Author: Sahag Kasardjian

Editorial note

The memoirs of Ashod Kasardjian are divided into different chapters. Family related diaries, presented below, are an important part of these papers. Ashod Kasardjian titled this portion, “Biography of Sahag Kasardjian of Sis”. Sahag was Ashod’s father and this diary is mostly his father’s biography covering 1840-1912. The diarist also provides much information about other family members. The Armenian used by Ashod Kasardjian is simply styled and comprehensible, in places using the local dialect and the sentence structure is sometimes weak. Houshamadyan has tried to preserve the uniqueness of Kasardjian’s Armenian. We have only made various spelling corrections. We have also simplified sentences that have a complex structure and thus hard to comprehend. Except for spelling and some punctuation corrections, the other changes we have made are noted in brackets. By adding certain dates and explanations, we have attempted to make the chronicle a bit more comprehensible. Such additions are also placed in brackets and noted by the abbreviation ed. (editor).

Through a simple diary about family life, Ashod Kasardjian conveys rich information regarding the history of Sis (present-day Kozan), the daily life of local Armenians, and social, political, cultural and economic developments in the area. While the major players are men and the entire narrative is based on the activities of men in the family, nevertheless, in places, we come across important information regarding the Kasardjian family women. There are also interesting observations about Ottoman officials and local Armenian educational life. Perhaps the most interesting chapter of the work is the description of the Kasardjian family’s trading business. Sahag Kasardjian is the main actor throughout the memoir. He was a “mover and a shaker” and achieved a number of business successes in a short time. It was due to his economic prowess, perhaps, that he rose to become a prominent Armenian in Sis and won a number of local appointments. In this memoir, we thus see how members of an Armenian family managed their commercial affairs in a small town like Sis. We can follow how their commercial affairs developed. We can tag along on business trips to Constantinople, Beirut, Smyrna, and as far away as Manchester, and see how branches of the family business were established. Finally, we see how the family’s trading house went bankrupt.

Two brothers, Mgrdich and Sefer, who lived (in the 17th and 18th centuries), are said to be the forefathers of the Kasardjian clan from Sis. 

Sefer had two sons, Sarkis and Hagop. Sarkis’ children were Mnatsagan, Yeghia, Kevork, Sarkis and a daughter (whose name is unknown). Sefer died childless.

Sarkis Kasardjian (whose wife was Khatoun Annuyarukian), who died while his father (Sefer) was still alive, left the four boys and one girl noted above.

A few months after the death of Sarkis, his brother Hagop turned their father against Sarkis’ widow and orphaned children. He heartlessly threw them out of the house during the winter. The poor widow and kids were left homeless in a field called Kasardjular Deresi. 

Widow Khatoun was pregnant when her poor husband died. She gives birth to a boy who is named Sarkis (the future Bishop Kapriel).

Defenseless and with no refuge, the poor widow and orphans gradually fall into hard times. Seeing that the family’s situation could only get worse, Yeghia, only 14-15 years-old at the time, carries his new born brother down the mountain to Sis.

Mnatsagan, the oldest child at 16 or 17, is forced to travel to Adana to look for work in order to take care of the family. For a time he works as a weaver, and when he gets settled and makes some money, he brings his brothers there. They remain in Adana for seven or eight years. They all grow up during those years. 

Mnatsagan goes to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage. On the way back he gathers his brothers and they return to Sis. This was the time, [1832-1840], when Egypt’s Ibrahim Pasha captures Cilicia. 

A bit later, Mnatsagan marries Tshkho, the daughter of Lek Panos of Sis. While the exact date isn’t known, their first child, Sahag, was probably born in 1838 and baptized by Father Der Haroutiun Mkhitarian. Kevork agha Pekmezdjian served as godfather.

This Kevork agha was also called Divitli. At the time there were few who knew how to read and write. Divit, in Turkish, means inkwell. [He was called divitli because he was literate;ed.]

Sahag Kasardjian started his studies at the age of 5-6 at the knee of Chavdar Oghlu and a bit later with priest Der Krikor Achabahian. He begins to learn reading, grammar and the Psalms. During this time the father, Mnatsagan, dies at the Karadjalu Akpounar country house and is buried at the Aykesdan cemetery. He was 35-36 year-old. 

