1- The Golden Generation of Saidnayan Immigrants to the USA; By Ghassan Keriaky

Since I arrived on these shores, twenty six years ago, I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many Saidnaya descendents. Some were born over there, more than a hundred years ago, and were still longing to their beloved town; and some were born here and have never visited it, but they have heard so much about it from their parents and grandparents.

During those encounters, either visiting with families or at the reunions, I always found myself answering many questions about the connections between the Saidnaya descendents here and their relatives over there. One common topic was the different spellings, pronunciations and meanings of their names.

Because I grew up mostly in Damascus, my knowledge of Saidnaya families’ history was very limited. So, I started collecting information from all the people I knew and saving it for those who are searching for family connections.

Thirteen years ago, I launched a project to collect the names of the first Saidnaya immigrants who were the connecting dots of all families. I thought if I could document their names in Saidnaya, I would make things much easier for their descendents here and their relatives there to re-connect.

 
This list is to honor all those pioneering immigrants who blazed the trail for their families and the newer generations of immigrants. And I have to thank the many people who helped me gather these names. Some of the ones who contributed have passed away. God bless their souls.  

[This list includes those who were born in Saidnaya and came here between 1880 and 1924, during the so-called “the great immigration.” So far, I counted 87 men and 43 women coming form 39 Saidnaya families.

To read more about the discrepancy in the names, go to my other article on the history of Saidnaya Reunion in this blog]

Here is the list:  

Name (Maiden Name): [Name in Saidnaya]; Spouse's name (Maiden Name)

Abdella, Elizabeth (Jahahn): [Leeza Jeha]; Spouse: Peter Abdella      

Abdella, George: [Jurios Mikha’eel Zaher]; Never Married       
Abdella, Michael: [Mikha’eel Abdellah Zaher]; Spouse from Saidnaya (name unknown)
Abdella, Peter: [Butros Mikha’eel Zaher]; Spouse: Elizabeth (Jahahn) Abdella         
Peter Abdella, George Abdella and Rose (Abdella) Thomas were Michael Abdella’s children who were born in Saidnaya. Michael had two more children born here: Raymond and Thomas
Elizabeth was Elian John Jahahn’s daughter who was born in Saidnaya

Ahmer, Thomas John: [Touma Ahmar]; Spouse: Minnie S. (Ball) Ahmer [American Woman]

Azar, Albert: [Abdellah Azar Keriaky] Never Married
He was a first cousin to Bahia (Keriaky) Farris, Samuel Karakey and Charles Keriaky

Betres, Francis: [Francis Butros Al-Khoury]; Spouse: Zarifa (Lahmar) Betres

Betres, Habib: [Habeeb Butros Al-Khoury]; Spouse: Turkman (Khaleel) Betres         
Betres, Kelly: [Khaleel Butros Al-Khoury]; Spouse: Freda (Abboud) Betres [Syrian Woman]   
Betres, Turkman (Khaleel): [Tutkman Khaleel Al-Khoury]; Spouse: habib Betres
Betres, Zarifa (Lahmar): [Zhareefa Ahmar or Ahmar Al-Khoury]; Spouse: Francis Betres
Francis, Habib and Kelly were brothers

Corey, Albert: [Abdellah Mikha’eel Qozma Al-Khoury]; Marital status unknown

Corey, Alex: [Anees Mikha’eel Qozma Al-Khoury]; Spouse: Elizabeth Corey
Corey, Charles: [Nayef Mikha’eel Qozma Al-Khoury]; Spouse: Zmrood (Mesalam) Corey  
Corey, Mary: [Mariam (or Naqiyya) Jurios Qozma Al-Khoury]; Spouse: Samuel Corey
Corey, Samuel: [Salem Riziq Qozma]; Spouse: Mary Corey
Corey, Zmrood (Mesalam): [Zmurrod Niqola Mesalam Qozma]; Spouse: Charles Corey
Albert, Alex and Charles were brothers and they were first cousins with the Matouk family and Mary Corey and they were all Father Abdellah Mikha’eel Qozma’s grandchildren.
Elizabeth (Alex’s wife) was Mary Corey’s daughter.
Zmrood was Nicholas Mesalam’s daughter who was born in Saidnaya.

Corey, Husun: [Husun Ya'qoob]; Spouse: John Corey    

Corey, John: [Farhan Ya'qoob]; Spouse: Husun (Ya'qoob) Corey
Corey, Michael: [Nakhleh Ya'qoob]; Spouse: Salma (Saba) Corey
Corey, Salma (Saba): [Salma Rashid Saba]; Spouse: Michael Corey
John was the first ever Saidnayan immigrant (1879).
Michael was John and Husun's son who was born in Saidnaya.
Salma (Saba) Corey and Mary (Saba) Maria were sisters. Their father, Rashid, went with the rest of his children to South America.

