Zaytoun - Murman Family Collection
Title
Zaytoun - Murman Family Collection
Subject
Immigrants--Lebanese--United States
Description
Collection Description
This collection primarily contains photographs that were kept and collected by Agnes Zaytoun of her and her family. The photographs range in date from the 1890s up to 2001.
Biography
Ellis Zaytoun was born in Hammana, Lebanon on May 30, 1890. He immigrated to the United States in 1906, at the age of 16, along with two of his brothers. Five years after his immigration, in 1911, Ellis submitted an application for naturalization; he was naturalized in 1916.
During this time, Ellis established himself as an integral member of New Bern’s immigrant and native communities: in 1913, he volunteered in the local fire department; and in 1916, he served as a member of the Syrian Brotherhood Society of New Bern, an early humanitarian group dedicated to providing aid to Lebanese, Syrians, and Armenians.
In 1914, Ellis married Isabel DeKash, a fellow Lebanese immigrant who had also originated from Hamana, Lebanon. Isabel and Ellis had six children who survived to adulthood: Evelyn Gladys Zaytoun Farris (1915-2012), Vivian Grace Zaytoun Salem (1917-1995), Constance Teresa Zaytoun Lamar (1919-1971), Joseph Ellis Zaytoun (1920-2021), Agnes Zaytoun Murman (1923-2012), and Henry Zaytoun (1924-).
By 1910, the brothers had moved to New Bern, North Carolina. Ellis began work as a peddler and dry goods clerk, but soon shifted into diversified business ventures. In 1917, Ellis expanded his fruit stand into a permanent grocery. In 1930, he owned a restaurant; and by 1950 he had opened the Zaytoun News Agency. In 1940, Ellis was employed at John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company, and in 1957 he founded Zaytoun and Associates with his eldest son, Joseph.
All of Ellis and Isabel’s children assisted in the family businesses throughout their childhood and adolescence, and when they reached adulthood they carried on the family business ventures in various ways.
During the second World War Agnes Zaytoun worked at her father's newspaper stand in New Bern, North Carolina. She met her husband Charles Murman at a dance at Cherry Point North Carolina during the war. When the war ended they married and moved to Cleveland. She was an active member of St. Luke Parish throughout her adult life. She sang in the funeral choir, and volunteered with many organizations and charities. Agnes Zaytoun had five children, Michael Murman, Elaine Murman Ferguson, Evelyn Murman Quigley, David Murman, Ann Marie Murman Grove, and Maureen Murman.
Agnes also traveled the world both with her husband and after he passed away. She was a dedicated mother and grandmother. Her grandchildren are Louise Quigely, Charles Ferguson, Patrick Quigley, Brenda Ferguson Hasenzhal, Brian Ferguson, Meryl Murman, Veronica Murman, Eryn Murman, Walter Grove, Charles Murman, Colleen Murrett Sadin, Carter Grove and Christopher Murrett.
This collection is related to the Joseph Zaytoun Family collection
This collection primarily contains photographs that were kept and collected by Agnes Zaytoun of her and her family. The photographs range in date from the 1890s up to 2001.
Biography
Ellis Zaytoun was born in Hammana, Lebanon on May 30, 1890. He immigrated to the United States in 1906, at the age of 16, along with two of his brothers. Five years after his immigration, in 1911, Ellis submitted an application for naturalization; he was naturalized in 1916.
During this time, Ellis established himself as an integral member of New Bern’s immigrant and native communities: in 1913, he volunteered in the local fire department; and in 1916, he served as a member of the Syrian Brotherhood Society of New Bern, an early humanitarian group dedicated to providing aid to Lebanese, Syrians, and Armenians.
In 1914, Ellis married Isabel DeKash, a fellow Lebanese immigrant who had also originated from Hamana, Lebanon. Isabel and Ellis had six children who survived to adulthood: Evelyn Gladys Zaytoun Farris (1915-2012), Vivian Grace Zaytoun Salem (1917-1995), Constance Teresa Zaytoun Lamar (1919-1971), Joseph Ellis Zaytoun (1920-2021), Agnes Zaytoun Murman (1923-2012), and Henry Zaytoun (1924-).
By 1910, the brothers had moved to New Bern, North Carolina. Ellis began work as a peddler and dry goods clerk, but soon shifted into diversified business ventures. In 1917, Ellis expanded his fruit stand into a permanent grocery. In 1930, he owned a restaurant; and by 1950 he had opened the Zaytoun News Agency. In 1940, Ellis was employed at John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company, and in 1957 he founded Zaytoun and Associates with his eldest son, Joseph.
All of Ellis and Isabel’s children assisted in the family businesses throughout their childhood and adolescence, and when they reached adulthood they carried on the family business ventures in various ways.
During the second World War Agnes Zaytoun worked at her father's newspaper stand in New Bern, North Carolina. She met her husband Charles Murman at a dance at Cherry Point North Carolina during the war. When the war ended they married and moved to Cleveland. She was an active member of St. Luke Parish throughout her adult life. She sang in the funeral choir, and volunteered with many organizations and charities. Agnes Zaytoun had five children, Michael Murman, Elaine Murman Ferguson, Evelyn Murman Quigley, David Murman, Ann Marie Murman Grove, and Maureen Murman.
Agnes also traveled the world both with her husband and after he passed away. She was a dedicated mother and grandmother. Her grandchildren are Louise Quigely, Charles Ferguson, Patrick Quigley, Brenda Ferguson Hasenzhal, Brian Ferguson, Meryl Murman, Veronica Murman, Eryn Murman, Walter Grove, Charles Murman, Colleen Murrett Sadin, Carter Grove and Christopher Murrett.
This collection is related to the Joseph Zaytoun Family collection
Creator
Zaytoun-Murman family
Publisher
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Date
1890s-2001
Contributor
Zaytoun-Murman family
Celine Shay, processing and metadata
Celine Shay, processing and metadata
Rights
Donor retains full ownership of any and all copyright currently controlled in agreement with Khayrallah Center. Nonexclusive right to authorize all uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA).
Collection Tree
This collection is a part of a larger collection that has been divided into more specific collections.
Family & Individual Collections
Zaytoun - Murman Family Collection
