Thomas Mitkusevitch ^{1 3}

   Another name for Thomas was Thomas Mattus.²

  Death Notes:

Age: 84
Given Name: Thomas
Surname: Mattus
Birth Date: 05 Jan 1912
State: Illinois
Last Place of Residence: Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois
Previous Residence Postal Code: 61104
Event Date: 22 Jul 1996

Citing this Record:
"United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J1D6-QJ6 : 19 May 2014), Thomas Mattus, 22 Jul 1996; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
----------------------------------

  Noted events in his life were:

• He appeared on the 1940 US Census in Rockford, IL on 10 April 1940. ²

1940 US Census
Sheet 8A, District 101-24, Family 161, Roll 912, Ward 2
Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois
409 South Second Street
Tom Mattus..Lodger..28..IL..9th grade..Laborer, Paper Box..earned $600 in 1939

(Thomas and wife were lodging at the home of Ralph and Nora Clayton.)
.

• He was buried after 22 July 1996 in the Willwood Burial Park in Rockford, IL.

Find A Grave Memorial #154437763. ³

Thomas married Mae Gladys Holmes, daughter of Frank Roy Holmes and Josephine Anna Fanning, on 20 April 1934 in Boone County, IL.^{1 2} (Mae Gladys Holmes was born on 24 February 1914 in Rockford, IL,^{2 4 5 6 7 8} died on 25 December 1969 in Rockford, IL ^{4 8} and was buried after 25 December 1969 in Willwood Burial Park, Rockford, IL ⁸.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage Image: Image, on 20 April 1934, in Boone County, IL. ¹

• They appeared on the 1940 US Census in Rockford, IL on 10 April 1940. ²

1940 US Census
Sheet 8A, District 101-24, Family 161, Roll 912, Ward 2
Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois
409 South Second Street
Ralph Clayton..Head..18..IL
Nora Clayton..Wife..17..IL
Kenneth Clayton..Son..0..IL
Albert Watson..Lodger..54..IL
Tom Mattus..Lodger..28..IL..1 yr. High School..Laborer, Paper Box..earned $600 in 1939
Mae Mattus..Lodger..26..IL..1 yr. High School..Waitress, Restaurant..earned $280 in 1939

(Thomas and Mae were lodging at the home of Ralph and Nora Clayton.)
.

  Marriage Notes:

Name: Thomas Mitkusevitch
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 1934
Event Place: Boone, Illinois, United States
Gender: Male
Spouse's Name: Mae Gladys Holmes
Spouse's Gender: Female
Page: 12040
GS Film Number: 001914103
Digital Folder Number: 004539271
Image Number: 00768

Citing this Record:
"Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X226-PNP : 3 March 2016), Thomas Mitkusevitch and Mae Gladys Holmes, 1934; citing Boone, Illinois, United States, county offices, Illinois; FHL microfilm 1,914,103.
----------------------------------

The Holmes Family verbal history as told by relatives gives the name of Mae's husband as Thomas Mattus and they had one son, Roger Mattus.

There is a marriage record in 1934 for Mae Gladys Holmes and Thomas Mitkusevitch in neighboring Boone County. There was one daughter, Joyce Mae, that was stillborn on 11 Dec 1934.

Continuing research shows Thomas's surname of Mitkusevitch being changed either officially or un-officially to "Mattus". There was a son born named Roger Mattus probably around 1941. An email in 2017 from the son of Roger, Michael Mattus" further confirms the spelling as "Mattus".

The Find-A-Grave memorial page for Thomas shows his name entered as "Thomas Mitkusevitch Mattus".

Personal knowledge indicates that Mae was divorced from her husband, Thomas Mattus about 1958 and she remained single for the next ten years or so. She was then re-married to Larry Salivar in about 1968 but Mae died about one year later in December of 1969 and was buried in Rockford. The name on the gravestone is Mae Gladys Salivar. Unfortunately, I can find no record of this marriage which might indicate her previously married name being spelled as either Mattus or Mitkusevitch.

I suspect that Thomas was originally born under the Mitkusevitch surname thus explaining the marriage record between Gladys Holmes and Thomas Mitkusevitch in 1934. He may have changed his surname at some time after 1934 to a more American-like name such as Mattus, thus explaining the still-born daughter in 1934 of Mitkusevitch and the later birth of his son as Roger Mattus.
-------------------------------------