Toros Parnegian was born circa 1882 Harput, Turkey.

Circa 1907 or 1909 as indicated by his 1920 immigration papers.

Not listed Ellis Island.

Listed in the 1910 census in Lawrence.

Toros Parnegian was listed in Lawrence Massachusetts in the 1910 census at 208 Cannon Street as a boarder in a large boarding house. There were 44 people listed at that address, all of the male, all of them Armenian.

Toros Parnagian was listed as age 35, married 8 years, immigrated in 1907 alien, scrubber woolen mill.

There were three other Parnegains listed in the same boarding house: Garabad Parnagian age 55 widow, immigrated 1896, winder woolen mill, Vahan Parnagian age 27, married 6 years, (no wife), immigrated 1907 operator woolen mill, Sahag Parnagian, age 32, immigrated 1909, finisher woolen mill. They were listed together. Toros was listed on the next page.

Note: George Parnagian (Toros'son) said that Toros did not have family in the US.

When Toros Parnagian and family entered th US in 1920 they listed their nearest relatives as a brother "Messrop Parnakian" of 208 Cannon Street Lawrence.

There were a number of Parnagians in Lawrence including Garabad, Sahag, Vahan, and Manoog who were a father and his three sons. Gadabar immigrated circa 1896, Sarag immigrated circa 1909, Vahan circa 1908, and Monoog immigrated circa 1912. Vahan and "Manjon" were listed in the 1920 censue as "partners" of Martin Parnagian farmer who immigated in 1917. Sarag, Vahan, and Manoog were listed in the WWI Draft Registration. The information shows that they were related to each other as brothers, that the came from the town of Arapkir (Arabkir, Arabgir) in Harput villayet at the confluence of the eastern and western Euphrates in Turkey and that they lived on Cannon Street in Lawrence.

Arapkir is is northwest of Harput. Chemishgezek (the birthplace of Toros) is a few miles to the east of Arabkir. I do not know the actual distance but they are relatively close to each other.

"Arabkir was one of those towns in Anatolia where an especially high population of men left to seek work elsewhere leaving their wives and children behind with their parents."

Armenia, A Historical Atlas Robert Hewson

Most of the earlier Parnagain records in the US were in Massachusetts. Some later records are in Fresno, California.

Toros returned to Turkey circa 1915 according to the 1920 immigration manifest.

Family history says that Toros' first wife and all his family died in the 1915 genocide. How and why was he spared?

Gadarine Azarian, the daughter of Abraham Azarian and Lousia Hagopian, born October 3, 1896, Galatia, priest, Bishop Abigian, godfather, Avitis Hagopian, church------, baptized October 6, 1896. LDS film #1037106, Surp Savour, Beyoghle, Istanbul.

Marriage of Catherine Azarian and Toros Parnagian

According to their son, George, Catherine Azarian married Toros Parnagian in Constantinople in February 1919.

I have not been able to find the marriage record in the Catholic churches in Istanbul. I have not looked in the Apostolic churches.

If it is true that Catherine and Toros married in 1919, Catherine would have been 22 years old at the time of the marriage. I find this date troublesome for two reasons:

1. It is a little on the old side for a first marriage in the culture of the time and place.

2. Her sister, Christine (who was younger than Catherine by two or three years) was supposed to have been married by the time of the marches into Syria in 1915, which would mean that Christine was no more than 16 at the time of her marriage and was married four years before her older sister. See Christine

Pauline and George Parnagian said that Catherine did not marry at an earlier age because she was needed to take care of her younger siblings. Most family traditions contain a measure of truth and Catherine, as the oldest daughter, was most certainly invaluable as a helper to her parents.

However there are problems with this scenario.

While I have not been able to confirm it definitely, I believe that both Armenian custom and the period of time would have dictated that the oldest girl marry first - the marriages of her younger sisters following in the order of their ages. As far as I can determine this was the situation in all pre-WWI Middle Eastern societies.

More importantly, unless they were well to do, all Armenian girls had to learn to cook, shop, maintain a home and take care of babies (younger siblings or nieces and nephews). Unless there were servants all Armenian girls were expected to participate in household chores which prepared them for their own marriage and families. With six daughters this was not a family lacking in mother's helpers making one daughter more valuable than the others in this respect.