Corra, Dave: [Deeb Ra'ed]; Spouse: Mary Corra (?) [Lebanese Woman]

Corra, Abraham: [Ibraheem Riziq Al-Khoury]; Spouse: Fahada (Farris) Corra
Corra, Ellis: [Elias Riziq Al-Khoury]; Spouse: Eva (Farris) Corra
Corra, Eva (Farris): [Dibeh Za'roor]; Spouse: Ellis Corra         
Corra, Fahada (Farris): [Fahda Za'roor]; Spouse: Abraham Corra
Corra, Alec: [Eskander Riziq Al-Khoury]; Marital status unknown
Alec was Ellis & Eva’s son who was born in Saidnaya.
Ebraham and Elias were Brothers married to the two sisters: Fahada and Eva.
Fahada & Eva were sisters of Asaad & Habib Farris and had another sister, Mariam, who immigrated to South America. One sister, Sa’eemeh stayed in Saidnaya and was never married

Coury, Annie (Ya'qoob): [Hanneh Ya'qoob]; Spouse: Nave Coury     

Coury, Nave: [Nayef Sulaiman Al-Khoury]; Spouse: Annie (Ya'qoob) Coury

Coury, Peter: [Butros Khoury]; Spouse: Nellie (Batal) Coury [Lebanese Woman]

Peter had a brother, Ameen, who stayed in Syria.

Eid, Frances (Risk): [Franjiyyeh Mikha’eel Riziq]; Spouse: John Eid

Eid, John: [Hanna Katreena]; Spouse: Frances (Risk) Eid
Frances was George Risk's sister and they had one more brother, Hanna Riziq, who went to South America and was never married.
John and Frances’s daughter, Eva Eid Simon, was born in Saidnaya.

Ellam, George: [Jurios Allam]; Spouse: Aralia Ellam (?) [Canadian Woman]

Ellem, Asaad: [As'ad Allam]; Never married
Ellem, Fahada (Fahad):          [Fahda Fahd Butros]; Spouse: John Ellem   
Ellem, John: [Hanna Allam]; Spouse: Fahda (Fahad) Ellem
Asaad and John were brothers.
George lived in Canada.
Fahada was Shahady Petros Fahad’s daughter who was born in Saidnaya.

Ellis, Habeeb: [Habeeb El-Talli]; Spouse: Eva Ellis

Fahad, Roumia (Lehmer): [Rumiyyeh Ahmar]; Spouse: Said Fahad 

Fahad, Shahady Petros: [Shehadeh Fahd Butros]; Spouse: Roumia (Lehmer) Fahad
Shahady & Roumia had one girl in Saidnaya: Fahada "Fahad" Ellem, and three other children here: Aileen, Margaret and Peter.

Farris, Asaad: [As’ad Za'roor]; Spouse: Bahia (Keriaky) Farris

Farris, Bahia (Keriaky): [Bahia Diab Keriaky]; spouse: Asaad Farris 
Farris, Habib: [Habeeb Za'roor]; Spouse: Elizabeth Farris [American Woman]         
Asaad & Habib were brothers to Fahada Corra & Eva Corra. They had a sister, Mariam Serhow, who immigrated to South America. One sister, Na’eemeh stayed in Saidnaya and was never married.
Bahia was Charles Keriaky & Samuel Karakey’s sister.

Ferrell, Charles Joseph: [Name in Saidnaya unknown]; Spouse: Elizabeth (George) Ferrell [American Woman]

Ferrell, Frank Elias: [Name in Saidnaya unknown]; Spouse: Catherine (Thoman) Ferrell [American Woman]
Charles (came 1908) and Frank (came 1911) were brothers and went to Lowell, MA initially, then to Parkersburg, WV then settled in Portsmouth, OH. Their names in Saidnaya are unknown.

Gasses, George: [Jutios Qassis]; Spouse: Ann (or Hanneh Kfoori) Gasses [Syrian from Ma’aret Saidnaya]

George Gasses was John Corey's half brother

George, John: [Hanna Jurios Qozma]; Spouse: Ramza George

George, Ramza: [Ramza (Unknown maiden name)]; Spouse: John George
John and Ramza had one daughter, Faye George Maria, in Saidnaya.
John George and Mahana Ozman were brothers. They were first cousins with Samuel and Abraham Osman. Their grandfather was Ibraheem Qozma.

