In 1620, eight families of skilled laborers emigrated from Karabagh (Eastern Armenia) to Afion Karahissar (Central Turkey). One of these was (the ancestor) of Ohannes Donelian (my paternal grandfather). For details, see my introduction. After some 200 years and 4 or 5 generations of grandchildren of grandchildren, my paternal grandfather, Ohannes, was born in 1818. Ohannes, my paternal grandfather, had 5 children: Kevork, my father, was born in 1841. His baptismal name was changed to Khatchadour upon his ordination, as per the traditions of the Armenian Church. Avedis. Hripsimeh. Hagop. Anna. Ohannes, my paternal grandfather, was married to a woman named Soultahn. Ohannes, my maternal grandfather, was married to a woman named Soultahn, as well. Kevork (der Khatchadour), martyred in 1915, and Mariam (daughter of Ohannes, my maternal grandfather, and Soultahn Chorjalian), martyred in 1915, were married in 1865. Kevork (der Khatchadour) and Mariam had 8 children: Garabed, born in 1862*, died in 1946 in Paris** . Nouritza, born in 1868, died in 1953. Armenaz, born in 1870, died at the age of 2. Aghavni, born in 1872, died in 1956, in Armenia. Armenouhi, born in 1874, died in 1909. Dikranouhi, born in 1876, martyred in 1915. Ohannes (self), born in 1878, author of this document. Haiganoush, born in 1880, martyred in 1915. I, Ohannes, born on August 11/23, 1878, son of der Khatchadour and Mariam Donelian, was married to Yeghsapet, born on November 16, 1893, daughter of Haji Avedis and Markareed Yeghiaian, on February 1/14, 1910, in Bourdour (Turkey). Our children are: Armenouhi, born on November 15/28, 1910. Avedis, born on September 2/15, 1912. Khatchik, born on August 26/September 8, 1914. Hrant, born on June 7/20, 1917 - died in 1933 of Leukemia. * Charles Donelian provided this information to me 10/9/2005 from review of his family's documents. This is a change from what my grandfather, Ohannes, wrote (1866) in his History of the Donelian Family . John Donelian. ** Valerie Donelian, great granddaughter of Garabed provided this information to me 6/11/2003. John Donelian. For all the historic dates associated with the ancestors of our clan, their emigrations and establishment in Afion Karahissar, I am indebted to the efforts and investigations of my late father. My father wrote down the findings of his investigations. His life story is based on those writings, and the many stories he told us orally about his life and times. In 1895, for example, he said: "Our clan emigrated from eastern Karabagh exactly 275 years ago, this year." "The emigrants comprised 8 families; all were craftsmen. One was the family of Ohannes Donerian (I'll get back to the Doner versus Donel issue in the pages that follow); he was a fine carpenter and an expert maker of the wooden butts of rifles. One was a coppersmith; another was a mason; two were blacksmiths, makers of locks and keys, etc.; yet another was a tailor-furrier, etc., etc." "Due to their craftsmanship, these emigrants were allowed, by the Mevlevi Dervish sect (of noble Seljuk ancestry), to settle down in Afion Karahissar." Afion Karahissar is a city in Asia Minor. In those days, it was part of the Brusa province. There were fields east of the city; rows of mountain ranges in the south, stretching around to the west and going back as far as the eye could see; and in the north, a monolithic mass, some 800-900 or more feet in height. Atop this mountain, the Genoans had erected ramparts, and had built underground silos, which were still intact. Thus, the families were allowed to settle down in what might be considered a dale. My father also said: "Since the land where they settled was rather removed from the Turkish and Mevlevi populations, there were many vacant fields around them." According to my father's written memoirs, they were allowed, after the construction of their houses was completed, to build a chapel in which to pray. The chapel occupied a 15' x 15' lot, and could barely accommodate 30-35 people at time. It was made of stone, and had no windows, except for a thick glass, five inches in diameter, covering a hole in the dome (this chapel stood erect even after the fire of 1902); they called it Saint Toross. In the 1780's, as the population grew, the Saint Toross church was built alongside the chapel, and the chapel was maintained to the left of the church (to the south), as a commemorative structure and sanctuary. Next to the altar in the chapel, in a cabinet with an iron door, handwritten in the margins of a Mashdotz, was a brief history of the eight families, their emigrations, their crafts, the warm welcome of the Mevlevis, the permission to build the chapel, the names of those who participated in the construction of the chapel, etc. etc. etc. These happenings were expounded upon in great detail in the historical accounts written by my father. Alas! Those priceless archives were reduced to dust in 1915, one day before the deportations, together with many other books and manuscripts ensconced in a chest buried beneath the large granary in the basement of our house. Details of the contents, interment, and excavation of this chest are provided in the pages to come, in the section on deportations. As the population grew, and the Armenian section of the city grew larger, one church was not enough, and a decision was made to build another. A bigger church was built, and named Saint Asdvadzadzeen. As with a church, so a cemetery was a necessity for the pious Armenian people. Hence, even before the founding of the Saint Toross chapel, a substantial lot had been reserved in anticipation of building a church, and, at a distance of some 200 feet, a lot had been dedicated for a cemetery. By examining each and every old, worn-out tombstone in this small cemetery, and by cleaning stones buried in the ground for 1-2 years, my father came upon one that read "Ohannes, Son of Doner", with the date of death, in Armenian, underneath. This stone belonged to the grandfather of my paternal grandfather, Ohannes. My father had this priceless relic transported to the Saint Asdvadzadzeen church, and had a plain stone from the southern stone wall of the church removed, and replaced by it. Even if the church were burned down or destroyed, that cornerstone would have to be preserved due to the steep incline of the land. Thus, he felt assured that the relic would forever keep its place. Alas, with the entire Armenian population of the city deported with not a single Armenian left behind, and with the church being converted into a military warehouse, the stone remained there, without its rightful heirs. My father changed our original family name from "Doner" to "Donel". The reason? The word "doner", in Turkish letters, had the alternative pronunciation "deoner", and the word "deoner" was close to the Turkish word "doenmeh", which meant convert, and had a pejorative, unacceptable connotation. My father made this change in 1868, and the name Donelian has been carried forth ever since. From the date of emigration (1620) to 1902, over a span of 282 years, the Armenian population of Karahissar grew from 8 families to 1,500 households. The Turkish population numbered 6,000 households. Besides the Armenian and the Turks, there were no other nationalities present, except for 5-6 Greeks, who had emigrated from Izmir (Smyrna), and 4 or 5 Protestant families in 1902, as a result of the efforts, in the 1860's, of a Protestant minister. The Armenians had a large cemetery, east of the city, and adjacent to it. They also had a 60-room, two-story poorhouse. I do not know the dates of the founding of these institutions, and so I cannot furnish them; however, let me say that my paternal grandfather was buried in this cemetery, and every All Soul's Day, we would attend the cemetery, and witness my father's prayer for the repose of my grandfather's soul. Trade was virtually entirely in the hands of the Armenians. The major crops were poppy, wheat, barley, goat's wool, and sheep's wool. The craftsmen, too, were all Armenian: blacksmiths, goldsmiths, tailors, shoemakers, watchmakers, carpenters, masons, etc. The only rug factory was founded by my paternal uncle, Hagop, and my brother, Garabed. Excerpt from: History of the Donelian Family . Written by Ohannes Donelian (1878-1967), and translated from his hand-written manuscript, in Armenian. Music: Anush Garun (Ghazaryan) Gevorg Dabaghyan, Duduk CD 4312 Miniatures - Masterworks for Armenian Duduk Traditional Crossroads |
