My Trenda lineage comes through my grandmother Mary Lapic. Her mother was Mary Trenda and she was born in Wheatland township, Rice County on 24 September 1877, the daughter of Frantisek Trenda and Maria Bastyr. On 3 February 1902, Mary married John Lapic in Veseli, Minnesota. In 1910 John moved his family to Lankin, North Dakota. Although my grandmother grew up in Lankin, North Dakota, she was born in Veseli, Minnesota. Only the youngest child, Josephine was born in North Dakota.

Mary’s father, Frantisek Trenda, was born in Bohemia. He was the son of Maria Novotny and Mathias Trenda. The Trenda family immigrated to the United States in 1864. They travelled aboard the a sailing vessel, a bark, called “Stella”. On board were Mathias Trenda (age 43) and Mary Trenda (age 43). Traveling with Mathias and Mary were their children Franz (age 16), Mathias (age 13), Johann (age 12), Maria (age 7), Anna (age 4) and Joseph (age 1/2 month). Also traveling with Mathias and his family was Maria Trenda (age 29). Maria was the youngest sister of Mathias. She married Jakob Zahradka in 1865. Four years later in 1868, Mathias Trenda passes away. I have no indication where he is buried. Same for his wife Maria. she passed away in 1885, but no burial location has been found at this time. 

Mary’s mother, Maria Bastyr was also born in Bohemia. She was the daughter of Vojtech “Adalbert” Bastyr and Maria Novotny. Although I haven’t been able to find a passenger record for Maria, her baptism record indicates that she received a copy of her baptismal record in March of 1867. Maria would have been traveling with her brother Jacob. I believe they would have arrived in the United States shortly after that date. Her mother, Maria Novotny passed away in July of 1860 and is buried in Bohemia. Her father Vojtech, his second wife Rosa Nohava, also known as Chýna, immigrated with their children in 1868. They crossed the Atlantic aboard a barque called the Schiller. Aboard were passengers 67 through 72A, Adalbert Bastin (age 47) farmer from Bohmen traveling to Minnesota. Rosalia Bastin (age 30), Franz (age 16), Anna (age 14) Wenzel (age 11) Joseph (age 2) and Johan (suckling). Franz, Anna and Wenzel are children from Vojtech’s first marriage, while Joseph and Johan are from his marriage with Rosa. Interestingly, Rosa Nohava is a first cousin to my great great grandmother Rosalie Nohava who in turn would have been Mary Trenda’s mother in law. I think everyone was called aunty or uncle.

There is another Trenda family that immigrated to the United States and settled in the Wheatland area of Rice County. The family was John Trenda, his wife Mary and their 9 children (only the three eldest children were born in Bohemia)..At the time that I am writing this, I have not found a connection between my Trenda’s and the John Trenda family. There is a marriage between Rose Trenda, daughter of Frantisek Trenda to John Trenda, son of the unconnected John Trenda. Trenda is not a common name in Bohemia. There may be a relationship between these two families but I feel it would be a far removed connection. *Since I first wrote this web page, till this current revision, I now know that there is a connection between John Trenda and my direct ancestor, Mathias Trenda. Mathias and were first cousins.  

I have researched this family line back to Adalbert Trenda, who was born circa 1700, and Matej Bastyr, who was born about 1737 in Bohemia. I have only a few photos, but there is one photo that may be of Frantisek Trenda and Maria Bastyr. If you recognize this picture and it is or isn’t them, please let me know. Below the pictures is an outline of this family tree, it starts with my grandmother Mary Lapic.