| Summary: | Part of the Institute of Texan Cultures' The Texians and the Texans series. THE TEXIANS AND THE TEXANS THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS INSTITUTE OF TEXAN CULTURES AT SAN ANTONIO THE LEBANESE TEXANS AND THE SYRIAN TEXANS THE LEBANESE TEXANS AND THE SYRIAN TEXANS THE TEXIANS AND THE TEXANS A series dealing with the many peoples who have contributed to the history and heritage of Texas. Now in print: Pam phlets - The Afro-American Texans, The Anglo-American Texans, The Belgian Texans, The Chinese Texans, The Czech Texans, The German Texans, The Greek Texans, The Indian Texans, The Italian Texans, The J ewish Texans, The Lebanese Texans and the !iYrian Texans, The M exican Texans, Los Tejanos Mexicanos (in Spanish), The Norwegian Texans, The Spanish Texans and The Swiss Texans. Books - The Danish Texans, The English Texans, The German Texans, The Irish Texans, The Japanese Texans, The Polish Texans and The Wendish Texans. The Lebanese Texans and the Syrian Texans Principal researcher: James Patrick McGuire ©1974: The University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures at San Antonio John R . McGiffert, Executive Director International Standard Book Number 0-86701-043-6 First edition (revised from The Syrian and Lebanese Texans), 1988 This publication was made possible, in pan, by a grant from the Houston Endowment, Inc. Printed in the United States of America Cover: Saadi Ferris Back Cover: The Fadal Drug Store, Waco THE LEBANESE TEXANS AND THE SYRIAN TEXANS Substantial numbers of Arabicspeaking immigrants from the former Ottoman Empire's provinces of Greater Syria and Mount Lebanon, now the modern states of Lebanon and Syria, began arriving in Texas about 1880. The first were mainly Christians -Syrian (Antiochian Eastern) Orthodox, Eastern Rite Catholics called Maronites, Greek Catholics called Melchites and a few Protestants. Few Moslems immigrated prior to 1945, although thousands came after that date as a result of conflicts in the Middle East. At the turn of the century, America had a magnetic appeal for the youth of Lebanon and Syria. Overpopulation, economic stagnation, and religious, political and social discrimination by the Ottoman Turks caused hundreds, then thousands, to leave their home villages. More than 9,000 people from that area entered the United States in 1914, a peak year. At first called "Syrians" until the emergence of the modern national states of Lebanon and Syria, these immigrants later made the distinction between their lands of origin and national identities. The Lebanese, said to be descended from the ancient Phoenicians, had been ruled and influenced by numerous conquerors in their long history. For most of the Lebanese and Syrian immigrants, pride in their particular Christian religious affiliations, preserved through centuries of alien rule and discrimination, formed the basis for identity, along with their village or area of origin. They also were proud of their contributions to civilization - the Phoenician alpha- View oj Beirut, c. 1859 bet and the Arabic transmission of Greek and Roman philosophy and science through the Dark Ages. Immigration accelerated until the outbreak of World War 1. The 1920 census revealed that there were approximately 3,400 persons of Lebanese or Syrian origin living in Texas. Then restrictive immigration quotas, especially after 1924, severely limited the influx. The development of Lebanese communities, including the small number of Syrian families, thereafter relied on internal growth, migration from other states in the Union and the few who were annually admitted to the United States. Today there are tens of thousands of Texans whose heritage can be traced from those turn-of-thecentury pioneers. In Texas after 1880 these people evolved from a few scattered itiner- .3 ant peddlers of notions, laces, clothing and religious items from the Holy Land into a significant, successful and integrated segment of Texan society. With their qashshaat (peddlers' packs), the pioneers traveled alone or in small groups to farms, lumber camps and oil fields, beginning the journey from poverty to security. During this odyssey they braved bad weather, long distances, loneliness and even bandits. They also learned English and received their naturalization papers along the way. New brides or established families were brought over as the dream of returning home after a few prosperous years in America vanished. Characterized as clannish, patriotic, highly individualistic and adaptable, these Arabic-speaking immigrants struggled to improve their economic situation. They turned to social and cultural organizations in the form of clubs and benevolent societies and founded their own familiar churches. Neigh- . borhoods settled by the immigrants soon faded as their children scat-· tered to all sections of Texas's growing cities. But, through clubs and churches, they have maintained family ties and ethnic heritage. The majority of Texas's first Arabic-speaking settlers were Christians from Lebanon, and, therefore, this study, albeit incomplete, is primarily devoted to them. Further research on Arabic-speaking immigrants from throughout the Middle East who chose Texas as their new home remains to be done and the wider story told. THE FORERUNNERS 1856 The first Arabic-speaking people appeared in Texas just before the Civil War, when the United States Army attempted to develop camel transportation between Camp Verde, Texas, and San Diego, California. The camel tenders were mostly Arabs, Greeks and Turks, 4 who intrigued Texans with their unusual costumes and unpronounceable names. Perhaps the best remembered of these was Hadji Ali, a Syrian native called "Hi Jolly" by his contemporaries. Born about 1828 to an Orthodox family, he was raised as a Moslem. Hi Jolly landed at Indianola in 1856 with 33 camels. They went to California with a government caravan the following year. Hi Jolly lived "out west" until his death in 1902. One of his Syrian compatriots, Elias, eventually settled in Sonora, Mexico. Elias's son, Plutarco Elias Calles, became president of Mexico in 1928. Other Arabs arrived in Houston in 1858 with a shipload of camels imported by an Englishwoman, Mrs. Watson. For a year they periodically visited Houston from their nearby ranch. Little else is known about Arabic visitors to Texas before 1870. Texas's first Syrian family was that of Professor Joseph Arbeel y from Arbeen, Syria. The well-educated Dr. Arbeely had been the headmaster of several schools and had served as president of the Patriarchal Syrian Orthodox College in Damascus. He had taught Arabic to American missionaries in Syria and had assisted in translating the Arabic Bible. With his wife, six sons and a niece, he came to America in 1878. The family visited Texas. Two of the sons-Dr. AbrahamJA. Arbeely, a physician, and Khaleel, a pharmacist - remained in Austin until 1881. THE JOSEPHS OF AUSTIN 1881 About 1881 Cater Joseph Azar, a teacher in the Presbyterian school in Roumieh, Lebanon, began sending his children to America to escape Turkish rule. Eventually, eight sons and a daughter settled in Austin, where they adopted the family name of Joseph and produced a clan of capable businessmen and women. Isaac Joseph, one of the first Lebanese to settle in Austin, peddled laces and notions. He and his brothers earned meager livings at first, selling from their large, black satchels along dusty country roads. They quickly learned English and German from the farmers they encountered in their travels. Later Isaac had a restaurant and then a grain and feed store on Dr. Joseph Arbeely 'bjl!Jing Freedom in America" in 1878 with his sons and a niece; the empty chair signifies an absent relative. Austin's 6th Street, before opening a general mercantile store at 200 Congress Avenue, which he operated from 1905 until 1933. There he sheltered and launched his brothers in business. In 1902 he brought his wife to Austin, and they ultimately had seven daughters and three sons. A brother, Cater joseph, came to Texas by way of New York. His passage to Galveston