Person Page - 6

     František was born on 4 October 1844 at Vříšť 20, Neustadtl, Moravia, Austria.¹ He was the son of Josef Buřval and Kateřina Anna Mertová. He married Františka Havlíčková, daughter of František Peňáz and Anna Havlíčková, on 16 January 1870 at Vříšť, Neustadtl, Moravia, Austria.² František died on 10 May 1903 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States, at age 58.³ His body was buried on 12 May 1903 at Woodland Cemetery, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.⁴
     František's occupation: Soldier in Moravia, Cooper in America.
Biography of František Buřval:
Frantisek Burval was born in the small village of Vrist, Moravia The 1870 marriage record of Frantisek to Frantiska Havickova indicates that Frantisek was a soldier in the 8th Czech Infantry Division. However, the death record of his daughter in 1874, listed him as a “Hammernik”. Thus he likely served his time in the military in the 1860’s and returned to Vrist/Lisna to start his family. His likely was following his father into working at the water powered trip hammer mills in the area. Many of the people in Vrist, Lisna and Kuklik were employed in the forged iron products business. There had been forges in the area processing pig iron from blast furnaces in Kadov since 1671. With the invention of the Bessemer process in the mid-19th century, steel became an inexpensive mass-produced material, which rapidly replaced hand made forged iron products. It is very likely that by the time Frantisek came back from his military service to work in the 1870-1875 time-period there was very little work to be found in the Vrist/Kuklik area. The iron industry that had provided employment for the area for many years no longer existed and records show that the last forge shut down in 1874. It is believed that Frantisek left his native Moravia and immigrated to Cleveland because he could not find work in Moravia. Also the death of their second child, Frances on 12 December 1874, just four months before they left for America may have had an influence on their leaving their native Moravia where the family had lived for hundreds of years.

Frantisek Burval is the first Burval known to have emigrated to the United States. (A first cousin Anna Burval (1874- ) had married Joseph Fiala (1851-) and emigrated to Iowa in the United States leaving one month after Frantisek and his family left Moravia.) Frantisek arrived at age 31 on 6 May 1875 at the port of New York aboard the Vessel Cimbria with his wife, Frantiska, age 33 and son Frank, age 4. Frantisek and his family are listed as "between deck" passengers No. 249, 250 and 251. His last residence prior to embarking for the United States from Hamburg, Germany, was Lisna, Moravia, in the present day Czech Republic. He and his family arrived in Cleveland, Ohio later in May 1875.

Frantisek and his family lived in several houses in predominately Czech neighborhoods during their first years in Cleveland. In 1880 they were at 14 Swan, in 1885 they were at 55 Warren, in 1886 they were at 74 Trumbull. About 1888 they moved to 39 Hamm (Now 5017 Hamm Street) where the family lived well into the 1900's.

In Cleveland he worked as a cooper, blacksmith and laborer. Family tradition suggests that he worked for the Standard Oil Company in Cleveland making wooden barrels which were used to ship oil products. Many Czech’s were employed in that capacity. In fact, there are old draw knifes and block planes that likely belonged to him that have been handed down in the family. However, in the 1900 Census at age 56, he indicated his occupation as a blacksmith-retired and that he had been unemployed for the past 12 months. This suggests that he could very well have worked in the steel mills along the Cuyahoga river very near his home.



Frantisek filed a Declaration to become a citizen of the United States and renounce his allegiance to Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria-Hungary on 27 Oct 1890 in the Court of Common Pleas of Cuyahoga County, Ohio. There was no record found of his following through with final papers to become a citizen in the records of the Court of Common Pleas. He is however listed on a card in the "Index Cards to Naturalization Petitions for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, Cleveland, 1855-1967" which indicates he was issued a Certificate of Naturalization ( No 10738). The card indicates that his date of Naturalzation was Oct. 27, 1892 which is exactly two years after he filed his declaration with the Court of Common Pleas. This suggests that the U. S. District Court issued his certificate based on his declaration to the Court of Common Pleas.

Frantisek died in 1903, at the age of 58, of asthma bronchitis. His will of 26 July 1901 left all his estate to his wife Frantiska. At the time of his death he resided at 39 Hamm St. (Now 5017 Hamm St.) Cleveland, Ohio. The house still stands today. He is buried in Woodland Cemetery at Woodland Ave. and E. 69th St. with his wife Frantiska.

     Františka was born on 30 June 1841 at Kuklik 58, Neustadtl, Moravia, Austria.¹ She was the daughter of František Peňáz and Anna Havlíčková. She married František Buřval, son of Josef Buřval and Kateřina Anna Mertová, on 16 January 1870 at Vříšť, Neustadtl, Moravia, Austria.² Františka died on 27 November 1920 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States, at age 79.³ Her body was buried on 29 November 1920 at Woodland Cemetery, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.⁴
     Biography of Františka Havlíčková:
Frantiska Burval immigrated to America in 1875 with her husband, Frantisek and their first son, Frank. After the death of her husband, Frank in 1903, she lived on Hamm St. in Cleveland with her daughter Rose. She died in 1920 at age 79, from mitral insufficiency. She is buried next to her husband in Woodland Cemetery. No gravestone was found on a visit in August, 1982.

     Edward was born on 6 January 1876 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States. He was the son of František Buřval and Františka Havlíčková. He married Anna Mary Ineman, daughter of John Ineman and Mary Dezort, on 18 May 1898 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.¹ Edward died on 25 September 1959 at Lakewood Hospital, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States, at age 83.² His body was buried on 28 September 1959 at Calvary Cemetery, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.³
     Edward's occupation: Machinist.

