Kucera and Sajvera (Sajverova) families

Hello! I just joined CGSI today. I’ve been doing family history research for about 15 years now but have always been stumped by my Czech side. I really don’t know where to go from here!

I am looking for information on Anton Kucera (c 1852, CZ – 1948, WI/USA) and his wife Katherine (or any variation thereof) Sajvera (or Sajverova) (21 Sep 1851, CZ – 9 Dec 1911, WI/USA).

Anton was a shoemaker, supposedly from Jizbice (or a town with a similar sounding name). He escaped army enlistment by hiding under a woman’s skirts on a train out of CZ, probably between 1865-1870. I know that he was in Chicago as of 1876, since it was there he married a Katie Sajvera on 21 Aug 1876. I have been unsuccessful finding any information on Katherine or anyone with her surname (there are some later immigrants but I haven’t been able to link her to them). Anton and Katherine had six living children and ended up in Hazelhurst, WI. I have her death certificate, no parents listed, but the state of WI can’t find his. I also have their marriage license, no family listed. Most of the info I have comes from a lovely newspaper profile I have of him from the 1930s.

I haven’t sent away for what I believe may be his naturalization certificate because having seen others of the same age, there was no valuable information.

I know they didn’t immigrate together, so when and how did they end up in the US? There’s an Anton Kucera listed in Chicago in the 1870 directory (incidentally, living on the same street where the Chicago fire began!), but again, no proof that it’s him.

Love to hear any thoughts as I attempt to piece together the bits of info I have (I do have more). My mom and I are planning a trip to Prague this summer and would like to visit the towns where the Kuceras and Sajveras originated, just like we did this past summer in Ireland! Great fun.