was paid by a New York publisher of Lebanese extraction, who lent him $200 in "silver" jewelry to peddle. Sea air corroded the ornaments, however, but Cater still repaid the publisher. Eventually he owned a confectionery on Congress Avenue, returned to Lebanon for a bride and raised ten children in Austin. Other joseph brothers, including Alex, john, jim, Shikery, Nahoum, Fred and William came to the Texas capital. All peddled goods at first and then opened businesses. The Cater Joseph family Fred, the last to arrive, had a store in Manor in 1911, but moved to Austin in 1930. Succeeding generations of the large family made their mark on community development. Cater's son Eddie ran a men's store with his brothers and later had a chain of theaters as well as real estate investments. Isaac's daughters, Hannah, Mary and Margaret, were instrumental in founding the Southern Federation of Syrian Lebanese American Clubs in 1931. MONSOUR J. BASHARA 1889 In the prosperous years before the Great Depression, Monsour J. Bashara was known as the world's richest Lebanese. He had arrived in New York as a 17-year-old immigrant from Broumana in 1888. A year later, he was the first Lebanese to settle in Waco, Texas. He entered the dry goods business and, in 1900, married Olga Eunice, daughter of another Lebanese immigrant. Bashara left Waco to open a store in the oil boomtown of Beaumont. For the next ten years, he moved his dry goods emporium from one location to another in southeast Texas and Louisiana. In time, he was joined by three nephews - sons of his brother Farris - to whom he taught the rudiments of merchandising and oil leasing. Eventually two of them, Sam and joe, became well-known Houston oilmen and realtors, while a third, George, established a highly successful contracting business in Waco. Monsour Bashara moved to Wichita Falls before World War I and made a fortune letting out land for oil lease which he had bought from drought-ruined farmers. In 1918 he helped establish the American Refining Corporation, which soon had 50 wells in production and a refinery with a daily capacity of 5,000 barrels. He was also half-owner of the Bashara Building, which housed the American National Bank of Wichita Falls. The 1929 stock market crash brought an end to Bashara's fortune. He died in the mid-1930's a bright example of how opportunity could open to a man with perseverance. Monsour J. Bashara 5 The Jamail Picnic, 1933 HOUSTON'S UNITED JAMAIL CLUB 1890 The J amails of Houston constitute the largest Lebanese clan in Texas, and their club is the largest in the Southern Federation of Syrian Lebanese American Clubs. According to tradition, five J amail brothers and their cousins immigrated from a small village near Beirut in 1890. Some brought their wives and children. In Houston they took advantage of their agricultural background by entering the produce business. In 1895 the brothers went back to Lebanon, but the children settled i~ Texas, and their descendants now number more than 500. Since the 1920's the United Jamail Club has held an annual reunion at Easter. Dahr N egem J amail, one of the first-comers, left his wife in Lebanon and worked his way to Texas aboard a ship. He returned to his native land in 1895, came again to Texas for the years 1898 to 1902 and later died in Lebanon. His son, N.D. 'Jim" Jamail, was a well-known Houston grocer, who first arrived in 1905. He opened a stand in the old produce market and from the 1920's to mid-1930's supplied major restaurants and hotels. The J amail Brothers Food Market, established with his brothers Joseph and Assad Dahr in 1946, was operated by the family. Now called Jim Jamail and Sons Food Market, it is one of America's most luxurious gourmet food stores. Other members of this clan include Abe J amail, Houston's most 6 decorated World War II hero and one of 30 in his family to have served in that conflict; Mike J amail, who led the first Armistice parade in Houston in 1918 and continued that tradition for many years; John J amail, one of Houston's biggest property owners; and Joe Jamail Jr. , Texas's "King of Torts;' one of the nation's leading attorneys specializing in personal injury suits, who ~on America's largest judgment$ 10.53 billion in 1985 for Pennzoil against Texaco. In 1986 three teaching positions were created at The University of Texas at Austin: the Joseph D. J amail Centennial Chair of Law, the Lee Hage J amail Regents' Professorship in Fine Arts, and the Marie and Joseph D. J am ail Sr. Regents' Professorship in Fine Arts. THE KAZEN FAMILY OF LAREDO 1890 One of the most distinguished Lebanese- Texan families in the legal, public service and business fields is that founded by Abraham Kazen Sr. of Laredo. Born in K'nat, Lebanon, about 1868, the elder Kazen came to the United States in the late 1800's with his brothers, Anthony andJoe. These young men peddled dry goods around the countryside between San Antonio and Laredo. By 1890 they had established residence in the border city and were operating up and down the Rio Grande. Soon after obtaining his American citizenship, Abraham Kazen returned to Lebanon, married Anne Reston in 1902 and brought her to his new homeland. They raised a family of four sons and a daughter. From 1912 to 1914 he operated a store in San Marcos and then another in Benavides. Laredo, however, remained the center of Kazen family activities. In addition to his mercantile activities, the elder Kazen supported his growing family with such odd jobs as special duty policeman and interpreter for the Immigration Service. He was a staunch Democrat until his death at age 97, and he instilled a sense of public responsibility in his children. All his sons became lawyers. Abraham Kazen's descendants have distinguished themselves. Charles served as an army captain in World War II and was appointed the first Allied judge in Naples after its capture. He was elected clerk of Webb County in 1946 and served until his appointment as customs collector by President John F. Kennedy, which post he held until his retirement in 1970. Charles Kazen died in 1978. Philip Kazen was district attorney in Laredo from 1938 to 1942, then served in various governmental capacities during World War II. He was active in many programs for civic betterment and was decorated by several foreign governments for his goodwill efforts. He died in 1985. E. James Kazen was appointed district attorney when his brother resigned from the office in 1942. He served until he became district judge in 1958. Judge Kazen's children include three lawyers and two teachers. The youngest Kazen brother was Abraham Jr., familiarly known as "Chick;' After World War II service, he returned to Laredo and was elected to the Texas House of Representatives for three terms, to the Texas Senate for 16 years and to the U.S. House of Representatives for nine terms - a total of 38 years of public service. He was the first Texan of Lebanese ancestry to gain the latter office. Chick Kazen served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1967 until 1984. He died in 1987. Carmen Kazen Ferris, only daughter of Abraham and Anne Kazen, was a home economics teacher in the public schools for nearly 30 years and then a Texas Education Agency official prior to her death in 1970. THE SEMAAN FAMILY 1895 The Sou thwest's oldest store specializing in oriental rugs, linens arid art The Abraham Kazen family Gbjects was established in Sah Antonio in 1895 by Ameen Semaan and his brother-in-law, Elias Farris. Semaan was born in Syria and was educated at the American University of Beirut. He immigrated to America in 1893, and six years later he opened the store in partnership with Farris. The business prospered, and branch outlets were acquired in Houston, Beaumont and Mineral Wells, as well as in Arkansas, Missouri, Colorado and Michigan. Within a few years, Ameen brought his family- parents and six brothers and sisters - to San Antonio. When Ameen Semaan died in 1920, his sister Freda and her husband, Elias Farris, assumed responsibility for the education of his children. Two of the boys became