File:Bohemian National Cemetery Chicago Prokop Hudek Memorial-2789.jpg

English: Memorial to Prokop Hudek, born July 9, 1843 Nova Ves #11, Uhlirkse Janovice, Kutna Hora, present-day Czech Republic; died February 25, 1886, Chicago. Captain Company F 24th Illinois Infantry "Lincoln Rifles". Mustered in, as Private, on July 8, 1861. Mustered Out, as Captain, on August 6, 1864. Hudek was a founding member of St. Procopius Catholic Church, 1641 S Allport St. "Prokop Hudek, the well-known politician and real estate dealer of the Sixth Ward, died at his residence, No. 459 West Eighteenth Street at 5 o’clock yesterday morning, after an illness of five weeks. [...] Mr. Hudek was born in Bohemia in 1843, and is now 42 years old. He came to New York when he was 12 years old and learned the saddler's trade. During all his life he worked for his countrymen with energetic zeal to get them naturalized. In 1861 the the first shot was fired on Fort Sumter, and when Gov. Yates called for volunteers, Hudek was among the first to respond, joining a Bohemian company. After his term was served in this company he enlisted again in the Twenty-fourth Illinois Infantry for three years, being then but 18 years old. He was with Sherman on his march to the sea. He had lived in Chicago for thirty years, dealing in real estate and fire insurance. [...] As to his political career he was a staunch Republican. At one time he became a hot-headed Socialist. This was about 1879, and was the Socialists' candidate for Alderman opposing Fred Lodding, the German candidate. After a big fight, he was defeated. He was never an extremist. He was a strong supporter of Blaine and Logan and Garfield, and worked hard for that party. He also ran for State Senator in 1880 or thereabouts."--Chicago Tribune, February 2, 1886.