The Boyajian Family

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Aram Charchian (b. 1939, Troy, NY) holds a portrait of his maternal grandmother Mariam Manoogian Boyajian’s family, who are all from Harpoot (Kharpert), Turkey. To create this composite image, two or more photos taken in Harpoot before the 1915 genocide were added to a third photo from Troy in the late 1920s.

Aram’s grandfather Hagop Boyajian (center) sat for his portrait before emigrating to Detroit, where he planned to earn enough to bring his family to America. Within a few months, as the political situation back home turned life-threatening, Hagop returned to Harpoot to rescue his pregnant wife Mariam and five children. It was too late. Hagop and his two elder sons were murdered, but Mariam and the three younger children, all under five years of age, were hidden by a friendly Muslim family. Although her newborn did not survive, Mariam and the remaining children—Bogos, Juhar, and Rose—eventually came to America through the efforts of her brother Kenos (Joseph) Manoogian, another prewar émigré. Unfortunately, Kenos’ wife, Yeprig Vartigan, had also perished during the genocide.—Ruth Charchian

Left to right: Kenos (Joseph) Manoogian, Yeprig Vartigan, Mariam Manoogian Boyajian, Hagop Boyajian, unknown infant, Bogos Boyajian, Juhar Boyajian Charchian (Aram Charchian’s mother), Rose Boyajian.