Joseph August DOBRY

1870 - 1956  (85 years)

• Name	Joseph August DOBRY  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12]
  Birth	27 Jul 1870	Bohemia   [1, 3, 8, 10, 13]
  Gender	Male
  Also Known As	Josef DOBRY  [14]
  Immigration	16 Nov 1874	New York Port, New York, New York, USA   [14]
  Immigration	Abt 1878	Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA   [15]
  	We clearly know this must have been an estimate from Joseph as the documents support otherwise. He was 4 years old at the time he came to America and it is no surprise he would not know the exact date or location that he arrived.
  Census	12 Jun 1880	Skull Creek, Butler, Nebraska, USA   [3]
  Census	16 Jun 1885	Skull Creek, Butler, Nebraska, USA   [2]
  Census	11 Jun 1900	Kremlin, Garfield, Oklahoma, USA   [13]
  Immigration	1906	Canada   [7, 16]
  Naturalization	1908  [16]
  Census	Abt May 1911	Killam, Flagstaff, Alberta, Canada   [16]
  Census	6 Jun 1911	Edmonton, Alberta, Canada   [17]
  Census	1916	Edmonton, Alberta, Canada   [4]
  Census	1921	Edmonton, Alberta, Canada   [12]
  Census	1931	Edmonton, Alberta, Canada   [11]
  Naturalization	26 Aug 1941	Edmonton, Alberta, Canada   [18]
  Death	22 Jul 1956	Calgary, Alberta, Canada   [1, 9]
  Burial	Abt 25 Jul 1956	Prague Catholic Cemetery/Viking, Beaver, Alberta, Canada   [1]
  	54295354
  Person ID	I286	Rivera Family Tree
  Last Modified	2 Sep 2025

  
  

  Father	Joseph DOBRY,   b. 1836   d. 1931 (Age 95 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	Mary Magdelena SEMRAD,   b. 1834   d. 1925 (Age 91 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Family ID	F587	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Anastasia SABATA,   b. Abt Aug 1874   d. 22 Jul 1894 (Age ~ 19 years)
  Marriage	11 Jul 1892	Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church/Abie, Butler, Nebraska, USA   [8]
  Children	+ 1. Agnes DOBRY,   b. 29 Mar 1893, Yukon, Canadian, Oklahoma Territory, USA d. 2 Nov 1975 (Age 82 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F124	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	2 Sep 2025

  
  

  Family 2	Annie Agnes RUZICKA,   b. 20 Feb 1879, Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska, USA d. 18 Jan 1972, Nelson, British Columbia, Canada (Age 92 years)
  Marriage	6 Apr 1896	Canadian, Oklahoma Territory, USA   [6]
  Children	+ 1. Agnes DOBRY,   b. 29 Mar 1893, Yukon, Canadian, Oklahoma Territory, USA d. 2 Nov 1975 (Age 82 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: Stepchild]   2. Louis Anthony DOBRY,   b. 9 Mar 1897, Oklahoma Territory, USA d. 30 Oct 1917, Passchendaele, West Flanders, Belgium (Age 20 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural] + 3. Antoinette Christine DOBRY,   b. 13 Jun 1899, Kremlin, Garfield, Oklahoma Territory, USA d. 22 Jul 1985 (Age 86 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   4. Josephine D. DOBRY,   b. 5 Aug 1901, USA d. 18 Jun 1912 (Age 10 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural] + 5. Joseph John DOBRY, M.D.,   b. 6 Aug 1901, Enid, Garfield, Oklahoma, USA d. 15 Nov 1980, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (Age 79 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural] + 6. Marie Anastasia DOBRY,   b. 13 Jul 1906, Oklahoma Territory, USA d. 16 Nov 2000, Poulsbo, Kitsap, Washington, USA (Age 94 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural] + 7. Austin Norbert DOBRY,   b. 28 Aug 1910, Daysland, Alberta, Canada d. 6 Apr 1990, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Age 79 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F47	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	2 Sep 2025

  
  

• Event Map

  Census - 6 Jun 1911 - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Census - 1916 - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Census - 1921 - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Census - 1931 - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Naturalization - 26 Aug 1941 - Edmonton, Alberta, Canada  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  Why in December of 1927 does Joseph list his permanent residence (border crossing document) as Ranfurly, Alberta but lists Annie's residence as Grand Forks, BC. Were they divorced? His work took him away? Again in 1937 when Annie crosses the border, she lists her father John Ruzicka as her contact instead of her husband. She makes no reference to Joseph in the crossing document.

  
  

