Misakian/Altoonian

Khachadoor was the first child born to Yeghiazar and Apisag Misakian and the first Misakian to be born in America; he was named after his father’s father, as was the custom in his family. Khachadoor’s family tree goes back to his 3rd great grandfather and is documented in the Village of Parchanj memory book. By the time he was born in March 1922, the Northbridge town clerk had a translation guide for Armenian names, and per this guide, Khachadoor became Archie. Archie’s nickname was earned in middle school, when he attained much of his adult height of 6 feet 6 ½ inches; his Armenian buddies started calling him “Punjab” after the new character in the little Orphan Annie comic strip so popular in those days, (Punjab was also very tall.)

Archie’s plans to go to college were disrupted by his father’s death during his senior year at Northbridge High School. Archie apprenticed as a machine tool designer at the Whitin Machine Works. During WWII, Archie joined the Navy in 1944, even though he was too tall for the Navy and had to wear dungarees during his basic training while a uniform was tailored for his height. His tour of duty on the USS Goshen took him to the Pacific, where he saw the devastation of the A-bomb’s effects on Nagasaki, Japan, toured the Yellow River in China and Manila in the Philippines. Upon his return to Whitinsville in 1946, he took up his trade at the Whitin Machine Works in the Methods Department, where he would later meet Helen Altoonian who was working as a stenographer.

Tshkhoohie (Helen) Altoonian was born in 1929, a few doors down on “D” Street from Archie’s Sahakian cousins. Helen grew up with older brother Tateos (Thomas), and older sister Mariam (Mary), mother Vartanoosh and father Giuregh (Jimmy). In her youth, Helen followed her brother into the newly formed Armenian Youth Federation, served as secretary for the Whitinsville chapter (one of the “big four” – Providence, Whitinsville, Franklin and Pawtucket) and helped raise funds for and helped clear trees from the future Camp Hayastan property in neighboring Franklin. In addition to her childhood friends from D Street, Helen forged deep bonds with her AYF friends – Carol Arakelian and Alice DerTorosian, became lifelong friends. In 1942 at age 12, she first became an aunt to her sister Mary’s firstborn Michael, starting the many visits to Connecticut with her sister’s growing family. Back in Whitinsville, the Altoonian family was growing as brother Tom married Elizabeth Aprahamian in 1947 and soon after Helen had a niece, Melanie, and nephew James.

Archie and Helen were engaged soon after close friends Harry and Lillian Malkasian asked Archie and Helen to be their daughter Linda’s godparents. They were married at the Whitinsville Methodist Church on April 24, 1955, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Ottoman Turks’ massacre of intellectuals and cultural leaders at the start of the Armenian genocide. It was Helen’s wish to challenge the so-called Turkish “solution” -- by marrying an Armenian and raising an Armenian family, she would defy the extermination goals that the Turks had so viciously pursued.

Archie and Helen had three children, all born in Whitinsville: Lisa, Karen, and Eliot, named after his grandfather Yeghiazar. Archie and Helen’s first apartment was in New Village on Overlook Street, but in early 1958, shortly after Karen was born, Archie bought his first home, a duplex, and the family moved to East Street, an easy 5 minute walk to the Soorp Asdvadzadzin Armenian church and the ARF club, both on Church Street. Grandma Vartanoosh moved from New Village to Brook Street during Lisa, Karen and Eliot’s childhood, and as her home was near Clark Elementary School, visits on the way home from school meant time with Grandma, delicious snacks and cheek pinches from her friends, Digin Altoon and Digin Marash, all survivors of the genocide. Summer beach vacations with the Tosoonians became an annual tradition during the shop’s shutdown.

Archie’s career progressed, especially after Whitin Machine Works was acquired by White Consolidated Industries in Cleveland, Ohio. Archie was one of the first group of Armenians to rise into leadership roles, especially after Whitin Machine Works was acquired by White Consolidated International. Helen and Archie were both avid bowlers, participating in leagues at Sparetime Lanes, and both took up the game of golf and joined the Whitinsville Golf Club. They maintained their affiliations with the ARF and ARS and encouraged their children’s participation in Armenian School, Sunday School, the AYF and enrollment in Camp Haiastan’s summer programs. For the last few years of the family’s residence on East Street, Grandma Vartanoosh lived on the other side of the duplex. The entire family, with Grandma, moved in 1973, to Trumbull, Connecticut, as Archie had accepted a promotion to be Vice President of Manufacturing for The Bullard Company in Bridgeport, a move that put him on the White Consolidated corporate payroll.

The move to Connecticut brought the Misakians and Grandma Vartanoush closer to Helen’s sister’s and brother’s families who were living in Trumbull and nearby Stratford. Although Helen and Archie made new friends within the Holy Ascension Church Armenian community of greater Bridgeport, there were many frequent visits to Whitinsville to see friends and family as well as visits from Whitinsville friends to celebrate family events in Trumbull. In the 1980’s Archie served on the parish council at Holy Ascension and was chairman during the 1988 Armenian earthquake relief fundraising; Helen joined the small local ARS chapter. They were both honored with the Holy Ascension award for their contributions to the community.

Helen died in 1997 and is buried at Pine Grove Cemetery not far from the Misakian family plot. Archie sold the Trumbull house in 2016 and lived in an assisted living community in Trumbull until just before his death in 2019; he is buried with Helen.

Lisa lives in Stamford, Connecticut, and has visited modern Armenia twice: first in the summer of 1989 to aid in the rebuilding efforts after the devastating December 1988 earthquake and again in 2001 after visiting her paternal ancestors’ provinces of Bitlis and Kharpert. Lisa retired from the Ford Foundation in 2012, built and ran a human resources consulting practice for global nonprofit clients for 8 years, and is now retired.

Karen lives in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, a village within the town of Newtown where she raised her family. Karen is retired from Amica after 20 years working as a claims representative. Karen has two adult children: Sarah Elizabeth married Jeremiah Reilly in 2013, and they live in Manchester, NH, where Sarah works in admissions for her alma mater, Southern New Hampshire University. James David married Angelito Junior Huang in 2019, and they reside in Astoria (Queens), NY. James leads the NY Tree Trust, a program within the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation and the City Parks Foundation and also works internationally as a consultant for the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation.

Eliot lives in Seymour, Connecticut, and has worked at Sikorsky Aircraft for over 40 years. In 1999, he married Lisa Kamas, and they have three children: Ashley, who is a realtor, Anthony who is a respiratory technician, and Eliot Jr. who is continuing his studies and exploring career options.