Lytwak Family History in America

Philip Stephen Lytwak 1894-1981

Philip was my grandfather. The following are his own words (slightly edited) from an interview conducted by my father, Edward Philip Sr. Philip’s given name from the old country was “Onufry” but I never heard him called by that name. Philip’s father, Stephen, came to America around the turn of the century and eventually returned to what was at the time part of the Austrian Hungarian empire. Onufry came to America in 1912, after overhearing a priest say that a big war was coming. His father Stephen did not want him to go but Martha gave him the money for passage to the new world. Ironically, Stephen became a conscript in the Austria-Hungarian army during World War I. My other great-grandfather Michael Fedoronko, a village elder was killed in 1915 by soldiers of that same army.

I was born July 12, 1894 in Veloshinova, Austria (now the Ukraine).

I was the eldest child of Stephen Lytwak and Martha Rapich. I had two younger sisters named Anastasia and Mary (Hanych/married name) and a brother Nick (youngest.) Some brothers and sisters died as infants.

My mother gave me money to come to America. My father did not want me to come here. He said anyone who came here became a bum.

I left home when I was 17 years old with my cousin Catherine Rapich (21 years old). Steve’s father took us four miles to Dobromel to get a train to Bremen Germany. We waited two weeks and on February 28, 1912 we boarded the German Steamer Roon.

Everybody (1500 passengers) was happy to be on the ship to America. Soon as we passed the English Channel to the ocean we ran into a storm. Nobody was allowed on the deck. Everybody was sick but for a few. I was alright. Ship was going up the waves like mountains. You could hear the rivets. We saw a whale. It was huge and at first we though it was a boat. Crew shot at it with rifles and it left. We arrived in New York City on March 20, 1912.

From New Your City we went to Ellis Island by ferry. We stayed two days. People lined up to be examined. Those who passed went on one side and those who did not were put in a cage. They tag you like a dog. Agent at each location. We were put in a group going on the Lake Erie Railroad to Youngstown, Ohio.

We went to Youngtown, Ohio. Hired a taxi (horsedrawn) to find Steve Hefko and his father. We searched from noon until six o’clock in the evening. It was already dark when the cab driver stopped at a beer joint and asked about Hefko’s address. Hefko asked who was asking about his address. Cab driver said he had three immigrants out in the taxi. We boarded in same house as Steve Hefko and his son.

Steve and I got a job in the steel works. Got paid 10 cents an hour, 12 hours a day. Later got 20 cents an hour. Carried hot iron to a bench all day long. We stayed in Youngstown six months.

Yaruavski and I went to McKees Rocks to get a job in the car shop (Pressed Steel Car Company). Job did not last long. Finished the order and then no job. Everybody would go to the shop and wait and maybe the boss would pick you out for a day’s work. You waited until 9 or 10 o’clock and then you would have to line up to get a pass to get out.

Sixteen thousand people worked in the shop making passenger and freight cars for Russia and France. The cars would be assembled over there. All cars were riveted. In hot weather they all seemed to get orders. They had a strike and the people had a meeting in a field by the river. Company police would come on horse back and chase the people.

Yaruavski and I went to a coal mine. I stayed a half day. I had to wait until 12:00 o’clock to come out. That was the end of the mine for me.

Hopped a freight headed west. Went to Chicago and then to St. Helena, Montana. A buddy and I got picked up in a box car and I got a job on a ranch shoveling coal. We worked all day and half the night and got five dollars for both of us. They would not let us in to eat or feed us. We stayed out in the woods and it was cold even in July.

We met some hobos and told them the story. They said wait and we will fix them. They went that night and stole four chickens. Cleaned the chickens except for the feathers and then covered them with mud and put them in the hot coals of their fire “Puchma” good. When they were done they put them on a stone and the mud and feathers come off and the chickens were clean.

Came back on a freight train. My buddy got off in Chicago and I rode clear down to Pittsburgh. Went thru one tunnel someplace and pretty near passed away, chocking. Got to Pittsburgh and got sick.

I had a headache in a hot room upstairs and nobody paid any attention. I was unconscious dreaming and seeing things. No one took me to a doctor.

Mike Walchick found out I was sick like that and called a doctor. The doctor came and right away ordered me to the hospital (St. Joseph’s hospital on the Southside.) I was laid up for 6 weeks with typhoid fever. No money to pay and nobody asked. While I was in the hospital Catherine got married to Nick Matchuck.

I went back to McKees Rocks and didn’t work for a long time until I got stronger. I went down in weight and my hair came out, completely bald. It was the summer of 1914 when I was 20 years old.

In the winter I got a job in the car shop. Car shop got order to make cars for Russia. We worked during the summer until the order was filled.

