Misak Kojaian, left, with his baby sister, Verkine, and mother, Hyganoush Devejian Kojaian
In 2018, H. Şükrü Ilıcak and I were responsible for the publication of My Dear Son Garabed: I Read Your Letter, I Cried, I Laughed. Kojaian Family Letters from Efkere/Kayseri to America (1912-1919). This book collected over 80 letters written from the village of Efkere to Haroutiun and Garabed Kojaian, in Detroit, between the years 1912 and 1919.
Each letter was painstakingly transliterated,and translated, using scores of translators from around the world. The principle translating work was carried out by H. Şükrü Ilıcak, and oversaw all of the production of the book.
The book received a great deal of favorable press, and quickly sold out.
It has since been republished by Gomidas Institute Press.
Not all of the letters from this time period in the author’s collection, however, were used in the book. The book contained 428 pages, and it was thought that the excluded letters would prove to be of less interest to the reader than the letters that were included.
I have taken the liberty of presenting some of those omitted letters here.
Each of the following letters was written by Misak Kojaian. Born in Efkere circa 1899, Misak would initially receive his education at the local school in Efkere. In 1913, the family decided to send him to the Talas American College, a secondary school for boys. Talas was located approximately 13 km from Efkere. Among Misak’s classmates were four other boys from Efkere.
Please note that these translations have not undergone the same level of scrutiny that the letters in the book have undergone. However, I believe that the translations reflect the spirit of the letters. The letters are written in Western Armenian, in a very dated style. In the coming months, revisions will be made on the translations, reflecting the consensus of more translators.
Some of the letters contained below are from Efkere, and some are written from the school in Talas.
The early letters reflect the words of a young boy, perhaps 12 or 13. But as the months and years pass, his letters evolve, eventually expressing his desire to come to America, his concerns for his education, etc.
During 1912 and the first half of 1913, the letters are addressed to his older brother, Garabed, who travelled to the United States in 1912. By mid-1913, Misak’s father Haroutiun would also travel to Detroit, and so letters would be sent to Haroutiun, as well.
Misak Kojaian would die in 1915.
These letters are his legacy.
June 11, 1912. Efkere
My Dear Brother Garabed Kojaian:
First of all, I kiss your two hands. My dear brother, I wrote you a letter and before you received it, I received one from you. I read it and was very happy. You wrote beautifully. May God be with you.
My dear brother, I was short on time. I was a little busy to write you a letter. I am going to school, too.
Misak Kojaian
1913, March. Efkere
My dear and respected brother Garabed efendi Kojaian—
First of all, I send you my special regards and ask how your are doing. If you ask after us, our family is fine. I am very well.
I was very happy to receive your letter dated March 2. I am very grateful. Your letter holds nothing against ours. On the day of Paregentan [also known as Shrove Sunday, it is the last Sunday before the period of Lent], you seem to have celebrated Paregentan very well. I was very happy.
My letter has now reached you and I want one letter from you against mine every week. We also received your letter dated February 17 before this one.
I will write you a letter in English in a week, and then one more for Easter.
When you write, send your picture as well.
Our school is also continuing now, and the hens are laying eggs. I will send you a red egg for Easter.
Don’t say I’m not writing. This is all for now. Be well.
Misag Gojain. Misag H. Kojaian
1913 May 6, Efkere
My beloved and dear brother Garabed Efendi Kojaian:
First of all, I send you my special regards and ask how you are doing. If you ask about us, thanks to the Benefactor, we are doing well, our family, and we pray for you.
I was very grateful to receive your letter dated April 14. You had written to my father, telling him to go to Talas and see it [most probably referring to the American School that Misak would later attend, but could also be referring to an eye doctor that Haroutiun would go to in Talas before attempting to emigrate to the United States], and you had written it again in this letter. My father went to Talas and saw it, but nothing has happened. Hovhannes showed my father around the whole school. All that’s left now is for you to send my father the money for him to travel and he will come.
I saw the picture in your letter and it made me happy.
The wife of Khoja’s Setrak died.
My sister Verkine kisses your hands with longing. Verkine can stand on her feet now, and she can even walk a few steps—she’ll start talking soon.
They were with Aga [a term of respect for an older male] Mayis day and night and tried to persuade him, saying “Aga, don’t go home, let’s go to the monastery.”
