Category Archives: Genealogy

An Unusual Town Register

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Town Registers (Dimotologion Koinointos) are among the most important documents we can find for our families. A Dimotologion lists the parents and children in a family and includes for each person: birthdate and birthplace, permanent residence, occupation, religion, citizenship status and municipal registration. In villages surrounding Sparta, these Town Registers were compiled in 1955. Details can be found at this post.

As exciting as it is to find a Dimotologion, we have to remember that it may be incomplete. And never forget that any record can be inaccurate.

The example below is the Town Register for my great-grandparents, Georgios Michail Aridas and his wife, Afroditi Lerikou, of Agios Ioannis, Sparta. They had five children: Aspasia born 1886; Dimitra born 1891; Harikleia (my grandmother) born 1893; Michail born 1894; Aristedes born 1905. However, only Dimitra appears in this record.

Family of Georgios & Afroditi Aridas of Agios Ioannis; of five children born, only Dimitra is recorded

Why are the other children not listed? In 1955, Aristedes appears in the Dimotologion with his own family, so he is not shown with his parents. All of the others had emigrated to America long before 1955. There are many entries which retain the names of children living in Canada, the U.S., and other countries. So the answer is: there is no logical explanation as to why only Dimitra appears on this record. But the more important point is that this record is not complete.

I recently found a different example of an incomplete Dimotologion record. It does not include the names of the parents! The Town Register below lists five sons of Efstratios Goranitis from the village of Parori, Lakonia: Ilias born 1911, Damaskinos born 1912, Georgios born 1914, Christos born 1916, Nikolaos born 1919. No parents. No sisters.

Goranitis sons listed without parents’ names

I sent this to Gregory Kontos of GreekAncestry who confirmed they would be brothers. I inquired if perhaps both parents were deceased by 1955 which is why they were not listed, but we don’t know for sure. Gregory related that some older municipal registers simply listed the people, often siblings only.

Another fact which intrigued me was that no daughters of Efstratios were listed. Perhaps the record is incomplete; or, there were no daughters in the family; or if there were, the daughters had married and were living in other households. However, there are Dimotologion entries which list daughters in the family and provide the household registry number where they were living at the time the Dimotologion was compiled. So again, the answer is: there is no logical explanation as to why the record is incomplete.

These examples show the importance of researching every available record for your family so you can correlate information. That includes finding records for the children and siblings.

  • In the Sparta Archives is the Male Register for Parori. I found Efstratios, the father of the five boys: Efstratios Ilias Goranitis born 1875 in Parori.
  • The Sparta Marriage collection on MyHeritage has the marriage record of Efstratios:
    Metropolis of Sparta, Marriage Index
    Book: Sparta, 1907-1921; Page:  16; Year: 1908, Entries: 363-385
    Entry  #384
    License Date: November 8, 1908
    Marriage Date: November 9, 1908
    Groom:  Efstratios Goranitis of Parori
    Bride:  Aikaterini Mavroukakis of Kato Chora [Mystras], father: Georgios, Priest
    Church Name:  Agios Dimitrios
    First marriage for both bride and groom

Interestingly, the Goranitis boys’ maternal grandfather, Georgios Mavroukakis, was a priest in Kato Chora (Mystras) and both Damaskinos and Christos also became priests.

I will expand my research of the Goranitis family of Parori, because Efstratos’ father, Ilias Stratigis Goranitis, married my great grandaunt, Panagiota Papagiannakos.

Two Marriages, or One?

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What are the chances that there are two men named Ioannis Konstantinos Laliotis living in Magoula, both of whom married women named Georgitsa Giannakopooulos (father Paraskevas) living in Theologos? Although this seems improbable, the documents should answer the question. But in this case, it wasn’t that easy.

Let’s dig in.

In the Metropolis of Sparta Marriage Index Books, we find that a marriage license was issued on June 28,1898: Entry #237, Ioannis K. Laliotis of Magoula, Sparta; his first marriage (A) & Georgitsa Par. N. Giannakopoulos of Theologos, Sellasia; her first marriage (A).

