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Legacy Identifier dadrian-eskijian-085-lg-014

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Transcript (If available)

Content September 10, 2010

Dear Professor Balakian,

My name is Nancy Eskijian. My father (deceased) is Mr.
Luther Eskijian, founder of the Ararat-Eskijian Museum, Genocide
survivor, architect and philanthropist. My grandfather is Rev.
Hovhannes Eskijian, who perished in the Genocide at the age of
34 of typhus, the day before he was to be publically executed,
and the reason why I am writing you this letter.

First, let me say, I have read Black Dog of Fate, Burning
Tigris and Armenian Golgotha. All are outstanding contributions
to the historical record of our nation. You are a compelling
writer, and you honor the subject matter of your writing.

For that reason, I have an important request and let me
present it to you this way. For nearly 100 years, my family has
kept a record of the work of Rev. Hovhannes Eskijian during the
Genocide-eye witness accounts, letters, articles. My
grandmother, Mrs. Gulenia Eskijian knew that his story was
important.

Our whole nation had many personal stories, you-and—ftgrew
up with them, and some people in these stories were even
instrumental in saving others. But Rev. Eskijian’s story is
highly unique as he was instrumental in saving thousands. In
2001 Hilmar Kaiser wrote a book which covered the work of Rev.
Eskijian and others engaged in humanitarian efforts,
collaborating with my father and myself, called At the
Crossroads of Der Zor. A book on grandfather had long been a
desire of my father. While I believe Hilmar did a first cut at
this subject and we are grateful to him for that, Rev.
Eskijian’s story deserves to be told with passion and with a
redemptive quality Shik busty co hud # nell

I quote from witness accounts in the chapter I contributed
to Hilmar’s book to give you some idea of Rev. Eskijian’s work:

Inherited Values

Title Documents (26) mostly about Hovhannes Eskijian, 1916-2010

Alternative Title Unknown file (supplied title)

Description 26 documents mostly about Hovhannes Eskijian, including correspondence, tickets, family tree, notes, articles, testimonial, speech:

2-13) John Minassian, "Eulogy on the the late Rev. Hohvannes Eskijian". Handwritten in English (12 pages) translated by Hovsep O. Janjikian from Armenian.

14-20) Nancy Eskijian, letter, 2010 September 10, to Balakian. "My name is Nancy Eskijian" -- first line. Typewritten letter (7 pages).

21) Red Star Line, ticket, 1920 October 7 - October 13, for ship passage from Paris to New York, for Gulenia Eskijian and her two children, Emmanuel Eskijian and Luther Eskijian. Printed and handwritten in French (1 page).

22) Eskijian family tree. Handwritten diagram (1 page)..

23) "Rescued from Turk slavery" in Chicago Daily Tribune (1920 November 15) page 5. In English (1 page).

24-27) "3 orphans"..., notes. Handwritten in English (4 pages).

28) "John Minassian one of the young people"..., note. Handwritten in English (1 page).

29) Inspection cards (3) and Landing cards (3) for passage on the Laplandis [ship] from Antwerp, Belgium, 1920 October 13, to New York, for Luther Eskijian, Gulenia Eskijian, and Emmanuel Eskijian. Printed in English.

30-32) Gulenia Danielian Eskijian, Aleppo, Syria, letter, 1919 February 13, to Esther Barsumian. "Thank God, at last we received with great joy your letter..." -- first line. Typewritten translation in English (3 pages).

33-34) Gulenia Eskijian, "My late beloved husband Rev. Hovhannes Eskijian had translated"..., 1928 July 4, document. Handwritten in English from dictation of Gulenia Eskijian (2 pages).

35-37) Sisag S. Manoogian, letter, ca. 1916, to Gulenia Khanoum Eskijian. "The sad news of Rev. Hovhannes Eskijian's death..." -- first line. Typewritten translation in English by Hovsep O. Janjikian, 1975 July 4 (3 pages).

38-39) K.K., Beirut, Lebanon, letter, 1965 August 4, to Luther Eskijian. "I believe this letter will be a kind of surprise"... -- first line. Typewritten in English (2 pages).

40-42) W. Nesbitt Chamber (Tank Missionary Home), Oberlin, Ohio, USA, letter, 1916 November 2, to Moses H. Danielian. "Your letter was forwarded to me" -- first line. Handwritten in English (3 pages) with handwritten note in English by Gulenia Eskijian on the third page.

43-44) H.V. Najarian, Sabina [Al-Sabinah], Syria, letter, 1916 April 2, to Gulenia H. Eskijian. "I am in front of a strange delirium..." -- first line. Typewritten translation in English from the Turkish (Armenian script) (2 pages) by Hovsep O. Janjikian, 1975 June 23-27.

