The man from Lebanon

I think I inherited the big ears.

Elias Thomas (born in Aintoura, Syria/Lebanon, June 15, 1889 and died, Missouri, December 4, 1959). This is my great grandfather. He arrived in the United States, through Ellis Island in 1906/1907? spring, he was alone, age 18. He had a ticket to get into New York City to meet with his uncle Amir El Kouri on 12 ½ Washington Street.

He left behind a world of war and struggle. He left behind his mother Mary (Marie Mansour Oissaf Thomas), a widow, (Thomas or Thanios Genad Ghosne was murdered in South America!) but would reunite with her only 3 years later, when she would come to America in 1909. His brothers and sister, Rose, Joseph Thomas Ghosen and Charles Mansour Thomas all would come to the United States in time to become US citizens.

Elias married Sarah Kalaf (parents Martha Massoud and Nathan (Namitalla) Kalaf) in July 1915. She was born in Aintoura as well (September 1892), having immigrated to America in 1909. While Elias was naturalized in March of 1927 it wouldn’t be till March of 1953 that my great grandmother “siti” would become an American Citizen.

The legend goes that my Great Grandfather Elias came over alone and ended up in Missouri, where there was a burgeoning Lebanese community. He was a shoe maker and would make shoes and peddle his wares around central Missouri (Independence to Meta?). In May of 1919 he located to Jefferson City, the state capital, to open American Shoe Store. A name, I was told, he gave out of pride of being in the United States. He would run the store with his brother Charlie and eventually, with my grandfather, James George Thomas, at 129 E. High Street in downtown Jefferson City, Missouri.

Now its 2009, fall and I am making the trip back to the ancestral lands. Triggered as much by the economic conditions of western world as the interest in seeing this part of the world. I arrived alone, September 24, 2009.

I have a one year contract with the American University of Beirut, in their department of Architecture. I look forward in exploring the city of Beirut and the country of Lebanon in the coming year…posting my time within these virtual pages of a blog , for documenting my past as much as sharing the present with you all.



translation:
"We took this picture on the side (or from the side) of New York or Newark on the 1st of January 1914, and we were 23 years old."