Joseph Kulicka was born on March 25, 1884 in Moravia, Austria (Czechoslovakia) to Joseph and Victoria Kulicka. His family moved to America on May 6, 1891 and he attended elementary school in Cleveland, Ohio. He became a U.S. citizen on October 21, 1899. On February 10, 1906, Joseph Kulicka married Agnes Drost (Drozd-European spelling) in Hallettsville, Texas.
Joseph was one of four children who moved to Silverhill, Alabama in 1909 with their mother, Victoria and Joseph's wife Agnes. His brother and sisters were Anton Kulicka, Celestina Kulicka Mayer and Klotilda Kulicka Lajesek.
The Joseph Kulicka family lived on a 160 acre farm in rural Silverhill and were the first Czech pioneers to settle in Silverhill, Alabama. Joseph and Agnes had eight children, William, Lilly, Alfonse, Frank, Paul, Mary, Blanche and Evelyn. All lived to adulthood except for Frank, who died at the age of 9 from rabies, as the result of a dog bite. He is buried in the Silverhill Cemetery. The two oldest children, William and Lilly were born in Hallettsville, Texas and Alfonse, Frank, Paul, Mary, Blanche and Evelyn were born in Silverhill, Alabama.
Joseph was instrumental in seeing that a schoolhouse was built for the rural Czech children in 1920. At that time the rural children had no way to get to the school that was in town for the town children. Once the bus routes were established in 1929 the rural children were able to attend the town school. The schoolhouse later became the Little Hall and was a local community center for Saturday night dances, and other social functions. It has been preserved and is presently located at the Silverhill Ball Park.
He was a businessman and operated the Silverhill Creamery and Ice Company. The son assisted in picking up milk and eggs from the area farmers for the creamery. The milk was taken to a creamery in Pensacola. The Silverhill Creamery was later sold to the Berglin family in Fairhope.
In 1946, Mr. and Mrs. Kulicka moved into town and resided at 16219 Highway 104, Silverhill, Alabama, which still exists today. On July 28, 1947, Joseph died of Hodgkin's disease. He is buried in the Silverhill Cemetery. Agnes continued to reside in the Silverhill home until her death on April 20, 1954 of pneumonia/heart attack. She is also buried in the Silverhill Cemetery.
The family is survived by Lilly Kulicka Bystricky of Silverhill, Alabama, Blanche Kulicka Klein of Fairhope, Alabama, Agnes Kulicka Maley of Little Rock, Arkansas, and Evelyn Kulicka Prochazka of Foley, Alabama.
Since I was only six years old at the time of my grandfather's death, I really don't remember him; therefore, this has been written from information provided to me by my cousin, Florence Bystricky Jones and my Aunt, Evelyn Kulicka Prochazka.
