32. Gratiski, John


John GRATISKI/GRUTKOSKI(1-2) was born on 25 April 1886 in Austria.(2-5)  Death certificate states that birth place was Italy, however, draft registration cards and the Wyoming State Coroner’s Report, both state his birth place was Austria.(1-2,5)  John married Susie Warhol 14 October 1911 in Kemmerer at St. Patrick’s Church.(6)   He submitted draft registration cards for WWI on 12 September 1918 in Kemmerer, Wyoming.(5)  John was living in Frontier and was working at the Kemmerer Coal Company as a coal miner.(5)  John was described as short in height, medium build with gray eyes and dark brown hair.(5)   John, aged 37 years died in a gas explosion in Frontier No. 1 coal mine on 14 August 1923 in Frontier.(2-4)  In addition to losing her husband, Susie lost her brother, Paul WARHOL, Jr. and her brother-in-law Michele CARRERA aka "Mike CITERIO", who was married to her sister Annie.(8)   John was buried on 17 August 1923 in Kemmerer.(3-4)

Ten days after the coal mining accident, a “Card of Thanks” was published in the Kemmerer Republican on 24 August 1923, page 5.
We unite in expressing our thanks to our many friends, whose many deeds of kindness and comforting words assisted us to bear the burden of our loss in the untimely death of Mike Citerio, John Gratiski and Paul Warhol at the Frontier mine, August 14; especially do we thank the members of the K. of C. lodge, L.O.O.M and Local Union 2360, U.M.W of A; in fact, everyone who assisted us, to whom we are duly grateful.
MRS. MIKE CITERIO
MRS. JOHN GRATISKI
JOHN WARHOL
MRS. ELLA WARHOL(7)
Survivors included John’s widow, Susie, and his five children ages, 11, 9, 7,5 and 3 years old.

Sources:
            1. Kemmerer Republican, (Kemmerer, Lincoln, Wyoming), 24 August 1923, page 1, microfilm; Lincoln County Library, 519 Emerald Street, Kemmerer, Lincoln, Wyoming 83101.
            2. Sneddon Robert T.  Inspector (Dist 1) & Robert V. Hotchkiss Inspector (Dist2), "State Coal Mine Inspectors Of Wyoming, Districts No. 1 and 2," year:  1923; report, 1923; , Wyoming State Archives on microfilm, Cheyenne, Wyoming.
            3. John Gratiski, death certificate file no. 1418 (14 August 1923), State of Wyoming, Wyoming State Archives, 2301 Central Avenue, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001.
            4. Cemetery-Headstone, Kemmerer City Cemetery, Kemmerer, Lincoln, Wyoming.  Personal photograph, property of and in possession of Roberts Roots & Branches, of headstone taken between 2000 and 2003., Warhol, Paul & Gratiski, John.
            5. "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch," digital, FamilySearch, FamilySearch.org (: online digital 9 March 2018); citing United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K687-G69 : 12 December 2014), John Gratiski, 1917-1918; citing Lincoln County, Wyoming, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 2,022,241.
            6.  Marriage Records, Western States Marriage Record Index, BYU/Idaho Special Collections, Rexberg, Idaho, online. familyhistory@byui.edu, ID #182653.
            7. Kemmerer Republican, (Kemmerer, Lincoln, Wyoming), 24 August 1923, page 5, microfilm; Lincoln County Library, 519 Emerald Street, Kemmerer, Lincoln, Wyoming 83101.
            8.   Kemmerer Gazette, Kemmerer, Lincoln, Wyoming, Wyoming Newspaper Project online, “Wedding”, 26 July 1916.  page 4.

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