A bit later, Mnatsagan’s wife (Sahag’s mother) Tshkho marries a man called Aserian Mser. Sahag and his brother Panos stay with the uncles Yeghia and Kevork.

When Sahag was 8 or 9, a man called Cholak Seto opens a school in one of the rooms in the old St. Nshan Monastery (Sis residents called it the ‘old’ monastery). There had been no school in Sis up till then. It was due to Cholak Seto that the foundations were laid for an Armenian school and that Armenian children were collected to get a very basic, but Armenian education, for a few years. It was at this school that Sahag read the Psalms, the New Testament, the Book of the Apostles, and learnt to read in general. At the time, speaking in Armenian and translating didn’t exist. Cholak Seto learnt the fundamentals that he knew from Constantinople Bishop Hovhannes, the tutor of Catholicos Giragos.

Sarkis’ youngest son was named Sarkis as well [he was named after his father; ed.]. He was born after the death of his unfortunate father. His mother, Khatoun, had made a vow that if the child was a boy, he would be handed over to the Catholicos to get an education and become a clergyman. Thus, the boy Sahag was handed over to Catholicos Mikayel (1833-1855).

He (Sarkis), being a diligent and forward looking boy, was ordained a celibate priest at the age of twenty by Catholicos Mikayel Achabahian and appointed the primate of Antioch.

Residents of Antioch liked him a lot and a few years later he was ordained Bishop Kapriel in Sis. Sadly, not much later (probably due to jealousy) there are those who betray the Catholicos and quarrels break out amongst them. Being an upright and affable person by nature, he is offended by the unpleasant acts of the Catholicos and leaves for Lebanon.

After staying for a while in Lebanon, he goes to Constantinople during the tenure of Patriarch Hagopos [Hagopos Seropian III, 1839-1840, and 1848-1858; ed.] Later on, he is sent to Adana as the primate based on an imperial edict (firman). He is escorted by Tateos Vartabed, the Vicar of Patriarch Hagopos.

Catholicos Mikayel reconciles with him and again sends him to Antioch as primate. A year later he [Bishop Kapriel] travels to Sis for the blessing of the Holy Muron. On the way back [to Antioch] he also takes Sahag, who was 10-11 at the time, with him. He learns grammar and other things from his cousin Mr. Krikor Libaridian.

A year later, after refusing the position of Antioch Primate, [Bishop Kapriel] travels to Sis and then to Zeytoun. After staying there a few months, he goes to Gesaria/Kayseri, Yozgat, Ankara, Izmit and Armash by way of Hadjin and remains in those places for 5-6 months on the order of Patriarch Hagopos. Sahag was with him at the time and continues to study. Later, Bishop Kapriel goes to Constantinople where he stays for one month. Upon the order of the Patriarch he is ordained Primate of Tamzara and Hazbder (or Atzbder) [is this the name of a monastery perhaps?; ed.] in 1850 and stays there until 1865. During this period, Sahag develops his education even more by himself.

Given that Catholicos Mikayel dies and is succeeded by Catholicos Giragos Manuelian II [1855-1866], Bishop Kapriel is again ordained the Primate of Adana and takes the families of the brothers Yeghia and Kevork, in Sis at the time, to Adana during the reign of Sultan Abdülmecid I (1839-1861).

An adult, Sahag thinks about his future and feeling that he has no calling for the clergy and will not be able to follow church regulations and rules, wants to and decides to engage in commerce. Accordingly, he starts to trade in small items in 1859. Here, in passing, I am saying what I always heard from my father (Sahag). [Here, the memory writer quotes his father; ed.]

“A man named Aslan rents a store to Sahag at the mouth of the Adana bridge. He buys various agricultural implements to sell, meses and other similar things, as well handkerchiefs and manifactura [manufactured goods, textiles, and woven goods – ed.]. In one day he sells one thousand handkerchiefs in the Adana Charshuh market at a profit of one metalik, or 300 ghroush.”

In Turkey, the Charshuh bazar was generally only opened on Tuesdays. In Turkish they would say Saluh bazaar. People would bring their village made goods and town shopkeepers would bring their merchandise to the bazaar for sale.

