Stonemason Frank Jezick emigrated from Croatia in 1882, leaving behind his wife Mary and three children. Before long, he had established himself in Helena, and in 1887 his family joined him in a newly constructed two-story home at the corner of Clancy and Sparta. The stone and brick residence, covered with stucco after the 1935 earthquakes, reflected Frank’s economic success as well as his skills as a builder. Among other projects, he was a subcontractor for the Hale Reservoir, the original Montana Club, and the old Helena High School (since demolished). In 1900, Mary had not yet learned English; like many immigrant women, she must have relied on her children—eleven in all—to act as translators. She also had Croatian neighbors—employees Frank had helped emigrate and for whom he provided housing. Nine Croatian stoneworkers, ranging from fifty-six to eighteen years old, lived in the one-story building fronting Clancy Street. Frank also constructed two barns on the property, which he used as workshops and for a small dairy operation. The property remained in the family into the 1950s.
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