During my research trip to Lika I stayed with Vjekoslav Medić. He was a great host. If you ever go to visit - and the Plitvize Lakes are worth a visit in their own right - I recommend a stay in his sobe (a type of hotel that is common throughout the former Yugoslavia). Among other things, he actually helped me get many of the leads that I have been sharing. He also went to Croatian and Serbian language family history sites to see if they had leads about Kljaić and Kurjak.
There he found two books that give information about Kurjak in general. I don't think we'll get specific names from these books, but it would still be good to look at this. He says that the books say that the Kljaich family came to Kurjak after the Turks left. It says that they came from Brinje (a village near Otočac). It wasn't a big move, just a move to get people to work the land now open after the Turks left.
There he found two books that give information about Kurjak in general. I don't think we'll get specific names from these books, but it would still be good to look at this. He says that the books say that the Kljaich family came to Kurjak after the Turks left. It says that they came from Brinje (a village near Otočac). It wasn't a big move, just a move to get people to work the land now open after the Turks left.
Apparently the patron saint for the Kljaic family is Saint Luke
Also the books mention the fortress that was on top of the Gradina (originally built by a Duke of some kind). One of the early leaders in Kurjak during the post-Turk era was Todor Kljaich.
Supposedly this is all in those books (according to the family history chats). Currently we are trying to run down copies of them so we can read them and find out what they can tell us about the area's history. I'll provide any updates I find.
Author – Stiepan Pavličić
Book – Naselja i stanovništvo Like
Author: Gojko Knežević
Title: Udbina i njena sela
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