HISTORY OF GEORGE ABDULKERIM SARAF 1896-1941 by his granddaughter Kim Marie Fischer Peters

George Abdulkerim Saraf was born in Aintab, Turkey 2 March 1896 into a family of brothers and sisters who were much older than he. George grew up in the Ottoman Empire during the time of the Armenian Genocide, and his family experienced the atrocities that were inflicted upon the Armenian people by the Turks. Were it not for the courageous efforts of Antoine Saraf, the family would have perished like so many hundreds of thousands of others in Turkey and Syria.

I find the photo on George’s passport in 1920 difficult to view. It reveals the face of a young man who has witnessed unspeakable horrors. His oldest daughter remembers her father looking at photos of his family and crying like a child as he viewed his many relatives that were killed by the Turks during the Armenian massacres. She remembers him talking about how he managed to escape going to Lebanon, then France and then to the United States. She remembers hearing that he was involved in the Armenian underground during these hellish times in his homeland during World War I.

Through cousins Antoine and his wife Anoush, George’s great nephew Gabriel who emigrated from Syria in the 1960’s, provided the following information. “George’s brother Antoine Sarraf saved the family from the massacre. He was working at the train station in Aintab, Turkey as an Inspector at the time.” To honor Antoine there are many family members who bear his name. Gabriel also stated that George had fought against the Turks with the French underground in Aintab, Turkey and in Syria and confirmed that the family left Aintab and settled in Aleppo around 1918.

George arrived at Ellis Island 8 June 1920. His naturalization papers, business documents and vital records created an interesting paper trail. After arriving in New York City, he lived for about a year in Troy, New York. A business card and the 1921 Jacksonville City Directory show he had a clothes cleaning and tailor shop at 309 ½ West Forsyth Street in the St. George Hotel building for about a year. He had a tailor shop in Detroit for several years and became a successful businessman in Savannah, Georgia, first with a fruit market, then a confectionery, an ice cream parlor called “George’s Triple Dip,” and he later added spirits.

Phyllis, his oldest daughter writes, “…my father was a very smart man … he operated several businesses in his 45 years. He spoke several languages, including English, Turkish, Armenian, French, Greek, Lebanese, Arabic, and Latin.” (I would imagine this would be helpful if you fought in the underground in Turkey and Syria during WWI.)

She continued, “He went to Detroit Michigan and stayed with an Armenian friend named Jack Abajay. Later, he came to Savannah, lived with John and Mary Tabakian, and opened his own fruit and vegetable stand. …he opened his ice cream shop and confectionery at 1120 West Broad where he manufactured his own specialty ice creams, and customers came from all over Savannah for his triple dip cones.”
At that time, around 1937, the family lived right above the store at West Broad and Duffy. West Broad was the center for family owned stores. There was a fish market, a liquor store, a department store and a drug store all within one or two blocks. A liquor store was eventually added to the ice cream shop and the business thrived.

Armenians are known for their sheer determination and hard work and this was true of George. He opened the store at 6:00 a.m. each morning and worked until noon. My grandmother would take over for him so he could take an afternoon nap and he would return and stay open until midnight.

George had little time to spend with his children. His daughter wrote, “Sometimes daddy would take us to the beach while mama stayed with the store. When Philip, Mary Ann, Antoinette, Rose and I were young children, he would set us all atop the glass showcase in the store on Sunday mornings before mama took us to Mass and he would give our shoes a high shine. This was a very special time for us, as he was always busy and we did not see him very often.”

George survived the Armenian massacres; fought against the Turks in the French underground, and escaped to freedom in the United States only to be murdered in his ice cream shop on Friday, 13 June 1941 at the age of 45. The case has never been solved and access to the police records was denied.

June turned out to be a pivotal month in George’s life. He arrived at Ellis Island on June 8, 1920. He secured a marriage license June 8, 1927, and married Mary Gannam on June 15, four days before her 17th birthday on June 19. My mother was born on June 18 and his son George was born on June 27. George died on June 13, 1941, five days before his daughter’s 8th birthday, two weeks before his son’s 3rd birthday, two days before his 14th wedding anniversary, and six days before my grandmother’s 31st birthday.

