more family history!
Things I learned today:
Dad's Side:
His paternal grandfather was an Italian citizen. His paternal grandmother was an Ottoman citizen. He found this out by reading the dowry contract. He's in Greece with his mama right now. They are both from Mytilene.
Mom's Side:
I talked to Yiayia again today about all this. Turns out her mom left in November 1912. Mytilene was liberated on November 8, 1912. I wonder if she left before or after?! Was it unsafe? Was it scary? Also, her mother was an orphan (meaning had no dad). He got typhoid when she was 3 years old after going to Athens with his brother to sell architectural plans and died. Her uncle took the entire business and didn't give them any money. Her mom had to pick olives and grapes and sell them. Thus, she grew up hating Greece because they were poor. But they had a beautiful house because the uncle let them keep it. Her oldest brother went to Constantinople at age 11 and worked in a tobacco company to get money for the family. Then he went to America and sent back for his sister in 1912. I also found out their last name isn't really Petras! They were called Petras from that generation because her dad was an architect and worked with stone (Petras - Peter...same root). Their last name before that was .... Garvanelli. Yes, yiayia Irini always thought she was ITALIAN! Because after the Turks took over, a lot of Greeks went to Italy to escape occupation!
So we're going to have quite the summer trying to document all this before everyone DIES.
Dad's Side:
His paternal grandfather was an Italian citizen. His paternal grandmother was an Ottoman citizen. He found this out by reading the dowry contract. He's in Greece with his mama right now. They are both from Mytilene.
Mom's Side:
I talked to Yiayia again today about all this. Turns out her mom left in November 1912. Mytilene was liberated on November 8, 1912. I wonder if she left before or after?! Was it unsafe? Was it scary? Also, her mother was an orphan (meaning had no dad). He got typhoid when she was 3 years old after going to Athens with his brother to sell architectural plans and died. Her uncle took the entire business and didn't give them any money. Her mom had to pick olives and grapes and sell them. Thus, she grew up hating Greece because they were poor. But they had a beautiful house because the uncle let them keep it. Her oldest brother went to Constantinople at age 11 and worked in a tobacco company to get money for the family. Then he went to America and sent back for his sister in 1912. I also found out their last name isn't really Petras! They were called Petras from that generation because her dad was an architect and worked with stone (Petras - Peter...same root). Their last name before that was .... Garvanelli. Yes, yiayia Irini always thought she was ITALIAN! Because after the Turks took over, a lot of Greeks went to Italy to escape occupation!
So we're going to have quite the summer trying to document all this before everyone DIES.