Michael (Alexander) Agelasto

Notes:

Michael Agelasto, my great-uncle, for whom I was named, worked in cotton brokerage, which he thoroughly detested, according to my mother. Known as Mickey, he was educated as both an engineer and medical doctor, but he practiced neither of these professions. The middle of the three brothers, it was he who never married and had the responsibility to take care of his mother who did not die until Mickey was himself 65 years old. Mickey was fluent in several languages, including classical Greek, and he managed to flee to Europe for summer vacations, leaving his mother, I suspect, to his siblings' management.

Occupation, Norfolk, Va.: 1896-1898 electrical engnr 29 Plume; 1899 151 Granby; 1900 108 Ferebee, Jones & Co. Bldg; 1901 elecrical engnr; 1902 3d av cor Front; 1903-1909 42 Front; 1910-1914 gen mngr Atlantic Mnfg Co; 1915-1916 cotton; 1917-1931 supt Norfolk Cotton Co. Inc.; also with J.S. Jenkins & Co., Nofolk, cotton brokers.

Vice-consul for Greece 1888-1891 (Norfolk Directory). M. Agelasto listed as Greek consul, Norfolk, Dun and Bradstreet Publications Corporation, 1917.

Residence: Baltimore, MD 1890, student, 205 W. Madison; 1891-91, student, 914 McCulloh; Norfolk, Va.: 1896-1897 18 York; 1897-1912 54 York; 1913-1917 426 W York; 1918-1923 800 Armistead Bridge Rd; 1924 206 W Princess Anne Rd; 1925-1931 602/604 Fairfax Av; 1927 & 1930, 4-C Hague Apartments, 606 Fairfax Ave; 1941Heart o' Ghent Hotel; May 1947 Henry Clay Inn, [Ashland, Va.]; 319 W Freemason St.; Mar 48 Waverly Hotel & Jefferson Hotel, VA Beach; Aug-Oct 1948 rm 509 Hotel Southland, Granby St.; Mar 49 Hotel Mileuor, Granby St.

Education: 1888-91, BA, St Johns College [Johns Hopkins University], Annapolis MD, USA ( 14 Jun 1891, p 24); 1891-92, graduate studies, Electrical Engineering, St Johns College [Johns Hopkins University]Annapolis , MD, USA; 1892-1893, AM [medicine], Columbia University, NYC, USA


Naturalization: Citizenship granted 2 Apr 1906, no. 9267, signed by Elihu Root, Secretary of State; height indicated as 5’4”. Passport application filed 31 March 1906 in advance of 3 April 1906 sailing. The 1900 census says he immigrated to the US in 1877.

Patent #571,426, Electric Thermometer, 17 Nov. 1896

Travel: 18 June 1888: Liverpool to Queenstown, NY, on Umbria, Cunard Line; 3 April 1906, from New York, on S.S. Barbarossa; 1 June 1906, Naples to New York on Konig Albert; 10 May 1907, Cherbourg, France to New York, on Kaiser Wilhelm; 23 Aug 1927: Hamburg, Germany to Philadelphia, PA, on Denderah. NB: he was not with his parents and older brother, 7 Oct. 1869, Liverpool to NYC aboard China.

Appears in a photo with his brothers, taken in Memphis in 1870, where his father was a founding member of the Memphis Cotton Exchange (George Scrini collection). The boys are, from left to right: Alexander Michael, Peter and Michael.

He is listed (Box 485, Norfolk, Va.) Jan 1903, as a member/associate of the American branch of The Society For Psychical Research. See, Edward T. Bennett, The Society For Psychical Research - Its Rise And Progress And A Sketch Of Its Work (Kessinger Publishing, 2006, re-issue), p 455


He attended the 5 Feb 1893 wedding of E. Pilalas and Catherine Elesteropoulo at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, W 53d St., New York City, along with Theodore P. and Mrs. Ralli, P.P. Negreponte, and John C. Maximos.
At the time he was probably a student at Columbia.

