Erie County (PA) Genealogy
Faces of Erie County
Storkel Family
These pictures and information about them have been provided by Susan McAleer. Any inquiries about this family or photos may be directed to her. In addition, Susan has provided additional family information about her immigrant great grandparents, and the family shown below. Petro Storkely was born 11 July 1875 in the village of Jakubany, Austria-Hungary, now called Slovakia, to Catharina (Orlovszky) and Joannes Storkely. In 1892, when he was about 17 years of age, Petro, and most likely his older brother Joannes/John, emigrated to the U.S. through Castle Garden, NY. Petro settled in Erie, PA, his brother John in Westmoreland Co., PA. Petro's name was apparently "Americanized" to Peter Storkel. Anna Ribovics was born in the same Slovakian village on 24 November 1881 to Anna (Katrenics) and Joannes Ribovics. Anna emigrated, probably with some of her siblings, from Jakubany to Hamburg, Germany, where she boarded the SS Barbarosa in April 1899, making her way to Erie. On 8 May 1899, she was married to Peter Storkel at St. Stanislaus Church in Erie. In the wedding photo, notice that Peter holds a cigar in his right hand! Peter and Anna resided in the 800 block of East 19th Street in the City of Erie. The family picture below was probably taken around May 1910, perhaps to celebrate the 11th wedding anniversary, or perhaps later that year. The infant, Julia, on her mother's lap, is perhaps 6 months to a year old. Unfortunately, Peter died 5 March 1911, during an epidemic of Typhoid Fever, so this is probably the last picture taken of him with his family.
Peter & Anna Storkel Family taken about 1910 in Erie, PA.
Included in this photo from left to right are:
Marianna [Mary] Storkel, born 3 Feb 1904 in Erie, PA. - married Dionisio Benigni in Feb 1930 - died 9 March 1998 in White Plains NY and is buried there.
There was also a son, Josef [Joseph] Storkel, born 6 Feb 1906 in Erie but died as an infant on 9 May 1906 and is buried in the Holy Trinity section of Trinity Cemetery, on the edge of the St. Stanislaus section.
Peter Storkel - Anna Ribovic Wedding
8 May 1899 - Saint Stanislaus Church - Erie, PA
Susan McAleer believes that when Peter died in March 1911, Anna, in order to support her 5 daughters, began to take in boarders at the East 19th Street house, which was often the custom of the time. She was also the neighborhood midwife, and took in laundry as well. Susan's grandmother, Kati, had remembered the laundry and as the oldest daughter, noted that it had been hard work for an 11 year old girl. In April 1913, Anna married a second time to Joseph Machuga, who had recently arrived from the same village as Anna and Peter -- Jakubany. Anna and Joe had three more children, the youngest born in 1921 and still living in Erie. Susan has related that her Great Uncle is actually two years younger than her mother. The following additional information has also been provided. Susan McAleer was named after her great aunt, Susan Storkel. Susan Storkel became an art teacher in the Erie public school system, and Bill Klauk's mother indicated that she was her student in the 1930s while at Gridley Jr. High School. Susan Storkel married Joseph Zollitish in 1962 and as Sue Zollitish continued as an art teacher for a number of years. Kati, Susan McAleer's grandmother, became proprietor, along with her second husband Frank Nelson, of the Fisher Hotel which for many years was at or near 7th & Peach Street. This is another of Erie's "Lost" buildings, making way for Gannon College (now University) expansion.
This page has been designed, and is being maintained by Bill Klauk.
This page was last updated on Monday, February 05, 2001 .
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