Metropolis of Sparta Marriage Index Book 1894-1899; Page: 150; Year:1898, Entries: 234-246
Available on MyHeritage at this link.

There is additional documentation in the form of the priest’s letter to the bishop, requesting permission for the marriage. In this document, we see the groom was age 22 and the bride was age 19.

1898 Priest’s letter requesting permission for marriage; same URL as above

In books where both the license date and the marriage date are given, there is usually just a one or two day difference between the date the license was issued and the date of the marriage. In this case, there is no marriage date given. Possible reasons: (1) early books do not have a column for a marriage date to be written; (2) the bishop’s letter agreeing to the marriage, and the priest’s response giving the date of the ceremony have not survived; (3) the marriage never took place. In this last scenario, it is quite unusual for a license to be issued and a marriage not to occur.

Let’s look at the second set of documents. In the Metropolis of Sparta Marriage Index Books, we find that a marriage license was issued on April 20, 1900; Entry #105, Ioannis Laliotis of Magoula, Sparta, (no father given); his first marriage (A) & Georgitsa Par. Giannakopoulou of Theologos, Sellasia; her first marriage (A).

Metropolis of Sparta, Marriage Index Book: Sparta, Oct. 1899-Sept. 1907;  Year: 1900, Entries: 85-108
Available on MyHeritage at this link.

There is additional documentation in the form of the priest’s letter to the bishop, requesting permission for the marriage. In this document, we see the groom was age 25 and the bride was age 22. HOWEVER, there is an indexing error in this record on MyHeritage: Giannakopoulou was transcribed as Giannopoulou.

Priest’s letter dated April 16, 1900, requesting permission for marriage; same URL as above

Looking at the “bare bones” information in these documents, we can easily discern that:

  • The 1898 index book entry gives Ioannis’ father’s initial (K), and a fuller description of Georgitsa’s father as Par. N. The 1900 index book entry does not give Ioannis’ father’s initial or the initial “N” for Georgitsa’s father. And, Giannakopoulou was transcribed incorrectly as Giannopoulou. Without their father’s names or initials, and with the transcription error, these could easily be two different couples.
  • The 1898 index book entry shows this is the first marriage for both the groom and the bride.
  • The 1898 priest’s letter gives the groom’s age as 22 and the bride’s age as 19.
  • The 1900 index book entry shows this is the first marriage for both the groom and the bride.
  • The 1900 priest’s letter gives the groom’s age as 25 and the bride’s age as 22.

Thus far, it appears that these are, indeed, two different couples. BUT, my suspicions were raised because the difference in ages corresponds to the difference in the two license dates; and I know the demographics of the families in these villages.

  • I have the Town Registers for both villages. In Magoula, there is only one Laliotis family and only one Ioannis, born 1876, who is the son of Konstantinos.
  • In Theologos, there are many Giannakopoulos families; however, there is only one Paraskevas Nikolaos Giannakopoulos and only one Georgitsa Par. N.
  • The Sparta Town Register, Family #245, recorded the family of Ioannis and Georgitsa, and provided the marriage date of April 20, 1900  in Theologos. There is no other Laliotis-Giannakopoulos family named.

So, how could there possibly be two marriages?

I believed the answer lay in the priest’s letters. I cannot read old Greek script so I asked Gregory Kontos of GreekAncestry.net to review them. He said that the the priest’s letter dated 1900 contains unusual language: “this will be the first (or the second) marriage for the couple.” That’s strange wording! Although a license was issued in 1898, that marriage did not occur. Greg gave possible scenarios such as: an issue with the dowry, or possible migration if the groom left the area temporarily, with the marriage postponed until he returned in 1900. Anything could have happened to delay the nuptials.

