When Louis and Frances Zumek moved to Black Diamond in 1924, few would have predicted their children would comprise one of the town’s most consequential families for the next 50 years. The story of how they ended up in Black Diamond is as fascinating as how they came to America and got married. This photo of Louis and Frances was likely taken after that exchange of wedding vows.
Louie Zumek Sr. was born Alois Zumek in Dole pri Ltjii, Slovenia, in 1886. At a young age, he worked in the local coal mines of Zagore ob Savi, about 15 miles north of his native village. Franciska Minar was born in 1891 in Smartno ob Dreti, Slovenia, another 20 miles north of where Louie first found coal mine employment. Franciska worked as a maid for another family, but to prepare herself for marriage, she attended a domestic cooking class and received her certificate.
Family lore suggests that their marriage was arranged in Slovenia, but not consummated until both were living in the U.S. Louis left the port of Trieste and arrived on Ellis Island in New York on July 20, 1912. He made his way to Somerset, Colorado, to work in the local coal mine and save money for his bride-to-be’s arrival. But Franciska was detained by immigration authorities for nine days. In one story, Louie was to have met her, and by another, money was supposed to be wired ahead. The situation was resolved upon payment for nine breakfast meals, and Franciska made her way to Colorado by train. Louie and Frances, as she was now known, married on Sept. 26, 1913, in Somerset. Her wedding dress is now part of the Black Diamond Historical Museum collection.
In Colorado, the Zumek’s first four children were born: sons Louie (1914), Francis (1915), Frank (1920), and Thomas (1921). Mrs. Zumek became friends with another Slovenian woman, Agnes Milautz, the wife of Jerry Milautz, both fellow Slovenian immigrants. Agnes sewed Frances’ wedding dress. In “Mining the Memories,” Ann (Milautz) Steiert explains how her father, Jerry, secured a coal mining job in Black Diamond for Louie Zumek Sr. On a later date, Jerry Milautz was in a serious cave-in accident in Mine 11, but his close friend, Louie Zumek, dragged him to safety.
The Zumeks moved to Black Diamond in 1924, where their last son, Joseph, was born. All five Zumek children graduated from Black Diamond High School. While Louie Sr. continued to mine coal, Louie Jr. became a civil surveyor and was a prime mover behind the measure to incorporate Black Diamond. The referendum passed by a vote of 170 to 144, and a new city was born in 1959. Louie Sr. died a few days after that election, while Frances passed nearly two decades later in 1978.
Louie Zumek Jr. was subsequently elected to the first city council and later became Black Diamond’s second Mayor, serving from 1966 to 1969. In addition, Louis was a longtime member of the Planning Commission, a city engineer, and served on the city council for over 20 years, until his death in May 1986.
All the Zumek boys were civic-minded, serving as volunteers in the city’s fire department, District 17. In fact, in 1954, nearly half of the volunteers were brothers from four Black Diamond families with surnames: Zumek, Dal Santo, Maks, and Rossi. Tom Zumek served at different times as Black Diamond Deputy Sheriff, Fire Chief, and Civil Defense Director. Frank Zumek was an early member of the Planning Commission, Assistant Fire Chief, and a charter member of the Black Diamond Lions Club. The Zumek men were also accomplished athletes, playing soccer and baseball on the coal company-sponsored teams.
Frank Zumek operated a butcher shop on Railroad Avenue in the late 1930s and early 1940s until he joined his brothers, Tom and Joe, in purchasing the old company store situated two lots north. The Zumek brothers later built a modern supermarket on Highway 169, which stands to this day, populated with an evolving collection of commercial businesses. Frank’s son, Butch Zumek, continued his father’s trade and opened up his own butcher shop that operated next door to Bob Selland’s auto wrecking business. Bob Selland was another long-serving Black Diamond City Councilman.
Over the next several weeks, this column will feature additional photos and stories about the Zumek family. This photo comes courtesy of the Black Diamond Historical Museum with genealogical details from Donna Brathovde, a Ravensdale historian.