wellknown San Antonio lawyers. Anees A. Semaan, born in 1907, received his bachelor's degree from The University of Texas at Austin in 1929. Returning to San Antonio, he entered the family business and be-came a widely consulted authority on oriental carpets. During World War II he was a captain in military intelligence and wrote a manual on the use of foreign maps. After the war he changed careers, enrolling in the law school at St. Mary's U niversity and receiving a degree in 1951. For the next few years he practiced both civil and criminal law with his brother Fred, one of San Antonids most effective trial lawyers. Although handicapped by approaching blindness, A.A;s thorough preparation gained him wide respect. In 1965-1966 he was chairman of the State Bar of Texas Section on Criminal Law. In 1961 he was elected justice of the peace, a position he held until 1967, when GovernQr John Connally appointed him judge of the 175th District Court. It was his last public office; he died in 1970, and his brother Fred died in 1982. GEORGE NAMI 1897 George N ami established a pioneer south Texas mercantile enterprise and raised two sons who became prominent in American Legion affairs. Born in Bechmezine, Lebanon, in 1869, he married Sarah Mafrige in 1891. They had three children in Lebanon -Sam, Herman and Adele - before N ami immigrated to America in 1896. Originally bound for Toledo, Ohio, he was persuaded en route to come to Austin instead. There he peddled dry goods on foot until he could afford to buy a hack and team. In 1897 he moved to Cuero and opened the George N ami Dry Goods and Grocery, which he operated until his death in 1956. His wife and sons came from Lebanon in 1902, and his daughter followed six years later. Four more children were born to the Namis in Texas. The household became a center of Lebanese culture. The Orthodox priest visited annually to baptize, perform 7 marriage ceremonies and hold services in their living room. George Nami's son Herman attended The University of Texas School of Law, graduating in 1917. He was then commissioned an officer in the United States Army and shipped to France with the American Expeditionary Force. On his return from serving in World War I, he began practicing law in Cuero. In 1927 he transferred his practice to San Antonio. He served as fourth president of the Southern Federation of Syrian Lebanese American Clubs from 1937 to 1939. Ten years later he was elected departmental commander of the American Legion in Texas. Herman N ami died in San Antonio in 1957. A brother, Jimmie, was a San Antonio businessman who once served as a state vice president of the Southern Federation; and another brother, William, was departmental commander of the American Legion in 1967-1968. William also served on . the Cuero City Commission from 1956 to 1958 and was mayor from. 1963 to 1967. Julia, their sister, was long a San Antonio schoolteacher. The Nami Store at Cuero, c. 1910 8 The Azar-Solomon offices in San Antonio, c. 1933 THE AZARS OF EL PASO AND SAN ANTONIO 1900 The Azar family of El Paso and San Antonio has long been active in the Te;as pecan-shelling industry. Sometime before 1900, two brothers, Elias and Shibley Azar, came from Lebanon to visit a sister living in Canada. The brothers then ventured to El Paso, where they established a confectionery in the old Sheldon Hotel. By 1919 they were in the pecanshelling business as well as m candy-making. Other members of the family soon arrived: their brother and sister, George and Sophie, and an uncle, Richard Solomon. In 1926 Solomon and his niece, Sophie Azar, opened their own company in El Paso. Four years later Elias moved to Los Angeles; and George, Sophie and Richard Solomon moved to San Antonio. Only Shibley remained in El Paso. With his three sons as partners, he built a multimillion-dollar business with more than 200 employees. At his death in 1964, his sons continued the enterprise as the Azar Nut Company. In San Antonio the Azar and Solomon Pecan Shelling Company began in small, rented quarters on West Commerce Street. At first, shelling by hand yielded only seven or eight pounds per worker per day, but George helped invent machinery that raised the daily output to at least 250 pounds. One of the few remaining pecan-shelling companies in San Antonio, Azar and Solomon was run by Sophie Azar until her retirement and then by Richard Azar, her nephew. As of the late 1980's, the business is still run by the family. Elias j. Antone ELIAS]. ANTONE 1907 Elias Antone was an early Port Arthur businessman, whose three sons have made their own estimable contribution to LebaneseTexan culture. Elias was a lumber importer in Tripoli, Lebanon, before immigrating to New York in 1892. There he operated a wholesale house until 1907, when he moved to Columbus, Texas. His stay in Columbus was interrupted when he voted against a candidate for sheriff who then threatened to shoot him on sight. According to family tradition, he departed Columbus, took up residence in Jennings, Louisiana, and thereafter left the voting to others. Meanwhile, Antone had married J amilie Amuny, the daughter of a Port Arthur businessman. They had three sons - Kamal, J alaI and J amal- all named for Turkish generals sympathetic to the Christian minority in the Old Country. (Only the intervention of the sons kept their sister from also being named for a military figure.) In 1913 Elias moved his family back to Port Arthur, where he operated a dry goods store until his death in 1959. In the late 1980's his son Jamal is still a businessman in the coastal city. Another son, J alaI, moved to Houston in 1935 and founded a well-known import food store spe-cializing in Middle Eastern, Greek and Asian foods. In one area of the building he operated a sandwich shop quite popular with Houston businessmen for lunch. A civic, charity and cultural leader, J alaI Antone was a benefactor of St. George's Orthodox Church. He died in 1974. The third son of Elias Antone was Kamal E. Antone, widely known as "Mr. Federation;' a name he earned as a founder and longtime guiding spirit of the Southern Federation of Syrian Lebanese American Clubs. Born in Louisiana and raised in Port Arthur, he attended Lamar Tech in Beaumont while working in his father's store. He subsequently entered law school in Houston and received a degree, although he never practiced. Instead he became a successful realtor. He was president of the H.ouston Board of Realtors in 1959-1960 and president of the Texas Association of Realtors in 1970. Kamal Antone is best known, however, for his work in the Southern Federation. After helping found the organization in 1931-1932, he became a two-term president in 1948-1949. For 11 years he was chairman of the board of directors. He was also editor of The Official Bulletin. Antone's stature among his compatriots may be judged by the fact that a Syrian woman applying for American citizenship once gave his name as the first president of the United States. Kamal Antone died in 1978. ESAU MALOOLY 1907 Among the first Lebanese immigrants to El Paso were members of the Malooly family from Rachaya, Lebanon. Esau Malooly was an educated man, fluent in five languages. As a 22-year-old schoolteacher, he decided to immigrate to Brazil in 1907. Aboard ship he was persuaded to join friends going to El Paso. Once in Texas, he peddled notions, then began repairing sewing machines for a living. Next he established an oriental rug and tapestry import business, which he operated until 1918. During World War I he utilized his language skills as a translator for Immigration Bureau officials in El Paso. When hostilities ended he visited Lebanon. He returned soon with a bride and then established a note and mortgage company. When the Great Depression hit he found himself the owner of a great deal of real estate, so he was able to assist his sons in starting furniture stores in El Paso. In 1946 he gave land for expansion of the College of Mines, which evolved into The University of Texas at El Paso. Esau Malooly died in 1969 at age 86 after a long and successful career as