Anne Azgapetian

Anne Azgapetian was born in Grodno, now part of Belarus.Victoria Martínez, [https://abitofhistoryblog.com/2018/11/07/faces-of-diversity-in-american-first-wave-feminism/ "Faces of Diversity in American First-Wave Feminism"] A Bit of History (November 7, 2018). She moved to the United States with her family, and attended school in Indianapolis, Indiana.[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25981600/anne_azgapetian_1921/ "Noblewoman to Visit Richmond"] Richmond Item (June 1, 1921): 2. via Newspapers.com{{open access}} She was naturalized as a United States citizen in 1893. She sometimes identified herself as Lithuanian.[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25981421/azgapetians_1919/ "To Speak for Near East Relief Fund"] Baltimore Sun (January 24, 1919): 4. via Newspapers.com{{open access}} In 1915, she married diplomat Mesrop Nevton Azgapetian, also a naturalized American citizen; he was born in Istanbul and educated at Columbia University. Soon they left New York for World War I.[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25990936/mesrop_azgapetian_1921/ "Don't Fail to Hear Noted Speaker"] Wellsboro Agitator (May 11, 1921): 1. via Newspapers.com{{open access}}

Anne Azgapetian worked as a Russian Red Cross nurse in the war, through pregnancy and the birth of her daughter in 1916.[https://books.google.com/books?id=2v08jOL6nKYC&dq=Ann+Azgapetian&pg=PA179 "Gamma Phi Beta's Share in Near East Relief"] The Crescent of Gamma Phi Beta (March 1922): 178-183.[https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=LAH19200122.2.453&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1 "Gives Armenia's Thanks for U. S. Relief"] Los Angeles Herald (January 22, 1920): B-15. via California Digital Newspaper Collection{{open access}} She witnessed thousands of war orphans finding safety and food in American refugee camps run by Near East Relief.F. K. S., [https://books.google.com/books?id=BPOzuHq3uQ4C&dq=Ann+Azgapetian&pg=PA492 "Listening In: Cross Versus Crescent"] The Epworth Herald (May 20, 1922): 492. She was awarded the Medal of St. Stanislaus in Russia, and a gold medal from the Shah of Persia, in recognition of her contributions.

Azgapetian made an extended lecture tour of the United States beginning with her husband in 1918, raising funds for postwar relief.[https://books.google.com/books?id=IEQ5AQAAMAAJ&dq=New+Near+East+Azgepetian&pg=PA112 "The Story of Armenia Brings Unusual Gifts"] The New Near East (June 1921): 7.[https://books.google.com/books?id=EOU-AQAAMAAJ&dq=Ann+Azgapetian&pg=PA145 "B. O. Receipts for N. E. R."] The New Near East (October 1921): 16. "Lady Ann Azgapetian, little woman, dressed in gray, wearing on her head the veil of the Red Cross madonna, and carrying on her waist decorations in ribbon and bronze, stands before us," as one American report described her appearance in 1922. She spoke to churches,[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25981713/anne_azgapetian_1921/ "Persian Princess Speaks in Church Wednesday Evening"] Palladium-Item (May 31, 1921): 4. via Newspapers.com{{open access}} women's organizations, and professional and political conventions, including the National Education Association[https://books.google.com/books?id=4i5FAQAAIAAJ&dq=Ann+Azgapetian&pg=PA1296 Proceedings] (National Education Association 1922): 1296-1297. and the National Woman's Party.[https://www.loc.gov/item/mnwp000079/ Photograph] published in The Suffragist (Jan.-Feb. 1921): 343; now in the Records of the National Woman's Party, Library of Congress. She also participated in pageants and parades in the cause of Armenian war relief.[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25981338/anne_azgapetian_1922/ "Lady Azgapetian Arrives in Indianapolis to Aid Pageant"] The Indianapolis News (August 29, 1922): 10. via Newspapers.com{{open access}}

Azgapetian wrote at least four plays: In 1930, she wrote a three-act play, Commandments.Library of Congress, Copyright Office, [https://books.google.com/books?id=As5DAAAAIAAJ&dq=Anne+Azgapetian+died&pg=RA1-PA379 Catalog of Copyright Entries] (US Government Printing Office 1929): 379. She wrote two plays under the name "Anne Azgapetian Heald": the one-act Ravenduz (1960) and another three-act drama, The Eleventh Commandment.Library of Congress, Copyright Office, [https://archive.org/details/catalogofcop196732134libr/page/12 Catalog of Copyright Entries] (US Government Printing Office 1967): 13. Under the name "Aya Heald"Hudson Tanner, [https://newspaperarchive.com/celebrity-clipping-feb-13-1956-935093/ "Placid Mirror"] Adirondack Daily Enterprise (February 13, 1956): 2. via NewspaperArchive.com{{open access}} she wrote another play, What Reward? (1954),Library of Congress, Copyright Office, [https://archive.org/details/catalogofcopyrig3834libr/page/116 Catalog of Copyright Entries] (US Government Printing Office 1954): 116. and a novel, Shadows Under Whiteface (1956).[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26009926/aya_heald_1956/ "Murder Story at Whiteface"] The Post-Standard (April 22, 1956): 36. via Newspapers.com{{open access}}

Anne Azgapetian and her family stayed in the United States after 1918. Her husband died in 1924, leaving her a widow with two young children.[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25983731/anne_azgapetian_1925/ Untitled brief news item], The News-Herald (May 16, 1925): 13. via Newspapers.com{{open access}} She sold Armenian handicrafts to raise money, in Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1925[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25989710/anne_azgapetian_1925/ Advertisement], Poughkeepsie Eagle-News (May 11, 1925): 3. via Newspapers.com{{open access}} and in Palm Beach, Florida, in 1926.[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25981302/anne_azgapetian_1926/ Advertisement], Palm Beach Post (January 22, 1926): 29. via Newspapers.com{{open access}} She moved to Lake Placid, New York, in the mid-1920s, and was described as "an experienced actress" in addition to her other pursuits.

Anne Azgapetian married again, to Willis Heald, after 1930. She died in 1973, aged 85 years.[https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VM2N-748 "United States Social Security Death Index"]" database, FamilySearch, U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service). Her daughter Araxie Azgapetian Dunn (1916-2012) was a businesswoman in Lake Placid, New York.[http://lakeplacidnews.com/page/content.detail/id/509356/Araxie-Dunn.html?nav=5006 "Araxie Dunn"] Lake Placid News (March 30, 2012). Her son Ahzat Victor Azgapetian (1919-1978) was a scientist involved in the space industry.[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25983549/victor_azgapetian_1965/ "Computers May Hire, Fire Personnel in Near Future, Expert Predicts"] Los Angeles Times (October 21, 1965): 176. via Newspapers.com{{open access}}

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• A grandchild of Anne Azgapetian maintains a family history website, [https://azgapetian.org/late-1800s-to-early-1900s-a/ Azgapetian.org] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726061500/https://azgapetian.org/late-1800s-to-early-1900s-a/ |date=2021-07-26 }}, with many photographs of Lady Anne and other relatives.

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Category:1888 births

Category:1973 deaths

Category:American nurses

Category:American women in World War I

Category:Emigrants from the Russian Empire to the United States

Category:American women nurses

Category:20th-century American women writers