Analyzing this situation led me to several conclusions:

  1. A marriage license does not equate to a marriage occurring.
  2. The documents associated with the marriages are important! If you cannot read them, ask Greg at Greek Ancestry, or find someone who can decipher the handwriting.
  3. Even though I can’t read all the words in the handwritten document, I must study it anyway. When I saw the bride’s name indexed as “Giannopoulou,” I looked for the name in the document to verify the transcription. To me, it looked like “Giannakopoulou.” I was right!
  4. I must find, and correlate, any and all possible records that exist for a family. A Male Register records how many men of the same name lived in the village, and their years of birth. A Town Register provides the names of the father, mother, and children. If I have a marriage license, is the couple found in the Town Register? This depends on the timeframe of the marriage, as Town Registers were created in the mid-1950s in Sparta; however, there are many fathers and mothers born in the late 1800s that are listed.
  5. You have to know your village and its families. I knew there was only one Laliotis in Magoula, and that raised “red flags” when I found two licenses for Ioannis Konstantinos.

Expect the unexpected! That’s the challenge of research–especially in Greece.

The Smells of Parcels from America

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written and translated by Stratis A. Solomos
published in The Faris Newsletter, Issue 77, December 2022, page 6

During the 1950s and early 1960s, immigrants to America and Canada wanted to help Greece, which was poor at the time. They sent, especially to their relatives, parcels containing various useful items, generally clothes. It is not certain whether this aid was essential to the then rapidly economically developing petty-bourgeois society, but it was certainly welcomed by the poorest. These parcels mainly contained clothes and objects that had new and rather pleasant smells.

The strongest smell was that of clothes. The explanation for most was that they had been disinfected, which reassured those who feared germs. But the reality was that this smell was due to the synthetic fragrance of modern detergent powders, which had been used to wash them. They were still unknown in Greece. They did not arrive until the end of the 1950s. The first and most widespread was the American Tide. Along with this powdered “soap” also came the American “soap-opera,” a long-running sentimental radio and later TV series. The first such Greek soap opera was “Πικρή μικρή μου αγάπη” (My Bitter Little Love), the endless sentimental story of Alexis and Vana, played by Stefanos Linaios and Elli Fotiou.

The parcels were usually sent by relatives. In addition to clothing, they also contained other items, often unknown in the villages. Chewing gum with new flavors and aromas. Toothpastes which it is said that some people, who did not know their use, tried to eat!

My father and teacher Alexander Solomos, who also did educational research, received beautifully bound American elementary school books. With these books, he taught me my first English lessons. These books also had a particular smell, which has since remained an indelible and pleasant memory. I don’t know what caused that smell, perhaps the binding glue used. I rediscovered this smell in my teenage years when I frequented the American Library of Athens and later read American science books.

Sometimes there were also more valuable items like watches, which after consultation were carefully hidden in certain pockets, but most of the contents were clothes of all kinds. Taffeta ball gowns and hats for women. Suits for men. Colorful Hawaiian shirts and plaid pants. Belts with large cowboy buckles. Jackets that featured monstrous comic book characters on the back. With the exception of a few young people from the big cities, American fashion had not yet reached the conservative Greek society of these times. Few dared to wear them, except perhaps during Carnival. T-shirts with visible inscriptions and brands were only seen in the cinema. So it was very funny to see a Greek peasant picking olives wearing a Harvard University t-shirt.

The skillful seamstresses and several equally competent housewives did wonders to transform the eccentric American gowns into dresses compatible with the European fashions of the time propagated by the women’s magazines Ρομάντζο (Romance), Θησαυρός (Treasure) and Γυναίκα (Woman) . The men’s suits, those whose fabric was not too colorful, were transformed by our local Xirokambi tailor Charalambos Arabatzidis. These clothes weren’t worn very much. They were often new. But they were still deliberately wrinkled and a few buttons were removed to make them look second-hand. It seems that there were special customs exemptions for these aid parcels with used clothes. Later, when American jeans, jackets and cowboy boots became fashionable, some shrewd traders devised the ploy of passing off imported goods as packages of “gifts from America’s uncle “.

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I (Carol Kostakos Petranek) am honored to receive permission from the Katsoulakos family to translate and share articles from The Faris. Translation verification and corrections have been made by GreekAncestry.net. This is the twelfth article of the ongoing series. Previous articles can be viewed here.

A Chance(?) Encounter in Lagia

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What are the chances that a document which reveals an abstract branch of your family is given to you by a stranger? That’s exactly what happened to me on my recent journey to visit the ghost town of Vathia.

