Cremated. Ashes unclaimed through careless neglect - location unknown; most likely at Los Angeles Crematory Cemetery, Boyle Heights.
Son of Matthew and Roša (Tomašić) Tomasic. Matthew Tomasic born July 30, 1867 in Tomasici, Karlovac, Croatia - as was Rose (no birth date for her). All were citizens of what became the Federal National Republic of Yugoslavia. Joseph Matthew Tomasic was born in Generalski Stol, a municipality of Karlovac District in what was then Austria. Emperor Franz Joseph 1 was his Sovereign.
Joe came to America ca. 1907 with an uncle or brother, who returned to Croatia after a time. Another brother, Nicholas, did make USA his home - he died of a fever in East Pittsburg, PA.
In Croatia Joseph was employed for some time as a copyist in government offices; many official documents were written in longhand and he had a beautiful cursive style.
In America Joseph was a laborer - specializing in work with the Union Railroad wrecking gangs in PA - some copper mine work in Montana and Arizona. One of his stories is of meeting Carl Hayden, who was running for US Senator, in Jerome (might have got a drink out of it). Hayden was an initial upper-house representative for Arizona (the State joined the Union in 1912). Whether this handshake was in 1911/12 or six years later isn't known.
Another of Joe's favorite yarns was of a doctor telling him he was dying from "locomotor taxi." Locomotor Ataxia is a serious ailment, but Joe seems not to have ever really had it nor associated nerve troubles. He credited another sawbones with the good advice to eat "short order" cafe meals instead of soups and stews (prudence in a time of careless food preparation).
As a rule, Joe distrusted professional medicine, claiming weird and exotic practices designed to kill patients rather than send them home alive. This belief was born out when, returning from a wreck one week, he found brother Nick in a hospital immersed in an ice bath. Surely this was no way to treat a sick man! Joe quickly got him away from that awful place (threats and a lawyer's letter) - and Nick shortly died that night at home.
A strong and frugal man and no one's fool (but for certain Old-Country delusions and superstitions), Joe carefully planned his moves through life. Not above taking his five-year-old granddaughter into the Turtle Creek bars with him for a cool lemonaide. Or two.
He forgot his native tongue but not his accent - spoke like radio program Indian character, Tonto - words had no past tense. A nice man. A man who grew roses.
Son of Matthew and Roša (Tomašić) Tomasic. Matthew Tomasic born July 30, 1867 in Tomasici, Karlovac, Croatia - as was Rose (no birth date for her). All were citizens of what became the Federal National Republic of Yugoslavia. Joseph Matthew Tomasic was born in Generalski Stol, a municipality of Karlovac District in what was then Austria. Emperor Franz Joseph 1 was his Sovereign.
Joe came to America ca. 1907 with an uncle or brother, who returned to Croatia after a time. Another brother, Nicholas, did make USA his home - he died of a fever in East Pittsburg, PA.
In Croatia Joseph was employed for some time as a copyist in government offices; many official documents were written in longhand and he had a beautiful cursive style.
In America Joseph was a laborer - specializing in work with the Union Railroad wrecking gangs in PA - some copper mine work in Montana and Arizona. One of his stories is of meeting Carl Hayden, who was running for US Senator, in Jerome (might have got a drink out of it). Hayden was an initial upper-house representative for Arizona (the State joined the Union in 1912). Whether this handshake was in 1911/12 or six years later isn't known.
Another of Joe's favorite yarns was of a doctor telling him he was dying from "locomotor taxi." Locomotor Ataxia is a serious ailment, but Joe seems not to have ever really had it nor associated nerve troubles. He credited another sawbones with the good advice to eat "short order" cafe meals instead of soups and stews (prudence in a time of careless food preparation).
As a rule, Joe distrusted professional medicine, claiming weird and exotic practices designed to kill patients rather than send them home alive. This belief was born out when, returning from a wreck one week, he found brother Nick in a hospital immersed in an ice bath. Surely this was no way to treat a sick man! Joe quickly got him away from that awful place (threats and a lawyer's letter) - and Nick shortly died that night at home.
A strong and frugal man and no one's fool (but for certain Old-Country delusions and superstitions), Joe carefully planned his moves through life. Not above taking his five-year-old granddaughter into the Turtle Creek bars with him for a cool lemonaide. Or two.
He forgot his native tongue but not his accent - spoke like radio program Indian character, Tonto - words had no past tense. A nice man. A man who grew roses.
Cremated. Ashes unclaimed through careless neglect - location unknown; most likely at Los Angeles Crematory Cemetery, Boyle Heights.
