Hrant Minassian
Hrant Minassian 
| |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Hérand Ardachès Minassian |
| Birthplace | Istanbul |
| Birth date | 1 April 1875 |
| Lived in | Istanbul, Djibouti, Dire Dawa |
| Profession | Businessman |
| Languages | Armenian, French, Turkish, Amharic |
| Ethnicities | Armenian |
| Dialects | Western Armenian |
| Spouses | Hratchouhie Minassian |
| Children | George Minassian, Noubar Minassian, Satenig, Satenig Sahatdjian |
Information is available in Haik Patapan's Arti Etovpia ev Hay kaghoute, published in Venice in 1930.
Hrant Minassian was brother-in-law of Matig Kevorkoff. He had been associated to him for his business for almost 50 years, until 1924. At this date, he started to work alone.
In 1930, Patapan's book cited the "Maison Minassian", together with "Maison Kevorkoff", among the most prominent Armenian trade-houses in Ethiopia. The "Maison Minassian" had its central office in Dire Dawa, but held also shops in Harar and Addis Ababa.
Interview with Hrant's granddaughter
During genocide, Hrant Minassian escaped prison from Constantinople for his political activities (they were organizing resistance), his parents put him on the first ship out of Turkey, it went to Egypt. Then he started looking for a job and got a job with Matig Kevorkoff - applied and got it. Worked for them for a while and Matig saw promise in him. Asked him would you like to work in Djibuti. They opened the business there - Hrant stayed, and business boomed. Hrant married Matig's sister. This time they went together to Ethiopia and opened business there. Dire Dawa and Addis Ababa. In Harar or Alemaya they had olive oil company. In Dire Dawa they had a soap company. Perhaps another oil, not sure. They had a coffee bean processing plant. They bought properties. Matig moved to France with his daughter (about Shake's age) and all touch was lost. One of them (Matig or Hrant) had the cigarette monopoly. When the Italians came they took the monopoly and businesses. The brand new factory equipment from England was taken. Ethiopian govt kept this all after the Italians were gone.
George Minassian was his son.
Hrant Minassian's Marriage Record
Hrant's marriage record at the French embassy/consulate in Djibouti in 1900 can be found online here: https://en.geneanet.org/archival-registers/view/452521/16?individu_filter=23767300
French original text
This text is transcribed by AI. It has not been checked for mistakes:
L’an mil neuf cent, le Dimanche cinq Août, à neuf heures du matin ;
En la salle de la Justice de paix à compétence étendue de Djibouti (Côte française des Somalis et Dépendances), tenant lieu de Mairie.
Pardevant nous Jules-François Baud, Agent des Affaires Indigènes à Djibouti, faisant fonctions en cette ville d’Officier de l’État-civil.
Sont comparus :
Monsieur Hérand Ardachès Minassian, employé de commerce, demeurant à Djibouti, domicilié depuis deux ans en cette ville, âgé de vingt-cinq ans, né à Constantinople (Turquie d’Europe), le premier Avril mil huit cent soixante-quinze, fils majeur de Kevork Minassian, âgé de cinquante-cinq ans et de Perouse Hatchadour Berdjian, âgée de quarante-cinq ans, tous deux, époux, demeurant ensemble à Constantinople,
lesquels ont donné leur consentement au présent mariage suivant déclaration mentionnée dans l’acte délivré à ce sujet par le patriarcat arménien de Constantinople, tenant lieu d’acte de naissance, nous produit, qui demeure ci-annexé.
Le dit comparant apte, d’après les lois de son pays à contracter valablement le présent mariage ainsi qu’il résulte de l’acte sus-énoncé.
Et Mademoiselle Heratchouhi Mardiros Kevorkoff, sans profession, demeurant avec ses parents, domiciliée de droit à Djibouti depuis huit mois, âgée de vingt cinq ans, née à Constantinople (Turquie d’Europe), ainsi qu’il résulte d’un acte de notoriété dressé pour suppléer l’acte de naissance, par ordonnance du Juge de paix à compétence étendue de Djibouti en date du deux Août mil neuf cent, le dit acte homologué par jugement du Tribunal de paix à compétence étendue de Djibouti en date du Quatre Août mil neuf cent, qui nous a été produit et demeurera ci-annexé. fille majeure de Mardiros Kevork Kevorkoff, négociant âgé de soixante neuf ans et de dame Elbis Atine DerMedjian, âgée de cinquante ans, ses époux, négociants demeurant ensemble à Djibouti. tous deux ici présents et consentants.