Hovhannes is not going to come, either.
Don’t be mad at me because I wrote little this time.
Misag H. Kojaian
[Text in left margin] Aga, don’t worry at all about me, I am fine.
July 28, 1913 Efkere
My Noble and Genuine Brother—
Before anything else, I send my regards and ask about you. If you ask about us, thanks to the Charitable One, we are well and pleased to pray for you with all the family.
Having received your letter dated July 1, we express lots of thanks to you.
The same day, we received a letter also from my father, mailed from Trieste, say that he will board [a ship] for America. And now, my father is with you. I expect you to take my father to many places for sightseeing, and then you will find a good job for him. My father will give all the good news from us. By now, my uncle Krikor must have found a job. On St. Garabed Day, we bought lots of goodies for Verkine, and then we bought her an earring. She was very happy.
Before St. Garabed Day, my brother [actually, first cousin] Yeghia [Misak Shahbazian] came from Istanbul. He is very well. He sends lots of greetings to you. Every morning, we go on a walk.
Ousta [master craftsman] Haji Garabed Kapousouzian sends lots of greetings to you.
Best regards to you, my brother, my father, uncle Krikor. The neighbors all say hello to you.
Misak H. Kojaian
PS: Our school is not open yet. In the coming days, it will open. The teachers, Hagop efendi Terzian, Serkis efendi Toshigian, and there are other teachers who will come.
The following represents one of only a few surviving letters that Misak wrote to a relative in Efkere. Here, he writes to one of his first cousins, Haji Mari Oozoonian, as well as his aunt, Mari Shahbazian. Both letters are written on the same side of a single page. Misak is now enrolled at the American School in Talas, as is his cousin, Hovhannes Oozoonian.
XXX1913, September, Talas
My dear Miss Haji Mari Oozoonian
Foremost, I send you my special regards and ask how you are doing. If you ask about us, then we are very well, and are reading [studying].
Hovhannes and I are very well. Don’t worry about us at all, saying “I wonder what they are doing.” Hovhannes and I go and roam around. Hovhannes is doing very well in his studies, as am I. Our studies are well.
After dinner every night, we sit and finish our work, so we have no work to do in the mornings. Abla [Turkish term for older sister], do you receive any letters from your father? Let us know. Abla, is Mr. Hovhannes taking care of the affairs of the house?
Affectionately,
Misak Kojaian
XXXDear Mrs. Mari hanim Shahbazian
First of all, I send you my special regards and ask how you are doing. If you ask about us, we are very well, and are reading.
Mrs. Marie hanim, how is your house? Are you filling it? Do you receive letters from Haroutiun dayi? How is he?
Mrs. Marie hanim, don’t worry about us at all, we are very well. Mrs. Marie hanim, don’t be disappointed that I wrote so little this time. I wrote this much to those back home, too.
Misak Kojaian
[written in left margin]. I say again Khala and Dudu, don’t be disappointed that I wrote so little, I wrote as much to those back home.
1913 September 23/6. Talas Efkere
Dear brother, Garabed Kojaian
First of all, my special greetings to you. I ask how you are doing.
If you also ask us, then everything is fine with us. We live in full health and study.
Brother, having received 10 Ottoman gold pieces that you sent. I was very grateful. I am grateful that you sent money to help me learn. I will repay your debt. Three days after arriving, I arrived at Talas School. I was examined there and became friends with Hovhannes. And we study together. He helped me a lot. Now I am with Hovhannes. We're fine—don't worry about us. Father came to you from us [i.e. he left the Ottoman Empire and went to America]. We keep getting good news all the time. Then I was doing household chores, but now I am not there [Efkere], either. Mom and sister remain at home. It is good that they are not alone—there is Yeghia agha, who deals with all matters.
We read that Hovhannes is doing well with lessons, just like me. There was work at the Talas school by the river, and we went to look. When we arrived, we found out that there was no work left for us. Then there was work for me, but since it was more suitable for adults, I did not go. We paid 5 gold [Ottoman gold liras]. The remaining 5 gold will pay, dear brother. My seat [i.e. tuition] is 10 gold. I sleep in a large bed. I am grateful to my brother. I sent a letter to our village, but I don't know if it got through. Brother, send a letter to our village so that mom doesn't worry. Submit every week. I kiss my dad's hands.