Halaly, Shahady: [Shehadeh Helaleh]; Never married

Holaly, Michael: [Mikha’eel Helaleh]; Spouse: first wife from Saidnaya
Holaly, Michael’s first wife: name is unknown
Michael and Shahady were brothers.
Michael was first married to a Saidnaya woman who gave birth to all of his children (Nicholas, Mary, Tofeek (M Taft), Freda and Betty.) After her death, he remarried twice to American women.

Jahahn, Ellian John: [Lian Hanna Jeha]; Spouse: Della Jahahn

Jahahn, Della: [name in Saidnaya unknown]; Spouse: Ellian John Jahahn
Elizabeth Jahahn Abdella was their daughter and was born in Saidnaya. They had five more children here: Frances, Albert, Mary, Helene and Mamie.

Katreena, Albert: [Abdellah Katreena]; Marital status unknown.

Lived in Lowell, MA

Karakey, Samuel: [Salem Diab Keriaky]; Spouse: Janela (Moore) Karakey (or Jameeleh Al-mur, in Arabic) [Lebanese Woman]    

Keriaky, Charles: [Khaleel Diab Keriaky]; Never Married
Charles Keriaky, Samuel Karakey and Bahia "Keriaky" Farris were siblings and Albert Azar was their first cousin.

Lehmer, George Joseph: [George Ahmar]; Spouse: Emma Lehmer [American Woman]

Lofty, Charles: [Shehadeh Lutfy]; Marital status unknown

Maria, John: [Hanna Maria]; Spouse: Mary (Saba) Maria 

Maria, Mary (Saba): [Mariam Rashid Saba]; Spouse: John Maria
Maria, Faye (George): [Afeefeh Hanna Qozma]; Spouse: George Maria
Maria, George: [Jurios Hanna Maria]; Spouse: Faye (Ozman) Maria
John Maria and Mary (Saba) Maria had two children in Saidnaya, George Maria and Hondoma (Maria) Shaheen, and two more here, Frank & Albert Maria.
Faye George Maria is John George's daughter who was born in Saidnaya.
Mary (Saba) Maria & Salma (Saba) Corey were sisters. Their father, Rashid, went with the rest of his children to South America.

Marion, George: [George Maria]; Spouse: name unknown [American Woman]

George Marion and George Maria were cousins.

Marod, Asa: [‘Eesa Murad]; Spouse: Mary Marod

Marod, Mary: [Mariam (Maiden name unknown)]; Spouse: Asa Marod
Asa’s first wife died during child-birth. His duaghter stayed back with her grandmother. His daughter’s name was Mariam ‘Eesa and was married to Toufiq Diab Keriaky and had no children.

Matouk, Joseph: [Yousef Jurios Ma'tooq]; Spouse: Mary (Osman) Matouk

Matouk, Moses: [Mousa Jurios Ma'tooq]; Spouse: Hnayeh Matouk
Matouk, Hnayeh: [Haniyya (maiden name unknown)]; Spouse: Moses Matouk
Joseph, Moses and Zena Matouk Nuckel were siblings. They were the children of Mariam Qozma, the daughter of Father Abdellah Qozma.
Mary was Abraham Osman and Margaret's daughter. Mary was born here.

Mesalam, george: [Jurios Mesalam Qozma]; Spouse: Elizabeth Mesalam

Mesalam, James: [Ameen Mesalam Qozma]; Spouse: Nesley Mesalam         
Mesalam, Kamel: [Kamel Mesalam Qozma]; Spouse: name unknown (stayed in Saidnaya)
Mesalam, Nicholas: [Niqola Messalam Qozma]; Spouse: Miriam Mesalam
Mesalam, Miriam: [Mariam As’ad Qozma]; Spouse: Nicholas Mesalam
Mesalam, Nesley: [Najla Mikha’eel Qozma]; Spouse: James Mesalam 
George, James, Kamel, Nicholas and Mulka Mesalam Nasser were siblings.
Miriam Mesalam and Thalga Ozman were sisters.
Nicholas had one daughter in Saidnaya: Zmrood Mesalam Corey.
The fathers Mesalam, As’ad, Riziq and Father Abdellah Qozma were first cousins and their grandfather was Hanna Qozma.

Nackel, Charles: [Shehadeh Nakhel]; Spouse: Ida (Eid) Nackel

Nackel, Ida (Eid): [‘Aida Katreena]; Spouse: Charles Nackel
The Nachel lived in Lowell, MA while the Nuckel lived in Indianapolis, IN.

