in Willard, which he bought and moved to with his family.

The farm is located 2 1/2 miles northwest of Willard near the North Mound which he didn't know was there until they started clearing the land for farming. He was a trustee for the Holy Family Catholic Church of Willard and was also assessor for the town of Hendren for many years.

Ten children were born to the Petkovsek's. Mary, born in 1900; John, born in 1902 and died in 1978; Joe, born 1904 and died in 1956; Anton "Tony", born 1910 and died in 1978; Ann, born 1908; Frances, born 1910 and died in 1978; Frank, born 1911; Martin, born 1913; William "Bill", born 1915; and Dorothy, born 1918.

The first eight children were born in Springfield, Illinois. Bill and Dorothy were born on the farm in Willard. Dorothy married Leo Gregorich and lives in Willard Mother, Mary, died in 1937 and Father, John, died in 1954.

Bill took over the Petkovsek home farm in 1946. In October 1948 he married Dorothy Prebil.