realtor, investor and civic leader. Esau Malooly, 1922 ANTIOCH IAN (SYRIAN) ORTHODOX CHURCHES IN TEXAS 1907 To the Arabic-speaking Orthodox immigrant, his religious affiliation has been more important than his former nationality in the Middle East. His Christian identity has been maintained since the 7th century A.D. despite Moslem rule and periodic persecutions. Those of the Orthodox faith owe allegiance to the Patriarch of Antioch, who resides in 9 St. Michael's Church at Beaumont . Damascus, Syria. Missionary priests began arriving in this country before the beginning of the 20th century. To the newly settled families the church and its clubs offered a place for religious services as well as for social and community needs. The more isolated Orthodox families started attending Episcopal, Methodist or other Protestant churches. In Beaumont, EI Paso, Austin and Houston, Syrian Orthodox parishes were established after 1900, with priests from the Old Country and familiar rites in Arabic. Then the immigrants began to sink roots in Texas soil and to modify somewhat their ancestral religion into a more contemporary mold. To the casual observer entering an early Orthodox church, the spectacle was awesome. Icons of the saints, elaborate clerical robes of gold, richly gilded altar vessels and the ancient liturgy made a vivid impression. For hours the voices of the priests, cantors and laymen could be heard chanting the Arabic rituals 10 ---, --- through the heavy smoke of incense. But, by World War II, English was replacing Arabic in parts of the liturgy. Choirs, organs, pews, Sunday schools, altar societies and other American innovations had been introduced with the approval and blessing of the clergy. When Galveston's Saints Constantine and Helen Orthodox Church was built by Serbian and Greek immigrants, a few Syrians were present. By 1898 a Syrian Orthodox society had been formed in Beaumont, and nine years later St. Michael's Church, established in a simple frame building, became Texas's second Eastern Orthodox church and the first Syrian church. Rebuilt after the 1919 storm and again after a disastrous fire in 1953, St. Michael's continues the missionary tradition begun when its early pastors journeyed forth to keep alive the orthodoxy of Texas's scattered Syrian pioneers. By 1932 Austin's Orthodox immigrants had already spent a decade conducting periodic services in members' homes and in rented halls whenever a traveling priest came through town. In that year construction on St. Elias Orthodox Church was begun, using conventional Middle Eastern architecture. Finished in 1934, it still serves a wide central Texas area. The first full-time priest, Reverend James Rottle from Tripoli, Lebanon, began his service in 1943. For many years the parish has held a Lebanese Food Festival to the great enjoyment of Austinites. Houston's Orthodox community had been visited for more than a decade by priests from Beaumont before the first St. George's Church building was purchased in 1936 from a departing Methodist congregation. During the 1920's a Syrian Ladies Aid Society had started fund raising by giving Arabic dinners, a tradition that continues in semi-annual food festivals. Located on Houston's near north side, the frame structure served the growing parish until a new brick church was completed in another part of the city in the 1960's. The present church is distinguished by its modern architecture, onyx windows and magnificent icon-covered screen in front of the sanctuary. EI Paso's St. George Orthodox Church began with the arrival of large numbers of Lebanese settlers after World War 1. Served only by visiting priests at first, the congregation bought a meeting house in 1948 and built a new church in 1952. Father Nicholas Husson served the parish of EI Paso andJ uarez, Mexico, from 1950 until his death in 1967. Today the Orthodox heritage of the state's Lebanese and Syrian immigrants is firmly based in these four Texas cities. THE HADDAD BROTHERS 1908 Three Haddad brothers - William, Constantine and Joseph - established Tyler's Mecca Cafe shortly after their arrival from Beirut, Lebanon, in 1908. Together they ran it for more than 30 years. During the east Texas oil boom, the Mecca was a gathering place for crowds of speculators, geologists and land dealers. The H addads later acquired real estate and oil interests and became civic leaders in their adopted home town. They helped charter the local Cedars of Lebanon Club, one of the region's oldest and strongest Lebanese organizations. Their six sisters also settled in Texas. Until his death in 1939 William "Bill" Haddad was widely known as a restaurateur and strong supporter of civic, church and sports activities. As Tyler's "Mr. Baseball :' he attended all the local games. His brother Joseph became a prominent real estate broker and insurance salesman after 1940. H e was also a bank director and board member of Tyler's Lone Star Steel Corporation. Constantine Haddad used resources acquired in commercial property and oil investments to benefit Tyler's Catholic schools and hospitals. Haddad Hall at the Mother Frances Hospital was named in his Constantine H addad and nephews honor. The Haddad Hospital in JaIl El Dib, Lebanon, founded by a rela- tive, also benefi ted from his philanthropy. When he died in 1961, part of his estate was left to the Catholic Diocese of Dallas to be used for Tyler's parish needs. LEON CURRY 1909 Born in Saghbine, Lebanon, in 1870, Leon Curry immigrated first to South America in 1890 and later to Mexico. He moved to San Antonio in 1909 to avoid the Mexican revolution. He opened a dry goods store, raised a large family, wrote articles for New York's El Hoda and acted as an unofficial scribe for San Antonio's Lebanese colony. H e died in 1941, survived by two sons who have led interesting and useful lives of their own. Joseph Curry became an inventor and manufacturer of machinery used in processing Mexican food. Another son , Peter Michael Curry, graduated from The University of Texas School of Law shortly before joining the military in World War II. H e rose to the rank of major The Leon CUTTY family 11 while stationed in the European and North African theaters. Back in San Antonio, he practiced both civil and criminal law until being appointed as 166th District Judge in 1963. He has been twice reelected to that position and became presiding judge of the 4th Administrative Judicial District on the retirement of Judge Solomon Casseb Jr. in 1969. Judge Curry became the longest-serving of San Antonio's three Lebanese-Texan judges in the 1960's and continues this public service in the late 1980's. ZACHARY MAFRIGE 1911 Zachary Mafrige was one of 19 youths who departed Lebanon aboard a Spanish ship bound for Havana in 1886. He was 20 years old. Yellow fever broke out during the voyage and killed half the group; the survivors were left in Cuba to recuperate. Zachary made his way to New York and from there peddled jewelry to St. Louis, Fort Smith and San Francisco. From 1886 until 1911 he stayed in Seattle, where he operated a dry goods business. The 1907 panic wiped him out, but he had somewhat recovered by 1910, when he sent his wife and two children to Cuero, Texas, where his relatives the Namis lived. Zachary and Stevens Majrige 12 The Abraham store at Canadian, 1917 • The following year he joined them in Cuero and operated the N avidad Hotel for a short time. In . 