Mikael Davidian was the son of Shakar Davidian of Arapkir, Turkey. He was married to Almaskar Der Avedisian when she was very young, as was the custom, so in the early years of their marriage Almaskar was under the care of Mikael's mother until she was old enough to live as his wife. Almaskar had a son Zakar who died in infancy and a daughter Zovinar around 1911. Mikael arrived in the United States on September 22, 1913 to make money, narrowly escaping the Armenian Genocide less than two years later. His wife Almaskar's three brothers were killed at that time, but she and her daughter Zovinar survived and remained in Arapkir for a few more years. During this tumultuous time, Mikael was living in Revere, Massachusetts working as a janitor and lived there until at least 1925 before moving to Haverhill. At the time Mikael was described then as being tall with brown eyes and black hair. The conditions in Arapkir had become more dangerous again for Armenians as the Republic of Turkey was founded out of the Ottoman Empire, and around 1923 Almaskar and Zovinar left in one of the caravan of Armenians headed to Aleppo, Syria. It's not known exactly how, but they then found their way to Riga, Lativa, from where they were finally able to sail to Ellis Island in 1928. Mikael reunited with his family for the first time in fifteen years and shortly after they moved to Philadelphia where they had relatives. Mikael worked various jobs there such as a shoemaker. He became the grandfather of 3 and also saw great-grandchildren before he died in 1962In 1994 his great-great-grandson was named Mikael after him.
Mikael Davidian was the son of Shakar Davidian of Arapkir, Turkey. He was married to Almaskar Der Avedisian when she was very young, as was the custom, so in the early years of their marriage Almaskar was under the care of Mikael's mother until she was old enough to live as his wife. Almaskar had a son Zakar who died in infancy and a daughter Zovinar around 1911. Mikael arrived in the United States on September 22, 1913 to make money, narrowly escaping the Armenian Genocide less than two years later. His wife Almaskar's three brothers were killed at that time, but she and her daughter Zovinar survived and remained in Arapkir for a few more years. During this tumultuous time, Mikael was living in Revere, Massachusetts working as a janitor and lived there until at least 1925 before moving to Haverhill. At the time Mikael was described then as being tall with brown eyes and black hair. The conditions in Arapkir had become more dangerous again for Armenians as the Republic of Turkey was founded out of the Ottoman Empire, and around 1923 Almaskar and Zovinar left in one of the caravan of Armenians headed to Aleppo, Syria. It's not known exactly how, but they then found their way to Riga, Lativa, from where they were finally able to sail to Ellis Island in 1928. Mikael reunited with his family for the first time in fifteen years and shortly after they moved to Philadelphia where they had relatives. Mikael worked various jobs there such as a shoemaker. He became the grandfather of 3 and also saw great-grandchildren before he died in 1962In 1994 his great-great-grandson was named Mikael after him.
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