Thanks to Leslie, Alice, Katie, and Stella I've posted a lot more pictures of the original family and the cousins.The pictures below are from each branch of the family. There are lots of new postings. Unfortunately, there's no way to organize them as they're posted. Enjoy! (8/07)
The Rousos brothers and their sister came to the U.S. during the late 1800s to the 1920s from Granitseika, Greece. My grandfather, Spiro, came to join his brother Peter in 1900 at the age of 11. Peter had arrived in 1899 as a young man, according to the 50th Anniversary album published by the Greek Church in Rochester. Peter's daughter Dorothy was the historian for the book, which Stella sent me recently. (7/07)
According to ship manifests from Ellis Island, the name was spelled with double 's' at that time, "Roussos." Go to www.ellisisland.org and do a search to find family members who came through Ellis Island. If you log in as "lrousos" password: "rousos" , pull down "Passenger Search" and go to "Your Saved Files," you'll be able to see all the family members and info I've found. You'll see microfilms of original ship manifests and processing at Ellis Island. For some you can see photos of ship that they arrived on. Antonios Roussos, our common grandfather/greatgrandfather, made at least one trip to Rochester (1909) to visit his wife and children according to the ship manifests. Family members have bought plaques on Ellis Island in memory of Spiro A. Rousos, Effie(Rousou)and George Peliouras.If you go to Ellis Island you can find the plaques. I went last summer and spent the day at the museum, but it still wasn't enough time.
In the past few years I've been in touch with different branches of the family besides my own: Teddy's son, Dan, and his daughter Leslie Rousos; Andrew's daughter Alice, Tony & Cleo's children, Bill and Arie; Gus's granddaughter Leslie Rousos Gomillion; Effie's daughters Stella and Katie; and Peter's grandsons Steve Rousos, Pat Hoke, and Peter Rousos.
The movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding was pretty accurate in portraying some of our Greek-American experience. And I thought that we were the only ones being lectured about the Greek derivation of English words and the accomplishments of the Greeks! "It comes from the Greek word anthropos, that's man," etc. Not to mention huge dinners, family feuds, card games, business deals, pressure to marry Greek. Pity the person who wasn't Greek or didn't "look Greek."My mother Martha tells me that at one of the cousins' weddings in Detroit, a couple of the guys brought her a glass of "water," which she gulped down only to find out it was ouzo--same trick as in movie. Also the naming customs--let's see, how many Anthonys and C/Katherines do we have in our family? Over how many generations?
I heard from our cousin Charalambos(Harry-see photo)in Athens. I used people search service for Greece (see link). He called, and we spoke for ~2 hours about family and politics.He's now 43 years old, a dentist. He was actually visiting the U.S. in '03 and was only about 3 miles from my home...if only I'd gotten back in touch sooner! He sends his warmest regards to family here. (3/07) Spoke to Harry in September right after the fires. He says that Granitseika is ok, but that there were villages nearby that were burned. (9/07)
To see the photos below you may need to enter name and password:
name: lrousos
password: thebeach
May 2009
|
- Antoni and Sons (c. 1909) (292 KB)
This our Greek great-grandfather Antonios Roussos with 4 of his sons and daughters-in-law. Standing left to right: Spiro, Masegha (Peter's wife), Gus, Katina (Andrew's wife), ?Katina's brother?. Seated left to right: Peter, Antoni, Andrew. This could have been taken in either Boston or Rochester. According to Ellis Island records he visited Rochester in 1909. Katie Mugianis reports that Antoni also visited his sons in Boston more than once. - Peter (Epaminondas) Rousos and Family (559 KB)
This was shared by Effie's daughters Stella and Katie. - Spiro, Effie, Stella, Mary (236 KB)
This snapshot is dated 1973. Sent by Stella. - Gus and Anthony Spiro (332 KB)
Uncle Gus and nephew Tony - Katina & Family in Rochester (365 KB)
Standing left to right: Teddy's wife Angeline, Yiayia, Anthony Spiro, Katherine, Teddy, Evangeline. In front are Danny, Helen, and a happy dog that looks like my dog Sunny! - Granitseika Sea View (83 KB)
Here's a view of the village showing its proximity to the sea. - Family on Boat (313 KB)
Second from left: Gus, Spiro,Helen (?) Evangeline, Tony, Teddy ?(far right). This photo was given to me by my cousin Charlie Spiro Arena and Michelle Arena, 2450 Old Edgemere Dr, Rochester, in June 2005. I had never seen it before. It was in the attic at 2450, which is where my Aunt Helen (Rousos Arena)lived. - Teddy with Kids (503 KB)