In recalling that horrible night, his daughter writes, “Mama had taken us to the drive-in theater and about half way through the movie, Mike and Nazer Gannam drove into the theater to bring us the terrible news that daddy had died from gunshot wounds….I remember going to sleep and wishing I would wake up and find it was all a bad dream. I can still remember the fragrance of the gardenias around his coffin in our living room and all the people who came to share in our grief.”

Mary, my grandmother, was pregnant at the time of my grandfather’s murder; she lost the baby within the week. She was left to care for seven children ranging in age from 11 months to 12 years and with a business to run, but she refused to give in to family and friends who tried to convince her to place the children in an orphan home. She had a terribly heavy burden facing her, but she did what had to be done.

In June of 2005, George’s descendants numbered 7 surviving children, 23 grandchildren, 48 great grandchildren and 5 great great grandchildren. Today, ten years later, he has another great grandchild and I've lost count of his great great grandchildren.

Savannah Morning News: Saturday, June 14, 1941 – Page Fourteen - Permission Granted 2005.
MERCHANT SLAIN IN W. BROAD STORE
Geo. A. Saraf Victim of Gunmen Last Night
FOUND BEHIND COUNTER
Four Negroes Seen Fleeing From Vicinity

George A. Saraf, operator of a small bar and confectionery store at the northeast corner of Duffy and West Broad streets, was shot and killed shortly after 10 o’clock last night.

Police expressed the belief that the shot was fired by one of four negroes who were seen fleeing from Saraf’s store following the shooting. A negro woman who notified police of the shooting from a nearby store said that two shots had been fired, and others in the vicinity told police that they heard two shots.

Saraf, a man 47 years of age was apparently shot while standing behind the counter in his store. A pistol slug had passed through his neck and buried itself in the wall behind the counter after breaking several glasses which were stacked behind the counter, and a large plate-glass mirror.

Police were able to find no other bullets. The slug which was dug from the wall was lead, and had been bradded so that it was impossible to determine the caliber of the gun. Dr. John L. Elliott, coroner, was summoned to the scene and said that the wound probably caused death almost instantly. The body was turned over to Henderson Brothers for funeral arrangements.

Police found a bottle of whisky standing on the counter behind which the body was found lying on the floor. A man listed as R. G. Fouche of 1206 West Broad street told police that he saw four negroes run away from the store after the shooting. He said that two of them passed near him and he was able to give police a description of the men.

Another man listed as W. A. Strickland of 1201 West Broad street said he was nearby when the shooting occurred, and that one of the four negroes almost ran over him while getting away. Both men said that the four negroes were apparently young men. The colored woman who first gave the alarm that Saraf had been killed, could not be located by police. Lieut. Sidney E. Baughn said that apparently there was no one besides the four negroes in the store at the time.

Detectives Harry Pitts and Chris Fountain were among the first to arrive at the scene in addition to several police officers. Police immediately began scouring the vicinity for suspects, many negroes being questioned and released.

One man listed as Leoria Kelly, 34, was arrested near the scene and was held for further investigation after police found a loaded .32 caliber automatic pistol in his automobile. Kelly denied all knowledge. Police said that Kelly’s pistol had evidently been fired recently, but that all the bullets in the gun were steel-jackets while the bullet which was found in Saraf’s store was lead. Kelly is being held for further investigation.
There was no evidence in the store that a scuffle or fight has proceeded the shooting. A cover was removed from an ice cream churn as though the dead man might have held it in his hand before he was shot. No money had been taken from the cash register, police said, and Saraf had some money in his pockets which had not been disturbed. Everything else in the store appeared to be in order. Early today police and detectives were still hard at work trying to obtain information which would lead to the arrest of the four men.

Mr. Saraf is survived by his wife, Mrs. Mary Saraf; four daughters, Phyllis, Antoinette, Mary [Ann] and Rosa [Rose] Saraf; and three sons, Phillip, George and Antonio [Antoine]. He was an Armenian, born in Turkey, but came to Savannah in 1936. He had been in business on the corner for eight years.

Savannah Evening Press – June 14, 1941 - Permission Granted 2005.
POLICE HUNT FOR SLAYERS OF SARAF
Quartet Flees Store After Shooting Proprietor

Police and detectives today are still seeking information which may lead to the arrest of four negroes reported by witnesses to have fled a small bar and confectionery store at the corner of Duffy and West Broad at about 10 o’clock last night where George A. Saraf, operator, was shot to death.