1912 he opened a small dry goods store, the Z.A. Mafrige General . Store, and then a confectionery. In 1918 his son, Stevens, took over the dry goods business. Three years later Mafrige opened a wholesale dry goods establishment with government surplus material for starting stock. The family moved to Houston in 1927 but continued to operate the Cuero store until 1931. Zachary died in Houston in 1946, but his son remained in the business until 1951, when he switched to real estate . Stevens Mafrige and his wife, Marie, became well known for their contributions, both in the St. George's Antiochian Orthodox Church and in the Southern Federation of Syrian Lebanese American Clubs. Their gifts to St. George's made possible the construction of the Mafrige Memorial Auditorium in memory of Stevens's parents and sister. The auditorium was completed in 1959 and served as the chapel for the congregation until the new sanctuary was built. Stevens and Marie Mafrige had been supporters of the Southern Federation since its inception. In 1964 they established an annual scholarship fund for the organization. When Mrs. Mafrige died in 1970, the fund was named in her memory. NAHIM ABRAHAM 1913 Nahim Abraham, merchant and civic leader of Canadian, Texas, was born in Kafracab, Lebanon, in 1885. At 17 he began carrying a peddler's case from the Rockies to the Texas Panhandle. In the next decade he made several trips back to Lebanon and, on one occasion, visited sao Paulo, Brazil, with the intention of settling in South America. Texas, however, attracted him more. On a last trip to Kafracab, Nahim married Alia Malouf, the daughter of a local doctor. Two sons were born before he returned to the United States in 1912. A year later he established permanent roots in Canadian, where he was soon joined by his wife and sons. Two more sons were born to the couple in Texas. Nahim and Alia Abraham opened a department store, which they called "The Fair." They ran it until their retirement in 1949, when their son Tom took over. Another son, Naceeb, owned an office supply firm in Amarillo. The Edward Abraham Memorial Home in Canadian honors the memory of a third son, who died in 1961. The youngest child was Malouf Abraham, nicknamed "Oofie" by his schoolmates. Graduated from high school at age 14, he attended Texas Tech University, then returned to Canadian, where he entered the real estate and oil and gas leasing businesses. H e was mayor of Canadian from 1953 to 1957 and served as a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1967 to 1971. "Oofie" Abraham was also a director of the West Texas Chamber of Commerce and a member of numerous petroleum associations. One of his sons, Malouf Jr. , became a doctor in Canadian. JOHN S. MALOUF 191.'3 When John S. Malouf arrived at Ellis Island, New York, in 1912, he could thank fate for intervening to save his life. His sister Zia had wired him in London, asking that he await her arrival so that she could join him on the trip to America. The delay John S. Malouf caused Malouf to miss his scheduled voyage on the ill-fated Titanic. He began his new life as a peddler, beginning in South America, working his way to New York and finally gravitating to west Texas. His wife and three children had stayed in their native village of Kafracab, Lebanon, hoping to join him in a y'ear or so. About 1913 Malouf drifted to the Texas Panhandle town of Canadian, where his relatives the Abrahams lived. With a couple of suitcases of piece goods, he sold enough to be able to send for his wife and children. The British blockade of the Lebanese coast, however, prevented communication with his family until the end of World War 1. Meanwhile, he and Joe Schaded ran a dry goods store in Dalhart. In 1920 Malouf went to Lebanon , was reunited with his family and returned with them to Texas in 1922. He opened stores in Rotan, Anson and Roby. Retiring in 1944, he died three years later in Dallas. John Malouf saw that his children had college educations. In 1941 his sons opened dress factories in Dallas. The family ultimately had eight plants in Texas and Oklahoma. The Maloufs of Dallas are part of the larger Malouf clan which includes the Salems of Sudan, the Abrahams of Canadian, the Schadeds of Tyler, and various M alouf families in Lubbock, Plainview and other Texas cities. FRED KADANE 1914 In his lifetime Fred Kadane entered several diverse areas of business and was successful in each. He started as a peddler, later opened a dry goods store, then became a wholesaler of poultry and eggs, butter and cheese. Next he joined his brother George in oil exploration, and fin ally he became a manufacturer of men's trousers. His was a well-known and respected name at his death in 1962. Kadane was born in the Lebanese mountain village of Baskinta in 1883 and came to America as a small boy with his mother and young brother, Charles. In New York City he obtained his first job in a shoelace factory, where he earned $1.50 per week. Soon he was peddling collar buttons and newspapers on lower Broadway to help his mother. In time they were joined by Kadane's older brother and sister. The family tried manufacturing novelties in their apartment, but in 1886 they came to Denison, Texas, then a raw railroad town. For three years they peddled notions on foot and from a wagon. George eventually became an oilman, and Fred opened a dry goods store in Denison. H e also became a successful dealer in poultry and eggs. In 1910 he moved to Dallas and expanded into the butter and cheese business. Later he established the Texas Margarine Company and pioneered the manufacture of vegetable margarine and salad dressing. As early as 1914 Fred Kadane became involved with his brother George in oil exploration and drilling in Oklahoma and Texas. Their Western Drilling Company sank 13 wells in the Burkburnett oil field. In 1937 there were further Kadane family discoveries in the KMA field near Wichita Falls. Between 1939 and 1943 Fred owned a factory that 1.3 produced more than a million pairs of trousers for the United States government. After selling this enterprise in 1943, he founded the Southwest Margarine Company, which produced the Admiration and Sun Valley brands. Fred Kadane died in 1962. A son, Sheffield, served as Deputy Mayor Pro Tem and also served two terms on the Dallas City Council. In addition, he was president of the East Dallas Chamber of Commerce for three terms before his death in 1978. M.K. HAGE SR. 1915 M.K. Hage Sr. became a prominent central Texas name because of the variety stores he operated in Austin, Taylor and San Marcos. When he was a young man in Lebanon, he had learned the stonemason's trade from his father. At age 23 Hage took a mallet and chisel, selected a large stone near the village fountain at Roumieh, Lebanon, and thereon carved an inscription: "In April, 1912, M.K Hage left his country." With money borrowed from his father, he began his journey to M.K. Rage Sr. 14 Wheeling, West Virginia, where a brother, John K, lived. After long, hard hours working in the coal mines and steel mills around Wheeling to repay his father, Hage moved on in about 1915 to Texas, where he became a peddler at Manor, a small cotton-farming community 15 miles east of Austin. German and Swedish families had already broken the rich blackland soil, but there were few nearby stores where they could get food and supplies. Another Hage brother, Assad, had capitalized on this situation by opening a store prior to M.K's arrival. After a decade of working for his brother, M.K. moved to Austin to establish a business for himself. Within a year he opened his first variety store; others followed. In the early 1930's he helped organize the S,t. Elias Orthodox Church. Late in life he entered the building and construction business in Austin and fichieved notable success before his death in 1966. His son, M.K Hage Jr., continued his father's eriterprise after a 16-year career in teaching and school administration. Elected to the board of the Austin Independent School District in 1964, he served for 12 years. CECIL LOTIEF 1919 Cecil Lotief was the first Texas legislator of Lebanese ancestry and a man much beloved for his work in the Southern Federation of Syrian Lebanese American Clubs. Born in Jouret EI Termos, Lebanon, in 1888, he immigrated to the United States at age 17. Landing at Galveston in 1904, he settled in Tyler and began peddling merchandise to isolated homes and lumber camps in the Piney Woods. The following year he opened a confectionery in Tyler, which he operated until 1909, when he bought a store in Oklahoma. Ten years later Lotief was back in Texas, where for 42 years he ran dry goods stores in Cisco, Cross Plains, Eastland and Rotan. He married Margaret Joseph in Shreveport, Louisiana. His