Regards dear brother.
XXX1913 October 28, Talas America
My Dear Father Haroutiun Kojaian
First of all , special greetings to you. How are you? I hope you are well and alive. If you ask about us, we are very well and alive also and busy studying.
I was thrilled to receive your letter of 7/24. How beautifully written it was, my father. Four weeks ago, I had sent a letter which you should have in hand by now. My father, I see you don’t have a permanent job. Sometimes you work, sometimes you wander around. That’s very good. Wander all around America.
We are having English hour and little by little we are practicing speaking English. We got a letter from the village and four weeks ago we sent a letter which you should have by now. My father, Hovhannes took good care of me when I started school. I didn’t experience any difficulty. He took me where I wanted to go, and took care of all my needs. My dear father, you wanted me to learn English. We are learning English at school, and because we have English hour, we are also speaking English. I advanced a little and that’s very good. My father, when we come to America we will have already learned English.
Don’t worry about us at all, we are very well.
We live with Hovhannes like brothers.
My father, don’t mind my handwriting too much. Please give my regards to the countrymen. If you write a letter to New York, to Uncle Krikor and Donig Aga, write about lots of things.
Five guys from our village came to our school. They are Vagharshag, Hagop Kojaian, me, Hovhannes, and Khachadour.
Misak Kojaian
XXXMarch 10, 1914. Talas
My dear brother Mr. Garabed and H. Kojaian
Detroit.
To begin with, I would like to extend to you my special greetings, and ask you about your precious health. I hope you are all well. If you’d like to know about us, we are also fine. We read and enjoy your letters, together with Mr. Hovhannes
First, we received, with thanks, your letter dated February 12. Before that, we had received your letter you sent to Efkere. Some two or three weeks ago, we sent you a letter. You should have received it by now. Also we have received the newspaper “Father and Son Kochnak” that you had sent.
Dear brother, in your letter sent to the village, and in the one sent to us, you complained uthat we don’t write to you often, but we always respond to all of your letters. Don’t worry about us. Our mothers send us a letter from the village every single week. They are well, and so are we, so don’t worry about us. Every week our mothers send letters to you, as well.
In the other letter, I sent a program for the coming year. As far as I remember, you told me you had received it.
Dear brother and father, could you send us some pocket money? Send the money to our school.
Warmest wishes to my father. My Hovhannes has told you more about us.
Misak Kojaian
1914, April 7, Efkere
America
Dear Father and Brother
I first want to ask how you are doing. I have a longing for you both, and I kiss your hands.
One week ago from today’s date, I sent to you a letter and I hope that you have received it. My dear ones, in that letter I had written very little, and ther were no details because I had worked to do, and that is the reason why I was in a hurry.
We had two weeks of Easter vacation—one week before Easter, and one week after Easter.
I hope you are doing well.
Uncle Bedros received your letter and in it there was a letter for us, which we received. We are thankful to you.
Send the answer to this letter to Talas.
Dear father, you used to sit on the sofa in our upper room—I had not yet gone to school in Efkere. You told me that you go to school, and by studying, you become a man.
Now, I will write the you in English so that you understand
[The following is written in English]
My Dear Father My Haroutiun Kojaian
I have just received your letter dated March 2nd. I am very glad. Unfortunately, I could not reply at the time because, I was very busy and I beg pardon. I hope you are well. If you ask about me I am very well. I remain your loving,
Misag Kojaian
[the following is in Armenian]
My father, read what I wrote in English, and then write to me. I was going to write longer, but there was no place left.
XXXApril 14, 1914. Efkere
My dear father and brother—
First of of all, I’d like to know about your health. I kiss your hands, and I miss you badly. I sent a letter a week ago. I hope you have received it.
Two days ago, on Saturday, I took another letter to Talas, and sent it from there.
I was with Hovhannes on Easter. Soon, I’ll be sending you a more detailed letter. [unreadable].
Currently, I don’t have what you were writing about, so I can’t write more details now.
I wish you all the best
Misak Kojaian
Father, look at the envelope. Do you like it?
XXX1914, May 11, Talas
America
My Dear Father and Brother
First, I would like to know how you are. I m longing to kiss your hands.