There is only one road that connects Sparta with Mani. Much of it follows the seaside of the Laconian Gulf, traversing through quaint villages and along scenic coastlines.This was the only way for me to reach my destination.

I stayed overnight in a lovely renovated tower house in Kokkala. The sea view was spectacular and the architecture and history of the towers always captivate me. This was the perfect place to stop on this journey, to rest and to soak in the beauty of Mani.

Charming Kokkala

The next morning, I hit the road and with my sights set on Vathia. No stops were planned, and no side trips were considered. My focus was to spend as much time as possible in the ghost village, then return that night to Sparta. But along the way, I got sidetracked. About 1/2 hour south of Kokkala, I rounded a corner and there appeared a charming tower village nestled in the mountains. Lagia.

Approaching Lagia

I hopped out to take photos, thinking that I would just breeze through the village and keep going. But when the road led into the plateia, there was something about the village that enticed me to stop. I parked the car and started walking.

Views from the plateia of Lagia

The streets were deserted and the quiet of the village exuded a sense of tranquility. The imposing stone houses were of traditional Maniate style.

As is customary, the church, Koimisi tis Theotokou, was situated adjacent to the plateia. I went inside.

Koimisi tis Theotokou Church on the plateia
Church interior. I lit a candle for my ancestors (lower right)

My heart was touched when I read a sign that was posted on the small icon stand situated at the entrance. It read:

Welcome to the Holy Temple of our village “Lagia.”
Look around you and visualize freely the hard efforts of our ancestors,
within a rough place with different values, principles and under adverse conditions,
who managed to complete the construction of this gorgeous Church.
This Temple was constructed before 200 years with the full participation of the local men and women, with building materials gathered from the surrounding mountains of the village and carried on their backs and shoulders.
It was built with main purpose the reconciliation and peace between the families of the village, as during that period of time confrontations, conflicts, frictions, disputes, and vendettas dominated the area.
It replaced and gathered under its protection all the local family churches, at about 30 small and picturesque, which were scattered all around between alleys, traditional towers and fields.
Support warmly the effort for the continuation, conservation, preservation, improvement and progression of this harbour of Love, Hope and Faith.

I became emotional, and I still don’t know why these words penetrated so deeply into my soul. Was it was the message of reconciliation and the fervent desire for peace? Was it the unity of 30 disparate church communities? Was it the sacrifices and the physical toil of the people to build this temple? Whatever it was, I was transfixed by Lagia.

Cafenion, at the plateia

I was not ready to leave the village. As I walked around the plateia, I noticed three men sitting at a table at the cafenion. Normally I don’t start conversations with strangers, but something prompted me to do so this time. I said, in my very broken Greek, “You live in a beautiful village.” Their faces lit up, and the questions came: What is your name? Are you Greek? Where are your people from? When I told them that my family was from Sparta, the discussion grew quite animated. They asked for my surnames and as I responded, they commented on each one.

Kostakos? That name is found farther south, in Pakia (I knew that, but it’s a different family with the same patronymic surname).
Papagiannakos? Not in this village.
Eftaxias? That is an old family name found here.

That stopped me. I recalled that some years ago, my Eftaxias cousin in Mystras mentioned that there was a branch of the family in Lagia. Was it true? As my mind debated a possible connection, one of the men said, “We have a book inside that you should see.” He disappeared, then returned and handed me a spiral bound notebook.

The Male Register (Μιτώον Αρρένον) of Lagia, 1839-1888

I couldn’t believe what I was holding. It was the Male Register of Lagia, a list of every man born in the village during the years 1839-1888. I was given permission to photograph it, and I have made it available in a pdf file which can be downloaded here: Male Register of Lagia 1839-1888.

Year 1882, line 124
Eftaxias, Michail, father: Panagiotis, born in Lagia.

My cousin was correct. It was our family that was in this village. There was only one Eftaxias listed; he was found in the year 1882, line 124: Michail Panagiotis Eftaxias born in Lagia.

