Michael (Alexander) Agelasto^{[1, 2]}

1869 - 1949  (80 years)

• Name	Michael (Alexander) Agelasto
  Nickname	Mickey
  Birth	10 Mar 1869	Syros, Cyclades Islands, Greece
  	At 4 a.m. Date on his birth certificate. Argenti says 04 Mar 1869. The 1900 census gives his birth date as Apr. 1871. On passport application, he reports birth as 25 Jan. 1869, New Orleans.
  Gender	Male
  Death	20 Sep 1949	Norfolk, Virginia USA
  	Obituary: Washington Post, 21 Sept. 1949
  Burial	21 Sep 1949	Elmwood Cemetery, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
  	Elmwood Cemetery record: AGELASTO, MICHAEL A I28115 Section ELM, Block 7TH A E, Lot 15, Space 11 0 09/20/1949
  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. [3] 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. [3] 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. [4] 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. [5] 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. [6] 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. [7] 1940 US federal census, Princess Anne Co., Virginia: M A Agelasto, 71, lodger, single, b. Greece, naturalized citizen, unemployed, other income, residence Norfolk, 1935. [2]
  Person ID	I193	Agelasto
  Last Modified	12 Jul 2022

  
  

  Father	Alexander (Michel) Agelasto,   b. 10 Sep 1833, Syros, Cyclades Islands, Greece d. 01 Dec 1906, 54 York St., Norfolk, Virginia USA (Age 73 years)
  Mother	Polyxene (Alexander) Mavrogordato,   b. 05 Jan 1846, Syros, Cyclades Islands, Greece d. 01 Sep 1934, 4-C Hague Apartments, Norfolk, Virginia USA (Age 88 years)
  Marriage	02 Feb 1866	Syros, Cyclades Islands, Greece
  	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).
  Photos » Slide Show		Polyxene Mavrogordato Agelasto Wedding Gown Presumably made in the 1860s in Syros. This photo is from the Chrysler Museum when the dress was put on display for a private dinner in the galleries in the early 1990s.
  		The wedding gown worn by Polyxene Mavrogordato.
  		353 Botetourt St, Norfolk, Virginia When they first arrived in Norfolk, Va., in 1882, the family lived at 24 Botetourt Street in a cottage on the Selden estate. Today, the house has apparently been renumbered: 353.
  		Cottage next to Selden House photo 2011
  		Selden House, Norfolk, Virginia photo 2011
  		2522 Esplanade Avenue, New Orleans (1979) source: Jeff Lamb, Flickr
  		2522 Esplanade Avenue, New Orleans (2009) source: Infrogmation, Flickr
  Documents		Agelasto-Mavrogordato 1866 marriage
  Family ID	F64	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 10 Mar 1869 - Syros, Cyclades Islands, Greece Death - 20 Sep 1949 - Norfolk, Virginia USA Burial - 21 Sep 1949 - Elmwood Cemetery, Norfolk, Virginia, USA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Michael A Agelasto
  		Agelasto Brothers, Memphis Taken in Memphis, where their father was a founding member of the Memphis Cotton Exchange. The boys are, from left to right: Alexander Michael (né Alexandre Alexandre), Peter Alexander and Michael Alexander. (George Scrini collection)
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		Atlantic Athletic Club annual tennis championships, 1902 M. A. Agelasto (third from left); The Atlanta Constitution, 5 Aug 1902, p 11

  
  

  Documents » Slide Show		Michael Alexander Agelasto passport application
  		Michael Agelasto patent for an electric thermometer
  		Michael Alexander Agelasto Obituary - Washington Post (Sep 21 1949)
  		Michael Alexander Agelasto Naturalization Papers 1906
  		Op-ed obituary in Norfolk, Virginia newspaper "More than A Cotton Broker" by George H. Tucker
  		Michael A Agelasto 1869 birth Monday, 4 April 1869, 10 am. That was the date when "Alexander Agelasto, 39 years, merchant from Chios, resident in Ermoupolis", accompanied by two witnesses, visited the BMD official and declared that "on Monday, 10 March, at 4 am, his wife Polyxene Mavrogordato, 23 years, from Ermoupolis, gave birth to a male child that was given the name Michael".
  		Mickey Agelasto - tennis Atlanta Constitution, 6 Aug 1902. Read about his amateur tennis career.
  		note to his niece (discovered by his great-great nephew Parker) Mickey Agelasto was a guardian of things Greek among his generation. This note dated 17 May 1948 to Hannah (Mrs. Peter) Agelasto, his nephew's wife, passed along photos. He closes: "I am sure sometime in the future your boys will be interested."
  		Museum of Modern Art, New York City Michael Agelasto's membership card, 1949
  		Interment Certificate - Norfolk Elmwood Cemetery Michael Alexander Agelasto
  		Correspondence between Gertrude Stein & Michael Agelasto George Tucker, "Gertrude Stein: the writer who called R.E. Lee a wimp," The Virginian-Pilot & Ledger-Star, 7 Feb 1988
  		Michael Alexander Agelasto obituary likely from a Norfolk, Virginia newspaper; transcription
  		Michael Alexander Agelasto Death Certificate

  
  

  Headstones		Michael Alexander Agelasto (1869-1949), Elmwood Cemetery, Norfolk, VA
  		Agelasto Family Plot Elmwood Cemetery, Norfolk VA photo 2011 (Parker Agelasto)

  
  

• Sources

  [S119] Philip P. Argenti, Argenti 1955, (London Oxford University Press). Included in Philip Argenti's Agelasto family tree, number 193. [S123] 1940 US Federal Census. [S78] Norfolk City Directories 1880-1931. [S85] Matthew Affron & John B. Ravenal eds., Matisse, Picasso, and Modern Art in Paris, (Virginia, exhibition catalog, 2008), 19, 26. [S137] 1900 U.S. Federal Census. [S136] 1910 US Federal Census. [S134] 1930 US Federal Census.