There is no apparent reason why Christine (born in 1899) would not have replaced Catherine as the major mother's helper when Catherine married and left the household (or as in many Armenian households lived after her marriage with her parents or in laws where, in either case, she would be expected to help in running the house).

Catherine did not marry until 1919 when she was 23. On the other hand her younger sister, Christine, is supposed to have married at age 15 or 16 (at least seven years younger). I believe that this is highly unusual and that there must be an additional reason or reasons for Catherine's late age at marriage versus Christine's marriage at a much younger age.

Children

Catherine and Toros had a son, George, born in Constantinople on December 26, 1919.

I have not located the baptismal record of George in the Catholic records. I have not checked the Apostolic church records.

The Parnagians were members of the Armenian Apostolic church in the United States.

Immigration

Toros "Parmakian" a 38-year-old merchant from Harput, Turkey, his wife, Gadarini, age 23, and their son, Kivot, age 2 months, arrived in New York on March 25, 1920 on the S.S. Argentina from Patras, Greece. They were listed as having paid their own passage. Toros and Gadarini are listed as able to read and write Armenian. Their last address is given as Harput, Turkey. They listed no relatives in Turkey. Their destination was listed as Lawrence, "R.I.". Their relative or friend in US was Messrop Parmakian, brother, of 908 Canon Street Lawrence, "R.I.".

Toros is listed as 5 feet 8 inches tall, dark complexion, brown hair and brown eyes in good health, place of birth, Harput, Turkey.

Gadarini is listed as 5ft. 3in. tall, white complexion, black hair and black eyes, in good health, place of birth, Constantinople.

Kivot was listed as fair complexion, blond hair and blue eyes, place of birth, Constantinople.

This information was taken from the passenger manifest of the S.S. Argentina available on microfilm at the National Archive Records Administration, NYC Branch.

<>Toros is listed as having been in the US in Lawrence Mass between 1909 and 1915.<>

Note and Questions:

• Harput (Kharpert) is on the Euphrates River in southern Anatolia. It was once a thriving Armenian community but after the deportation of 1915 there is no Armenian population.

  Harput is/was a town on top of a low mountain (1,148 ft above sea lever). Below it lies a rich and fertile plain. Robert H. Hewsen in Armenia, A Historical Atlas says,

  " This part of Armenia was particularly fertile and, with its numerous trees, was much more verdant than most of the high plateau. The climate was generally healthy although there were intermittent fevers in the area around Keban Maden and Malatya during the summer months. There was much snow in the winter but little after February. By Armenian standards, the climate must be counted as mild "

• Did Catherine and Toros live in Harput at any time after their marriage?
• Given the Armenian ethnic situation in that part of Turkey and the fact that Kivot was born in Constantinople was the Parnegian's last address in Turkey really Harput?
• What was the situation of the Armenian population of Harput during the genocide?
• Why didn't Toros and Catherine Parnegian list their relatives in Turkey as the Azarians of Constantinople?
• Why was Toros in Lawrence between 1909 and 1915? Did he return to Turkey too late to help his family? Why did he not just send for them to come to the Sataes?
• Pauline said that Toros had a family who died in the genocide. How does that fit in with his being in the US for plus or minus 6 years?
• There are no listings in the censuses for Messrop Parnagian (Parmakian)
• Obviously the address of the relatives in the US was Lawrence, Massachusetts and not Lawrence, Rhode Island

Toros and Catherine in the 1930 census

I did not find a listing for Toros and Catherine Parnegian in the 1930 census.

George Parnegian and Angela Krikorian

George Parnagian's first wife was Angela Krikorian. They had a daughter, Christine Parnagian Esposito. See below for photos of Angela Krikorian Parnagian and Christine Parnagian Esposito.

Notes on Angela Krikorian:

1. Born New Britain, Hartford Co., Connecticut 23 January 1922.

2. 1930 Census: New Britain Hartford Connecticut Wenthop Street, Garibert Krikorian, own $13,000, age 50 married at 40, born Turkey, immigrated 1909, NA, proprietor barber shop, Agavni, wife age 44, immigrated 19(0 or 1)9, AL, Angeli, daughter, age 8, born Connecticut, Edward, son age 7, born Connecticut, Ghevondian, Veronica, step daughter, age 23, immigrated 1920, AL, Armenia (?), bent (?) worker, hardware factory

   No further listings for Edward.

