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Remembering the deaths
Remembering his family and their struggles, Richard
Ashton values this photograph of himself and his
brother's family, with whom he traveled to Amerfca. He
is the only surviving person from the photograph.
Armenians commemorated the 74th anniversary of thc
Armenian Genocide earlier this Monday, April 24. On
lhat day in 1915, more than 200 prominent Armenian
leaders were arrested and ihcn executed. Thc killings
continued for more than seven years.
A retired Fresno businessman, Richard Ashton,
formerly Richard Ashotiani remembers the Armenian
Genocide very well. Ashton spent much of his childhood
in Turkish Armenia until he emigrated to America in
1916.
Ashton was bom in Van province on Sept. 15, 1908,
the same year the Young Turks overthrew Ottoman
Sullan Abdul Hamid. According to some historical
accounts, under Hamid's»role, over 200,000 Armenians
were massacred. Thc Young Turks had been helped to
power partly through the efforts of Armenian Christian
groups supporting the ouster of the Sultan.
However, despite initial appearances, the Armenians
would be no more secure when the Young Turks were in
power. Under their role, by 1923, 1.5 million more
Armenians had perished.
Now 80-ycars-old, Ashton still remembers his painful
past, but he said he refuses to feel sorry for himself. As
a young adult, he decided his survival of the Genocide
was a miracle and he chose to make good on his fortune.
"My luck was lo survive," he said.
But, his decision came with time.-As a young boy in
America, it was difficult for him to enjoy life knowing
what had happened to his family in Armenia. "I was
called Abraham Lincoln because I had such a long face,"
Ashton said.
When Ashton recounted his memories of the
Genocide, he seemed to relive them. His story was the
story of a little Armenian boy caught in the turmoil of a
hate he did not even understand.
Slowly, gcnUy, Richard Ashton removed a family
portrait from a large envelope. It was just an old
photograph in a battered wooden frame but it was the
only childhood memento Ashton had left
In his hands he held a part of his life. With a
melancholy gaze he studied the portrait showing himself,
his brother Jacob, his aunt and his two cousins. Here
was what remained of his family in 1916. Missing was
.:1s mother. Missing was his father. Missing was his
grandmother...
Thc photograph was taken in Chelsea, Miss, when
Ashton was about 14-ycars-old. He was a sad boy who
often wondered why he had endured what most of the rest
of his family did not.
I Under the rule of the
Young Turks, 1.5 million
[more Armenians had perished.
Always, the portrait reminded him that he was a
survivor of the Armenian Genocide.
Still cradling the old photograph in his hands. Ashton
began to relive thc period in 1915 when his family fled
its home in the Van province. .»
Hoping to return home one day, his family used a
large apricot tree as a marker for valuables buried in the
yard. Ten paces from the trunk, clothing was hidden,
twelve paces—the silver...
My luck was to survive.
Richard Ashton
"It's probably nothing but rot now," chuckled Ashto
Like most Armenians, the displacement from his homi
was permanent. ,
With thousands of other Armenians, Ashton's famil'
had journeyed under a hot summer sun to a Near East
refugee camp in Yerevan. Only six years old, Ashton
marched 225 miles in five weeks. For eight days then
was no food. For three days there was no water. "I jus
know it was summer," said Ashton. "A little boy does
remember dates."
Though his family was fortunate enough to survive
the march, luck turned bad once it arrived in Yerevan.
I
I was called Abraham Lin¬
coln because I had such a
long face.
—Richard Ashton
outbreak of cholera in thc camps claimed the lives of
Ashton's mother and grandmother. Ycrvant, his eldest
brother, lost a wife and two young children to the
disease. In the end, only Ashton and Ycrvant survived.
Ashton's personal tragedy was not limited to these
deaths. It was in Yerevan that Ashton learned of bis-,
father's execution in Turkish Armenia
His father, an Armenian sailor, was among a group (
navigators conscripted by the Turkish government to
evacuate Turkish families from war torn regions in the
empire. "They took anyone with sailing experience,"
Ashton said.
After his services were no longer needed, Ashton's
father was executed. "That was thc thanks he got," said
Ashton, shaking his head.
