Rosiet on Family Tree Circles

Sometime in the 1920's or 30's (as far as I can "guess"timate - My father, Raymond Martin YANKOWSKI was found guilty of murder. My brother and I were never allowed to acknowledge that we knew about it. Unfortunately, that meant we were never able to let him know we were PROUD of him!!! Back in those days, if a woman was raped - naturally it was her fault, etc. One of his sisters - he had 7 - was brutally raped. The police did nothing - My father was a HUGE man - his pinky ring was a size 13! - Short version, as far as we know second and third hand, was Dad went to beat-up the rapistS - plural - and at least one of them died.

Dad was born in W. Rutland, Vermont - began work as a water boy in the marble mines at the age of 7 because he was the biggest of his five brothers -- both of his parents were immigrants from Poland. He served in the Army sometime in the 30's (his records were lost in the big fire of military records in the '50's) I know he spent time in Pennsylvania, the Detroit, Michigan area, he had family settle in Schenectady, New York. Eventually he settled in Cleveland, Ohio.

TO MAKE THIS EVEN HARDER TO FIND ... before he met my mother in the mid 40's, Dad spent several years in a burn center. WE THINK the reason he was let out of jail -- THINK -- coincides with the fact that he was working on a BIG furnace with 3 other men and the inspector came in smoking a cigarette and blew them all up. EVERY BIT of his skin was grafted. He was used as an experiment for skin grafts. He was amazing. Whoever and wherever this was done was absolutely remarkable.

My family and I would love to know just what happened. Dad would say that he remembered begging them to kill him for two years. He never would say more than that and the story about being in the furnace when the inspector threw out his cigarette. More details were just not discussed. He never got to know that we feel he was a hero. He stood up for his sister and took care of her. Whichever Aunt it was never let on to anyone and went on to live a great and normal life for all it showed to anyone else.

If anyone can find out anything about this ? I cannot tell you how happy it would make us. That may seem strange to some, but not us. Dad took care of his family ? all of us!

The photo was Dad in 1984 - just before he died - as you can see, the doctor did a great job!

My Grandparents - Elizabeth Mary HARTY and Edwin Ben VIRKLER were married in July 1908 - I have a photo of their wedding at 122 W. Chalmers Ave. Is there a chance that anyone could get me an UTD photo of the house?
(BTW I did get a copy of their marriage certificate - it was mis-written/filed under the name BIRKLER)

ANY INFORMATION concerning my grandmother's family would be greatly appreciated. I THINK he owned a cigar/smoking store of some sort -
MICHAEL HARTY 1844 - 06-Oct-1894
BRIDGET BENNET HARTY 1845 - 28-Apr-1900 she was a man's tailor

they lived at

643 W. Federal Street / Youngstown, Ohio (a photo would be very appreciated)

I would like any information on what church they would have belonged to before the Cathedral was built - Very Irish Catholic. Their daughter was the first organist at the Cathedral when it was built.

This is my grandfather. He disappeared just prior to April 8, 1919 from Cleveland, Ohio. I made a promise to my mother to continue her search for him. April 8 was the day she was born - the last of 6 kids. Her father was a chauffeur - a mechanic - ... The 6 kids were never allowed to know what happened? One day he was there - the next he was not.

I only know he was born in UPSTATE NY ?????? 11-Aug-1885 We were told (for what it is worth) that he was born with name of LUCAS - Edwin Ben LUCAS - I assume - and somewhere along the line his mother married a man named VIRKLER and his name became VIRKLER to be the same as his siblings.

thank you