I have received your letter dated April 6. I am very happy that I was here since Easter. I first received that letter and, with it, you had sent two fountain pens—one for me, and the other for Baron Hovhannes. We were very happy when we received those pens. My dear ones, the pen nib of one of the fountain pens was made of gold, and the other had a different type of a nib. Was this the one that you had sent us, or did both of the fountain pens that you sent us have golden nibs? Don’t forget to send an answer to this letter. Don’t send the answer to this letter to our school in Talas, but directly to us.
Together with your letter, I also received a letter from my mother. They are all right. Don’t worry about them or us. You have sent 40 voskis [perhaps meaning 40 gold lira] to my mother and she was also very happy.
I wrote this letter with the fountain pen that you sent me. I am very thankful my dear brother and father. The fountain pens are very beautiful..
Keep on sending letters to them
Before receiving your letter, I had sent to you two letters. You must have received them by now.
Little by little, we will be preparing for exams. Write the reply to this letter to Efkere. I will be there.
Misak Kojaian.
[The following is written, in English, on the right side of the letter]:
My dear brother Mr. Garabed Kojaian
I have just received your letter dated April 6. I was very glad. Unfortunately I could not reply at the time because I was very busy. I beg pardon. I hope you are well. If you ask about me I am very well.
I remain your loving brother
Misak Kojaian
1914 Sep 15
My Dear brother Mr. Garabed Kojaian
Foremost, I give you my special regards and ask how you are doing. If you ask about us, we are fine and are studying.
I wrote a letter to you from our village—it must have reached you by now. It is 2 or 3 days since I came here. My emmi [paternal uncle] Garabed brought me to school. We gave 8 voski [probably, 8 Turkish gold liras]. Mr. Hovhannes came as welll. We are working somewhere with him now. I am doing 2 voski worth of work per week.
Write to my mother and tell her not to worry. I will write every week.
Send me 39 khurush [a unit of currency] for my books.
I have a lot of work. I’m afraid I can’t write any more.
Affectionately,
M. Kojaian
1914 October 19, Talas
My Dear Brother, Mr. Garabed Kojaian
America
First of all, I greet you and ask how you are coining. If you ask about us, we are alive and healthy and are busy studying.
About 2-3 weeks ago, I sent you a letter. You must have received that letter by now. I had written in that letter about our school. I knew that this year work is more but pay is less. The school is quickly progressing a great deal, both in reading and in other subjects. We are benefitting from it, and are improving our education.
Recently, I received a letter from my mother. She says that she is doing well. I don’t delay my letters to her, and I hope that you will not delay your letters.
I took a job with Baron Hovhannes for one and a half voskis [likely 1 and 1/2 Turkish gold lira], and I hope that you are continuing with your previous work. I am waiting for your answer to my letter.
Love should bind us, dear brothers.
Misak Kojaian
[in the left margin]:
You had sent a letter for me to our village. My mother had enclosed that letter in her letter. I am very thankful. Mr. Hovhannes sends his special greetings to you. He was going to write to you, but he is writing an answer to [not clear]
Here, Misak, in Talas, writes to his first cousin and grandmother in Efkere. Both letters are on the same page. Perhaps the letter survived because Misak’s mother, Hyganoush, may have included it in one of her own letters to America.
1914, December, Talas
My dear brother [actually, cousin] Yeghia Shahbazian
Efkere
First of all, I send you my special regards, and ask how you are doing. If you ask about us, then we are very well, and are busy studying.
Yeghia agha, I went to class with Hovhannes on Monday. I read a little, and was also made to write a bit. I became Hovhannes’ friend. Hovhannes and I now wake up, and sleep together [we spend all of our time together]. We are very well—don’t worry about us at all. Give my regards to by Akabi Khala [Aunt Akabi], Harsig, and Nazig.
Don’t be disappointed that I wrote so little—this is all I could write.
Affectionately,
Misak Kojaian
My dear Dudu [affectionate term for an older lady. Here, likely Misak’s grandmother]
First of all, I send you my special regards and kiss both your hands. If you ask about us, then we are very well, and studying. Hovhannes and I now wake up and sleep together. Dudu, don’t worry about us at all—we are very well. Sending my special regards to Mari haji and Hovhannes. I kiss the face of Gulusdik [possibly a nickname, meaning “always smiling”]
Affectionately
Misak Kojaian