Aintab

Discussion about various cities in the old country

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aintabgirl
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I am interested in any information regarding life and families in Aintab...before, during or after 1915. I am especially interested in finding BALABANIAN , KOUYOUMJIAN, YESAIAN, HAROUTUNIAN descendents with ancestry from Aintab!
Ainilian
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My family was also from Aintab. They were Demerjians and Ishkanians. They were deported. I can tell you a little about life in Aintab as told to me by my parents. The Armenians lived in a separate quarter of Aintab, and most were very successful business people in the trades of cloth, vineyards, copperware and mostly jewelry. After the deportation, the turks brought in a jeweler to train others in this trade, as most of the armenians were gone.

The life was simple, and most of my relatives were related to each by marriage and such, and so most of the ancestral land was kept in the family, which is one of the main reasons we were killed and/or deported. After the genocide, the turks relocated people from other parts of turkey to occupy the homes and the land of the Armenians. Like they did to the Jewish people in Germany. There is a book out of print now, but you can probably still order it called Village Life in Turkey, which details the life of the Armenians prior to the deportation. My cousin and his wife went back to Aintab 7 years ago, and found his grandfathers house. It was occupied by a turkish woman, and she allowed him to visit the home. He said his grandfathers Seth Thomas Clock was still on the wall. He went with a tour group and the tour operator will locate and find your ancestors home and land in Intep. If you want more information please do not hesitate to email me.
aintabgirl
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Greetings, Thank you for your reply regarding Aintab. I am interested in everything I can learn. I have learned just a few things about our extended family's pre-1915 life in Aintab from a third cousin who found my queries on another genealogy forum. I have read the (English) version "A Briefer History of Aintab" by Saraffian. I am especially interested in personal stories and family names, as one never knows where a connection might be found. I think I listed some of my family names earlier, but I'll list again, "just in case" I omitted anything. As you may know, many families had multiple names (Turkish version, Armenian version, father's name, profession...I have run into this difficulty, and it makes it hard to know which names to research. I don't have much time now, so I'll list them quickly and try to get back to this site later. Kouyoumjian (possibly was originally Nazarian), Haroutunian (a.k.a. Hopartinian/Hopartin/Artinian), Balabanian, Assaian (a.k.a. Asaoglu).
lenari
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How can I conduct genealogy research and then create a family tree? Here's the scoop: I need to conduct genealogy research for an academic project, and create a detailed report about my family and their roots and highlight it with a family tree. How do I go about doing it? How do I begin? What are some good websites? Other sources? This is not only intellectually interesting, but its for a project grade (40%). Please help me. Thank you in advance.
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Last edited by lenari on Tue Jun 23, 2009 12:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
aintabgirl
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I'm not really a good person to ask. My research has been a bit haphazard. I'd try posting your question in another topic thread or try asking at Ancestry.com and or Family Search.org. You'll get much better help. In fact, I think both of these sites have instructional areas to teach beginners about genealogy research.
Mushrooms
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Father Babayan records the fateful events that finally obliterated that town from any traces of Armenian homes, churches, schools or businesses by the Kemalist Turkish army.Father Babayan, counseled their flocks to flee their homes because it was no longer safe for them. Though many departed mostly to Beirut, Syria, where negotiations had finally secured safe passage for them with French laisser passer , many more decided to stay.I am quoting a part of Father Babayan’s diary that I feel is very poignant. He clearly shows how the politics of the West dropped the ball, allowing the massacres to continue and the Turkish army to invade Aintab chasing every Armenian out of their homes. It is rather bitter and I can certainly understand why. This is why I believe Armenian descendents deserve an American genocide resolution to be passed in Congress. The American government owes us that much.Father Babayan and his congregation were transported by the British forces to Port Said, Egypt for their safety. However, in 1919 he returned to become involved with the self-defense operations of the Armenian “Aintabtzys.” He left with the last Armenian survivor to Aleppo, Syria.
Carpet
