Frank AKA James Willy

Frank Willy, Ida Bell Lego and Frederick Willy's fourth child, is a bit of mystery. He was born in Allegheny County, probably either in Baldwin Township, 14 km south of Pittsburgh, where the family was living in 1900 or in Pittsburgh itself. The family was enumerated at 106 Frustum Street in the 1910 US Census. Frank was said to be 8 years old. I couldn't find a WWI draft registration for him. In the 1920 US Census, when the family was living at 127 Saginaw Street, Frank was said to be 17 and working as a layer-out at a shipyard. If both these ages are accurate, this would indicate that Frank had been born January-April 1902. However, ages given in censuses are not always accurate.

After 1920, Frank seemed to vanish. I don't know whether or not he moved to McKees Rocks with the rest of the family by 1924. However, I found a possible clue to tracing Frank's path in the obituaries of his father Fred and his sister Sadie. Fred's obituary in 1951 referred to Frank as James, while Sadie's obituary referred to him as Jim. He was still alive when Sadie died on 24 Feb 1983.

I found two men who may or may not be "our" Frank Willy. They also may or may not be the same man.

Mildred M Holmes and James Frank Willy

Sometime in or before 1925, Mildred M Holmes married James Frank Willy. Mildred was the daughter of Clara Schmidt and Robert Holmes born 19 Oct 1908 in Chartiers Township, Washington County Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, I don't have the marriage record, so I don't know when James Frank was born or who his parents were.

Mildred and James Frank had three children: Clara M born 27 Jul 1925, James Frank Jr born 14 Aug 1927 and Harry Earl born 29 Nov 1928. By 1930 the family was living at 173 South Main Street in Pittsburgh. James Frank was said to be 24 years old, which if true would make him too young to be "our" Frank. He was working as common labour in a steel mill.

Sometime between 1930 and 1940 Mildred and James Frank divorced. by 1940 Mildred and the three children were living with her mother and two brothers at 173 Steuben Street in Pittsburgh. I can't find James Frank in the 1940 US Census.

On 17 Jan 1948, James Frank Jr married Patricia Agnes O'Brien, the daughter of Violet Vantassel and Daniel G O'Brien born in Pittsburgh in or about 1930. James Frank described his father as a steelworker who had been born in Pittsburgh and currently lived in McKees Rocks. James himself was living at 173 Steuben with his mother and working as a welder.

Clara married Roy Louis Otten in Miami, Florida, on 02 Feb 1948. The license doesn't give any information about the couple's parents. Roy was the son of Theresa and Bernard Otten born 20 Jul 1927.

On 30 Jul 1949 Harry Earl Willy married Hannah Marie Carmichael, the daughter of Ethel Wetherall and William Carmichael born 23 Dec 1931 in Pittsburgh. Harry Earl described his father as a layer-out who had been born and still lived in Pittsburgh. Harry himself was living at 173 Steuben with his mother and working as a burner.

That's everything I know about Mildred's husband: born in Pittsburgh in or about 1906, was living in McKees Rocks and/or Pittsburgh by the late 1940s, worked in steel mills and/or as a layer-out.

Mildred remarried by early September 1950, her second husband being Louis Perdott born 13 Dec 1901. Mildred's mother Clara Schmidt Holmes died 03 Sep 1950. Clara's obituary in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette referred to Mildred as Mrs Mildred Perdott. Mildred herself died 29 Jan 1960. Louis died 26 Mar 1970 in Pittsburgh. He and Mildred were both buried in the Resurrection Cemetery in Coraopolis.

Clara M Willy and Roy Louis Otten had, as far as I know, five children, all born in Florida: Linda Sue born 21 Jan 1949, Diane C born 14 Oct 1950, Theresa M "Terry" born in 1951, Louis born in 1957 and Bernard "Fritz" born 19 Jan 1962. Roy died 15 Mar 1979.

Linda Sue Otten married Kenneth James. She was living in Deltona when she died 05 Mar 2000. She was survived by her husband, two daughters and two grandchildren.

Diane C Otten married and took the last name Preiser. She died in Osteen 03 Apr 2013.

Bernard "Fritz" Otten died in Deltona shortly after his sister, on 30 Apr 2013. He was survived by his wife Deborah and a daughter as well as by his mother, his brother Louis and his sister, Terry Otten Cutolo.

James Frederick "Moose" Willy and Patricia O'Brien had four children: Bruce J born 1948, Wayne M born 1952, Cynthia A born 1959 and Patricia A born 28 Aug 1961. Patricia married Baron D Foreman but died 20 Dec 1993. She's buried in St Martins Cemetery in Pittsburgh.

James himself died 03 Aug 2003. He too is buried in St Martins. He was survived by his wife and remaining three children as well as by six grandchildren and a great-grandchild. His obituary refers to his sister Clara Willy Otten as "Sue." I'm not sure if this was a family nickname or an error.

Harry Earl Willy and Hannah Marie Carmichael had four daughters: Darla born 1950, Debbe born 1953, Joyce born 1956 and Karrie born 1961. Hannah died in Pittsburgh 09 Sep 1997. Harry was living in the Elliott neighbourhood of Pittsburgh when he died 05 Jan 2015. He was survived by his four daughters, five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Both he and Hannah are buried in the Robinson Run Cemetery in McDonald, Allegheny County, along with Hannah's parents and three of her sisters.

Louise Marnich Kuklich and James F Willy

On 04 Sep 1995 a man named James F Willy died in McKees Rocks. He'd been born 08 Sep 1901, so a few months too old to be "our" Frank. He was buried in St Mark's Cemetery in McKees Rocks. His headstone describes him as having lived 1900-1995. Beneath his dates the carving reads "Cabin Pap." A death certificate would show his parents' names.

The interesting thing here is that he shares a headstone with Louise Zuklich, 1910-1987, "A Great Lady." Louise Marnich was born 17 May 1910. She married John Zuklich, but they divorced on 18 Jun 1942. John subsequently remarried. Louise, as fas as I know, did not. She died 19 Nov 1987. According to her obituary published the next day in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette she was living in Stowe, next to McKees Rocks. Among other things, the obituary described her as the "beloved friend of James Willy."

Summary

It would be nice to make up a story about Fred and Ida's son Frank living with them through 1920, marrying Mildred in the early 1920s, divorcing her in the 1930s and then taking up with Louise sometime after 1942. However, there's no conclusive evidence for this, and there are problems with getting the ages to reconcile. A marriage certificate for Mildred and James Frank and a death certificate for the James F who's buried with Louise would be useful.