Ashton's father was among a group of Armenian mei
who were ordered to dig their own shallow grave pits
before being killed. Ashton's family was told thc news
by another Armenian who, though wounded, had feignc
death and lived to recount details of the massacre.
Jacob, Ashton's brother who had been living in
America at the lime, returned to be with his family onh
to Icam most of the family had died. Jacob remained lb
a period in Yerevan where he met his wife Ycnouhi, bu
later decided to return to America.
Though Ashton decided to go to America with Jacob
Ycrvant refused lo leave Yerevan because his wife and
children were buried there. "He wouldn't leave his
family," said Ashton.
World War 1 was still in progress when Ashton
crossed thc AUantic in the Oscar II. At one point, a
German submarine baiallion boarded the ship and gave
the crew 20 minifies lo clear all passengers before it wa
destroyed. Miraculously, two British frigates arrived and
the German sub made a hasly exit. "I was. very lucky,"
said Ashlon.
At cighi-ycars-old, Ashton arrived safely at Ellis
Island on Dec. 19. 1916. After four days of immigration
processing, he began his life as an American. Without a
mother, and without a father, Ashton pursued his
boyhood'dream of becoming a traveling salesman, "i
didn't want a factory job," he said.
Again, Ashton looked at the family portrait, it was
just an old photo in a battered wooden frame. There lo
the nghi was a 14-ycar-old survivor of lhc Armenia)
Genocide.
Object Description
| Title | 1989_04 The Daily Collegian April 1989 |
| Alternative Title | Daily Collegian (California State University, Fresno) |
| Publisher | Associated Students of Fresno State, Fresno, Calif. |
| Publication Date | 1989 |
| Description | Daily (except weedends) during the school year. Microfilm. Palo Alto, Calif.: BMI Library Microfilms, 1986- microfilm reels; 35 mm. Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- |
| Subject | California State University, Fresno -- Periodicals. |
| Contributors | Associated Students of Fresno State. |
| Coverage | Vol.1 no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- to present |
| Format | Microfilm reels, 35 mm. |
| Technical Information | Scanned at 600 dpi; TIFF; Microfilm ScanPro 2000 "E-image data" |
| Language | eng |
Description
| Title | April 26, 1989, Page 6 |
| Alternative Title | Daily Collegian (California State University, Fresno) |
| Publisher | Associated Students of Fresno State, Fresno, Calif. |
| Publication Date | 1989 |
| Description | Daily (except weedends) during the school year. Microfilm. Palo Alto, Calif.: BMI Library Microfilms, 1986- microfilm reels; 35 mm. Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- |
| Subject | California State University, Fresno -- Periodicals. |
| Contributors | Associated Students of Fresno State. |
| Coverage | Vol.1 no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- to present |
| Format | Microfilm reels, 35 mm. |
| Technical Information | Scanned at 600 dpi; TIFF; Microfilm ScanPro 2000 "E-image data" |
| Language | eng |
| Full-Text-Search | Remembering the deaths Remembering his family and their struggles, Richard Ashton values this photograph of himself and his brother's family, with whom he traveled to Amerfca. He is the only surviving person from the photograph. Armenians commemorated the 74th anniversary of thc Armenian Genocide earlier this Monday, April 24. On lhat day in 1915, more than 200 prominent Armenian leaders were arrested and ihcn executed. Thc killings continued for more than seven years. A retired Fresno businessman, Richard Ashton, formerly Richard Ashotiani remembers the Armenian Genocide very well. Ashton spent much of his childhood in Turkish Armenia until he emigrated to America in 1916. Ashton was bom in Van province on Sept. 15, 1908, the same year the Young Turks overthrew Ottoman Sullan Abdul Hamid. According to some historical accounts, under Hamid's»role, over 200,000 Armenians were massacred. Thc Young Turks had been helped to power partly through the efforts of Armenian Christian groups supporting the ouster of the Sultan. However, despite initial appearances, the Armenians would be no more secure when the Young Turks were in power. Under their role, by 1923, 1.5 million more Armenians had perished. Now 80-ycars-old, Ashton still remembers his painful past, but he said he refuses to feel sorry for himself. As a young adult, he decided his survival of the Genocide was a miracle and he chose to make good on his fortune. "My luck was lo survive," he said. But, his decision came with time.