fractree_small.gif (1805 bytes)Family Relationships
Poochigian Family History & Genealogy
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Relationship of the Lahoud Family
to the Poochigian Family
General Emile Lahoud
President of Lebanon

General Emile Lahoud, the popular army commander, was elected president of Lebanon on October 15, 1998.  General Lahoud was sworn in on November 24, 1998, to succeed President Elias Hrawi, who served for nine years.  According to the Los Angeles Times, dated October 16, 1998, "Lahoud, a 62-year old Christian who began his military career in the Lebanese navy under British and U.S. trainers, has long been a prominent figure in Lebanon (Los Angeles Times)

General Emile Lahoud is half Armenian from his maternal lineage and is the descendent of Armenians from Turkey.   The purpose of this article is to provide a genealogical overview of the relationship between the Lahoud family, including General Emil Lahoud, and the Poochigian family.  This article is based on a compilation of various publications, news sources, and a personal interviews with George Poochigian, Jr. and Queenie Poochigian, the cousins of General Emile Lahoud. The photos shown in this article are from the Photo Gallery of the Lebanese Armed Forces.  Just click on any picture to link to the source of the photos, the Lebanese Armed Forces web site.  

Takouhi Kalebjian & Minas Sagerian

The newly-elected President of Lebanon, General Emile Lahoud, is the great-grandson of Takouhi Kalebjian and Minas Sagerian from Adabazar (Adabazari), Turkey.  Adabazar is located about 50 miles (80 kilometers) outside Istanbul (Constinople) on the Black Sea (See Poochigians on Tour)Sadly, both Minas and Takouhi  were massacred during the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman-ruled Turkey during World War I.  (Poochigian Interview) 

Rebecca & Dikranouhi Sagerian

In Adabazar, Minas and Takouhi gave birth to one son, Vaughn, and three daughters: Anahid, Rebecca, born about 1894, and Dikranouhi, born May 15, 1904.  Vaughn and Anahid died during the Massacres.  Rebecca and Dikranouhi escaped the Massacres when they fled with Rebecca's husband, Ohaness, and their small daughter, Adrene, to Syria.  When the Allied Powers took control, they returned to Adabazar for a short while.  (Poochigian Interview)

Rebecca and Dikranouhi were separated when Rebecca, along with her husband, Ohaness, and daughter, Adrene, relocated in Syria, and  Dikranouhi migrated to America (Poochigian Interview).  In April, 1921, Dikranouhi entered the United States at Boston, Massachusetts (U.S.A. Petition for Citizenship) and travelled to Fresno, California, to live with her uncle, Miran Kalebjian, who was working on the Koligian's farm (Poochigian Interview).

Dikranouhi Sagerian & Kevork Poochigian

In Fresno, Dikranouhi met Kevork "George" Poochigian, and they were married on November 4, 1922.   Dikranouhi and Kevork had three children, John, born November 4, 1923, Queenie, born September 14, 1925, and George Poochigian, Jr., born February 1, 1934 (U.S.A. Petition for Citizenship)

After more than fifty years, Rebecca and Dikranouhi were reunited for the first time when Rebecca and her daughter, Adrene visited the Poochigian family in Los Angeles in 1972.  (Poochigian Interview)

Dikranouhi, who passed away April 2, 1996, and Kevork "George," who passed away on February 12, 1981, were survived by five grandchildren including Dr. John George Poochigian, Jr., and Mark Poochigian.

Adrene Karabadjakian & Jamil Lahoud

adrene.jpg (13061 bytes)Rebecca Sagerian Karabadjakian's only daughter, Adrene Karabadjakian (Bajakian), met Jamil Lahoud in Syria and they married in the early 1930's.  From Syria, they went to Lebanon.  Jamil Lahoud was promoted to the rank of General in 1959.  After he retired from the military, he was elected to the Lebanese Parliament from the district of Northern Metn in 1960 and 1964.   In 1966, General Jamil Lahoud was appointed as Minister of Labor and Social Affairs in the cabinet of the late Abdullah El Yaffi during the mandate of President Charles Helou. (Lebanese Armed Forces, Biography 1)

lahoudfam.jpg (11304 bytes)General Jamil Lahoud and Adrene Karabadjakian had two sons:  Nasri (Michel) Jamil Lahoud, born November 11, 1934, and Emile Jamil Lahoud, born January 12, 1936.  Both sons, Nasri and Emile are from the town of Baabdat in the province of Metn in Lebanon.  While Nasri followed his primary studies at St. Joseph and Sagesse College, Emile received his elementary studies in Hikmeh School.   Both Nasri and Emile completed their Secondary Studies at Brummana High School.   Nasri finished his University Studies at the American University of Beirut and the Faculty of Law at St. Joseph University.   Following his father's steps, Emile joined the Military Academy on October 1, 1956, as a marine cadet officer for one year.  Emile then attended Dartmouth Naval College in the United Kingdom (Lebanese Armed Forces, Biography 1-2, Military Court, Biography 1 and The Daily Star, Biography)