A modern art enthusiast who was an early member of the Museum of Modern Art, New York. He introduced T. Catesby Jones, an arts patron, to the State of Virginia art collections. Jones bequeathed the bulk of his modern art collection to Virginia institutions in 1947; Michael Agelasto is cited in the exhibition catalogue for his role. (The exhibition catalogue, Matisse, Picasso, and Modern Art in Paris: The T. Catesby Jones Collections, The U. Va Art Musueum, 30 Jan - 24 Apr 2009 (Parker Agelasto).

He and his brother Alec played the amateur tennis circuit. While in Europe (3 Apr - 1 Jun) either he or a namesake 'M Agelastos' represented Greece in singles tennis in the Athens 1906 Olympics [22 Apr - 1 Jun], losing in the first round by default.

Michael Agelasto was influential in bringing T. Catesby Jones' modern art collection to Virginia.

M. Agelasto, "The Discharge of Magnetism," The Electrical World, v. 24, 15 Sep 1894, n. 11, p. 256-257.

Johns Hopkins University Circulars, v. 9, no. 76, Nov 1889, lists Michael A. Agelasto, Norfolk, Va., among 'special students', enrolled in classes on Church History, International Law, English Constitutional History, Continental History, Psychology, and Logic.

1900 US Federal Census for 54 York Street, Norfolk City, Virginia, headed by Alex M Agelasto, 67, b. Feb 1833, Greece; naturalized, parents b. Greece, Cotton Buyer, own home, Married 1866 (34 years); wife Polyrene M Agelasto, 53, b. Jan 1847, Greece; parents b. Greece, both immigrated 1859, 41 years in US; sons Peter A Agelasto, 31, b. Mar 1869, India, lawyer; Michael A Agelasto, 29, b. Apr 1871, Greece, electrical engineer, both immigrated 1877, naturalized, 23 years in the US; Alex M Agelasto Jr, 26, b. Dec 1873, Louisiana, all single, cotton buyer; and one servant.

1910 US Federal Census for 54 York Street, Norfolk City, Virginia, headed by Mrs. P. Agelasto, 62, b. 1848, Greece, widowed, parents b. Greece, naturalized, own home, married 40 years, 3/3 children living; son P Agelasto, 40, b. 1870, India, immigrated 1900, Married, parents b. Greece; lawyer, naturalized; Daughter-in-law Catherine Agelasto, 29, b. 1881, Virginia, parents b. Virginia, 5 years married; grandson Alex Agelasto Jr., 5, b. 1905, Virginia; father b. India; mother b. Virginia; sons Mickey Agelasto, 38, b. 1872 Greece; immigrated 1890, naturalized, single, parents b. Greece, Cotton Mill manager, Alex Agelasto Sr., 37, b. 1873 Louisiana, Married, parents b. Greece, clerk cotton mill, married 7 years; Daughter-in-law Mary W. Agelasto, 26, b. 1884, Virginia, parents b. Virginia, all native English speakers, can read/write.

1930 US federal census: Hague Apartments, 617 Fairfax Avneue, Olney Road, Norfolk, Va. household headed by Michael Agelasto, renter, 58, single, b. Greece, parents b. Greece, arrived USA 1880, naturalized, manager cotton mill; mother Pauline [sic], 77, widow, 20 y.o. at marriage; naturalized, arrived USA 1977; Alexandria [sic], nephew, 25, single, b. Virginia, father b. India, mother b. Virginia, lawyer.

1940 US federal census, Princess Anne Co., Virginia: M A Agelasto, 71, lodger, single, b. Greece, naturalized citizen, unemployed, other income, residence Norfolk, 1935.

Birth:
The 1900 census gives his birth date as Apr. 1871.

On passport application, he reports birth as 25 Jan. 1869, New Orleans.