Nasser, Mulka (Mesalam): [Malaka Mesalam Qozma]; Spouse: Nasser, first name unknown     

Mulka Mesalam Nasser was a sister to George, James, Kamel and Nicholas Mesalam

Nedeef, Elias Leon: [Elias Lyan Naddaf]; Spouse: Mary Elsie (Chevuront) Nedeef [American Woman]      

Nedeff, Michael Leon: [Makhoul Lyan Naddaf]; Spouse: Wyde (Abraham) Nedeff [American Woman]
Nedeff, Amien Leon: [Ameen Lyan Naddaf]; Never married. Lived in NYC
Nedeff, Michael: [Mikha'eel Makhoul Naddaf]; Spouse: Romia (Germoush) Nedeff   
Nedeff, Moses: [Mousa Makhoul Naddaf]; Spouse: Mary (Ellison) Nedeff [American Woman]        
Nedeff, Romia (Germoush): [Rumiyyeh Jarmoosh]; Spouse: Michael Nedeff
Michael Leon Nedeff, Elias Leon Nedeef and Amien Leon Nedeff were brothers. Their parents were Lyan Naddaf and Takla Karraz who stayed in Saidnaya with their son Fares Naddaf who became Saidnaya’s Mayor.  
There was a brother or a cousin with the name Dhurgham Azar Nedeff who lived for a few years in the USA and went back to live in Bloodan, Syria where he opened a hotel.
Michael Leon Nedeff was a professional wrestler and was nicknamed “The Young Samson”
Michael and Moses were brothers and they came to the USA in the 1930s.

Newman, Dave Moses: [Diab Mousa Ne’meh]; Spouse: Turkman Newman

Newman, Turkman: [Turkman (maiden name unknown)]; Spouse: Dave Moses Newman
Newman, Turkman's sister: [Her name and marital status are unknown]     
Dave Moses was nicknamed "Zolfa" in Saidnaya..

Nuckel, Charles: [Shehadeh (or Khaleel) Nakhel]; Spouse: Zena (Matouk) Nuckel

Nuckel, Zena (Matouk): [Zaina Ma'tooq]; Spouse: Charles Nuckel    

The Nuckel lived in Indianapolis, IN while the Nachel lived in Lowell, MA.
Zena was Moses and Joseph Matouk’s sister.

Osman, Abraham: [Ibraheem Mikha’eel Qozma]; Spouse: Margaret Osman 

Osman, Margaret: [Muhja (maiden name unknown)]; Spouse: Abraham Osman        
Osman, Samuel: [Salem Mikha’eel Qozma]; Spouse: Rose (Ausoff) Osman [American Woman]        
Samuel, Abraham and Nesley Mesalam were siblings

Ozman, Mahana: [Mhanna Jurios Qozma]; Spouse: Thalga Ozman    

Ozman, Thalga: [Thalja As’ad Qozma]; Spouse: Mahana Ozman
Mahana Ozman and John George were brothers.
Thalga Ozman and Miriam Mesalam were sisters.
Mahana and Thalga had one daughter born in Saidnaya, Lena Ozman Shaheen

Risk, George: [Ajaj Mikha'eel Riziq]; Spouse: Nesley (Saba) Risk

Risk, Nesley (Saba): [Najla Niqola Saba]; Spouse: George Risk
Risk, Wadih Clarence: [Wadee' Ajaj Riziq]; Spouse: Minerva (Kallile) Risk [Lebanese Woman]         
Risk Stott, Wideha: [Wadee'a Ajaj Riziq]; Spouse: Russell Stott [American Man] 
Risk, Durgam: [Dhirgham Riziq]; Marital status unknown
Risk, Joseph: [Yousef Riziq]; Never married
George & Nesley had nine children: Three were born in Saidnaya: Helene stayed in Saidnaya and married to Makarius Sa'adeh. Wideha and Wadih Clarence came to the USA. Mary, Ferris, Marie, Beatrice, Michael and Frances were born here.
George Risk was Frances Risk Eid’s brother and they had one more brother, Hanna Riziq, who went to South America and was never married.
Nesley’s all other brothers and sisters went to South America except one sister, Jameeleh, stayed in Saidnaya. (Jameeleh was a nun).
Durgam was George Risk's cousin (limited info about him).