Police were notified of the shooting by an unidentified negro woman who called from a nearby store and said that after two shots were fired, four men ran out of the store. Others in the vicinity said they also heard two shots fired, and R. G. Fouche of 1206 West Broad street told police he saw the men. He was able to give police a description of two of the men.

Mr. Saraf, a 47-year-old Armenian was apparently shot while standing behind the counter. A pistol slug passed through his neck, causing instant death, according to Dr. L. Elliott, coroner.

A man listed as Leoria Kelly was arrested near the scene and is being held for investigation, as police found a loaded .32 caliber pistol in his automobile while searching the neighborhood for possible suspects. The man’s automatic, however, was fully loaded with steel-jacketed bullets, while those from the death scene were of lead.

Detectives Harry Pitts and Fountain have been assigned to the case, according to E. A. Fitzgerald, sergeant of detectives.

Savannah Morning News – June 15, 1941 – Funeral Notice – George Saraf - Permission granted 2005.
GEORGE A. SARAF'S FUNERAL IS TODAY

Funeral services for George A. Saraf, 45-year-old Armenian, who was shot to death Saturday night by unidentified men, will be held at 4 o’clock this afternoon at the Sacred Heart Church. Burial will be in Bonaventure Cemetery. The body will be at the residence, Fifty-third and Hopkins streets, until time of the funeral.

Mr. Saraf is survived by his wife, Mrs. Mary Gannam Saraf of Savannah; three sons, Phillip, George and Antoine Saraf; four daughters, Phyllis, Antoinette, Mary Ann, and Rose Saraf, all of Savannah; four sisters Misses Rose, Mary and Frieda Saraf all of Syria; and Miss Rahelle Saraf of Abyssinia.

Pallbearers will be J. A. Perry, Jr., Sam Gardner, Lehland Stanford, B. A. Joseph, Si Joseph, and Joseph Waldron. A native of Anteppa, Turkey, Mr. Saraf was born March 2, 1896.

Savannah Morning News – June 17, 1941 - Permission granted 2005.
STILL HUNTING FOR SLAYER OF SARAF

City detectives and police are still hard at work in search of information which might lead to the arrest of the person or persons who murdered George A. Saraf in his West Broad street store Friday night.

A number of arrests have been reported, but no definite information has been received which would warrant a formal charge being made. Some of those arrested were released after questioning, and others detained for further investigation. Detectives Chris Fountain and Harry Pitts have been assigned to the case.

NOTE: The murderers of George A. Saraf were never found and the Savannah Police Department will not release a copy of his file to family members who have been asking for over 60 years.

PHOTOS in order as shown below:
1. George's family in the old county circa 1901. George is the young boy wearing the dress type garment standing in the forefront about five years of age.
2. Top half of Grandpa's Passport using alias Georges Abdul Kerim. He had to leave Syria as he had been fighting in the French/Armenian Underground against the Turks.
3. George Abdulkerim Saraf circa 1920.
4. Naturalization Certificate - Detroit, Michigan.
5. George Saraf circa 1925.
6. Grandpa's Business Card from Jacksonville, Florida.
7. Grandpa's tailor shop in Jacksonville at 309 1/2 Forsyth Street 1921-1922.
8. Circa 1928 - Grandpa and Grandma Mary Gannam Saraf in their store.
9 & 10. Wedding photos George Saraf and Mary Gannam circa 1928 - taken about a year after the marriage.
11. George Saraf and Mary Gannam Saraf with her family on the steps of the Gannam on Hopkins Street in Savannah circa 1929.
12. Saraf family circa 1939. Clockwise from bottom left: Mary Ann, Phyllis, Phillip, Antoinette, Rose and George sitting on lap. Antoine was not yet born.
13. Grandpa standing under the "Triple Dip" store sign holding son George.
14. 1939 - Grandpa in "The Triple Dip" ice cream parlor and confectionery, standing where he was when he was murdered on June 13, 1941. The plate glass mirror behind him was shattered when the bullet passed through his neck and broke the mirror. This photo provided me with the only image of the back of my grandfather as you can see him in the mirror.
15. Grandpa circa 1925.