Died:
Obituary: Washington Post, 21 Sept. 1949



Buried:
Elmwood Cemetery record: AGELASTO, MICHAEL A I28115 Section ELM, Block 7TH A E, Lot 15, Space 11 0 09/20/1949

Notes:

Education: Smyrna and Athens

Alex. Agelasto, 32, East 10th St., New York, merchant, white, unmarried, born Greece, is registered in the consolidated list of persons eligible for military service, enumerated May-June 1863, Eighth Congressional District, New York. [The draft was initiated by Abraham Lincoln in 1862 and reformed in March 1863. All men between 20 and 45 years of age were required to register. This included non-citizens. With news of the Battle of Gettysburg, the draft resistance in July 1863, primarily from Irish immigrants, caused riots in New York. Parker Agelasto]

1900 US Federal Census for 54 York Street, Norfolk City, Virginia, headed by Alex M Agelasto, 67, b. Feb 1833, Greece; naturalized, parents b. Greece, Cotton Buyer, own home, Married 1866 (34 years); wife Polyrene M Agelasto, 53, b. Jan 1847, Greece; parents b. Greece, both immigrated 1859, 41 years in US; sons Peter A Agelasto, 31, b. Mar 1869, India, lawyer; Michael A Agelasto, 29, b. Apr 1871, Greece, electrical engineer, both immigrated 1877, naturalized, 23 years in the US; Alex M Agelasto Jr, 26, b. Dec 1873, Louisiana, all single, cotton buyer; and one servant.

Name:
His marriage certificate lists his mother as Maria Negroponte.

Birth:
The 1900 Norfolk, Va. census gives his birth date as Feb 1833. Extrapolation of data from the 1869 Syros voter register (in the Greek national archives) and the digitized oath of Syros citizenship register suggest the birth year to be about 1831. The baptism registers of the Holy Cathedral Church of the Transfiguration of the Saviour Christ, Syros, available for the years 1831-1834, 1835-1851, 1852-1860 and 1897-1912, but have been examined for only for 1835, the year his brother John was born and baptized.

His passport application and naturalization papers do not give a birth date.

Died:
Cause of death: pneumonia

Buried:
Lot 15, 7th A. East Elm.

Alexander married Polyxene (Alexander) Mavrogordato on 02 Feb 1866 in Syros, Cyclades Islands, Greece. Polyxene (daughter of Alexander (Michael) Mavrogordato and Polunia (Pandias) Ralli) was born on 05 Jan 1846 in Syros, Cyclades Islands, Greece; died on 01 Sep 1934 in 4-C Hague Apartments, Norfolk, Virginia USA; was buried on 02 Sep 1934 in Elmwood Cemetery, Norfolk, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Residence: 1870, New Orleans presumably, but she is not listed with her 4-year-old son, who lived in a household headed by Ernilien Gallasta, 42, cotton broker, and her nephew Demosthenes (Aristides) Pateraki; 1880, Oconomowoc, Waukesha, Wisconsin; 1900-1913, 54 York St., Norfolk, Va.; 1913-1917, 426 W York; 1918-1923, 800 Armistead Bridge Rd; 1923, Apt 206 Carenstead Court ; 1930, Hague Apts., Norfolk, Va.

Her sister Victoria is on the Negroponte-Agelasto tree.

Mr. and Mrs. A.M. Agelasto, of Norfolk, stayed at the Rennert (Baltimore Sun, 28 Jan 1906).

1900 US Federal Census for 54 York Street, Norfolk City, Virginia, headed by Alex M Agelasto, 67, b. Feb 1833, Greece; naturalized, parents b. Greece, Cotton Buyer, own home, Married 1866 (34 years); wife Polyrene M Agelasto, 53, b. Jan 1847, Greece; parents b. Greece, both immigrated 1859, 41 years in US; sons Peter A Agelasto, 31, b. Mar 1869, India, lawyer; Michael A Agelasto, 29, b. Apr 1871, Greece, electrical engineer, both immigrated 1877, naturalized, 23 years in the US; Alex M Agelasto Jr, 26, b. Dec 1873, Louisiana, all single, cotton buyer; and one servant.