     Mary was born in 1879 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.¹ She was the daughter of František Buřval and Františka Havlíčková. Mary died on 11 October 1897 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.² Her body was buried in October 1897 at Woodland Cemetery, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.³
     Mary's occupation: Domestic.
Biography of Mary Burval:
Mary was employed as a domestic by the W. H. Foster family, 521 Bolton Road in Cleveland. On 11 Oct 1897, at age 19, she was found dead by Mr. Foster in the barn at the Foster home where she had taken her own life. The coroner's report on the death showed no reason as to why she took her own life. The report describes her as 5 feet 4 inches in height, brown eyes, dark hair, dark complexion and of medium habit. Family tradition is that she had a love affair that did not work out. The death record indicates she is buried in Woodland Cemetery in Cleveland. Cleveland Cemetery Internment records indicate her grave in Woodland Cemetery is in Section D1, Tier 2, Grave 89.

     Rose was born on 4 September 1883 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States. She was the daughter of František Buřval and Františka Havlíčková. She married Vincent Gruber, son of Joseph Gruber and Josephine Kolar, on 23 November 1912 at Newburgh, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.¹ Rose died on 10 March 1961 at Euclid, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States, at age 77.² Her body was buried on 13 March 1961 at Woodland Cemetery, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.³

     Anna was born on 9 October 1878 at Bohemia, Austria. She was the daughter of John Ineman and Mary Dezort. She married Edward Michael Burval, son of František Buřval and Františka Havlíčková, on 18 May 1898 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.¹ Anna died on 19 June 1957 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States, at age 78.² Her body was buried on 22 June 1957 at Calvary Cemetery, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.³

     Anna was born on 29 May 1898 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States. She was the daughter of Edward Michael Burval and Anna Mary Ineman. She married Charles Valerian Novak, son of Joseph Novak and Anna Frojacek, circa 1922 at Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.² Anna died on 9 December 1988 at Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona, United States, at age 90. She was cremated at Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona, United States.

     Elizabeth was born on 19 July 1900 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States. She was the daughter of Edward Michael Burval and Anna Mary Ineman. She married Donald Charles Seager, son of Charles Edward Seager and Cora Gertrude McCrea, on 6 October 1926 at St. Cecilia Church, Shaker Heights, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.² Elizabeth died in November 1989 at Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States, at age 89.³

     Edna was born on 24 April 1904 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States. She was the daughter of Edward Michael Burval and Anna Mary Ineman. She married Allan Hartley Fisher, son of Willis W. Fisher and Anna Hartley, on 7 September 1931 at Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.² Edna died in June 1957 at age 53.
     Edna's occupation: Stenographer.

     Charles was born circa 1888 at Ohio, United States.¹ He was the son of Joseph Novak and Anna Frojacek. He married Anna Lillian Burval, daughter of Edward Michael Burval and Anna Mary Ineman, circa 1922 at Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.² Charles died on 3 April 1962 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.³

     Charles was born circa 1923 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.² He was the son of Charles Valerian Novak and Anna Lillian Burval. He married an unknown person .

     Edward was born on 5 December 1929 at Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.² He was the son of Charles Valerian Novak and Anna Lillian Burval. Edward died on 19 December 1974 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States, at age 45.³

     Roseann Novak was born on 21 November 1953 at Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States. She was the daughter of Edward John Novak and Rose Ann Radek. She died on 6 July 2017 at Georgetown, Brown, Ohio, United States, at age 63.

     Edward was born on 11 August 1963 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States. He was the son of Edward John Novak and Rose Ann Radek. Edward died on 3 November 1979 at Shaker Heights, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States, at age 16.²
     Biography of Edward J. Novak:
Edward died of an asthma attack.

     Donald was born on 12 November 1899 at Ohmstead Falls, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States. He was the son of Charles Edward Seager and Cora Gertrude McCrea. He married Elizabeth Helen Burval, daughter of Edward Michael Burval and Anna Mary Ineman, on 6 October 1926 at St. Cecilia Church, Shaker Heights, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.² Donald died in March 1957 at age 57. His body was buried in March 1957 at Holy Cross Cemetery, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.

     Maryann was born on 18 March 1929 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States. She was the daughter of Donald Charles Seager and Elizabeth Helen Burval. She died on 10 January 2016 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States, at age 86.
     In 1989, she lived at Lakewood, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States.

     Donald was born on 6 June 1935 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States. He was the son of Donald Charles Seager and Elizabeth Helen Burval. He died on 11 July 2020 at Brecksville, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States, at age 85; DONALD SEAGER OBITUARY
age 85. Passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, July 11, 2020. Beloved husband of Evelyn M. Seager (nee Anders) for 55 years. Loving father of Sue Seager Maier (Dan) and David Seager. Devoted grandfather of Lindsey Maier and Riley and Reese Seager. Dear brother of the late Mary Ann E. Seager. Don was a longtime member of the Lakewood Elk's Lodge 1350, serving as Exalted Ruler and District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler for the Ohio Northeast District. He loved camping, especially with his family, bicycling, bowling and golf. Donations in Don's memory can be directed to the National Arbor Day Foundation, at shop.arborday.org/trees-in-memory, or the Brecksville United Church of Christ, 23 Public Square, Brecksville, OH 44141. A Memorial Service in celebration of Don's life will be held at a later date. Arrangements entrusted to Nosek-McCreery Funeral Home (440) 526-6050.



Published by The Plain Dealer from Jul. 30 to Aug. 2, 2020.
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