Object ID
1996.93.6
Object Name
Certificate, Marriage
Material
Paper
Object Description
State document certifying the marriage of Mr. Fotis Pet. Avgedes of Madison, IL to Miss Merssini Kefala of Hallings, IL. December 7, 1924. Signed Rev. Theophilus Spyropoulos.  The document is almost square, slightly wider than it is tall, and cream colored.  There is a thin gold border around all four sides and a grape vine with grapes in each of the four corners.  Two prominent features are the words "Holy Matrimony" in large fancy gold print in the upper middle of the document, and a picture of what appears to be the Holy Bible in the bottom center laying open with a sun and sunbeams emanating above it.  Details of the marriage union are all printed in more muted tones across the certificate.
Origin
Foti (Frank) Panayoti Avgidis was born in Balukiser(sp?), Turkey in 1894 of Greek parents. In 1912 he immigrated to America in order to escape being drafted into the Turkish Army. As a young man he worked in his brother in law's bakery in Crystal City, MO. His brother in law returned to Turkey to bring his family back to America, but was caught up in the massacre of the Greeks by the Turks. All of my father's family, mother, father, sisters and brother in law were all massacred. Mr. Avgidis then worked for the railroad, laying railroad ties as the west was becoming the new frontier. He worked all the way to the state of Washington.

Merssini Kefala was born in Pelikintos (sp?), Mytelene, Greece in 1904 (?). She immigrated to America in 1923 accompanied by her sister in law to be. They came to Stallings, IL to the farm owned by Peter and Vasil Kefalas, her brothers.

Mr. Avgidis was a friend of Peter and Vasil Kefalas and thereby the couple became acquainted. They were married December 7, 1924 in the home that Foti had built for his new bride.

They had two children, Diana and Frances. There were married 48 years. Both Mr. and Mrs. Avgidis are deceased along with their daughter Diana.
Rights and Reproduction
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Citation
Certificate, Marriage, National Hellenic Museum, https://collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/Detail/objects/6645. Accessed 03/29/24.