Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The
Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties,
State of Washington", published by Western Historical Publishing
Co., 1904.
JOSEPH BOUSKA, who is now conducting
a mercantile establishment in Bridgeport, has spent a very active career
thus far in his life as will be noticed by the following. He was
born in Bohemia, on September 12, 1856, the son of Karel and Barbara (Benesh)
Bouska, natives of Bohemia. The father was a weaver by trade.
Our subject was educated in the common schools and in the parochial schools
of the Catholic church in the village of Hlinsko. In 1866, he came
with his parents to the United States, the family settling near Racine,
Wisconsin. For three years he attended the common schools in Racine
and then began to learn the trade of the miller, at Union Grove, James
J. Jones, being his superior in this business. Later, he went to
Kewaunee, Wisconsin, and then engaged with his uncle in the mill business
for seven years. In 1879, he journeyed to Oregon City, Oregon and
operated for the Portland flour milling company for five years. After
that he came to Cheney and engaged with ex-Governor George E. Cole as head
miller of the Cheney flour mill. Two years later, we find him in
Pine City, Washington, as lessee of the mill owned by A. J. Smith, which
he operated for one year. He handled other mills in the vicinity
and later came to Sprague in the same business. It was 1888, that
he was appointed head miller and sawyer at the Nespelim Indian sub-agency
and had charge for three and one half years, resigning at the election
of Cleveland. After that Mr. Bouska, went to Ritzville and took an
interest in the milling plant owned by J. G. Stevens, Adams Company Bank,
and W. E. Blackmer, where he remained for one and one-half years.
Selling out, he came to Bridgeport and operated a flour mill there for
seven years. In 1901, he resigned his position and moved to his ranch
near Port Columbia. Later, he sold this property and removed to Bridgeport
where he opened a general merchandise establishment also handling furniture
and undertaking goods. He is doing a good business and is one of
the leading men in the town of Bridgeport. Mr. Bouska has two sisters,
Mrs. Annie Pulda and Mrs. Kate B. Phillips.
At Kewaunee, Wisconsin, on May 7, 1878, occurred
the marriage of Mr. Bouska and Mary J. Walender. Her father was Joseph
Walender, a native of Austria. He now lives in Calmar, Iowa.
Mrs. Bouska was born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, on January 9, 1856, and has
one brother, Dr. Joseph Walender, and three sisters, Mrs. Pauline Scotland,
Mrs. Gussie Henderson and Mrs. Lizzie Patnand. To Mr. and Mrs. Bouska
two children have been born; Blanche A., in 1881, at Oregon City; and Joseph
W., on January 10, 1887, now living at Bridgeport, Douglas county.
Mr. Bouska is a member of the I. O. O. F.
and the A. F. & A. M. He was raised under the influence of the
Roman Catholic church, but he and his wife are now members of the Christian
Catholic church of Zion City, Illinois.
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