Nasri Lahoud & Najat Daou

nasrilahoud.jpg (10869 bytes)Judge Nasri Jamil Lahoud is the Lebanese government's commissioner at the Military Court in Beirut, Lebanon.  Nasri Lahoud married Najat Daou in 1972, and they have three sons: Fst Lt Jamil, Nasri and Emad.  (Military Court, Biography 1)

During his academic life, Nasri Lahoud was elected president of the national union of students in Lebanon; president of the Lebanese federation of university sport; first auditor of the international federation of university sport; member of the Preasidium in the international union of students; champion of the Lebanese universities in athletics in swimming and diving, and member of the national university teams of football, basketball and volleyball. (Military Court, Biography 1)

During Nasri Lahoud's Lebanese diplomatic career, he was appointed, in 1959, as Director of the Protocol Department, Chief of the Political Arab and Consular sections at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Charge d'Affairs at the Lebanese Embassy in Morocco.  In 1963, he was nominated as Magistrate, and he occupied the positions of President of the First Instance Penal Court of Beirut, Examining Military Judge, President of the Exceptional Penal Court of Beirut, and First Examining Military Judge of Lebanon and the Lebanese Government's Commissioner at the Military Courts (General Military Prosecutor of Lebanon).  (Military Court, Biography 1)

According to Nasri Jamil Lahoud's biography, he gives special attention and concern in fighting criminality, drug traffic, terrorism, traffic road bloody accidents, health welfare dangers and the situation of the jails in Lebanon. (Military Court, Biography 1-2)

Emile Lahoud & Andre Amadonian

andrelahoud.jpg (9025 bytes)General Emile Lahoud, who was elected as the eleventh president of the Lebanese republic in 1998, married Andre Amadonian (Amadoni) in 1967.  Emile and Andre are the parents of three children: Karine, Emile and Ralph.  According to General Lahoud's biography, he is an accomplished athlete and enjoys sports, specifically swimming and diving. (Lebanese Armed Forces, Biography 2)

famlahoud.jpg (8812 bytes)Karine married Elias Michel El-Murr in 1992 (Lebanese Armed Forces, Biography 2),  and is the daughter-in-law of Deputy Prime Minister, and Interior Minister Michel Murr.  Michel Murr, born 1932, was elected to the Lebanese Parliament from the Mount Lebanon region of Metn in 1968-1992-1996 (Lebanese Parliament).

General Emile Lahoud's Military Career

After graduating from the Academy in 1959, General Emile Lahoud, then a lieutenant, served at the naval base near the port of Beirut, as a navy engineer and commander for the landing ship Tyre.  The ship had been left behind as a gift to Lebanon by the U.S. Navy when it disembarked on July 16, 1958. (The Daily Star, Biography)

In 1970, a year after being promoted to the rank of lieutenant, Lahoud was appointed head of the transportation section of the army's fourth division.  Lahoud served with army commander General Jean Njeim, who issued an order transferring Lahoud from the transportation branch to the army command. (The Daily Star, Biography)

In 1989, President Elias Hrawi named Lahoud army commander.  General Lahoud's nine-year term has been exceeded only by president Fouad Chehab's 13 consecutive years as army commander.   (The Daily Star, Biography)

References

The Daily Star, Lebanese News.  "Biography of General Lahoud," October 19, 1998.  http://www.dailystar.com.lb

Lebanese Armed Forces, Biography of General Emile Lahoud. http://www.leb_army.gov.lb/biography.html
http://www.leb_army.gov.lb

Lebanese Armed Forces, Photo Gallery of General Emile Lahoud, Family Photos. 
http://www.leb_army.gov.lb/gallery.html
http://www.leb_army.gov.lb

Lebanese Parliament, Republic of Lebanon, in cooperation with the Center for Legislative Development, State University of New York at Albany.  H. E. Michel Murr.  October 10, 1998
http://www.lp.gov.lb/english/murr.htm
http://www.lp.gov.lb/english.html

Los Angeles Times.  The Times Mirror Company, October 16, 1998, page A11.

Military Court, Beirut, Lebanon.  Biography of Magistrate President Nasri Lahoud.  http://www.libancom.com.lb/clients/na-lahoud/president.html

Poochigian, George, Jr., Personal Interview, October, 1998

Poochigian, Queenie, Personal Interview, December, 1998

United States of America Petition for Citizenship No. 45439, Kevork Bedros Poochigian, Los Angeles, California, March 25, 1935.

Last Updated 07/18/99

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