Maw” m,

(I) HABIB MARJI

(SOMETIMES SPELT MARIAGE)

My maternal great grandfather Habib Marji was married to Natauge Bassett (1840—1915). They had four children: My grandfather Abraham, Joseph who goes by the name Joseph Mariage, Mary and Betly. Habib had one brother, Cleyle. Natauge has three brothers: Cleyle, Sam, Joseph and four sisters: Saidy, Catherine, Helen and Nomura.

(2) ABRAHAM MARJI (1869-1952)

My grandfather, Abraham Marji (1869-1952) my mother’s father, was the son of Habbib Marji and Natauge Bassett. They never did come to Canada so I did not get to know them in a personal way as I did with my other grandparents. Abraham had a brother, Joseph and two sisters, Mary and Betly.

Abraham’s first wife was Addala Marji (1885—1942). Abraham and Addala were first cousins and they had two children, Mariam and Haniya, my mother. After my grandmother died in1942, my grandfather, at age 74, remarried in 1943 to Ramea Khoury (1913-1993). They had three children, Karem (May 8, 1948), Alice (December 12, 1943) and Abraham Jr. (February 8, 1953)

Abraham Marji and wife Addala Marji H Abraham Marji, his second wife Ramea Khoury and their daughter Alice

Abraham died in1952 which meant that he left a wife and two children under the age of 10 and one on the way. This caused a great hardship for the family and in 1954 my aunt Mariam, being a half sister, sponsored Alice and Karam to come to Canada. They enrolled in our schools and seemed to be quite happy to be in Charlottetown with their two half sisters even though they were more like parents. They also had in Charlottetown, an aunt Esma, Mrs. Sam Kays who would be their mother’s sister.

For some reason my aunt Mariam was not able to handle the responsibility of bringing up Alice and Karam and without any discussion with my mother or their aunt Esma, had

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