Surname Saturday: Witok & Ladun

On Tuesday, Patricia Ann Ladun was included in the Tombstone Tuesday. She is buried next to John and Anastasia Ladun.

John (13 May 1916 - 4 November 1979) was born here in Pennsylvania. However, I do not know his parents' names.

The 1930 Census shows John living on Newlinville Road in East Fallowfield Township, Chester County with his grandparents, Frank and Helen Witok. The Witoks immigrated from Russia, according to the census, in 1914. Frank worked retail at a grocers. Aside from three boarders, he is the only one living with his grandparents. The three boarders worked at the steel mill.

Living next door though is 33 year old widowed Mary Ladun with her three sons: James, Joseph and Nicholas. She has three boarders: 56 year old married Romon Jemorcek from Russia, 56 year old married Iean Devatock from Russia and 39 year old single Paul Hellan from Austria. All three boarders worked at the steel mill.

Helen Witok passed away on 3 July 1933, according to the Chester County Coroner's Records(Reference # 33-7-1).

The 1940 Census shows him still single and still living with his grandfather. The address this time is simply given as Route 82, East Fallowfield Township. John's occupation is listed as a "pressure cook" in a coat factory. Also reported living there, in addition to Frank and John, are Frank's daughter Mary, her husband John "Wrchuk". Also there are: James, Joseph and Nicholas Ladien (John's last name is also transcribed as Ladien here) and both are listed as Frank's grandchildren. James is 26. John is 23. Joseph is 21 and Nicholas is 19. Frank also had one lodger - 67 year old Olien Devetach - living with him as well. The 1940 census also asks where everyone lived in 1935. All reported living there ("same house") except Olien Devetach who had lived in Philadelphia then. Frank and his son-in-law John both listed their citizenship status as "having first papers" whereas Mary is still listed as an alien. Olien is also an alien.

Sometime between 1940 and April 1943, John married Anastasia Esther (maiden name not known; 13 November 1916 - 4 April 2002).

John was a WWII veteran. His Enlistment Record shows he enlisted on 2 April 1943. He was married at that time and his civil occupation is described as "Semiskilled occupations in laundering, cleaning, dyeing, and pressing apparel and other articles."

According to his Record of Burial, he served in the US Army from 9 April 1943 to 21 August 1944. He was a Private in the Air Corps.

Frank Witock (b 1876) passed in 1948 and is buried at St. Nicholas Orthodox Cemetery. That cemetery - which is also referred to as the Russian Cemetery - is located near Holy Ghost Ukrainian Cemetery.