The Robinson Vagianelis Family: February 2015

Steven and I took the week off. After spending most of the weekend painting, we decided to take a few days and go away. I have been wanting to try this new place in Connecticut, and they were running a winter special, so we decided to take advantage of it. It's only 2 1/2 hours from home, and such a easy drive. It will be great in the summer if we want to go to the beach for the day. The place was absolutely beautiful. Every room faces the ocean, which we loved. There is nothing like hearing the waves at night when your sleeping. The staff was so friendly and went out of there way to please. Being a family run hotel and not a chain, made a world of difference. The food was exquisite, with the package we had also gave us 20% off our meals. So we had dinner and breakfast there. They had a heated patio so we were able to sit out and enjoy the beautiful views around us. We would have our appetizers and cocktails out there and then dinner inside. Our room was spectacular, with the ocean view and the cozy fireplace. We just loved it ! We can't wait to go back. We spent the day at the Clinton outlets getting some great buys, we found Troy a RLX jacket, boy what a buy, and Lex a new Michael Kors summer pocketbook. What a great way to spend some time away from this crummy weather. Just hoping for some spring like weather to happen soon !

THE FIRST GENERATION OF THE HALLAS FAMILY IN THE USA (1912) Photo Circa 1937

The history of Greece, Hellenism, and the Orthodox Church contains a bounty of heroes. No one could ever deny the contributions Greeks made to modern thought, and the modern family, art, philosophy, science, mathematics, medicine, law, democracy, the Olympic Games, the nurturing, defense and the mission of The Christian Church, not to mention their glorious struggles with the Persians, the Romans, the Ottoman Turks, the Nazis, et al.

This Chronology is dedicated to my own personal set of Greek Heroes; my Grandparents of blessed memory; my father, Nicholas Ernest Hallas and my mother; Panagiota Eleni Kontakos Hallas. You will not find the deeds and accomplishments of these Greek-Americans in any history books. You will, however; find their lives instilled in my heart. These are the people who gave me more than a proud heritage, and a noble name. They gave me more than a life void of hardship and suffering. They gave me a life of endless opportunity, a life filled with Agape.

Anastasios Halastaras emigrated from the city of Istiea, Evia, a small island-like peninsula, about one hundred miles north of Athens, Greece, to Lowell, Massachusetts (no later than 1915).

That same year, Sotirios Seteriopulos and his sister, Maria (1899 – 1977), also emigrated from Istiea, Greece. Anastasios met Maria in 1915 for the very first time.

Anastasios Halastaras married Mary Seteriopulos on 4th of July 1916.

Anastasios worked as a laborer in a casting foundry located in Lynn, Massachusetts, where he had sustained serious back injuries and two broken ribs.

Mary’s brother, Sotirios Seteriopulos, found work with “the railroad”, and left New England for the Midwest. Sotirios, who later became known as “Sam Joseph”, eventually established himself as a successful restaurateur in St. Louis, Missouri.

Sam is remembered as a great benefactor to both his family and his community. His most loyal patrons, the poor citizens of St. Louis, rewarded Sotirios’ generosity by making “Sam’s”, (Home of the All You Can Eat Dinner Special) located at 1008 Franklin Street, one of the area’s most popular restaurants. In 1953 Sotirios retired, and returned to live the remainder of his life in Istiea, Greece. His descendants still live in the villa he had built in 1951. Franklin Street in St. Louis, Missouri, was later renamed Martin Luther King Boulevard, and is now the site of The St. Louis Convention Center (TWA) Trans World Dome.

Anastasios & Mary had 8 children, of whom 6 survived:

The following oral history about their children includes information deriving from data compiled from local newspapers. Attempts were made to verify the spelling of certain names by the Center for Lowell History (established in 1971), but in some cases, this was not possible. The various spellings of the family name (included herein) appear either as they were presented to the City Clerk, published in local (Lowell, Massachusetts) newspapers, or as recorded by, The University of Massachusetts Lowell Libraries.

James “Jim”: (1918 – 1991) “Anastasios Halastaros” announced the birth of a son, on April 4, 1918. Jim married Christine in 1946, and was survived by his three children, Maria, Peter and Ernest.

Chrisanthy “Chris”: (1920 – 1996) Chris married Tom Nicholas in 1942 and is survived by her five children, James, George, Rosemary, Lucy and Ernest.

Katherine “Kay: ( 1921 – 2011) Kay married John Vagianelis in 1946 and had three children, Nicholas, Alexandra, and Stephen (all who continue to live in the upstate region of New York).

Clare: 1922 – 1964 “Anastasis Halas” announced the birth of a daughter, in December 1922. Claire married Costas “Gus” Zambelis in 1952.

Emily: Born 1930. Emily married Morton Starkman in 1953 and had four children, David, Greg, Robert, and Brian.

Nicholas Ernest Halastaras was born to Anastasios and Mary on February 29, 1932, at their home on Marian Street, in Lowell. Massachusetts. “Anastos Hallas” announced the birth of a son on February 29, 1932.

1932 Shortly after the birth of Nicholas, the Halastaras Family moved to Marlboro Street, Keene, New Hampshire.

1936 Halastaras Family establishes 60-acre dairy farm in Keene, New Hampshire.

1938 A category 3 Hurricane, moving at more than 30 miles per hour, destroys Halastaras Farm. (As archived by the United States Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North Atlantic Hurricane Tracking Reports for 1938). Anastasios was forced to take on two jobs. He worked at the Princess Shoe factory and in a feldspar/ mica foundry, both where located in Keene. While working at the foundry, it is believed that Anastasios contracted “White Lung Disease”. Jim joins the United States National Guard.