three children were born in Cross Plains, and most of his life was spent in small towns around Abilene, Texas. In the 1920's he became active in Democratic politics and served in the legislature from 1933 to 1937 as a representative from Callahan County. He was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention in 1944 and was mayor of Rotan from 1954 to 1956. Lotief died in 1971. Cecil Lotief MANSOUR FARAH 1920 In 1920 Mansour Farah of EI Paso rented a 25' x 50' room and began producing work shirts and pants. By the mid-1970's the Farah Manufacturing Company had factories in EI Paso, San Antonio and Victoria. Mansour Farah, born in Baskinta, Lebanon, in 1885, came to Canada with his parents as a child. In 1905 young Farah and his brother, Andrew, established a dry goods and feed store at Las Cruces, New Mexico. There he married Hana Abihider and had two sons, James and Willie. In 1920 he visited New York City to study shirt design and production methods, then moved to EI Paso to open his own business, beginning with a small rented room and a handful of employees. Mansour Farah (with mustache) and employees, El Paso, 1924 During the 1930's the company moved to larger quarters and continued producing work shirts and denim pants. Farah himself was designer, cutter, salesman and janitor. Three years before his death in 1937 the company began manufacturing khaki shirts and trousers. James Farah took charge and reached record production levels of military clothing during the war. James worked long hours to keep the aged machinery in repair, while his mother supervised the sewing rooms. Willie Farah became a combat pilot in the European theater. Following the war, the company looked increasingly to national trends and markets. During the 1950's and 1960's it expanded into the dress trousers field, increased production facilities in El Paso and opened new plants elsewhere. When J ames Farah died in 1964, his brother assumed direction of the business. In 1967 the Farah Company became a public corporation. Both Mansour Farah's business and his family were generous contributors to El Paso's civic and charitable drives, to hospital and nursing home construction, and to scholarships in science and engineering at The University of Texas at El Paso. THE VERY REVEREND NICHOLAS NAHAS 1920 • As a pioneer Syrian Orthodox missiCtnary in Texas and the Southwest, Father Nicholas Nahas carpe to Beaumont in 1920 to rebuild the storm-destroyed St. Michael's Church. For the next 15 years he ministered to Texas's oldest Syrian Orthodox parish and to Orthodox people scattered from El Paso to western Louisiana. Whenever summoned, Father Nahas would pack his vestments and sacramental vessels into an old satchel and catch the next train from Beaumont. His aim was to keep alive the Orthodoxy of his fellow immigrants until they were able to organize and build churches for themselves. Nicholas Nahas was born into a merchant family in the port city of Tripoli, Lebanon, in 1888. His first visit to New York, in 1904, ended two years later when he returned to Tripoli to care for his aged parents. He became a schoolteacher and, in 1909, married Anna Suratie. In 1912 the young couple came to America with their son, Jack. While studying for the priesthood in New York, Nicholas also taught in the Arabic School and acted as assistant editor of The Mirror of the West, an Arabic newspaper. H e was ordained in 1916. As a priest of the Syrian Orthodox diocese in North America, Father Nahas served parishes in Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York before accepting Texas's first parish at Beaumont. In Beaumont he rebuilt the church, started an Arabic school and began traveling throughout the state to minister to the faithful. In addition, he introduced English into the liturgy in an effort to attract American-born Lebanese who did not know Arabic. In 1923 he compiled an early history of the Orthodox Church in America, and a year later he and his wife, Anna, translated the basic rituals into English. After 1935 Father Nahas served the Beaumont parish only occasionally. Until his death in Beaumont in 1964, he served as a missionary throughout the Midwest, Canada, Mexico and Central America. The Very Reverend Nicholas Nahas SOLOMON CASSEB SR. 1923 Solomon Casseb Sr. established San Antonio's first supermarket and became one of the city's leading realtors. Married to the daughter of an Italian produce merchant, he also 15 Annie Swia Casseb and sons raised five sons and two daughters; who continued the family tradition of public service. Casseb was born in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1885. His father, a policeman, was killed in a mountain snowslide while on patrol, and young Solomon was raised by his mother. At 16 he went to live with his uncle, Elias Abdo, in Kenedy, Texas. After working a year, he arrived in San Antonio, where he attended night school and peddled fruit on the streets until he entered the produce business with Arredo Fahro. Eventually he sent for his mother and brother, George. Later he and his brother formed their own produce establishment, which they operated until George joined the army during World War 1. They sold out in 1918, and Solomon became a real estate investor. In 1921 he bought property on Alamo Plaza, which he renovated two years later into San Antonio's first supermarket. In the 1930's he entered the real 16 estate business exclusively. He died in 1958. Two of Solomon Casseb's sons, George and Joe, became bankers, and two others, Paul and Solomon Jr. , established law practices. Solomon Jr. graduated from The University of Texas School of Law and was admitted to the bar in 1938. On Solomon Casseb's produce establishment, 1915 the eve of World War II he was elected vice president of the Southern Federation of Syrian Lebanese American Clubs. During the war he served in the Army Air Corps in the South Pacific, attaining the rank of major. After the war he resumed his law practice. In 1960 he was appointed to fill an unexpired term as judge of the 57th District Court. Elected twice more, he was named presiding judge of the 4th Administrative Judicial District. He returned to private practice in 1969 and in 1971 became a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. DR. SOLOMON DAVID 1923 For many years Dr. Solomon David was one of Texas's most respected orthopedic surgeons. Born in 1888 in Rachaya, Lebanon, he was educated at the Irish Presbyterian School in Damascus, Syria. He began teaching school, but his family's close ties with Protestant missionaries had both political and interdenominational repercussions. David decided, in 1908, to emigrate. In America he sold linens for a while, then went to St. Paul, Minnesota, to continue his education. After a year of preparatory work, he entered Macalester College, from I Dr. and Mrs. Solomon David which he graduated in 1912. He enrolled in the University of Minnesota Medical College, finished his course work four years later, then joined the United States Army Medical Corps in 1917 as a first lieu tenant. David was assigned as regimental surgeon of the 82nd Field Artillery at Ft. Bliss, Texas, and participated in General Pershing's expedition against Pancho Villa in Mexico. Discharged as a captain in 1920, he went to Houston as an employee of the United States Public Health Service for two years. He spent another year in Boston, continuing his medical studies, then returned to Houston in 1923 to open his own orthopedic surgery clinic. David became a leading specialist in bone and joint surgery and, for a time, was chief orthopedic surgeon at Houston's Methodist Hospital. He wrote articles on his specialty for leading medical journals and served as president of the Texas Orthopedic Society. As a further contribution to the medical profession, he donated the David Orthopedic Library to the Fondren Orthopedic Center of the Methodist Hospital at Houston's famed Medical Center. The library, given in memory of his wife, Victoria, is supported by the David Foundation. CHARLES McKOOL SR. 1924 Charles McKool Sr. immigrated