Encyclopedia Titanica

Zād Naṣr Allāh

Mariana Assaf Khalil

Mariana Assaf Khalil (Zād Naṣr Allāh)1, 45, is thought to have been born in the Syrian village of Kfar Mechi (today Kafr Mishki or, in French, Kfarmechki) in 1867 and emigrated to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in 1907 or 08. Although she was listed as a pedlar, she was in fact a greengrocer, and by all accounts a sharp businesswoman who sold produce to the carriage trade in the Canadian capital. By 1912 she had made enough money to return to Syria to visit the two sons she had left behind when she first came to Canada.

After a family visit, she was returning aboard Titanic with her cousin, Assāf Jirjis Tu'mah al-Sayqalī, and her nephew, Sulaymān Khalīl 'Atta Allāh. She held third-class ticket number 2696, £7 4s 6d.

Mariana survived the sinking. After her rescue she travelled on to her nephew: David Shaheen, 150 Broad Street, Ottawa, Ontario. Her first person account of the disaster appeared the in the Ottawa Citizen.

Notes

  1. Variations on her name include *Marian Khalil Assaf.
  2. Michael Findlay (1998) lists her as Mariana Khalil Assaf, married woman. The "List or Manifest ..." says she was single.

References and Sources

Ottawa Citizen, April 24, 1912, Titanic Survivor Arrived in Ottawa
Contract Ticket List, White Star Line 1912 (National Archives, New York; NRAN-21-SDNYCIVCAS-55[279])
Michael Findlay (1998) Revised Passenger List in Judith Geller Titanic: Women and Children First. Haynes. ISBN 1 85260 594 4
Alan Hustak (1999) Titanic: The Canadian Story. Véhicule Press. ISBN 1 55065 113 7
List or Manifest of Alien Passengers for the United States Immigration Officer At Port Of Arrival (Date: 18th-19th June 1912, Ship: Carpathia) - National Archives, NWCTB 85 T715 Vol 4183

Research Articles

Titanica! (2018) Titanic: The Disappeared
Which Titanic survivors have never been found?

Newspaper Articles

Chicago Daily Journal (24 April 1912) Says Captain Shot Steerage Passengers
Ottawa Citizen (24 April 1912) Syrian Woman's Thrilling Narrative

Comment and discuss

  1. Coco (1571)

    Coco (1571)

    Im elizabet harbour and im this mrs mariana assaf at school!
  2. Myra Mamo

    Myra Mamo

    I have reason to believe that we may be related to the Joseph Caram (Ottowa) and Maria Caram (Kfarmishki). Our relative is Nicholas John Karam b. 1861 (Later changed name to Debes). His father is John Karam (sea captain). His father Andrew Karam and his father Dimetrious Karam. All sea captains. Karam in arabic means "honey or molasses". The area of Kfarmishki is noted for their honey. Any further information on the family of Joseph Caram would be appreciated. I think it may be a cousin/nephew to our relative.From stories passed down, there was mention of the one that drowned on the titanic.
  3. abraorafa

    abraorafa

    Hi Myra! Are you still part of the forum? I would love to talk to you, if possible. I am Brazilian and my paternal grandfather left Lebanon for here many years after the shipwreck, in 1922. But he was born in this Kfarmishki and we have messages from him exchanged with a friend Saikaly (the spelling may be incorrect). I think a... Read full post
  4. Mike Jaafar

    Mike Jaafar

    Hello Abra. I hope you are doing well. Are you still active on this site? I see you may be related to someone born in Kfarmishki. According to... Read full post
Open Thread Leave a Reply

Titanic Passenger Summary

Name: Mrs Zād Naṣr Allāh (née Khalil)
Born: circa.1867 in Kafr Mishki, Syria
Nationality: Syrian Lebanese
Marital Status: Married
Last Residence: in Kafr Mishki, Syria
Embarked: Cherbourg on Wednesday 10th April 1912
Ticket No. 2696, £7 4s 6d
Rescued  
Disembarked Carpathia: New York City on Thursday 18th April 1912

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