Helen, Danny, Billy, Uncle Teddy, Stella, Katie. Stella and Katie sent this to me. - First Generation Rousos Cousins (1281 KB)
This picture was taken in 1922 at the first Greek Community Picnic. These are 1st generation Rousos cousins outside on the grass with Gus and Teddy. Peter's and Spiro's children are among the cousins. Can anyone help identify everyone? - Dan, Katie, Stella, Billy (371 KB)
Here are the cousins (Teddy & Effie's kids) at the beach, Lake Ontario. - Proximity to Pirgos (91 KB)
Proximity to Pirgos - Teddy with Niece Helen (191 KB)
This is Teddy with little Helen (Spiro's daughter). About 1920? - Spiro's Daughter Katherine with Mayor (679 KB)
Here are Spiro and Katherine with the Mayor of Rochester and Greek community leaders. Katherine is presenting the Mayor with a bouquet of flowers. - Acropolis: Linda and Cousin Harry (1974) (268 KB)
This is a picture of Linda Rousos and "Harry" Gritzeli on the Acropolis in 1974, near the flagpole where Hitler raised the German flag in WWII. We are 3rd cousins, since our grandfathers were 1st cousins. Our great-grandmother Katrina and Harry's great-grandfather were brother and sister. At the time of my visit in July 1974, cousin Hralambos, his wife Effie, daughter Maria and husband Gregory Gritzeli, and their son Haralambos were living in Athens. They took very good care of me for 3 or 4 days, feeding me, taking me to a traditional dance concert, the Acropolis, museums, and "n thalassa" (the sea)! Harry Sr. told me through sign language and the little Greek that I understood that he remembered playing with our grandfathers (Spiro and Teddy) in Granitseika, running around barefoot. He was also able to communicate to me that he stood up at Spiro and Evangeline's wedding. Harry Jr. was studying English in school and we corresponded for a few years after my visit, but lost touch until recently. He is now a practicing dentist in Athens. His grandfather and mother have passed away. - Spiro and Evangelina (578 KB)
This photo of Spiro Anthony and Evangeline was taken about the time that they married and came back to the U.S. When my grandfather told me the story of his meeting my grandmother in Athens, he quoted Lord Byron, "Maid of Athens, Ere we part, Give oh give me back my heart." It was sent to me by Katie Mugianis (Effie's daughter). - Aunt Effie (101 KB)
Antoni and Katina's only daughter, Effie. - Ellis Island Plaque-Effie R. & George Peliouras (328 KB)
This is the plaque on Ellis Island Immigrant Wall of Honor where Effie Rousos Peliouras and George Peliouras' names are inscribed.(July 2006) - Spiro, Ekaterina (Yiayia), and Tony Spiro (294 KB)
This is our (great-)grandmother Katina from Greece with her son Spiro on left and grandson Anthony Spiro on the right. Rochester, NY (c. 1930?) According to her grandchildren, Alice, Katie, Katherine, and Stella, she was adored by her children and grandchildren. Very sweet and loving person. She loved to dance and went out in Granitseika to dance in the street after the kids were asleep. - Andrew's wife Katina with Anthony and Charles 1913 (515 KB)
Sent by Andrew's daughter Alice Alfonsi. - Ellis Island - Spiro Anthony Rousos (346 KB)
This is Linda next to Spiro Anthony Rousos' name inscribed on the Ellis Island Immigrants Wall of Honor in July 2006. His name was put there by his granddaughters Penny, Elaine, Linda, and Diane. - Spiro and Son Tony in Sailor Suit (211 KB)
My grandfather Spiro sent me this photo when I was in high school or college. It was originally printed as a postcard. Grandpa typed on the back "LINDA GUESS WHO IS ON MY KNEES." - Cousins Alice, Dick, and Leslie. (347 KB)
Andrew's daughter Alice with Gus' son Dick and his daughter Leslie. - Gus' Son -Richard Rousos (20 KB)
This is Dick Rousos' baby picture, taken about 1928.From Dick's daughter Leslie Rousos. Gomillion. - Haralamos Kiriakopoulos, Effie, Mariain Athens (195 KB)
This is a photo I took on my visit with the family in Athens, 1974. Haralamos (Harry) was the Rousos' brothers' and sister's first cousin, whose family stayed in Granitseika. His father was our great-grandmother's (Katina K. Roussou's) brother. He remembered playing barefoot with Spiro, Teddy, and the other cousins in Granitseika. We had a wonderful visit. I corresponded with his grandson Harry for some time. Katie Mugianis has also visited with the family several times. - Sailor Dick Rousos Surrounded! (38 KB)
This is Dick with wife Phyllis on the right, and her best friend Phyllis on the left! Sent by Leslie Rousos Gomillion, Dick's daughter, Gus' granddaughter.
|