Martha Olga Kocich

Martha is the was the eighth child of 16 children born to Joseph and Sophie (Loika) Schwartz.  

When Martha was 17,  she and Ed Kocich went on their first date by horse and buggy, to a dance at St. John’s. Martha enjoyed dancing with other boys, so she told Ed he could have every fourth set. In Moravia Hall in those days, a girl carried a small tablet in her hand to write names and save dances with the young men.   

Martha and Ed's wedding was planned by their parents, and the date was set for November 21, 1921. For six years after their marriage, they lived on the Ignac Vrana place (about 60 acres that Joseph owned), just south of the home place in Moravia, Texas. During those six years, they made only 36 bales of cotton.  

In 1935, Ed and Martha bought their farm from Ott Edmundson, 230 acres for $7000.  They moved on it in December 1937 and harvested their first crop in the fall of 1938.  Ed farmed for 42 years in all until his health made it necessary to retire in 1963.  Son, Weldon, then grandson John farmed it since then.    

Martha enjoyed gardening and was well known for her prune and poppyseed kolaches. She made quilts for her grandchildren but said “my hobby is working and raising flowers.”   The house was moved to Eola, TX and a new home built in 2003 by Martha's grandson, John Kocich and his family, sits in its place.    

The old workshop, cinder block garage and the underground cellar are also still being used today. One of the doors from his grandparents’ home has been repurposed and used in the kitchen area.