Briki History
THE BRICHACEKS FROM KNIN
First generation: Thomas and Anna
Tomáš Břicháček (1784/85?–1829) = Anna (maiden name Prachejlová) (1793/94–1861)
Manor Master Shepherd
Thomas and Anna got married on 4 October 1813 in Dobřichovice. They both originated from Manor Master Shepherd families. The information about the marriage in metrics is the oldest document found about our family.
Anna was born in Dobřichovice (sometime between 1793 and 1794). His father was Master Shepherd of local landlord Knights of the Cross with the Red Star.
Thomas came here from somewhere (perphaps area round Březnice, Drahenice) and became employee in the sheephold. He felt in love with his chief’s daughter.
Later the landlord (Knights of the Cross with the Red Star) sent Thomas to their another sheephold in Mokrsko, where Thomas became Master Shepherd. In 1816 (12 October) Thomas and Anna had their first child there – daughter Anna.
Sometime in late 1816 or in early 1817, Thomas and Anna with their little daughter Anna moved from Mokrsko to Starý Knín (Old Knin) to local sheepfold, which also belonged to Knights of the Cross with the Red Star.
The sheepfold stood here: 49.7897383N, 14.2735611E
Thomas was Master Shepherd of the local landlord till his death in 1829. The family lived in the sheepfold area till then.
CHILDREN
This first child Anna unfortunately died on 25 April 1817. The information about this sad event in local metrics is the first document proving the presence of the Brichaceks in Knin!
After that Thomas and Anna had 4 more children:
- Václav (* 7 September 1820)
- Marie (* 9 October 1823)
- Josef (* 28 November 1825)
- Jan (* 31 March 1828) – our ancestor (!)
ABOUT THE WORK OF MANOR MASTER SHEPHERD – GOOGLE TRANSLATION
(Please try to rewrite it and I will check the substance)
Manor shepherds were experts in sheep breeding at manorial estates. They provided the entrusted herd at all stages of production. They were divided into different degrees or ranks. The sheep master, also called the field master, stood at the top. He was the manager and responsible manager of the entrusted sheepfold. The sheepfold crew was subordinated to him. Among the employees of the manor, he had a special position on the border between the family and lower lordly officials. It was a relatively well-respected and well-paid profession. The master shepherd received above all the so-called deputy, ie rewards in kind from what the manor estate produced. The master usually had accommodation provided by his employers with a house near the sheepfold. He could keep a smaller farm of his own, including a small private flock of sheep. The shepherd could develop the rank of master only after many years of experience in lower shepherd positions. --- Sheep craft was often inherited in quotation marks. From an early age, children helped their parents with work and acquired the necessary skills from them. This created whole sheep families. Shepherds formed a cohesive community, which manifested itself in frequent marriages between members of the sheepdog families, as well as in the selection of godparents and wedding witnesses.
FAMILY PROGRESS IN 1820s
Thomas apparently had enough money from the lucrative job in Old Knin sheepfold. Sometime in 1820s he bought a big house in Novy Knin (New Knin), number 50, to which also some fields belonged. But the family during his life still lived in the Old Knin sheepfold. As regards the house number 50 in Novy Knin they rented it.
THOMAS DEATH
Thomas died on 9 November 1829 – the cause of – it seems – a kind of accident (fall from a high place)
AFTER THOMAS’S DEATH
Anna with her children moved to the house 50 in New Knin. She lived there till her death. She died on 30 March 1861 (aged 68 years).
Second generation:
Jan Břicháček - butcher and innkeeper, an important personality of Nový Knín
(31 March 1828, Starý Knín – 16 February 1899, Nový Knín)
Anna Břicháčková, née Nevařilová
(21 April 1829, Sedlčany – 21 April 1891, Nový Knín)
Marriage:
30 June 1858, Nový Knín
Children (sons):
Jan (born 1858 - our ancestor)
František (born 1860)
Antonín (born 1865)
Karel (born 1870 - but died as a child in 1873)
CHILDHOOD
Jan was born on 31 March 1828 on a sheepfold in Starý Knín (house number 16) - the
youngest child of the shepherd master Tomáš Břicháček and his wife Anna Břicháčková
Jan spent the first months of his life in a sheepfold area, but the death of his father brought a
turning point in his life. Let us recall that the father died as a result of an accident on 9 JAN'S
November 1829. The mother then moved with her children to Nový Knín, house no. 50 -
which, as we said last time, Tomáš Břicháček (who was probably quite rich) bought
sometime in the 1820s.
This moment marked a radical turning point in family history. The ancient shepherd tradition
was broken. Little John and his brothers, although their father's mother's blood was
circulating in the shepherd's blood, parted ways with this craft, and none of them ever
pursued it again.
So Jan spent his childhood with his mother and siblings in house no. 50 in Nový Knín. The
family probably did not suffer in need. They could lean on the property that teh father had
amassed. They rented part of the house no. 50 to a tenant and also probably their fields
provided livelihoods.
He attended the basic school in Novy Knin probably between 1834 and 1840.