Rizk, Joseph: [Yousef Khaleel]; Never married

Joseph Rizk was Agnes (Khalil) Sadie’s brother
 
Saba, George: [Isber Azar Saba]; Spouse: Warda Al-Khouri
Saba, John: [Hanna Isber Saba]; Spouse: Ida Saba (huda Ouen) [Lebanese Woman]      
Saba, Peter: [Jurios Isber Saba]; Spouse: Elizabeth (Boyle) Saba [American Woman]
George’s wife and two sons (Salem & Habeeb) and one daughter (Wardeh) stayed back in Saidnaya. He and his two sons (Peter and John) came here.
George & Niqola (Nesley Risk’s father) and Rashid (Mary Maria and Salma Corey’s father) were brothers. Their father was Azar Saba.

Sadie, Agnes (Khalil): [Zakiyyeh Khaleel]; Spouse: Joseph Sadie       

Sadie, Joseph: [Yousef Se'adeh]; Spouse: Agnes (Khalil) Sadie
Sadie, Marie (Serhan): [Mariam Sarhan]; Spouse: George J. Sadie
Sadie, Tim: [Touma Se'adeh]; Spouse: Jennie (Betres) Sadie
Joseph and Tim were brothers.
Agnes (Khalil) Sadie was Joseph Rizk’s sister.
Tim’s wife, Jenni, was a Saidnaya descendent who was born here.
Marie and Zarifa Schrecongost are sisters. They came to the USA after WWII.
Marie’s husband, George Sadie, is Agnes and Joseph Sadie's son who was born here.

Schrecongost, Zarifa (Serhan): [Zarifa Sarhan]; Spouse: Paul T. Schrecongost.

She and Marie Sadie are daughters of Alexander and Jamila Serhan.

Serhall, Charles: [Shehadeh Sarhan]; Spouse: [American Woman]

Lived in Lowell, MA

Shaheen, Albert: [Seeh Shaheen]; Spouse: Hondoma (Maria) Shaheen
Shaheen, Charles: [Shehadeh Shaheen]; Spouse: Julia Ellis Shaheen (Jameela Elias) [Lebanese Woman]
Shaheen, Hondoma (Maria): [Hundooma Hanna Maria]; Spouse: Albert Shaheen      
Shaheen, Michael: [Muhsen Sheheen]; Spouse: Sadie Shaheen
Shaheen, Nicholas: [Niqola Shaheen]; Spouse: Lena (Ozman) Shaheen        
Shahenn, Lena (Ozman): [Leena Mhanna Jurios Qozma]; Spouse: Nicholas Shaheen
Albert, Michael and Nicholas were brothers and Charles was their cousin.
Lena was Mahana Ozman daughter.
Hondoma was John Maria’s daughter.

Simon, Alexander: [Iskandar Jurios Sim'an]; Spouse: Eva (Eid) Simon

Simon, Anna: [Hanneh Jurios Sim'an]; Spouse: Michael Simon
Simon, Charles: [Shehadeh Hanna Sim'an]; Spouse: Mildred (Cody) Simon (Malaka Al-Qady) [Lebanese Woman]
Simon, Eva (Eid): [Deeba Hanna Katreena]; Spouse: Alexander Simon
Simon, Mansour: [Mansoor Ibraheem Sim'an]; Spouse: Married twice (Arab then American woman)
Simon, Michael: [Mikha’eel Ibraheem Sim'an]; Spouse: Anna Simon
Alexander and Anna were siblings.
Michael and Mansour were brothers.
Charles lived in Lowell, MA.
All the Simon’s are distant cousins.
Eva was John Eid’s daughter who was born in Saidnaya.

Solomon, Thomas: [Touma Sulaiman]; Spouse: Helene Solomon [Lebanese Woman]

Thomas, Louie: [Elias Akhras]; Spouse: Married a woman from Sa’adeh (Sadie) family
Thomas, Peter: [Butros Akhras]; Spouse: Rose (Abdella) Thomas
Thomas, Rose (Abdella): [Warda Mikha’eel Zaher]; Spouse: Peter Thomas  
Thomas, Simon: [Sulaiman Akhras]; Marital status unknown
Louie, Peter and Simon were brothers and their nickname was "Touma"
Rose was Michael Abdella’s daughter

Zaher, George: [Jurios Zaher]; Spouse: Roumia Zaher

Zaher, Lewis: [Elias Zaher]; Spouse: [Lebanese Woman]
Zaher, Roumia: [Rumiyyeh (maiden name is unknown)]; Spouse: George Zaher
George and Lewis were brothers

Zain, John: [Hanna Yousef Zain]; Spouse: Mary Zain

Zain, Mary: [Mariam (maiden name is unknown)]; Spouse: John Zain
John’s paternal grandfather was Elias Qozma