Lesquels après nous avoir déclaré qu’il n’existe entre eux aucune parenté ni alliance sous aucun degré de prohibés à la célébration du mariage projeté entre eux dont les publications ont été faites au Chef de paix à com- pétence étendue de Djibouti, tenant lieu de mairie, les Dimanches vingt deux compétence étendue de Djibouti, tenant lieu de mairie, les Dimanches vingt deux et vingt-neuf Juillet mil neuf cent, ainsi qu’il résulte des actes inscrits à ces dates sur le Registre des publications de mariage de cette ville dont nous avons donné lecture.
Aucune opposition ne nous ayant été signifiée,
Nous, officier de l’état-civil, faisant droit à la réquisition des parties,
Vu le certificat de baptême du futur époux, délivré par le patriarcat arménien de Constantinople écrit en langue arménienne et française lequel contient aussi consentement au mariage dont il s’agit des père et mère du futur époux ;
Vu l’acte de notoriété dressé pour suppléer l’acte de naissance de la future épouse, par monsieur le juge de paix à compétence étendue de Djibouti en date du deux Août mil neuf cent, homologué par jugement du tribunal ci-dessus énoncé en date du quatre Août mil neuf cent ;
Lesquelles pièces, paraphées conformément à la loi, jointes annexées au présent acte de mariage, nous avons donné lecture.
Vu le registre des publica- tions de mariage de cette ville de l’année mil neuf cent ;
Après avoir reçu des futurs époux ainsi que des personnes ici présentes pour autoriser le mariage, la déclaration qu’il a été fait un contrat de mariage reçu par monsieur Baud, Jules-François, notaire à Djibouti, en date du trois Août ;
Avons lu aux parties les dispositions du Code civil comprises sous le chapitre six du titre du mariage, concernant les droits et les devoirs respectifs des époux et avons demandé au futur époux et à la future épouse s’ils voulaient se prendre pour mari et pour femme.
Chacun d’eux ayant répondu séparément et affirmativement, nous avons prononcé au nom de la loi que Monsieur Hérand-Ardachès Minassian et Demoiselle Heratchouhi Mardiros Kevorkoff sont unis par le mariage.
Le tout a été fait publiquement et en présence de :
~~Premièrement :~~monsieur Onnig Papazian, âgé de vingt quatre ans, négociant demeurant à Djibouti, non parent ni allié.
~~Deuxièmement :~~ monsieur Nesrekh Abrahams, âgé de vingt sept ans, négociant, demeurant à Djibouti, non parent ni allié.
~~Témoins du futur~~
~~Troisièmement :~~ monsieur Ohanès Zerzian, âgé de vingt neuf ans, négociant demeurant à Djibouti, non parent ni allié.
~~Quatrièmement :~~ monsieur Aminag Papazian, âgé de vingt cinq ans, mécanicien, demeurant à Djibouti, non parent ni allié.
~~Témoins de la future~~
Cinquièmement : Monsieur Mardiros Kevork Kevorkoff, âgé de soixante neuf ans, négociant demeurant à Djibouti, père de la future épouse.
Sixièmement : madame Elbis Atine DerMedjian, âgée de cinquante ans, épouse de monsieur Mardiros Kevork Kevorkoff avec lequel elle demeure, mère de la future épouse.
Septièmement : Monsieur Mahir Kevorkoff, âgé de trente deux ans, négociant demeurant à Djibouti, frère de la future.
Après lecture du présent acte, les parties et les témoins l’ont signé avec nous.
English translation of text
This is a google translation of the AI transcription of the French original handwriting. Expect that with two layers of automated process, there will be mistakes.
In the year nineteen hundred, on Sunday, August fifth, at nine o'clock in the morning;
In the courtroom of the Justice of the Peace with extended jurisdiction in Djibouti (French Somali Coast and Dependencies), acting as the Town Hall.
Before us, Jules-François Baud, Agent for Native Affairs in Djibouti, acting in this city as Registrar of Civil Status.