1910 US Federal Census for 54 York Street, Norfolk City, Virginia, headed by Mrs. P. Agelasto, 62, b. 1848, Greece, widowed, parents b. Greece, naturalized, own home, married 40 years, 3/3 children living; son P Agelasto, 40, b. 1870, India, immigrated 1900, Married, parents b. Greece; lawyer, naturalized; Daughter-in-law Catherine Agelasto, 29, b. 1881, Virginia, parents b. Virginia, 5 years married; grandson Alex Agelasto Jr., 5, b. 1905, Virginia; father b. India; mother b. Virginia; sons Mickey Agelasto, 38, b. 1872 Greece; immigrated 1890, naturalized, single, parents b. Greece, Cotton Mill manager, Alex Agelasto Sr., 37, b. 1873 Louisiana, Married, parents b. Greece, clerk cotton mill, married 7 years; Daughter-in-law Mary W. Agelasto, 26, b. 1884, Virginia, parents b. Virginia, all native English speakers, can read/write.

1930 US federal census: Hague Apartments, 617 Fairfax Avneue, Olney Road, Norfolk, Va. household headed by Michael Agelasto, renter, 58, single, b. Greece, parents b. Greece, arrived USA 1880, naturalized, manager cotton mill; mother Pauline [sic], 77, widow, 20 y.o. at marriage; naturalized, arrived USA 1977; Alexandria [sic], nephew, 25, single, b. Virginia, father b. India, mother b. Virginia, lawyer.

Birth:
14 Nov 1846, according to death certificate.

Buried:
Elmwood Cemetery record: AGELASTO, POLYXENE I28118 Section ELM, Block 7TH A E, Lot 15, Space 9 0 09/02/1934

Died:
2 Sep 1934, according to death certificate.

Notes:

Married:
At 6 pm, in Alexander Mavrogordato´s domicile. Date from registered marriage certificate. Argenti says 08 Nov 1865.

Ceremony was performed by Father Ioannis Lagogiannis, priest at the Holy Church of the Transfiguration of Our Saviour Christ.

Marriage Contract: Syros, Greece, 9 Feb/28 Jan 1866 (Roman/Greek calendar).

Notes:

Ralli & Agelasto operated in the silk trade in Marseille in 1860-61. See, Gregorii Valerianovich Melgunof, Das südliche Ufer des Kaspischen Meeres oder die Nordprovinzen Persiens (Adamant Media Corporation, 2004), p. 286.

He is the "Mr Agelasto" referred to in the following anecdote. According to John (Matthew) Ziffo, his father Matthew Alexander Ziffo "was born in the Island of Chios about 2 1/2 years before the Massacre. On that terrible day his Mother with her two daughters, and a young maid, carrying my Father, took to the mountains to cross the island; following a long trail of refugees and guided by shepherds over mule paths. The maid soon got tired, left the child on the mountain side and fled. A Mr Agelasto, the father of John Agelasto whose firm (Frangopulo Agelasto & Co of London and Liverpool) [Theodore (Matthew) Ziffo] joined when he came to London, was following and recognizing the child picked him up and took him to the island of Syra. By a fortunate coincidence his mother and sisters also landed in Syra. One can imagine her joy at being re-united with her boy whom she had feared lost."

He is the distinguished gentleman whose portrait is omnipresent at the top right of these webpages.

Parker Agelasto has found four copies of a photo taken in Marseille that is believed to be Michael Pandely Agelasto, same as the portrait miniature. There are a lot of similarities to the portrait miniature, but the two pictures are separated by about 20 years. Similarly, one is a real photo the other an artist likeness of the sitter.

He was in partnership as merchants, at Marseilles, under the firm of Petrocochino, Agelasto & Co.; at Constantinople, under the firm of E. M. Vuro and Co.; at Galatz [sic], under the firm of D. C. Climi and Co.; at Ibraila and Bucharest, under the firm of Parembli and Climi; and at London, under the firm of Petrocochino and Co., until it was dissolved 31 Dec 1861. The other partners included George Petrocochino, Michael Vuro, M. Parembli, Anthony Vlasto, J. M. Agelasto, A. D. Syngros and A. N. Damiano (London Gazette 28 Mar 1862). An earlier notice appeared 18 Mar 1862 with the typo M. P. Agelasts.).

