Francis Toman recorded his siblings, parents, and brother-in-law Frank Marchisa, in a set of LP recordings made in the 1940’s likely using his own Wilcox-Gay Record Cutter. Francis’s hobby was electronics as well as playing the accordian. The equipment than Fran used was likely what you see in the photo below. While many of the recordings were too scratchy to be understood after being converted to digital audio files, there are a few that are clear enough to provide us enjoyment.
The Toman brothers, John,Joe,Francis, and Jim all played instruments and would play together when possible. Francis had a good friend in Glastonbury, John Maranelli, who he would play with as well. It was though John Maranelli that Fran first met Frank Marchisa who he would play with as well. This is how Ellen (Toman) Marchisa met her husband to be, Frank Marchisa.