to the United States with his parents, Newman and Lola McKool, in 1893. They spent some time in Waco, where Charles's parents began peddling household goods. "Buy, please" and "Thank you" were among the first English words they learned to speak as they sold socks, buttons, needles and similar articles. Charles married Filomena Nasser in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1914. The McKool family moved to Mexico City in 1917, where Charles managed an uncle's shoe factory for about seven years before returning to the United States to settle in Dallas. There he was active in the restaurant business until his death in 1947. Six children were born to Charles and Filomena - George, Mike, Albert, Ferris, Charles Jr. and Patricia. George and Ferris died in 19070 and 1971 respectively, preceding their mother, Filomena, who di'ed in 1980. Mr. and Mrs. Charles McKool Mike became a successful attorney following his graduation from Southern Methodist University Law School. In World War II he was a tail gunner in a B-24 bomber and was shot down over Yugoslavia. He was later rescued by Draja Mihailovich and his Chetniks, Serbian underground fighters who favored the prewar royal government. After the war Mike entered politics in Dallas County and served in the Texas State Senate from 1969 to 1973, where he set a new filibu ster record of 42 hours, 33 minutes, while trying to add more budget money to mental health and mental retardation programs in Texas. ST. GEORGE MARONITE CHURCH OF SAN ANTONIO 1925 The Maronites, an Eastern Rite of the Catholic Church, are found throughout Texas, but only in San Antonio's St. George Maronite parish has a church been built to perpetuate this ancient ritual. In other cities the Maronites have been assimilated into Roman Catholic parishes. In San Antonio Maronites, who make up 80 percent of the Lebanese colony, formed their own parish in 1925. Today it is part of the Maronite Exarchate of North America, ruled since 1967 by a bishop representing the Patriarch of Antioch in Lebanon. The Maronite mass in Texas is conducted in Arabic with phrases in English and in Aramaic, the language of Christ. The liturgy is that of St. James the Apostle, and the music reflects the use of Arabic hymns and modes. Lebanese Maronites began settling in San Antonio in the 1880's, although the church was not established until 1925. A large initial contribution by Annie Casseb and assistance from others in the Lebanese community enabled the Maronites to acquire a small frame duplex on San Antonio's near west side, where most of the immigrants lived. The first priest, the Reverend 17 St. George Maronite Church George Aziz, lived upstairs and offered mass on the first floor. A new brick church was completed in 1932, during the pastorate of the Reverend Elias Nejem. In 1952 the Mediterranean- style church was moved brick by brick to a new site because of freeway construction. By that time, the Lebanese neighborhood was disintegrating, as the second and third generations moved to newer areas of the city. A modern church complex was built on 15 wooded acres on the northwest edge of town in 1980 and continues to be the center of San Antonio's Maronite community. St. George's priests, usually from Lebanon, have provided religious rites for Maronites in other Texas cities as well as in San Antonio. Community spirit has always been strong, and in 1964 it led to the first city-wide festival called "Magic Is the Night." Preceded by the mayor's proclamation of Lebanese Colony Week, the festival annually entertains thousands of non-Lebanese celebrants with Arabic music, dancing, costumes and food. Parishioners also are active participants in the Institvte of Texan Cultures, providing a large food area and colorful, exciting entertainment. LOUIS HADDAD 1926 Farming attracted relatively few of Texas's Lebanese immigrants; Louis Haddad was one of the exceptions. He became a rice farmer on the gulf coast almost as soon as he reached annual Texas Folklife Festival at The "Magic Is the Night" 18 Texas from his native Endara. Born in 1880 to a family of grain, vegetable and silkworm growers, Haddad left his wife and infant son in 1912 to come to America. He intended to return to Lebanon in a few years, but 14 years passed before he again saw his family. In the meantime, he settled at Nederland, Texas, and worked two years on a rice farm before beginning his own operation. He farmed first at Spindletop, then Fannett and finally at La Belle near Beaumont. He used mules for plowing and pulling the drill, and rented steam-powered threshing machines. Haddad bought his first tractor in 1925, the year before his wife and son, Daher, finally joined him in Texas. Subsequently four generations of the Haddad family have been gulf coast rice farmers . Louis Haddad retired in 1947 and turned the operation over to his son, Daher. The family was active in Syrian Orthodox church affairs and in Syrian Lebanese club work in the Beaumont-Port Arthur area. Daher's wife, Esma, was long a mainstay of the International Club at Lamar University, helping hundreds of foreign students adjust to American life. J.M. HAGGAR 1926 One of America's largest clothing manufacturers-one who has helped revolutionize the industry-was Lebanese-bornJ.M. Haggar of Dallas. H e visited Mexico as a teenager in 1905 but decided to return home. During a stopover at New Orleans, he changed his mind and instead made his way to St. Louis by chopping cotton and driving wagons. There he worked in a dry goods store, bought cotton and sold oil leases. In 1915 he married Rose Wasoff, then became sales representative for a firm that made pants and overalls. In 1921 he moved to Dallas, and six years later he invested his savings in his own company. Haggar rented space in the old Santa Fe Building and started business with 80 used sewing machines and about 100 employees. A hard trader with an uncanny ability to anticipate selling patterns, he quickly became a major force in the clothing industry. His company was one of the first to advertise nationally. He JM. Haggar Sr., Dallas, 1926 senled as chairman of the board, while his sons, J.M. Jr. and Ed, conducted the day-to-day affairs of the vast enterprise. Today Haggar slacks, sport coats and women's wear are produced in 16 plants in Texas and Oklahoma. Three generations of the Haggar family are now leaders in the family enterprise. In 1972 the elder Haggar celebrated his 80th birthday with a $3,000,000 donation to educational, medical and civic charities through the foundation that bears his name. The Haggar Hall of Psychology at Notre Dame and the Haggar Student Center at the University of Dallas both resulted from his generosity. He also aided various denominational schools in the Dallas area and made possible a new wing on St. Jude's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Haggar funds have been established for civic development in 14 communities where his factories are located. The Boy Scouts, Salvation Army, United Way and Red Cross also benefited from his patronage. These charitable efforts earned J.M. Haggar several national awards for community service. In 1976 he received the Horatio Alger Award, and Notre Dame gave him an honorary doctorate oflaw. J.M. Haggar died in 1987 at the age of 94. JOE T. SALEM 1931 Not all contributions of Lebanese Texans to the history and culture of the Lone Star State have occurred in the larger towns and cities. They have been welcomed and assimilated into countless rural communities where they have provided firmly established leadership for many years. Such an example is Joe T. Salem of Sudan, Texas, a small town 50 miles northwest of Lubbock. There Salem has had a highly regarded career as a dry goods merchant, farmer, and civic and religious leader. Born in Kafracab, Lebanon, in 1904, Salem was eight when he and his brothers joined their father, who had previously settled in Provo, Utah. While his father and older brothers worked, young Joe acquired a sixth grade education. His mother and sisters came to America at the first opportunity, and when