ED & HELEN

Edward (Ed) Jondle was born on March 11, 1892, probably on his father’s farm southwest of Fort Dodge. The 1910 census recorded Edward, age 18, living in Elkhorn Township with his parents and his siblings Willie, age 16, Henry, age 14 and Julia, age 3. The 1920 census lists him as 27 years of age and living with his brother Henry, who was 24. Ed was apparently a late bloomer. He did not marry until he was 29 years old.

Ed’s bride, Helena Rambova (Helen Ramba in English) arrived at Ellis Island on June 5, 1920.  She was 22 years old and her occupation was listed as a domestic or maid. Immigration records indicate that she was going to join a cousin, K. Yndle, living on Rural Route 3, Truman, Minnesota (located about 110 miles north of Fort Dodge).  The name Yndle was likely how the immigration officer recorded the name Jondle.  The manifest reported that her brother had paid for her ticket, but this may also have been a recording mistake.  Betty had thought that all of Helen’s family had died before she came to America, and elsewhere on the form where it asked for the nearest relative or friend living in the country from which the alien came: Helen reported Mr. A. Titera in the village of Malé Čakovice – she did not site a brother.

The ship manifest indicates that Helen was traveling with three others from Malé Čakovice who also listed A. Titera as their closest contact in Czechoslovakia. Ján and Kristina Titera and Marie Vackova, Helen's companions, were headed to Crete and nearby Dorchester, Nebraska.

Helen's obituary indicates that at some point after she had come to America, she lived in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a city with many Czechs.  I am wondering if she lived in Cedar Rapids in addition to Truman. Or maybe she did not make it to Truman at all. Or maybe her obituary was incorrect about her having lived in Cedar Rapids.  If anyone knows please fill us in.

Ed was visiting his cousins when he met Helen.  Here is a photo of Ed and Helen on their wedding day, December 3, 1921. Ed’s younger brother, Henry, and his wife Mayme stood up for them. Note Helen’s dark wedding dress.