John Helebrant

John Helebrant; My Great Great Grandfather & His Story

This photo is one that I received from Loray Hastings (Frank Helebrant's Great Granddaughter). The man on left has been confirmed as Frank Helebrant (My Great Great Great Uncle, brother to John Helebrant who is my Great Great Grandpa). The man on the right, however, has not been confirmed as to which family member he may be. It has been said that he could possibly be John Helebrant, but again, that has not been confirmed thus far.

           My great great grandfather, John Helebrant, has been somewhat of mystery to the family. This has made it extremely difficult to research him and his intermediate family, because there just isn't very much documentation or family information on him. Nonetheless, these are copies of the original documents and very little information that I was able to scrape together on him.

          John Helebrant was born in December of 1845 in Bohemia, Czechoslovakia to his parents, John Helebrant and Frantiskr Lytver. The exact day of his birth is unknown. He had one brother, Frank Helebrant (born February 24, 1842). John immigrated to America from Bohemia sometime in 1879 and resided in Revanna, Nebraska. He married Josephine Slodovnik(ova) on November 30, 1880, in Douglas County, Nebraska. He was 34, She was 25. They were married by Reverend Vaclav Kocernik in the Saint Wenceslaus Parish, Omaha. John and Josephine had four children together; Anna (1881), Antonia "Tonnie" (1883), Louis (1884), and James (1886). During that time John worked as a farmer. He died in October of 1887 (42). The cause of his death is still unknown to the family. He is buried in the Horak Cemetery in Revanna, Nebraska.

This was a census I was able to find at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. This census would have been taken shortly after he immigrated here to America, but just before he Married Josephine Slodovnik(ova).

This is a record of the marriages that took place in Douglas County, Nebraska from 1854 to 1881. This is the only official documentation I have on John & Josephine's marriage, and the only documentation that has been found to mention his parents. Also found at the Family History Library.

Another record of Marriages in Douglas County.

This was a list Reverends in the area, one of which (Rev. Vaclav Korcarnik) Married John and Josephine to witnesses Adam Hajek and John Hora.

Reverend Valcav Kocarnik of the Wenceslaus Parish in Omaha, NE

A map of what is known as the Horak Cemetery where John Helebrant is buried.

The Marker stone of John Helebrant in the Horak Cemetary.

A little bit of history on the Horak Cemetery (or the Bohemian National Cemetary) where John is buried. Located in Revanna, NE.