Michel Agelasto, 55, merchant, allees des Capucines 15, was a signatory witness to the marriage of Michel Parembli and Aspasia Dromacaiti, 4 Jun 1857.

He was a signatory witness to the 1849 marriage of Antoine Nicholas Petrocochino and Euthalie George Petrocochino.

Michael Agelasto signed a letter to the provisory Greek Parliament in 1825 demanding it include a Chiot deputy. This suggests he lived briefly in Syros after fleeing Chios in 1822 and before settling in Marseille.

27 Nov 1834: Michael Agelasto, 32, married, born Chios, merchant, arriving Syros 1824, swore allegiance to the government at the Syros tribunal (before the town hall was built). Stephen Agelasto [possibly his third cousin Stephanos (Augustis) Agelasto], who arrived on Syros also in 1824, took the oath the same day.

M.P. Agelasto was among the 327 Chiot refugees in Syros who signed a letter dated 10 Jul 1829 to the Governor of Greece.

M. P. Agelasto was co-administrator of the will [see source] of a parish priest who set up scholarships for young Marseille Chiots in 1861.

P.P. Negroponte and M. Agelesti, both with the firm Negroponte & Agelastl (sic) were among the more than thirty merchants, "citizens of New Orleans and inhabitants of Louisiana," who signed an open letter written under the seal of the City of New Orleans to Dr. John E. E. Ealino in The Charleston Mercury 19 Jan 1860, p 2, praising the physician's skills as his former patients and welcoming him as a winter resident of New Orleans. This man's son, Alexander M., settled in New Orleans after an 1860 visit on which, perhaps, he was accompanied by his father.

"Brig Walter Scott, Leighton, Matamoras 30 ds., with cotton to Negreponte & Agelasto. Oct. 18 [1863], off Tortugas, was boarded by U.S. gunboat Clyde" (New York Times 6 Nov 1863, p 8.

Michel Agelasto is referenced as one of the 1822 massacre refugees who arrived in Marseille (Echinard); This Michel fled to Syros and didn't arrive in Marseille until at least after 1835.

1871 England census: 22 Pembridge Crescent household headed by J M Agelasto, 35, merchant, b. Syros, Greece; wife Aglaia, 29, b. Marseille; sons Michel, 5; Pendley, 4; daughters Katherine, 3; Mary, 2 mos., Alexandra, 11 months; all b. London; father Michael P., 68, retired merchant; mother Marie M., 57, both b. Chios [Scio, Turkey]; & 6 servants.

Philanthropy: in 1867 M(ichael) P. Agelasto donated 100 Francs to Chios Schools; Michael Agelasto & Son donated 250 Francs and M(ichael) P. Agelasto 100 Francs to the Chios Hospital according to unpublished research by Demetrios Melachrinoudis. In 1972 Michael P. Agelasto again gave 200 Francs to the hospital. According to Reports on Hygiene Institutions of Chios by the same author, he contributed to the hospital in various years from 1874-1880.

M. Agelasto, Marseille, is listed among the diaspora Greeks donating 300 fr. to a fund for the Thebes earthquake in 1853.

Petrocochino-Agelasto, Marseille, is listed among the diaspora Greeks donating 250 fr. to a fund for the Thebes earthquake in 1853.

Died:
Argenti incorrectly says 20 Oct 1886.

Buried:
Cemetery 1886 register line entry 9141 midi carré 1, ter grec, no. 2, residence rue de la Biblioteque 24. Register notes: 15 Oct 1894 [year after his wife's death] he was moved to carré 1, ter grec, 3d rue, no. 11.