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The city of Aintab had a sizeable Armenian population until the genocide of 1915. Armenians lived alongside other groups and were well-to-do in trade, commerce, and agriculture. Aintab was a major educational center with several Armenian schools of good repute; the city also had an impressive cathedral (St. Asdvadzadzin).Aintab was part of the Central Turkey Mission of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.It is remarkable that so many Americans left their homes in the United States to live and work amongst Armenians" said Ara Sarafian, who introduced Shepard of Aintab. "So many Americans would leave their comfortable homes in the United States, friends, and families, without knowing if they would ever return." Many missionaries actually died at young age while on service abroad. Dr. Shepard was one such American. He lived and worked most of his life in Aintab and died there in 1915. Many Ainatabtsies today still remember him fondly, and the wonderful medical service he rendered to everyone.
Carpet
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The Armenian Revolutionists apparently made little effort, certainly met with no success, to embroil these communities, and when the storm burst in the north there was a general feeling that these places would be spared. One exception might be made in regard to Marash, and the well-known jealousy of the Turkish Government in regard to colleges made some fear for Aintab. The mutterings preceding the storm were heard, however, as soon as the word of the massacre at Constantinople had reached the Turkish population of the region. There was trouble in the smaller places first, an attack in Urfa on November 3d; and then, less than.
Group
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The place was probably of Hittite origin and does not appear to have been settled by Greeks. The bazaars of Aintab are a great centre for "Hittite" antiquities, found at various sites from Sakchegoizu on the west to Jerablus on the east. The modern town lies in the open treeless valley of the Sajur, a tributary of the Euphrates, and on the right bank, 65 m. north-east of Aleppo, with which it is connected by a chaussee, passing through Killis. This road proceeds east to the great crossing of Euphrates at Birejik, and thus Aintab lies on the highway between N. Syria and Urfa-Mosul and has much transit trade and numerous khans.
Coupon
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Aintab was the home to many Armenians. Following the Armenian Genocide, the area that the memorial now lies on was an empty stretch of land. Between 1984 and March 2001, the area was the location of the 1921 Self Defense Battle of Aintab Memorial. The Fountain -Memorial is now located adjacent to the Self Defense Battle of Aintab Memorial.
Coupon
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There is also a flourishing Franciscan mission. Striped cloths and pekmez, a sweet paste made from grapes, are the principal manufactures; and tobacco and cereals the principal cultures. The town is unusually well and solidly built, good stone being obtained near at hand.
Last edited by Coupon on Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
Coupon
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The place was probably of Hittite origin and does not appear to have been settled by Greeks. The bazaars of Aintab are a great centre for "Hittite" antiquities, found at various sites from Sakchegoizu on the west to Jerablus on the east. The modern town lies in the open treeless valley of the Sajur, a tributary of the Euphrates, and on the right bank, 65 m. north-east of Aleppo, with which it is connected by a chaussee, passing through Killis.
Last edited by Coupon on Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
Wedding1
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The site of Douche, famous for its worship of Baal (Zeus Dolichenus), adopted by the Seleucids and eventually spread all over the Roman empire, lies at Duluk, two hours N.W.; but nothing is to be seen there except a mound. The place was probably of Hittite origin and does not appear to have been settled by Greeks. The bazaars of Aintab are a great centre for "Hittite" antiquities, found at various sites from Sakchegoizu on the west to Jerablus on the east. The modern town lies in the open treeless valley of the Sajur, a tributary of the Euphrates, and on the right bank, 65 m. north-east of Aleppo, with which it is connected by a chaussee, passing through Killis.
Wedding1
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There is also a flourishing Franciscan mission. Striped cloths and pekmez, a sweet paste made from grapes, are the principal manufactures; and tobacco and cereals the principal cultures. The town is unusually well and solidly built, good stone being obtained near at hand. The Moslem inhabitants are mainly of Turkoman origin, and used to owe fealty to chieftains of the family of Chapan Oglu, whose headquarters were at Yuzgat in Cappadocia.
Wedding1
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Armenian protestants are a large and rich community, which suffered less in the massacre of 1895 than the Gregorians. There is a small Episcopalian body, which has a large unfinished church, and a schismatic "catholicos," who has vainly tried to gain acceptance into the Anglican communion
Last edited by Wedding1 on Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:22 am, edited 2 times in total.
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