• Sources

  [S543] Prague Catholic Cemetery (Viking, Beaver, Alberta, Canada), Grave Markers. Joseph A. DOBRY 1870 - 1956 [S700] 1885 Census of United States, Nebraska, Butler, Skull Creek; Online Images, Page No. 9, Enumeration District No. 85. Lines 43 thru 50 [S699] 1880 U.S. Census, Nebraska, Butler, Skull Creek, Tenth Census of the United States Schedule; Online Images, Page No. 11, Supervisor's District No. 1, Enumeration District No. 156. Lines 5 thru 14 [S760] 1916 Census of Canada, Alberta, District No. 37, Sub-District No. 2, Enumeration District No. 2 in City of Edmonton, Census of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, 1916 Schedule; Online Images, Page 13. [S888] Certificate of Baptism for John RUZICKA. Name: John Ruzicka Date of Birth: 9th September 1915 Where Born: Viking, Alberta Date of Baptism: Sept. 14th, 1915 Parents' Names: Charles Otto Ruzicka, Josephine Slavik Sponsors' Names: J. A. Dobry Dated: 29-May-1943 [S945] Oklahoma, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1890-1995. Name: Joseph A Dobry Gender: Male Age: 24 Birth Date: abt 1872 Marriage Date: 6 Apr 1896 Marriage Place: Canadian, Oklahoma, USA Father: Joseph Doby Mother: Madalene Semrad Spouse: Annie B Reuzecka [sic] Film Number: 001398781 [S963] Obituary of Joseph DOBRY, (Name: Calgary Herald; Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Date: 23 Jul 1956;). Joseph Dobry A resident of Alberta for more than 50 years, Joseph August Dobry of 1119 Premier Way, died Sunday in a local nursing home at the age of 86. Born in Czechoslovakia, he came to Canda in 1905. Well-known for his work to obtain gas rights for Edmonton in the Viking Gas Field, Mr. Dobry was president of Dobry Oil Co. Ltd. He was a member of the Sacred Heart Church. Survivors include is wife, Annie; two sons, Dr. Joseph Dobry of Calgary and Dr. Austin N. Dobry of Vancouver; three daughters, Mrs. J. Slavik, Viking, Mrs. Dwain [sic] T. Shinn, Washington, and Mrs. E. Colman [sic], California, and one brother, Joseph of Oklahoma. The body will be forwarded to Viking for funeral srvice [sic] and burial. Leyden's Funeral Home Ltd. is in charge. This obituary references Joseph's brother Joseph in Oklahoma - which makes no sense. It must be a mistake and is actually referring to Florian. [S962] Nebraska, U.S., Select County Marriage Records, 1855-1908. Name: Joseph A. Dobry Gender: Male Race: White Marriage Age: 22 Record Type: Marriage Birth Date: abt 1870 Birth Place: Austria Marriage Date: 11 Jul 1892 Marriage Place: Nebraska, USA Marriage County Office: Butler Father: Joseph Dobry Mother: Magdalena Dobry Spouse: Annastazie W. Sabata Birth Date: abt 1874 Birth Place: Butler County, Nebraska [S943] Canada, Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current. Name: Joseph August Dohry [sic] Gender: Male Death Age: 86 Birth Date: abt 1870 Birth Place: Czechoslovakia Residence Place: Alberta Death Date: Abt 1956 Obituary Date: 23 Jul 1956 Obituary Place: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Newspaper Title: Calgary Herald Spouse: An Nie [sic] Child: Joseph Dobry Austin N. Dobry J. Slavik Dwain T. Shinn E. Colman Siblings: Joseph [S1205] Marriage Certificate of Austin Norbert DOBRY and Margaret Leona HEWER, (Name: Province of British Columbia, Registrar of Vital Statistics; Location: British Columbia, Canada; Date: 2 Jul 1938;), 38-09-461545 REGISTERED Number 2545. BRIDEGROOM Name: DOBRY, AUSTIN NORBERT Age: 27 Place of Birth: DAYSLAND, ALBERTA Name of Father: JOSEPH A. DOBRY Place of Birth of Father: CZECHOSLOVAKIA Maiden Name of Mother: ANNIE AGNES RUZICKA Place of Birth of Mother: OMAHA, NEBRASKA, USA BRIDE Name: HEWER, MARGARET LEONA Age: 22 Place of Birth: CALGARY, ALBERTA When Married: 30TH day of JUNE 1938 Place of Marriage: 1425 W 39TH AVE [S1429] 1931 Census of Canada, Alberta, Electoral District No. 219, Edmonton West, Enumeration Sub-district No. 48, Seventh Census of Canada Schedule; Online Images, Page 1. Lines 13 thru 14 [S1430] 1921 Census of Canada, Alberta, District No. 6, West Edmonton, Enumeration Sub-district No. 84, Sixth Census of Canada Schedule; Online Images, Page 6A. Lines 29 thru 34 [S4] 1900 U.S. Census, Oklahoma Territory, Garfield, Kremlin, Twelfth Census of the United States Schedule; Online Images, Supervisor's District #219, Enumeration District #51, Sheet #4, Line #32. [S723] Passenger Manifest of the S.S. America, Arrival Date: 16 Nov 1874 Port of Departure: Bremen, Germany Destination: United States of America Port of Arrival: New York, New York Ship Name: America. Passenger Numbers 230 thru 237 [S163] U.S., Border Crossings from Canada to U.S., 1895-1960, Name, Joseph A. Dobry, Arrival Date: 25 Dec 1927. Seaport of Landing: Baltimore Date of Landing: About 1878 [S165] 1911 Census of Canada, Province: Alberta, District No. 6, Strathcona, Enumeration District No. 14 Killam, Page 17. [S165] 1911 Census of Canada, Province: Alberta, District No. Edmonton, Enumeration District No. 61 in City of Edmonton, Page 13. It appears that the DOBRY family was counted twice on the 1911 Canada census. They seem to have been counted a month apart based on Austin's reported age - 8/12 in Killam and 9/12 in Edmonton. Additionally, Agnes is missing from the Edmonton census. As she was 18 at the time, maybe she had just moved out? Or was maybe with her natural mother? [S1167] Canada, Naturalization Records, 1915-1951, (Name: Library and Archives Canada;). Given Name(s): Joseph A Surname: Dobry Country: USA Year: 1942 Page: 3454 Reference: Canada Gazette1942 Item Number: 422411