Arshag's ancestors were from the village of Arapkir in Turkey, the Ottoman Empire. It is uncertain whether Arshag was born in Arapkir and later moved to Erzincan or if this move from Arapkir was before his birth. Arshag's brother Kerope had been born in Erzincan around 1900, so Arshag's family was there by then. Arshag's father Hagop was the grandson of the priest of Mashgerd, a town near Arapkir. Arshag's wife was named Varteni and their five children were born in Erzincan (one died as a child). Erzincan was a commercial town and traders and workers from other areas such as Arapkir practiced their trades there, so that is what likely brought the family there. Arshag was a shoemaker and was killed in the Armenian Genocide of 1915. The Armenian men of the village were systematically rounded up and executed on May 23 and 25, 1915 (May 10 and 12 in Julian old calendar used there at the time) which was likely when Arshag was killed. Arshag tried to protect a man from the pogroms who was going to be killed that night by smuggling him into a carriage but he was later found and killed. Meanwhile Arshag and his family hurried home but became a target as well, and two days later some Turks of the town came in an army truck and told Arshag that they were taking him to town for tests to see if he was fit to join the army. Arshag knew this was likely a trap and that he might never return and so bid his son farewell and went with the men, never to be seen again. The men claimed that perhaps a band of Kurds had killed Arshag, but that of course a lie as the whole story of needing tests was to draw people away without resistance so that they could be killed.
Arshag's wife and children were sent on a death march towards the Syrian desert on which his wife died. His three young daughters (between the ages of about 4 to 8) had to continue on alone, and survived to make it to an orphanage where they were raised. Arshag and Varteni's son Kevork had escaped on his own and found refuge with relatives. Eventually a distant relative from Philadelphia Mamas Sherenian facilitated the girls to come to the United States by posing as their father. As a result their last name in official records are Sherenian. Arshag's son Kevork also made it to Philadelphia and named his first son Arshag in his father's memory.
Arshag's wife and children were sent on a death march towards the Syrian desert on which his wife died. His three young daughters (between the ages of about 4 to 8) had to continue on alone, and survived to make it to an orphanage where they were raised. Arshag and Varteni's son Kevork had escaped on his own and found refuge with relatives. Eventually a distant relative from Philadelphia Mamas Sherenian facilitated the girls to come to the United States by posing as their father. As a result their last name in official records are Sherenian. Arshag's son Kevork also made it to Philadelphia and named his first son Arshag in his father's memory.
Arshag's ancestors were from the village of Arapkir in Turkey, the Ottoman Empire. It is uncertain whether Arshag was born in Arapkir and later moved to Erzincan or if this move from Arapkir was before his birth. Arshag's brother Kerope had been born in Erzincan around 1900, so Arshag's family was there by then. Arshag's father Hagop was the grandson of the priest of Mashgerd, a town near Arapkir. Arshag's wife was named Varteni and their five children were born in Erzincan (one died as a child). Erzincan was a commercial town and traders and workers from other areas such as Arapkir practiced their trades there, so that is what likely brought the family there. Arshag was a shoemaker and was killed in the Armenian Genocide of 1915. The Armenian men of the village were systematically rounded up and executed on May 23 and 25, 1915 (May 10 and 12 in Julian old calendar used there at the time) which was likely when Arshag was killed. Arshag tried to protect a man from the pogroms who was going to be killed that night by smuggling him into a carriage but he was later found and killed. Meanwhile Arshag and his family hurried home but became a target as well, and two days later some Turks of the town came in an army truck and told Arshag that they were taking him to town for tests to see if he was fit to join the army. Arshag knew this was likely a trap and that he might never return and so bid his son farewell and went with the men, never to be seen again. The men claimed that perhaps a band of Kurds had killed Arshag, but that of course a lie as the whole story of needing tests was to draw people away without resistance so that they could be killed.
Arshag's wife and children were sent on a death march towards the Syrian desert on which his wife died. His three young daughters (between the ages of about 4 to 8) had to continue on alone, and survived to make it to an orphanage where they were raised. Arshag and Varteni's son Kevork had escaped on his own and found refuge with relatives. Eventually a distant relative from Philadelphia Mamas Sherenian facilitated the girls to come to the United States by posing as their father. As a result their last name in official records are Sherenian. Arshag's son Kevork also made it to Philadelphia and named his first son Arshag in his father's memory.
Arshag's wife and children were sent on a death march towards the Syrian desert on which his wife died. His three young daughters (between the ages of about 4 to 8) had to continue on alone, and survived to make it to an orphanage where they were raised. Arshag and Varteni's son Kevork had escaped on his own and found refuge with relatives. Eventually a distant relative from Philadelphia Mamas Sherenian facilitated the girls to come to the United States by posing as their father. As a result their last name in official records are Sherenian. Arshag's son Kevork also made it to Philadelphia and named his first son Arshag in his father's memory.
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