This is the way he started out in business. Who is Aslan? He is the brother of Mser Aserian, whom Sahag’s mother married, and who took great care of Sahag.

In a short time Sahag, due to his cleverness and the assistance of Aslan, amassed 30 Ottoman gold pieces and continuing his work increased his capital to 50-60 pieces and wanted to marry. But sadly his uncle, Bishop Kapriel, was debilitated by diarrhea and died on September 28, 1860 and was buried near the wall to the right of the St. Asdvadzadzin Church in Adana. The grave was built from marble.

A year later 23 year-old Sahag marries Mariam, the twelve year-old daughter of Kapriel agha Tatian from Sis, on February 20, 1861. Father Sarkis, pastor of the St. Asdvadzadzin Church in Adana, does the honors. The godfather is Ghasab Bedros agha. The wife of Bedros agha was called Varvar Djedjeh. The couple had adopted my uncle Panos’ future wife Maritza hashoug [in the local dialect – bride; ed.].

My uncle, Panos agha, was staying with them and they liked him as a son. In the end, they married off the two. “Even though I was quite young [here the narrator is Avedis, the older brother of the narrator; ed.], I remember quite well that Mr. and Mrs. Ghasab Bedros came to Sis and stayed for a long time in the house of my uncle.”

Sahag continued to work in commerce.

In 1863-1864, the Ottoman government sent müşir (field marshal) Dervish Pasha and Djevdet Efendi, who later became minister of justice, to the region of Kozan to improve conditions there. (They) arrest the despot and rebel Kozan Oghlu Ahmed Beg and take him to Constantinople. [1]

Due to the war between England and America at the time [1861-1865; ed.], the price of cotton rises and one oka [1 oka=1.28 kilos; ed.] sells for up to 5 French gold pieces. That’s to say a liter (4 oka) goes for one French gold piece. For this reason the Turks called it thefransuz lirasuh senesi [year of the French lira; ed.]

Cholera breaks out in Adana at the time and many die. They too [Sahag’s people; ed.] are forced to flee Adana with their families and go to Khan Deresi until the cholera epidemic passes. Yeghia’s twins, Vartevar and Asmin are born there. After growing up, if Vartevar did a wrong thing my father [Sahag; ed.] would say ekiz eshi (the crooked twin). Asmin would later be married off to Vasilian Artin.

After the cholera passed [Sahag’s people; ed.] returned to Adana. Once there, they see that their birthplace [Sis] has been improved due to the Ottoman government’s reforms, and in 1865 the entire clan relocates to Sis. Sahag uses the 100 Ottoman gold pieces he’s brought from Adana to engage in the manufactured goods trade in the Eski Charshuhmarket.

In 1866, he joins forces with Bedigian Garabed agha and the two continue trading.

In 1867, Sahag’s first born child Tina dies. On September 27 of the same year Dikran is born and is baptized in the St. Sarkis Church by Father Krikor Pasluian. Garabed agha Bedigian is the godfather. 

Aslan Pasha is appointed mutasarrıf [governor; ed.] of Sis. He implements a number of improvements in the town. First, he initiates the construction of a market in a new style of the day. He also lays the groundwork for a new neighborhood on the flat area of the castle’s exterior section. It is called the Aslan Pasha neighborhood until today.

In the same year Bedigian Garabed agha dies, after which Sahag founds a new company with his brother Garabed. But he too dies within 5/6 months. The prominent individuals of Sis hold a meeting and take a detailed look at the general financial reports of the company. As a result, (Sahag) sells the full rights to the property of the deceased and gets an affidavit signed by those attending the meeting. The sale price of the goods amounts to 60,000 ghroush.

At this time, Aslan Pasha relocates to Marash and is replaced by Vehib Pasha from Aleppo [as governor; ed.]. In his tenure, in 1870, Sahag builds a new home in a large courtyard, in the Aslan Pasha neighborhood and near the new market. He teams up with his brother Panos and they continue in commerce. They become partners on the basis of two shares of the profits and capital to Sahag and one to Panos.

During these days, Vehib Pasha leaves and Suleiman Bey replaces him. His first priority is to develop agriculture and he’s very helpful in this regard. He likes Sahag very much and appoints him to the idareh [probably idare meclisi, governing council; ed.] when Sahag is 32.

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