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Sarah Gouzoules

New member
Trying to trace my Greek genealogy. My great grandfather first came to the US in the 1890s and settled in Lynn MA. I have found it challenging to find greek records because of name changes when they came to the US. My great grandfather, Elias Gouzoules was from Georgitsi Greece. I believe he was born in the 1870s and died in Lynn MA in 1944. I know his father was a Priest in the village. I think his name was Panayotis Gouzoules (my grandfather was named Panayotis Winston Elias born 1901-1982) I believe my great grandfather had 13 siblings. I would love to be able to get names of his mother, siblings etc and if there are any relatives still living in Greece, birth and death dates etc. I have also heard that Panayotis Gouzoules' dad fought in the rebellion. I'd appreciate any suggestions you may have! Thank you! Sarah
 
Trying to trace my Greek genealogy. My great grandfather first came to the US in the 1890s and settled in Lynn MA. I have found it challenging to find greek records because of name changes when they came to the US. My great grandfather, Elias Gouzoules was from Georgitsi Greece. I believe he was born in the 1870s and died in Lynn MA in 1944. I know his father was a Priest in the village. I think his name was Panayotis Gouzoules (my grandfather was named Panayotis Winston Elias born 1901-1982) I believe my great grandfather had 13 siblings. I would love to be able to get names of his mother, siblings etc and if there are any relatives still living in Greece, birth and death dates etc. I have also heard that Panayotis Gouzoules' dad fought in the rebellion. I'd appreciate any suggestions you may have! Thank you! Sarah
Do you know how he came to the United States? Perhaps you can look through the Ellis Island records. Ancestry.com is also pretty helpful but you need to pay for their premium account.
 
Trying to trace my Greek genealogy. My great grandfather first came to the US in the 1890s and settled in Lynn MA. I have found it challenging to find greek records because of name changes when they came to the US. My great grandfather, Elias Gouzoules was from Georgitsi Greece. I believe he was born in the 1870s and died in Lynn MA in 1944. I know his father was a Priest in the village. I think his name was Panayotis Gouzoules (my grandfather was named Panayotis Winston Elias born 1901-1982) I believe my great grandfather had 13 siblings. I would love to be able to get names of his mother, siblings etc and if there are any relatives still living in Greece, birth and death dates etc. I have also heard that Panayotis Gouzoules' dad fought in the rebellion. I'd appreciate any suggestions you may have! Thank you! Sarah
Perhaps you can find church member records. There is a big Greek community in Massachusetts and perhaps he was a member of an association or church that would have info.
 

My Top Favorite Greek Philosophers

There are too many philosophers to count, but these are the ones I am studying at the moment. It's fascinating to me how influential the Greek philosophers are. Here's some things I am learning:

#1 Socrates

If philosophy had a poster boy, Socrates might very well be it. The father of Western philosophy, Socrates was a gadfly to Athenian society, questioning everything and Master to Plato. Known for the Socratic Method and his unflinching commitment to truth, Socrates' influence is immeasurable despite never having written a word.

#2 Plato

Rightly succeeding his mentor on this list, Plato's Academy saw him birth the first "university" of its kind. His unabashed idealism, immortal Forms, allegories like the Cave, and the pursuit of 'The Good' in moral philosophy set the stage for much intellectual discourse.

#3 Aristotle

Aristotle, another of Plato's students, had a more grounded approach to philosophy than his predecessor. With establishing principles of logic and reason, and contributions to virtually every field of academia, from poetry to physics, Aristotle's body of work remains foundational.

#4 Heraclitus

Heraclitus, famed for the idea that "change is the only constant," viewed the cosmos through a lens of process, flux, and an everlasting Logos that governs the world. Although little of his work survives, his influence on ancient and modern thinkers is profound.

#5 Epicurus

Known for his eponymous philosophy, Epicurus taught that the greatest good is to seek modest pleasures in order to attain a state of tranquility, freedom from fear (ataraxia), and absence of bodily pain (aponia). Often misunderstood, Epicureanism is starkly different from the modern use of 'epicurean' - it's much less about a luxury lifestyle and more about ethical considerations regarding personal fulfillment.

Athens and the creation of democracy

I've been thinking about Athens and how it's the birth of democracy. I wondered if other societies had experimented with the concepts or if Athens was unique? Does anyone know? I know that there's been some evidence that other societies experimented with community leadership, but none had a true democracy like what Athens developed.

It was unique in developing a system where a significant portion of its inhabitants could participate directly in decision-making processes. This early form of democracy was largely initiated under the leadership of Cleisthenes in 508/507 BC. His reforms reorganized the population into ten tribes based on their residence rather than lineage, promoting a broader and more inclusive political engagement.

In this Athenian democracy, citizens had the right to attend the Assembly (Ekklesia), where they could speak and vote on legislation and executive decisions. The Council of Five Hundred (Boule), selected by lot for each of the ten tribes, proposed legislation and handled daily affairs. This lottery system for public office sought to prevent power monopolies and encourage civic participation.

I know that this work truly influenced other democratic governments through the world!

Feel free to chime in with your thoughts- I find this stuff interesting.

Studying the Trojan War - Was it Real?

Did the Trojan War really happen? I am doing a bit of research and wanted to know what you guys thought:

The war is believed to have happened around 1200 BCE, and while there is no concrete evidence to support its occurrence, it is widely accepted as factual.

What is confusing me is how prevalent it is in Greek Mythology. In addition to the gods' involvement in the conflict, various stories and legends were added over time to give the tale more depth and drama. For example, the character of Achilles was said to be invulnerable except for his heel, which led to the phrase "Achilles heel" being used to describe a person's one weakness.

While some scholars once dismissed the Trojan War as pure myth, modern archaeological evidence has suggested that it may have been a real event. Excavations at the ancient site of Troy have revealed evidence of a long period of conflict and destruction, and historians have found similarities between the tale as it is told in ancient texts and what is known about the region's history at the time. While many details of the Trojan War are still shrouded in mystery, it seems increasingly likely that it was not just a legend but a real event that has been passed down through the ages.

History of the tradition of decorating boats for Christmas

One of the most interesting Greek Christmas traditions to me is the one where people decorate boats. So, I started to research the history. Here's a bit of what I discovered:

The roots of the tradition of decorating boats in Greece for Christmas can be traced back to the country's longstanding ties with the sea. In Ancient Greece, people would often looked to the sea for both sustenance and inspiration, and it was not uncommon for ships to be adorned with religious symbols and decorations.

It also has ties to early Christianity in Greece. According to Greek Orthodox beliefs, Saint Nicolas (aka Santa Claus) was a sailor, and he is the patron saint of sailors. Decorating boats is often seen as a way to honor him.

Over time, this practice became associated with the Christmas season, and the boats began to be decorated specifically for the holiday.

People also make paper boats to decorate. Some call these the "yule boat" or karavaki. One of the most famous examples of this practice is the Yule boat, or karavaki.

The earliest known evidence of decorating boats for Christmas in Greece dates back to the 19th century. During this time, sailors would deck out their boats with lights and tiny boats. These tiny boats were often placed inside the larger boat, symbolizing protection from harm while at sea.

Does anyone have anything to add?

Documentary about Ancient Greece

I love to watch documentaries about Ancient Greece. I find a lot of content on YouTube but some of it was just created by users and I am not sure the credibility of the sources.

I watched this one recently and wanted to share - it is from the History Channel:

Share and discuss Greek history!

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