his father died in 1915, Joe accompanied Joe T Salem 19 one brother and the women of the family to Canadian, where they had relatives, the Maloufs. Forced to quit school and earn a livelihood, he began as a peddler, then opened a dry goods store in Ranger in the waning days of the oil boom there. In 1931 Salem moved his wife and son to Sudan, where he opened another dry goods establishment. The family lived in cramped quarters at the back of the building. During harvest seasons the tiny store was usually crowded until midnight on Saturdays. With proceeds of the day's sales in hand, he would reorder stock immediately to be ready for the following Saturday's rush. In time the business was expanded in a new location, but it continued as a family operation until 1954. After struggling to make his store a success during the Great Depression, Salem gave both time and effort to civic endeavor. He was president of the Chamber of Commerce from 1933 to 1941 and director of the regional west Texas chamber in 1936. THE SOUTHERN FEDERATION OF SYRIAN LEBANESE AMERICAN CLUBS 1931 The emblem of the Southern Federation of Syrian Lebanese American Clubs depicts a Phoenician galley departing the cedar-covered hills of Lebanon. The organization dates from 1931, when the idea was presented during aJuly 4th convention sponsored by the Young Men's Amusement Club of Port Arthur. Two months later the details of a federation were worked out at a Labor Day gathering initiated by a Syrian girls' club in Austin. During the following weeks clubs from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Alabama attended organizational meetings. The first convention was held in Beaumont in 1932. A constitution was adopted 20 Southern Federation Convention, 1932 and officers elected; H.A. Amuny of Port.Arthur became the first president. Within ten years the Federation had expanded to the East Coast. .conventions were suspended during World War II, but the Federation 'contributed to the war effort, principally by sponsoring war bond drives. The organization's bimonthly newsletter began in 1933 as a column, "The Galley:' in The Syrian Voice, a New York City newspaper. By 1936 The Official Bulletin had achieved its present format. The long-time editor was Kamal Antone, an organizer of the Federation. The records on file at the Houston office are the best archive available on the Lebanese in Texas and the South. With the establishment of Lebanese neighborhoods, clubs and churches during the early 1900's, assistance often was given to the unfortunate, the unemployed, the sick and the orphaned. With the creation of the Federation in 1931, aid on a much larger scale became feasible, and relief was given to the refugees of Middle Eastern conflicts and to natural disaster victims in Syria, Lebanon and America too. Scholarships have also been a principal concern of the Southern Federation program. A student loan fund was initiated in the 1930's, and in 1948 a scholarship program was established which has handed out hundreds of thousands of dollars from 73 funds. In addition, the Federation's Kahlil Gibran awards have honored America's most popular Lebanese author. Since 1969 donations have been made to the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at The University of Texas at Austin. In 1973 the Southern Federation Foundation, Inc., was formed as a Texas corporation to manage the scholarship and charitable programs. Today the Southern Federation comprises 85 clubs in over 50 southern cities, with a total membership of almost 6,090. Texas, the pioneer state of the Federation, has 34 clubs in 14 cities from Beaumont-Port Arthur to EI Paso. It provides a forum in which Arabic-speaking people can foster their customs, music, food, language, folklore, hospitality and devotion to heritage. Families and friends meet to exchange news and to introduce their children. A nonpolitical, nonsectarian policy is followed. At convention parties, dances, banquets and official meetings, the traditions of old and new homelands are blended in a mixture of patriotism and pride. ANTHONY R. FERRIS 1932 Anthony Ferris combined a full life in business, education and service to his adopted country with a love of his native Arabic literature and music. As translator of the writings of Kahlil Gibran, the world-famous Lebanese mystic, philosopher, artist and poet, Ferris made a lasting contribution to the literary arts. Born in Roumieh, Lebanon, in 1907, Ferris received his education at the British Missionary School in Broumana and at the American University of Beirut. After a brief teaching career, he came to visit an uncle, Saadi Ferris, in Texas during the early 1930's. He addressed the organizational meeting of the Southern Federation of Syrian Lebanese American Clubs in Austin in 1931 and is listed as one of its founders. After a visit to Cuba, Ferris was readmitted on the Lebanese immigration quota in 1932 and settled in Austin, where he worked with his brother, Elias, in a pharmacy. Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Manziel with baby daughter, Merigale (right), pose with Senator and Mrs. Tom Pollard, 1946. In the years that followed, he received undergraduate and graduate degrees from The University of Texas at Austin. During World War II he was an officer instructor at Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio. Later he became a teacher and eventually a lecturer at the university in Austin. From 1959 to 1962 he was a consultant on foreign lan-guages for the Texas Education Agency. He was married to Carmen Kazen, daughter of the pioneer merchant Abraham Kazen of Laredo. Their son, Anthony, became a lawyer in the Kazen family tradition. Ferris's renditions of Gibran have benefited a wide public. Faithful to the idea and style, he painstakingly translated the Arabic into English to supplement the works already available. Before Ferris's death in Austin in 1962, he was responsible for producing six volumes of Gibran's work in English. BOBBY MANZIEL 1932 One of Texas's most successful wildcatters and independent oil operators, Bobby Manziel acted as his own geologist and opened up nine fields during the great east Texas boom of the 1930's. Located in Wood, Smith and Marion counties, the fields were named for members of his family. One of his wells, drilled near Hawkins in 1940, resulted in the completion of 243 additional wells, which produced 1,500,000 Carmen and Anthony Ferris with their son, Anthony Jr. barrels of crude within a year's time. 21 Manziel was born in Lebanon in 1905 and was brought by his parents to America when he was a year old. The family settled in Arkansas. As a youngster Manziel worked as a paper boy and sold peanuts at sporting events. Later he became a boxing and wrestling promoter in Arkansas and a sportswriter for newspapers in Monroe, Louisiana, and Fort Smith, Arkansas. In 1932 he moved to Gladewater, Texas, where he operated a small hotel until the opportunity arose for him to enter the oil business. On one occasion his friend Jack Dempsey loaned George Kadane him $400 to complete a wildcat well. Dempsey said later that it was the first projects was the construction of best investment he ever made. The a Catholic convent and library in two became partners in many suc- Denison. He learned drafting and cessful business ventures. became his own architect, and soon Manziel's business empire grew he had a thriving business in to include banks, hotels and news- northern Texas and in Oklahoma. papers as well as oil wells. He was • The Kadane enterprises grew proud of his ancestry and was an to include highway and railroad conorganizer of Tyler's Cedars of Leb- struction. By 1914 he was using his anon Club. He also served as presi- . own drilling rig to explore for oil in dent of the Southern Federation of Oklahoma. Four years later he reSyrian Lebanese American Clubs . . turned to Texas, first to Dallas, then Two years before his death in in 1917 to Burkburnett, where he 1956, he established the Bobby and his brother Fred formed the Manziel
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