I am now able to correlate this family with previous but uncorrelated information found: Michalis Eftaxias from Lagia fought in the Revolution of 1821. He had a son named Vrettos, and Vrettos had two sons: Michalis (born 1826) and Panagiotis (born in 1832).1 Panagiotis, named above as the father of Michail, was the right age to be the son of Vrettos. With only one Eftaxias in the village, it had to be the same family. When I returned to Sparta, the Archive office gave me the Town Register for Eftaxias in Lagia which further documented this line.

I know that serendipitous things happen when you travel to the land of your ancestors and follow your instincts. Yet, whenever they do, I marvel that people are prompted to be in certain places, at certain times, to fulfill certain reasons. It is my hope that chance encounters, such as this, will also happen to you.

11875 Election Register of Lagia

Visiting the Villages: Theologos and the Zacharakis Reunion

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The road leading to Theologos winds around a verdant mountain, filled with thousands of olive trees. “The trees on this mountain belong to the families of the village,” my cousin, Nikos explains. “Years ago [around the early 1900s], just a few families owned all of these trees. Now, every family has an olive grove.” I stared out the car window, looking for a some type of sign or marker to delineate one owner’s property from another. I saw none. So I asked, “How do the families know which trees are theirs?” Nikos smiled. “Every family known how many trees they have, and exactly where they are.”

At one time, there were two olive processing plants in this small village. In recent years when stricter safety regulations were passed, the facilities closed and people now take their harvest to Sparta.

Left: a former oil processing plant in Theologos; upper right: mountainside with the olive groves of Theologos; center: Dimos Οinountos, Theologou; bottom right: stone used in olive press

The homes of the families are constructed of stone, and they are literally built into the mountainside. Houses remain in families for generations. They are beautifully maintained and constantly being updated with modern conveniences. Living on a mountain means that there are steps everywhere, and they are steep! You can’t leave your house, or enter another, without walking up a flight. The village roads are precipitous and narrow, yet people are adept at maneuvering and parking their cars and trucks. The plateia appears to have the only flat surface in the village.

Houses, steps, and the flat plateia

The village priest, “Papa” Panagiotis Kotsos, presides over the church of Agios Ioannis Theologos. It is incredibly beautiful and filled with historic icons. I was honored to be shown several holy relics, too sacred to photograph. It’s amazing that a small village church at the top of a mountain would have such treasures.

The Church of Agios Ioannis Theologos and its priest, “Papa” Panagiotis Kotsos

What I love most about returning to the village is to gather with my cousins of the Zacharakis family. My great-grandmother, Stathoula Zacharakis, was born in Theologos1. As I researched her lineage, I created a family tree which documents the various branches of the family. Whenever I visit, I bring the “updated” Zacharakis tree which is spread out along the benches at the perimeter of the plateia. People add and correct information, and we enjoy an evening of reunion and reminiscing. It has become a joyful tradition.

Checking out the family tree! June 23, 2023
Back left-right: Antonios Karagiannis, Aggelos Sarantakis, Niki Zacharakis Sarantakis, Asimina Zacharakis, Pepi Vartsaki Zacharakis, Nikos Zacharakis, Panagiota Zacharakis. Front left-right: Ioanna Karagiannis, Panagiotis Karagiannis, Argyro Bebetsos, Anthi Karagiannis, Lygeri Zacharakis Zacharakis, Anastasia Kantzioris, Rozi Kritsepis Zacharakis, John Rakis, Carol Kostakos Petranek, Alexandra Rakis, Konstantina Dariotis Zacharakis, Roula Zacharakis, Pavlos Zacharakis, Amalia Iliopoulos Zacharakis

I love these dear people and am so very grateful for their kinship and friendship. Being together in an ancestral village brings a feeling of generational connectedness. Our ancestors walked these streets, built the churches, and gathered in the plateia. Now it is our turn.

1Previous Spartan Roots posts about the Zacharakis family:
Stories from the Village: Theologos
Putting Together the Zacharakis Family Tree
The Zacharakis Family of Theologos
Greece 2017. Part Six: Theologos
Ioannis Zacharakis, Hero from Theologos