Michael married Maria (Ioannis) Parembli on 12 Mar 1831 in Syros, Cyclades Islands, Greece. Maria (daughter of Ioannis Parembli and Arghyro Damiano) was born in 1811 in Chios, Greece; died on 18 Feb 1893 in quartier Sainte Marguerite, Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur,France; was buried on 19 Feb 1893 in St. Pierre Cemetery, Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur,France. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Residences: The 1851 London census registers "Maria Agelasto, Greek native, a merchant's wife", as living with her daughter, Lucy, her son-in-law and their newborn daughter, Angelica. The 1861 London census reports "Maria M Agelasto", merchant’s wife, hotel visitor; until 1889, 24 Rue de la Bibliothèque, Marseille; 1889, 1 Rue des Trois-Mages, Marseille; 1891-93, 17 allée de Meihan, Marseille.

She likely had a brother named Michael; her sister Despina (Ioannis) Parembli is on the Negroponte-Agelasto tree. Her nearest sibling may have been a boy named Matthaos, born about 1811. He was a student in Munich sometime between 1826 and 1844, according to Konstantin Kotsowilis, Die griechischen Studenten in München unter König Ludwig I. von Bayern (von 1826 bis 1844): Werdegang und späteres Wirken beim Wiederaufbau Griechenlands (Ausländerbeirat der Stadt München, 1995). He was from Chios and his father was murdered when he was only 11 years old. He had 6 brothers and sisters who moved to Livorno and then Marseille (Parker Agelasto).

1871 England census: 22 Pembridge Crescent household headed by J M Agelasto, 35, merchant, b. Syros, Greece; wife Aglaia, 29, b. Marseille; sons Michel, 5; Pendley, 4; daughters Katherine, 3; Mary, 2 mos., Alexandra, 11 months; all b. London; father Michael P., 68, retired merchant; mother Marie M., 57, both b. Chios [Scio, Turkey]; & 6 servants.

Buried:
It is likely she is buried with her husband, in the tomb to which he was moved a year after her death. She was initially buried midi carré 1, ter grec, no. 2.

Died:
DOD from death certificate. Argenti incorrectly says 28 Feb 1893.

Notes:

He is on the Negroponte-Agelasto tree with another daughter, Victoria.

Alexander Michel Mavrogordato was in partnership with Scarleto Michel Mavrogordato, John Michel Mavrogordato (who left the partnership 5 Aug 1853), Demetrius Michel Mavrogordato, George Michel Mavrogordato, and Peter [Pietro] Ralli, as Merchants, in London, Manchester, Constantinople, and Syra (London Gazette 9 Aug 1853).

Alex. M. Mavrogordato was in partnership with D. M. Mavrogordato, Constantin M. Mavrogordato, Pietro Ralli, G. M. Mavrogordato and Scarlato M. Mavrogordato as Merchants, at Constantinople as D. M. Mavrogordato and Co.; at Trebizonde (Ottoman Empire) as Georges M. Mavrogordato; at Syra as Pietro Ralli and Co.; at Marseille as Constantin M. Mavragordato and Co.; at Manchester as Scarlato M. Mavrogordato and Co.; and at Tauris and Resht, both in Persia, as Mavrogordato Brothers until 1 Jan 1862 (London Gazette 3 Oct 1862).

2 Nov 1840: Alexander Mavrogordato, 27, unmarried, born Chios, arrived Syros 1827, merchant, swore allegiance to the Greek government at the town hall, Ermoupolis, Syros.

Alexander married Polunia (Pandias) Ralli. Polunia was born in 1819 in Syros, Cyclades Islands, Greece; died on 17 Feb 1857 in Syros, Cyclades Islands, Greece. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

She is also on the Negroponte-Agelasto tree with another daughter.

Notes:

Held hostage and hanged by the Turks in the Massacres of Chios.

Pandely married Loula (Stephanos) Ziffo. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

John Parembli was among the Chiots held hostage and hanged by the Turks, 23 Apr 1822. Uncertain if this is he.

Ioannis married Arghyro Damiano. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]