Chiot Emigrants: The AGELASTO

Over a long period of time the author, Demetrios Melachrinoudis, has been researching Chiot emigration.

The information listed below is drawn on reports published in two newspapers:

- “Amalthia”, the oldest Greek newspaper of Smyrna (issued 1838-1922)

- “Neologos”, a Greek newspaper of Constantinople (issued 1866-1897)

According to those reports, main centres of Agelasto emigration in the 19^th century were:

England (London, Manchester, Liverpool), Marseille, Constantinople, New York and Calcutta.

1) London

-- Agelasto, Petrocochino & Co donated on annual basis 15 Pound Sterling (GBP) to Chios Schools (certified for the years 1866, 1867 and 1868)

→Amalthia, 12 Nov 1865, 17 Aug 1866, 1 Sept 1867

Donations to the Chios Hospital:

-- Vieroù C. Agelasto: 10 GBP

-- Aglaia Agelasto: 5 GBP

-- Despina A. Agelasto: 10 GBP

→Neologos, 20/2 May 1872

-- John Michael Agelasto is listed among the founders of the “Greek School in London”

→Neologos, 3/15 Oct 1870

-- Agelasto & Co donated 200 GBP to the victims of the Chios earthquake

→Neologos, 7/19 April 1881

2) Manchester

-- Stephen Agelasto is listed among the donors to the Chios Hospital

→Neologos, 8/20 June 1872

3) Liverpool

-- Lucia Agelasto donated 100 Drachmas to “Queen Amalia Orphanage of Athens”

→Amalthia, 2 Febr 1856

and also donated 2 GBP to the Chios Hospital

→Neologos, 8/20 June 1872

4) Marseille

In an article “L´ importante colonie Hellénique du XIXème siècle et son influence sur l´ Economie de Marseille” by C. D. Tekeian, 10 May 1961, are mentioned :

-- Demetrios Agelasto as member of the Marseille Chamber of Commerce in 1872 and

-- Theodore Agelasto as member of the Marseille Chamber of Commerce in 1895.

Donations to Chios Schools:

-- Stephen Agelasto & Son: 250 Francs

-- M(ichael) P. Agelasto: 100 Francs

→Amalthia, 1 Sept 1867

Donations to the Chios Hospital:

-- Stephen Agelasto: 500 Francs

-- Michael Agelasto & Son: 250 Francs

-- M(ichael) P. Agelasto: 100 Francs

→Amalthia, 29 Sept 1867

-- Demetrios Agelasto: 200 Francs

-- Demosthenes Agelasto: 200 Francs

-- Michael P. Agelasto: 200 Francs

→Neologos, 20/2 May 1872

5) Constantinople

-- Cozìs Agelasto bequeathed: 30.000 Grosia to the National Hospital of Heptapyrgion [in Constantinople], 30.000 Gr to the Chios Hospital, 5.000 Gr to the Boys School of Stavrodromion [in Constantinople], 5.000 Gr to the Greek Literature Club [in Constantinople] and other sums to several institutions, in total 100.000 Grosia.

→Amalthia, 21 Jan 1860

-- Agelasto & Vouro sign along with others a letter to the Great Vesir concerning hygiene measures to be taken [in Constantinople].

→Amalthia, 15 July 1866

-- St[amati] N. Agelasto, merchant and banker, promises an annual contribution

of 10 TL (Turkish Lira) in favour of the Patriarchate.

→Neologos, 22/3 Febr 1879

-- Constantine Agelasto donated 10 TL in favour of the earthquake victims on Chios.

→Neologos, 14/26 May 1881

6) Calcutta

-- Agelasto & Sagranti donated 100 Rupies in favour of the Chios Schools

→Neologos, 4 May 1872

7) New York

Registered in New York are the enterprises

-- Negroponte & Agelasto (1861) and

-- Agelasto & Co (1868)

→D. Melachrinoudis: “Chiots in America before 1900”

An essay published in the magazine “DAPHNE”, July 2002

With the only exception of Ralli Brothers, in 1879 no other Greek enterprise exists [in New York]. Either they went bankrupt (in the course of the economic crisis that began in 1873) or they just gave up their business.

→Neologos, 5/17 August 1889

The above handwritten notes by Demetrios Melachrinoudis are excerpts from his yet unpublished work “Chiot Emigrants”.

Translated by George Agelastos