Family Cemeteries

Marie Černík (VYBÍRAL), our great-grandmother. One of 5 Vybíral children that came to America in 1882. Settled in Saunders County Nebraska. Mother of Frank Mathew Černík.

Matěj "Mike" Černík, our great-grandfather. One of 10 Černík children that came to America in 1875. Settled in Saunders County Nebraska. Father of Frank Mathew.

Božena “Bessie” Rose Černík (ZIMOLA) —Ray, Frank and Marie's mom— our grandmother. She immigrated in 1904 with her parents, Josef and Antonína "Antonia" Zimola (FILOVÁ) and her older sister Mary Zimola. Antonia also brought along her parents Josef and Františka Fila (KOURKOVÁ). Making the trip with them was Antonia's sister and husband, Frank J. and Marie Vlcek (FILOVÁ).

This revolver was carried by Col. Thomas T. Munford, 2nd Virginia Cavalry and made by the French for the confederacy. It's serial number is #303. There are only 60+ left in existence.

This revolver is made with a 9-shot cylinder revolves around a separate central barrel of larger caliber. The central barrel is smoothbore and can function as a short-barreled 18-guage shotgun (hence the name "Grape Shot Revolver"), with the shooter selecting whether to fire from the cylinder or the smoothbore barrel by flipping a lever on the end of the hammer.

The LeMat "ball" was a .42 caliber ball used for the 9-shot cylinder.

Virginia Cavalry Belt Buckle with the State Seal. Soldier atop his enemy.

Parade Cavalry Spurs used in the War of 1812 and the Civil War.

Civil War Dagger made of Bone and Silver with "LIBERTY AND UNION" on the cross guard, and bearing a liberty cap, eagle, and shield on the pommel. Signed by English maker HENRY & Co.

Civil War Fife. It served as a high-pitched, loud instrument to communicate officers' orders.

Many untrained cavalry buglers lost their front teeth if they hadn't learned the secret of riding and bugling at the same time. Thumb on your chin and hold the bugle to the side to avoid the horse's head.

I learned this from a Civil War Bugler reenactor at the 150th anniversary of the Battle at Gettysburg.

This is a closeup of the stock on my Mississippi Rifle (M1841) rifle. It was carried by Whitmel T Boswell 24th Virginia Infantry, Co I. He later carved the inscription. He was one of the 12,000 to 15,000 Confederate soldiers in Pickett's charge.

Over 6,000 Confederate soldiers became casualties (killed, wounded, or captured). He survived.

Original brass buttons from a Confederate cavalry uniform, featuring the Virginia state seal with eagle design, with the soldier with a Lance atop his enemy.

US Union Army belt buckles were primarily functional, used to secure waist belts holding essential gear like cartridge boxes, bayonets, and cap pouches, not just pants (which suspenders held up).

A Civil War Union cartridge box and sling was essential equipment, typically a leather box holding paper cartridges in wooden blocks for rifled muskets, with a shoulder sling used to carry it, often featuring buckles and loops for adjustment and attachment to a waist belt.

The sling threaded through loops on the box and attached to the belt, sometimes with an eagle breastplate for Union soldiers, allowing soldiers to carry ammo across the body.

This Civil War Canteen was carried by a Confederate soldier during the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky on Oct 8th 1862. A Union soldier captured the Confederate soldier and kept the canteen.

The Union soldier was C.M. Alderman of Company K, 105th of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was 18 yrs old when he fought that battle. In 1906, he would carve all the facts onto the side of the canteen.

The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (U.S. Navy), Marines and the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War.

Founded in 1866 in Springfield, Illinois, and growing to include hundreds of posts (local community units) across the nation (predominately in the North, but also a few in the South and West), it was dissolved in 1956 at the death of its last member, Albert Woolson (1850–1956) of Duluth, Minnesota.

A Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) reunion medal awarded to a Union veteran from the state of Kentucky.

Quaterplate thermoplastic case made and marked on the interior paper by Scovill. This one was for a Union soldier, usually used for photos and important papers.

Gun Powder Flasks were portable containers, often copper, horn, or leather, used to store and dispense black powder for muzzleloading firearms, featuring built-in measuring spouts (chargers) for safety and convenience, with designs ranging from plain to elaborately embossed with patriotic or hunting scenes, essential for both soldiers and civilians using revolvers, muskets, or rifles.

Philip Henry Sheridan was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close association with General-in-chief Ulysses S. Grant.

The reverse side of my General Philip Sheridan portrait with his signature and rank. The inscription reads "Phil. H. Sheridan Maj. Genl. U.S.A."