3. Immigration of Agavni and her children: SS Kenry R Mallory arriving New York May 14, 1920 from Napoli: Aghavoni Ghevontian, age 38, female, house wife, unable to read, 5 ft 4 in Ernestine age 16 female housewife, unable to read, 5 ft 3 inches, Veronica age 14, Housewife unable to read, 5 feet no incles, Hrepsimeh age 10 female, no height, unable to read, no height, all had brown hair and brown eyes. All coming from Constantinople, Turkey. Relative in Turkey Aghavoni's aunt Jackzian. All going to Worcester Mass All going to Aghavoni's uncle John Ghevontian 70 Winter Street Worcester Mass.

George Parnegian WWII

George Parnagian born 1919, in Turkey, living in Hartford Connecticut, enlisted 31 August 1943 in Boston, Massachusetts, private enlistment for duration of woar, 4 years of high school, married.

Death of Catherine Azarian Parnegian

According to George Parnagian, Catherine died December 1, 1982 in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Gadar Parnagian SSN 033-09-0534, 01841 Lawrence, Essex, Massachusetts, born 29 Oct 1896 died Dec 1892. (SSDI)

Information Supplied by George Parnagian

George provided me with the following information several years ago

Mother, Catherine (Gadarini) born October, 1896, died December 31, 1982 in Lawrence, Massachusetts

Father, Toros Parnagian, born in Haput, Turkey in 1882, died on December 8, 1955 in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Catherine and Toros were married in Constantinople in February 1919.

Their son, George, was born on December 26, 1919 in Constantinople.

George's wife, Pauline (Polly) Boghus was born on November 23, 1927 in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Polly and George met in Nashua, New Hampshire. Polly says,

"I was working in a drug store and George was selling merchandize to them. (Ours is a long story.)".

Children of George and Polly:

1. Diane, born February 15, 1950, Nashua, New Hampshire.

   Diane married Mark Juknavorian who was born on June 28, 1948 in Lowell, Ma. They met at church.

   Diane and Mark have :

   1. Dara born in 1980 in Methuen, Massachusetts
   2. Mark born December 7, 1985 in Methuen, Massachusetts.
2. Katherine (Kay), born May 15, 1951, Nashua, New Hampshire.

   Katherine married Robert Hussen who was born on November 6, 1948 in Lowell, Ma. They met in church.

   Kay and Bob have four children:

   1. Christine, born September 13, 1974
   2. Michelle born June 10, 1977
   3. Michael born July 22, 1979
   4. Gregory born October 16, 1991
3. Paula, born November 7, 1953, Methuen, Massachusetts

4. Charlotte, born April 9, 1957, Methuen, Massachusetts
5. Christopher, born September 5, 1961, Methuen, Massachusetts.

As of 1999 Paula, Charlotte and Christopher were single.

• George's father, Toros Parnagian, came from the village of Chemishgezet. According to Armenia, A Historical Atlas by Robert H Hewsen, Chemishgazet is about 75 kilometers north of Harput in the Vilayet of Mamuretulaziz.
• Toros had been married and had a family that died in the genocide. See The Genocide for information on the genocide in Harput.
• All of Toros' family, including siblings, died in the genocide and although the immigration information listed a brother, Messrop "Parnakian", in Lawrence, "R.I." Toros did not have any relatives in the states.
• Polly and George were sure that Toros and Catherine had not gotten married until 1919. This means that Catherine was 23 at the time. I feel that was quite old for a first marriage for the time and culture. However, Polly said that Catherine was not married earlier because she was the caregiver to her younger siblings.
• When I asked them why Catherine and her sisters who lived in New Jersey had not seen much of each other over the years, they told me that the New Jersey sisters considered themselves very Americanized and Toros too old world. Catherine saw a lot of Uncle Mike (Melcon). George said that he had been to New Jersey several times as a child to visit the family there.

Death of George Parnagian

George T. Parnagian, Birth: 26 Dec 1919, Death: 26 Dec 2003 - Methuen, Essex, Massachusetts, United States of America Civil: Massachusetts

Also listed in Massachusetts Death Index, wife, Pauline Boghus, other info the same.

Angela Krikorian Parnagian (in the print dress) and Emilla Marzullo Esposito (in the blue dress) at Emilla's 90th birthday party, August 2002.

Tony Esposito and Christine Parnagian Esposito at Emilla's 90th birthday party, August 2002.