45-48) Sarkis F. Consulian, "An immortal memory of a wingless angel", a testimonial on Hovhannes Eskijian. Handwritten translation in English from the Armenian (4 pages).

49-51) Manoog Norhadian. "Rev. Hovhannes Eskijian" in Baikar (1926 February 10). Handwritten English translation (3 pages) from Armenian.

52-54) John B. Manassian, "To the unforgetable memory of Rev. Hovannes Eskijian", Aleppo, Syria, 1916 March 25. Handwritten in Turkish (Armenian script) (3 pages).

55-66) Hovannes "John" B. Minassian, New York, New York, USA, eulogy "To the Rev. H. Eskijian", 1926 December, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the late Rev. Eskijian's death. "It is often very sweet to remember the past..." -- first line. Handwritten translation in English (12 pages) from Armenian, by Hovsep O. Janjikian, Los Angeles, California, USA, 1975 May.

67) Luther Eskijian, 1047 North Oxford Street, Los Angeles, California, USA, letter, 1977 August 17, to George Toutikian [sic]. "I want to express my sincere thanks"... -- first line. Handwritten in English (1 page).

68) Few lines of a patriotic Armenian song, sung around 1914. Handwritten in Turkish (Armenian script) (1 page).

69-76) Unidentified document in 2 or 3 parts. Possibly includes a letter dated 1909 [month] 15. Handwritten in Armenian (3 pages, 4 pages, 1 page).

77-79) Hagop Haleblian, "Testimony for Rev. John Eskijian", after 1950. Handwritten in English on French and Arabic letterhead (3 pages).

80) Ց.Վ. Նաճաըեան [Ts.V. Nachaian], letter. "Պիը խայալ էօնիւնտէ պուլունույօըում:" ["Here's what's best for you:"] -- first line. Typewritten in Turkish (Armenian script) by Hovsep O. Janjikian, 1975 June 26 (1 page).

81-87) Manasseh H. Shnorhokian, document on Hovhannes Eskijian, [s.d.]. Handwritten in Turkish (Armenian script) (6 pages). In: Manasseh H. Shnorhokian (Armenian Mission), Beirut, Lebanon, envelope, 1957 (or later) August 18?, to Luther Eskijian, 1760 East Washington Street, Pasadena, California, USA. With handwritten summary in English (1 page).

88) John B. Minassian, letter, 1964 October 28, to Luther Eskijian. "In my memories of war notebook..." -- first line. Handwritten in English (1 page).

89-90) John B. Minassian, letter, 1964 October 27, to Luther Eskijian. "I have to know from you..." -- first line. Handwritten in English (2 pages).

91-94) A commemorative speech in which Hovhannes Eskijian is praised for serving God and his people. From John Minassian. Handwritten in Armenian (4 pages).

Subject Eskijian, Hovhannes, 1882-1916 (personal name)

Coverage Spatial 1047 North Oxford Street (roadways), Aleppo (cities), Armenian Mission (religious facilities), Asia (continents), Beirut (cities), Europe (continents), France (countries), Lebanon (countries), Los Angeles (cities), Los Angeles County (counties), New York (states), New York (cities), North America (continents), Oberlin (cities), Ohio (states), Paris (cities), Sabina (cities), Syria (countries), Tank Missionary Home (residential sites), USA (countries)

Coverage Temporal 1916/2010

Inherited Subject Eskijian, Hovhannes, 1882-1916 (personal name)

Repository Email specol@lib.usc.edu (digital); eskijian@ararat-eskijian-museum.com (original)

Repository Name USC Libraries Special Collections (digital); Ararat-Eskijian Museum (physical)

Repository Location Doheny Memorial Library, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189 (digital); 15105 Mission Hills Road, Mission Hills, CA 91345 (physical)

Rights Minassian, Hovannes "John" B.; Janjikian, Hovsep O.; Eskijian, Nancy, 1947-; Eskijian (née Danielian), Gulenia H., 1888-1946; Manoogian, Sisag S.; K.K.; Chamber, W. Nesbitt; Tank Missionary Home; Najarian, H.V.; Consulian, Sarkis F.; Norhadian, Manoog; Eskijian, Luther, 1913-2007; Haleblian, Hagop; Nachaian, Ts.V.; Shnorhokian, Manasseh H.

Date Created 1909, 1916, 1916-03-25, 1916-04-02, 1916-11-02, 1919-02-13, 1920-02-07, 1920-10-13, 1920-11-15, 1926-12, 1928-07-04, 1950/NA, 1957-08-18, 1964-10-27, 1964-10-28, 1965-08-04, 1975-06-26, 1977-08-17, 2010-09-10