James Filipek's Ship Arrival Records

**James Filipek's Ship Arrival Records - 1911**
Introduction James (Vaclav) Filipek returned to Bohemia/Czechoslovakia in the summer of 1911. He visited his brothers and sisters and the farm he was born on. He also visited his wife's relatives. He went back alone, but he brought back two nephews and a distant in-law. The nephews were Vaclav Filipek (son of his brother Frank) and Vaclav Palecek (son of his sister Mary). The distant in-law was Vaclav Sokolik. It is believed that Vaclav Palecek and Vaclav Sokolik returned, but Vaclav Filipek, who became known at James F. Filipek stayed. Vaclav Filipek and the three others embarked from Bremen, Germany on the George Washinton on June 23, 1911. They arrived at Ellis Island on July 2, 1911. They then took a train to Chicago. The data from the manifest is below.

**George Washington Manifest - July 2, 1911**
Ship of Travel	George Washington	George Washington	George Washington	George Washington
Date and Place of Departure	23 June 1911 from Bremen, Germany	23 June 1911 from Bremen, Germany	23 June 1911 from Bremen, Germany	23 June 1911 from Bremen, Germany
Date and Place of Arrival	2 July 1911 in New York Ellis Island	2 July 1911 in New York Ellis Island	2 July 1911 in New York Ellis Island	2 July 1911 in New York Ellis Island
Manifest Questions	Passenger	Passenger	Passenger	Passenger
1. Line Number	15.	16.	18.	21.
2. Name	Vaclav Filipek	Vaclav Filipek	Vaclav Sokolik	Vaclav Palecek
3. Age	27	47	18	37
4. Sex	M	M	M	M
5. Married or Single	S	M	S	M
6. Occupation	gardener	merchant	farm laborer	hooper
7. Able to Read/Write	Y/Y	Y/Y	Y/Y	Y/Y
8. Nationality	Austria	U.S.A.	Austria	Austria
9. Race or People	Bohemian	Bohemian	Bohemian	Bohemian
10. Last Permanent Residence	Kroatia, Agram	Illinois, Chicago	Bohemia, Novosedly	Bohemia, Lomnice
11. Name and address of nearest relative from where came	parents: Fr. Filipek in Trebon, Bohemia	no entry	father: Cirant Sokolik in Novosedly, Bohemia	wife Rosa Palecek in Klec, Lomnice, Bohemia
12. Final Destination	Illinois, Chicago	NY, New York	Illinois, Chicago	Illinois, Chicago
13. Line Number	15. Vaclav Filipek	16. Vaclav Filipek	18. Vaclav Sokolik	21. Vaclav Palecek
14. Whether having Ticket to such Final Destination	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
15. By whom was passage paid	Self	Self	Self	Self
16. Whether in possession of $50, and if less, how much	25	yes	25	25
17. Whether ever before in the United States and if so when and where	No	Yes, 1888/1911 Illinois Chicago	No	NO
18. Whether going to join Friend or Relative and name and address	Uncle Vaclav Filipek Chicago, Illinois 3001 S. Emerald Ave.	Citizen and House	Brother Frank Sokolik Chicago Illinois Troop St. 538	Uncle Vaclav Filipek Chicago, Illinois 3001 S. Emerald Ave.
19. Whether ever in Prison, almshouse or Institution for the Insane	No	No	No	No
20. Whether Polygamist	No	No	No	No
21. Whether an anarchist	No	No	No	No
22. Whether coming under a promise of labor	No	No	No	No
23. Condition of physical and mental Health	Good	Good	Good	Good
24. Deformed or Cripple	No	No	No	No
25.Height	5' 7"	-	5' 4"	5' 7"
26. Complexion	Fair	-	Fair	Fair
27. Color of Hair/Eyes	bl/gry	-	bl/gr	bld/blue
28. Marks of Identification	None	-	None	None
29. Place of Birth	Bohemia, Trebon, but could be Tabor	U. S. Citizen	Bohemia, Novosedly	Bohemia, Kolenec

**Manifest Record Comments**
Vaclav Filipek traveled back to Bohemia in the Spring of 1911. He applied for his passport on April 15, 1911. The purpose of his visit appears to be to visit relatives. His wife Katherine did not travel with him, perhaps she was needed to mind the grocery store. Above is an excerpt from the George Washington Manifest for its voyage from Bremen, Germany on 23 June 1911 to its arrival on 2 July 1911 in New York at Ellis Island. The George Washington was a two-stack steamer with auxiliary sail and could hold over 2600 passengers. Our relatives traveled in 3rd class. On board the 23 June voyage were Vaclav Filipek, age 47 and three relatives he brought back with him, all were named Vaclav. The relatives were: Vaclav Filipek, 27 year old nephew of our Vaclav Filipek. He was the son of Frank Filipek of Trebon. In the USA he became know as James F. Filipek and Jim the Gardener. Vaclav Palecek, 37 year old nephew of our Vaclav Filipek. He was the son of Vaclav's sister Mary. Vaclav Sokolik, brother of Frank Sokolik. This Frank Sokolik lived in Chicago Ill. on Throop Street 638. This Vaclav and Frank Sokolik may have been a distant relative to our Sokoliks.	Thus part of the reason for Vaclav's visit was to bring back various young relative who were thinking about immigrating to America. In the end, only James F. Filipek stayed in America. Vaclav Palecek and Vaclav Sokolik returned home shortly thereafter. It is believed that James F. Filipek was born on July 15, 1892 and thus was 19 not 27 as stated in the record. He stayed with the Filipeks initially at 3001 S. Emerald and became friends with his cousins James A. and John Filipek and JK and Theodore Sokolik. It is believed the 1888 arrival date for Vaclav is in error and should be 1889 as stated on his passport. The data were obtained from the American Immigration Family History Center - Ellis Island on-line data base.