Son of Matthew and Roša (Tomašić) Tomasic. Matthew Tomasic born July 30, 1867 in Tomasici, Karlovac, Croatia - as was Rose (no birth date for her). All were citizens of what became the Federal National Republic of Yugoslavia. Joseph Matthew Tomasic was born in Generalski Stol, a municipality of Karlovac District in what was then Austria. Emperor Franz Joseph 1 was his Sovereign.
Joe came to America ca. 1907 with an uncle or brother, who returned to Croatia after a time. Another brother, Nicholas, did make USA his home - he died of a fever in East Pittsburg, PA.
In Croatia Joseph was employed for some time as a copyist in government offices; many official documents were written in longhand and he had a beautiful cursive style.
In America Joseph was a laborer - specializing in work with the Union Railroad wrecking gangs in PA - some copper mine work in Montana and Arizona. One of his stories is of meeting Carl Hayden, who was running for US Senator, in Jerome (might have got a drink out of it). Hayden was an initial upper-house representative for Arizona (the State joined the Union in 1912). Whether this handshake was in 1911/12 or six years later isn't known.
Another of Joe's favorite yarns was of a doctor telling him he was dying from "locomotor taxi." Locomotor Ataxia is a serious ailment, but Joe seems not to have ever really had it nor associated nerve troubles. He credited another sawbones with the good advice to eat "short order" cafe meals instead of soups and stews (prudence in a time of careless food preparation).
As a rule, Joe distrusted professional medicine, claiming weird and exotic practices designed to kill patients rather than send them home alive. This belief was born out when, returning from a wreck one week, he found brother Nick in a hospital immersed in an ice bath. Surely this was no way to treat a sick man! Joe quickly got him away from that awful place (threats and a lawyer's letter) - and Nick shortly died that night at home.
A strong and frugal man and no one's fool (but for certain Old-Country delusions and superstitions), Joe carefully planned his moves through life. Not above taking his five-year-old granddaughter into the Turtle Creek bars with him for a cool lemonaide. Or two.
He forgot his native tongue but not his accent - spoke like radio program Indian character, Tonto - words had no past tense. A nice man. A man who grew roses.
Son of Matthew and Roša (Tomašić) Tomasic. Matthew Tomasic born July 30, 1867 in Tomasici, Karlovac, Croatia - as was Rose (no birth date for her). All were citizens of what became the Federal National Republic of Yugoslavia. Joseph Matthew Tomasic was born in Generalski Stol, a municipality of Karlovac District in what was then Austria. Emperor Franz Joseph 1 was his Sovereign.
Joe came to America ca. 1907 with an uncle or brother, who returned to Croatia after a time. Another brother, Nicholas, did make USA his home - he died of a fever in East Pittsburg, PA.
In Croatia Joseph was employed for some time as a copyist in government offices; many official documents were written in longhand and he had a beautiful cursive style.
In America Joseph was a laborer - specializing in work with the Union Railroad wrecking gangs in PA - some copper mine work in Montana and Arizona. One of his stories is of meeting Carl Hayden, who was running for US Senator, in Jerome (might have got a drink out of it). Hayden was an initial upper-house representative for Arizona (the State joined the Union in 1912). Whether this handshake was in 1911/12 or six years later isn't known.
Another of Joe's favorite yarns was of a doctor telling him he was dying from "locomotor taxi." Locomotor Ataxia is a serious ailment, but Joe seems not to have ever really had it nor associated nerve troubles. He credited another sawbones with the good advice to eat "short order" cafe meals instead of soups and stews (prudence in a time of careless food preparation).
As a rule, Joe distrusted professional medicine, claiming weird and exotic practices designed to kill patients rather than send them home alive. This belief was born out when, returning from a wreck one week, he found brother Nick in a hospital immersed in an ice bath. Surely this was no way to treat a sick man! Joe quickly got him away from that awful place (threats and a lawyer's letter) - and Nick shortly died that night at home.
A strong and frugal man and no one's fool (but for certain Old-Country delusions and superstitions), Joe carefully planned his moves through life. Not above taking his five-year-old granddaughter into the Turtle Creek bars with him for a cool lemonaide. Or two.
He forgot his native tongue but not his accent - spoke like radio program Indian character, Tonto - words had no past tense. A nice man. A man who grew roses.
Gravesite Details
CENOTAPH AT ALL SOULS CATHOLIC CEMETERY, LONG BEACH, CA - TREE OF LIFE.
Family Members
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