John Kotapish, SR. was b 10 Jul 1844 Kovarov, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia(the internet now shows that Kovarov is about 40 miles SW of Prague) and d.6 April 1916, and is buried in St. Wenceslaus Catholic Cemetery south of Blue Rapids near the Riley County line. He married Barbara Skala 29 June 1869 in Europe. She was b 2 April 1847 in Europe, d. 30 June 1912, and buried beside John in St. Wenceslaus Catholic Cemetery. A daughter had passed in Bohemia and was buried in the Simerying Cemetery beside her grandmother, uncle and two cousins. When John and Barbara came to America in 1873, they settled in Baltimore, MD. They came to KS in 1878 and John purchased land in Riley Co. In that year he purchased a Marshall Co. farm from Charles Hyde, which he farmed with the help of his sons. The family was raised on the Marshall Co. farmstead where John Kotapish taught his sons carpentry and masonry. He built numerous homes in the community, the Irving Post Office and KP Hall. Joseph, the first son, was born 16 May 1871 in Baltimore MD, d. 16 Aug 1942 Irving, married Marie Protiva; Frank b 13 Jan 1874 Baltimore, d 12 June 1932, m (1) Mary Kratochival, daughter of Charles Kratochival, m (2) Elizabeth Budenbender, daughter of Phil Budenbender 17 April 1906, Blaine; James b 24 Dec. 1874, d.28 June 1926, m. Katie Nedwed, daughter of Dominic and Anna Nedwed, 26 Dec. 1899 Marysville; John b 28 Nov. 1877, d. 24 February 1916, m Emma Barbara Skoch, daughter of Steven John and Mary Barbara (Lucas) Skoch, 1 Jan, 1900; Charles, b 20 March 1880, d. 4 Jan 1955, m. 23 Feb 1903 Emma Osner, daughter of Joseph Ed and Anna Theresa (Skoch) Osner; Fred b 13 March 1881 Irving, d. 23 April 1923, m 1 May 1911 Matilda Blecha, daughter of Joseph and Marie (Hubka) Blecha, at Pawnee City, NE; Peter b 29 June 1885 Irving, d 12 Dec. 1949, m 28 Nov 1908 Marie Duchek, daughter of Joseph and Anna Duchek, at St. Wenceslaus Church; Mary (twin) b. 31 Jan 1888, d. 24 June 1967 Blue Rapids, m Frank Hnizda; Samuel (twin) b. 32 Jan 1888, died at birth; Emma born 6 March 1890, d.18 September 1941, m Joseph Barton. Much of this information was contributed by Mrs. Esther Z. (Fay) Kotapish Brenner, daughter of John and Emma Kotapish, and was published in the Pioneers of the Blue Stem Prairie, c1976 Riley County Genealogical Society. Also much of this information was gleaned from The Irving Leader Newspaper of 1913.John Kotapish, Jr. and Emma Barbara Kotapish were my grandparents.(Barbara Brenner Mathis)