-As a young boy in America, it was difficult for him to enjoy life knowing what had happened to his family in Armenia. "I was called Abraham Lincoln because I had such a long face," Ashton said. When Ashton recounted his memories of the Genocide, he seemed to relive them. His story was the story of a little Armenian boy caught in the turmoil of a hate he did not even understand. Slowly, gcnUy, Richard Ashton removed a family portrait from a large envelope. It was just an old photograph in a battered wooden frame but it was the only childhood memento Ashton had left In his hands he held a part of his life. With a melancholy gaze he studied the portrait showing himself, his brother Jacob, his aunt and his two cousins. Here was what remained of his family in 1916. Missing was .:1s mother. Missing was his father. Missing was his grandmother... Thc photograph was taken in Chelsea, Miss, when Ashton was about 14-ycars-old. He was a sad boy who often wondered why he had endured what most of the rest of his family did not. I Under the rule of the Young Turks, 1.5 million [more Armenians had perished. Always, the portrait reminded him that he was a survivor of the Armenian Genocide. Still cradling the old photograph in his hands. Ashton began to relive thc period in 1915 when his family fled its home in the Van province. .» Hoping to return home one day, his family used a large apricot tree as a marker for valuables buried in the yard. Ten paces from the trunk, clothing was hidden, twelve paces—the silver... My luck was to survive. Richard Ashton "It's probably nothing but rot now," chuckled Ashto Like most Armenians, the displacement from his homi was permanent. , With thousands of other Armenians, Ashton's famil' had journeyed under a hot summer sun to a Near East refugee camp in Yerevan. Only six years old, Ashton marched 225 miles in five weeks. For eight days then was no food. For three days there was no water. "I jus know it was summer," said Ashton. "A little boy does remember dates." Though his family was fortunate enough to survive the march, luck turned bad once it arrived in Yerevan. I I was called Abraham Lin¬ coln because I had such a long face. —Richard Ashton outbreak of cholera in thc camps claimed the lives of Ashton's mother and grandmother. Ycrvant, his eldest brother, lost a wife and two young children to the disease. In the end, only Ashton and Ycrvant survived. Ashton's personal tragedy was not limited to these deaths. It was in Yerevan that Ashton learned of bis-, father's execution in Turkish Armenia His father, an Armenian sailor, was among a group ( navigators conscripted by the Turkish government to evacuate Turkish families from war torn regions in the empire. "They took anyone with sailing experience," Ashton said. After his services were no longer needed, Ashton's father was executed. "That was thc thanks he got," said Ashton, shaking his head. Ashton's father was among a group of Armenian mei who were ordered to dig their own shallow grave pits before being killed. Ashton's family was told thc news by another Armenian who, though wounded, had feignc death and lived to recount details of the massacre. Jacob, Ashton's brother who had been living in America at the lime, returned to be with his family onh to Icam most of the family had died. Jacob remained lb a period in Yerevan where he met his wife Ycnouhi, bu later decided to return to America. Though Ashton decided to go to America with Jacob Ycrvant refused lo leave Yerevan because his wife and children were buried there. "He wouldn't leave his family," said Ashton. World War 1 was still in progress when Ashton crossed thc AUantic in the Oscar II. At one point, a German submarine baiallion boarded the ship and gave the crew 20 minifies lo clear all passengers before it wa destroyed. Miraculously, two British frigates arrived and the German sub made a hasly exit. "I was. very lucky," said Ashlon. At cighi-ycars-old, Ashton arrived safely at Ellis Island on Dec. 19. 1916. After four days of immigration processing, he began his life as an American. Without a mother, and without a father, Ashton pursued his boyhood'dream of becoming a traveling salesman, "i didn't want a factory job," he said. Again, Ashton looked at the family portrait, it was just an old photo in a battered wooden frame. There lo the nghi was a 14-ycar-old survivor of lhc Armenia) Genocide. |