The winter of 1917 was bad, with big snow and hard to get around. Nick Leninstig and I bought a Harley Davidson with a side car. On Christmas eve the road wasn’t scrapped and the snow froze in the rails. I passed a car on the Point bridge going to McKees Rocks. I wrecked when I tied to get off the street car rail. Nick flew in the snow. Motorcycle fell on my left leg and broke it. With one leg broken I hobbled with one leg to the side of the road. Fellows came along with a car and picked me up and brought me to a doctor’s office (Dr. Kifer). He ordered me right away to the hospital. (Ohio Valley Hospital) I was there for seven weeks.

They tried to draft me but I argued that my father was in the Austrian army and I could not go and fight against him. This delayed my going.

I got out of the hospital and came to Jeannette in March of 1918. I came here because John Fedoronko and Theodore Wolchick were there and I had known them from McKees Rocks. Fedoronko’s had two boys, Joe and Mike.

I got arrested for not carrying my draft card. Took me to the Irwin jail. Spent the night in jail. They released me in the morning and ok’d me for a job.

I got a job in the mill room of the Pennsylvania Rubber Company laboring in the old building. Some time I was looking for board because Theodore didn’t have enough room on Division Street. So I picked up board at Kurdyla’s in Grapeville. (The little house at 105 Brown Avenue.) At the same time I was looking for better board. I was working 10 hours and got only head cheese sandwiches. So I found Anna Kurdyla.

I met Grandma over at Wolchik’s house and walked her home. Grandma was working for Ellis on First Street. It was the third house from Dougherty’s house on the corner. Second house was Mayor Katz’s house.

Grandma had lots of boy friends. They were even threatening me to leave her alone. On August 21, 1918 we got married. We got married in Westmoreland County Courthouse by the clerk.

We lived in Cypress house on Chestnut Street. Lawrence was born there in June of 1919. We had two rooms, one room on each floor. Cypress had an Italian cooperative store and he was the manager. It was located on Fourth Street which was later the location of the News Dispatch. After Larry was born we moved to Division Street where we had two rooms.

In the Fall of 1920 I quit the Rubber Works and went to Akron. I was working for Theodore Wolchik and didn’t like to work for him. I got a job right away working for Good Year Rubber Company. I painted mold for tires.

I bought a brand new six room hose on East Sixth Street. I bought the house in partnership with a man named Hardosh. We stayed in our house and paid $45 a month rent for three rooms. John Seneta & Nick rented one of the rooms. We rented the new house for $90.

Spring came and they started laying people off, 10,000 a day. All rubber industry went down. Only old timers were left. I decided that I would soon be laid off. I sent my wife and baby to Albion. Anna Padole Fer Danga and Annette Seneta were there. Month later I got laid off so I went to Erie hunting a job. Everything was low wages. In Albion I was making $1.25 an hour, In Erie 50¢ an hour. I got a job in G. E. grinding brass pieces. I didn’t like it because it was too dusty. Then I got a job at Griswalk polishing skillets. After I got a job I moved Grandma and boy to Erie.

Then I got a job on the lake. The steamers would come in for repair. It was a cold winter. Lake was frozen and we were going outside the steamer caulking the rivets. You pretty near froze to death. I worked until spring.

In the spring the job was finished on the lake. I was ready for another job. I didn’t look anymore in Erie. I left Family in Erie and come to Jeannette in the spring of 1921. I went after a job at the Rubberworks in the calendar room (No. 3 calendar/small one) I wrote my wife to pack up and come to Jeannette.

She was over at old Krupey’s house on Harrison Avenue. Krupeys live downstairs with three children and rented the upstairs. We slept in the stable. I was looking for rooms and couldn’t find it. I got to Lepak’s farm on Old Hill Road and he rented us three rooms. We stayed there one summer. Edward P Lytwak was born there April 19, 1922

In the Fall of 1922 we bought three houses on Fort Pitt Street in the Zimmerman Plan of lots. Wagoner wanted $2200 for one house or all three for $4500.

In 1927 my father came back from Europe. My father was here three times. I sent ticket to get Anastasia here but could only get a father or mother so I got my father the third time.

Editor’s Notes:

Philip Stephen[EL1] Lytwak, 87 of 26 Lincoln Ave., Lincoln Heights, Jeannette, Pennsylvania, died Tuesday, Oct. 20, 1981, in Monsour Medical Center, Jeannette.

He was a retired employee of the General Tire Company, Jeannette, and was a member of the Local 22 Retirees Club.

Surviving were his wife, Anna Kurdyla Lytwak; two sons, Lawrence P. of Phoenix, Ariz., and Edward Philip Lytwak, Sr. of Lincoln Heights, Jeannette, PA; six grandchildren; a brother Nick and sister Mary of Ukraine; and a number of nieces and nephews.