Appeared:
Mr. Hérand Ardachès Minassian, commercial employee, residing in Djibouti, domiciled in this city for two years, aged twenty-five years, born in Constantinople (European Turkey), on April first, eighteen hundred and seventy-five, adult son of Kevork Minassian, aged fifty-five years, and Perouse Hatchadour Berdjian, aged forty-five years, both husband and wife, residing together in Constantinople,
who have given their consent to this marriage according to the declaration mentioned in the document issued in this regard by the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, serving as a birth certificate, which was presented to us and remains attached hereto.
The said party is competent, according to the laws of his country, to validly contract this marriage, as results from the aforementioned document.
And Miss Heratchouhi Mardiros Kevorkoff, unemployed, residing with her parents, legally domiciled in Djibouti for eight months, aged twenty-five years, born in Constantinople (European Turkey), as evidenced by a certificate of notoriety drawn up to replace the birth certificate, by order of the Justice of the Peace with extended jurisdiction of Djibouti dated August second, nineteen hundred, the said document approved by judgment of the Court of the Justice of the Peace with extended jurisdiction of Djibouti dated August fourth, nineteen hundred, which was presented to us and will remain attached hereto. adult daughter of Mardiros Kevork Kevorkoff, a merchant aged sixty-nine years, and of Mrs. Elbis Atine DerMedjian, aged fifty years, his wife, merchants residing together in Djibouti, both present here and consenting.
Who, after having declared to us that there is no relationship or alliance between them of any degree prohibited to the celebration of the marriage projected between them, the banns of which were published at the Chief of Peace's office with extended jurisdiction in Djibouti, acting as the town hall, on Sundays, the twenty-second and twenty-ninth of July, nineteen hundred, as shown by the acts recorded on these dates in the Register of Marriage Publications of this city, which we have read aloud.
No opposition having been notified to us,
We, officer of civil status, granting the request of the parties,
Having seen the baptism certificate of the prospective groom, issued by the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, written in Armenian and French, which also contains the consent to the marriage in question of the father and mother of the prospective groom;
Having seen the certificate of notoriety drawn up to replace the birth certificate of the prospective bride, by the judge of peace with extended jurisdiction of Djibouti dated the second of August, nineteen hundred, approved by judgment of the court mentioned above, dated the fourth of August, nineteen hundred;
Which documents, initialed in accordance with the law, attached and annexed to this marriage certificate, we have read aloud.
Having seen the register of marriage publications of this city for the year nineteen hundred; After having received the future spouses, as well as the persons present to authorize the marriage, the declaration was made that a marriage contract had been drawn up by Mr. Jules-François Baud, notary in Djibouti, dated August 3rd;
We read to the parties the provisions of the Civil Code included under chapter six of the title on marriage, concerning the respective rights and duties of the spouses, and asked the future husband and the future wife if they wished to take each other as husband and wife.
Each of them having answered separately and affirmatively, we pronounced in the name of the law that Mr. Hérand-Ardachès Minassian and Miss Heratchouhi Mardiros Kevorkoff are united in marriage.
All of this was done publicly and in the presence of:
~~Firstly:~~ Mr. Onnig Papazian, aged twenty- four years, merchant residing in Djibouti, neither relative nor in-law.
~~Secondly:~~ Mr. Kevork Arabiants, aged twenty-seven years, merchant, residing in Djibouti, neither relative nor in-law.
~~Witnesses for the groom~~
~~Thirdly:~~ Mr. Ohanès Terzian, aged twenty-nine years, merchant residing in Djibouti, neither relative nor in-law.
~~Fourthly:~~ Mr. Amenag Papazian, aged twenty-five years, mechanic, residing in Djibouti, neither relative nor in-law.
~~Witnesses for the bride~~
Fifthly: Mr. Mardiros Kevork Kevorkoff, aged sixty-nine years, merchant residing in Djibouti, father of the future bride.
Sixth: Mrs. Elbis Artine Deorkmedjian, fifty years old, wife of Mr. Mardiros Kevork Kevorkoff, with whom she resides, mother of the bride-to-be.
Seventh: Mr. Matig Kevorkoff, thirty-two years old, a merchant residing in Djibouti, brother of the bride-to-be.
After reading this document, the parties and the witnesses signed it with us.