1939 Anastasios Halastaras moves his family to the City of Keene, NH (Foundry Street).

1940 Jim called to active duty and served in European Theater during WWII.

1944 Anastasios Halastaras moves his family to Roxbury Street, Keene, NH.

1945 Jim receives Honorable Discharge form Patton’s 3rd Army, with 13 Citations for Valor & Heroism, including 9 Bronze Battle Stars and 1 Silver Star.

1946 Anastasios Halastaras moves his family to Johnstown, New York (#1 E. Green St.) the town where his oldest daughter, Chris was living. Chris married Tom Nicholas, who owned and operated both the Nicholas Coffee Shop #1 in Johnstown, and the Nicholas Coffee Shop #2 in Gloversville, NY. Soon after World War II, Jim became business partners with Tom Nicholas (at the Nicholas Coffee Shop #1). Anastasios Halastaras worked as a carpenter in Gloversville, NY. He slipped on an icy sidewalk, fell on his on his back re-injuring his back/ ribs and breaking an abscess (which had formed as a result of injury in 1916).

1947 Anastasios Halastaras died March 1947 (diagnosed with Lung Cancer).

Later that year, Tom and Chris Nicholas relocated to Los Angeles, California. Sotirios “Sam”, purchased the Nicholas Family’s share of the Coffee Shop, and became partners with Jim, although Sam continued to live in St. Louis. Together, they changed the name of the business to “The Hallas Restaurant”. Jim then bought Sotirios’ share of the business, and later partnered with George Peters (the local Greek barber) and purchased The Johnstown Bowling Center.

1949 Tom and Chris Nicholas returned to Johnstown. Tom became the manager of The Hallas Restaurant, and Jim purchased (owned and operated) the Melrose Bar & Grill (directly next door).

1950 The United States Navy Recruitment Office accepted Nicholas E. Hallas’ Baptismal Certificate (Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Lowell, Massachusetts, circa 1932) as sufficient proof of his age (18), name, and citizenship. He served as an Anti-aircraft Artillery Gunner and Helmsman until 1954 as part of the U.S. Navy Reserve.

1951 Nicholas Ernest Hallas became an apprentice tool & die maker, taking a job at General Electric Corporation (for $1.29/ hour), in the nearby City of Schenectady, New York.

1954 Nicholas Ernest Hallas accepts a position (in November) with Hughes Aviation’s Radar Division, located in Los Angeles, California. Soon after, Nicholas went to work for North American Aviation’s Super Saber (Jet) Project (also located in Los Angeles) where he remained until he returned to New York in August 1956.

1956 In May 1956, Panagiota “Patricia” Kontakos emigrated (with her father, Ellias) from the small village of Paleopanagia, in the City of Sparta, in the area of Laconia, in the region of Peloponissos, Greece. Panagiota worked at the A&P Supermarket’s Bakery in Schenectady. In August 1956 Nicholas E. Hallas returns to work at G.E., in Schenectady, New York.

1957 Nicholas Hallas and Panagiota Kontakos meet in Schenectady, in May 1957. Nicholas and Panagiota were married on September 7, 1957. They live at 959 Norwood Avenue, Schenectady, New York.

1958 Amidst layoffs, resulting in Union Labor Strikes, Nicholas takes a job as a door-to-door salesman for the Kirby Vacuum Cleaner Company.

1960 Nicholas Hallas returns to work at various facilities of the General Electric Corporation (including Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and Syracuse, New York) until 1963.

1961 Nicholas Hallas transferred to General Electric’s Syracuse facility. A background investigation of Nicholas E. Hallas (conducted by the FBI on behalf of The United States Navy Department and General Electric) alleged that Nicholas Halastaras had illegally used an “alias” (Hallas) while he was assigned to the design/ manufacture of the top secret Polaris Sub-Oceanic Nuclear Missile Launch Platform’s Guidance System. This investigation prompted Nicholas E. Halastaras to petition the State of Massachusetts (at the City of Lowell’s Municipal Court) to “officially” and “legally” change his family’s name to “Hallas” in 1961. In retrospect, Nick Hallas’ questionable origins and background may have been at least part of the reason the Captain of the U.S.S. Ludlow never allowed Seaman Hallas to steer the Destroyer-Mine Sweeper outside the confines of Lake Erie. Although there can be no clear determination as to when the name Hallas came into existence, the City Clerk’s Reports published in local newspapers (Lowell, Massachusetts), would seem to indicate that this “Americanized version” of the Hallastaras name was first used no later than 1922.

1962 Ernest Nicholas Hallas is born (8 pounds, 3 ounces) on March 5th, at 4:10 PM, as reported by Doctor L.A. Cioffi, M.D., at Ellis Hospital on (March 7, 1962) and as recorded by the City Clerk, Schenectady, New York (on March 9, 1962).

May 20, 1962, Ernest Nicholas Hallas is Baptized Anastasios, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit (according to Mat. 28, 19) at Saint George Greek Orthodox Church, Schenectady, New York, by the Reverend Father James G. Christon, with the sponsorship of George and Mary Polis (Polumanakos) of Second Street in Scotia, New York