ANNA'S CHILDHOOD
Anna was born on 21 April 1829 in Sedlčany (a near town). She was daughter of butcher Jan
Nevařil and his wife Karolína (née Matoušková). While mother originated from Sedlčany,
the father originated from Nový Knín and he was in Sedlčany only temporarily.
When Anna was only a small child, the family moved to Novy Knin and they started to live
in the house of Jan Nevařil ́s father – number 8. Jan ́s father died early and Jan took over the
business.
Anna presumably attended the basic school in Novy Knin between 1835 and 1841.
JAN AS A YOUNG MAN
Jan lived with her mother and siblings in the house no 50. In the second half of 1840s his
brother Josef opened an butchery and inn in the house. We can suppose that Jan helped in the
business.
It seems that originaly he studied to be a miller. The marriage certificate hints this – it is
written there that he was mill helper (companion) (junior miller). But we do not know more
about this.
JAN AND ANNA – FIRST YEARS TOGETHER
We do not know how Jan and Anna got to know each other.
Anyway, sometimes in early 1858 Anna became pregnant. It was necesary to arrange
marriage soon
The wedding took place on 30 June 1858 in Nový Knín church (St. Nicolaus)
After the wedding they moved to Anna ́s parents to the house no. 8
They lived there several years.
On 26 November 1858 the first son was born there – it was Jan, our ancestor (your
father ́s grandfather)
Jan is in the metrics registered as „cattle dealer“ or „dealer“ in these years – but perhaps he
also started to help and learn in the butchery.
In 1865 in one metric he is described for the first time as “butcher master”
On 15 June 1860 second son was born – František (still in the house No. 8)
On 13 January 1865 third child was born – Antonín (in another house, no. 62, but the
father is in the metrics still described as dealer from house no. 8)
In 1867 the young family (Jan and Anna with their small boys) moved to house no. 144 – it
was not theirs – they were only tenants. They lived there several years.
On 30 December 1870 the last son Karel was born there. Unfortunately, he later died as a
small boy in 1873.
So Jan and Anna for the future lived with their 3 sons.
We do not know how long the family lived in no. 144. We only know that in 1879 they
bought their own house (see below)
JAN AS PUBLICLY ACTIVE PERSONALITY
In 1870s Jan Břicháček, yet a mature man in his forties, entered the awakened public life in
the city. He became involved in municipal politics and in the activities of newly established
associations.
1) He was three times elected to town council (assembly ?) – in 1874, in 1879 and in
1883.
2) He became an active member of an important association called Čtenářská beseda
(Readers ́ association) founded in 1872. The main task of the reader's discussion was to
organize subscriptions and lending of newspapers and magazines and the purchase of books.
In time, a federal library was established, which in its heyday owned about 1,200 volumes.
The association became the center of the patriotic cultural life of the city. It then operated for
several decades, until the beginning of the Czechoslovak Republic.
Jan later became president of this association (mentioned as such in 1877)
3) In 1874 Jan became founding member of Association of veterans in Novy Knin.
GREAT FAMILY INVESTMENTS (LATE 1870s, 1880s)
In 1879 Jan and Anna bought house (estate) no. 96 in Novy Knin near river Kocaba. They
opened butchery and inn there. Since there Jan is mentioned in the records as „butcher an
innkeeper“ or „innkeeper“.
It seems that they did not intended to stay here permanently. They intended it as investment
for their oldest son Jan (who was to return from military service in 1881). In 1883 Jan junior
married with Marie Maršovská, girl from neighbourhood and they moved to this house (no.
96).
Parents Jan and Anna gave them (Jan jr. and Mary) the house in 1883 but continued to live
there with them (together with younger two sons) there until 1886.
In 1886 Jan and Anna bought new house for their own. It was house no. 15 in prominent
place above the main square. They opened there another inn.
Since then there were two Brichaceks ́inns in the town. The no. 15 of Jan senior was
sometimes called “at the upper Brichaceks ́” and the no. 96 of Jan junior was called “at the
lower Brichaceks ́” by the people. However, the official name of the inn no. 15 was “U
Hroznu” (At a vine grape”) and that of the no. 96 was “Na Kovárně” (“At the Blacksmith” =
“At the forge” (?))
The son František in 1888 left for the town Štěchovice where he got married and established
local branch of Brichaceks that exist till now. Jan and Anna helped him financially to buy a
house there.
The youngest son Antonín on the contrary stayed with his parents and his future was to take
over the house and business.
Anna died on 21 April 1891 at the day of her 62 birthday for tuberculosis.
The same year Antonin got married. The bride moved to their house (no. 15). They had
children in the following years.
So, the last years I guess that Antonín and his wife were more and more involved in the
operation of the inn, while Jan enjoyed his old years and helped them.
Jan died on 16 February 1899. The reason of death was gangraena senilis.
In my opinion, Jan Brichacek (2nd generation) was very successful man, who managed to
a) run his business very well,
b) to assure the future of his 3 (living) sons
c) engage in public affairs of New Knin
