TALES OF EMIGRATION

Christos G. Belesiotis “Loutsis”

TALES OF EMIGRATION

From Saddler apprentice to Restaurant owner

Christos emigrated to the U.S. in 1912 at the age of only 14. After working for many years in a railway gang, he founded the “Seattle Café” in Aberdeen, Washington…

Christos G. Belesiotis “Loutsis” was born in Berbati on January 7, 1898 to Georgios A. Belesiotis “Galivos” and Maria G. Heliotis. He was the only male among four siblings. His sisters names were Panagoula (b. 1901), Katerina and Demetra.

When Christos was four years old, his mother died. He attended school until the third grade and became an apprentice as a maker of leather harnesses for donkeys, mules and horses. But the work did not suit him, so his father and four sisters encouraged him to immigrate to America for a better life.

Christos is believed to have been about 15 years old when he entered the U.S. at New York in March 1912. However, we were not able to find any records of his emigration to the U.S.

He travelled west to Chicago, Illinois, where he met an older cousin and from there he continued to Portland, Oregon, where he worked in a bowling alley for 10 cents an hour setting pins.

Portland, 3rd Avenue north of SW Alder Street, c. 1910
*City of Portland Archives*

He then joined a railroad gang of fellow Greeks, working for a while on the Oregon Electric Railway from Portland to Albany, Oregon, then with the Southern Pacific Railroad.

Although popular with the foreman who wanted him to remain, the work ended and the gang of patriotes (countrymen) moved north together, first to Sedro Wooley, and then Burlington, Washington.

Oregon Electric Eugene express at Junction City, c. 1914
*Oregon Historical Society Research Library*

After five years in Burlington, Christos had saved enough money to buy and refurbish a restaurant in Aberdeen, Washington, together with his uncle and fellow Berbatiotis Demetrios “James” G. Heliotis, who had emigrated to the U.S. in 1902.

At the time Aberdeen was a booming territory with logging and fishing industry, with reportedly 1500 Greeks in the surrounding towns of Aberdeen, Hoquiam, Raymond and Chehalis. So in 1920, Christos and James founded the “Seattle Café” on Heron Street in Aberdeen.

The “Seattle Café” on Heron Street, Aberdeen c. 1920s

On September 5, 1929, Christos became a US citizen.

In 1930, at the age of 33, Christos travelled to Greece to find a bride. He married Katerina “Katina” Kouretsos from Argos, born March 24 1908, a teacher of seamstress skills. They were wed on October 5, 1930 in Argos.

On December 16, 1930, they sailed to the U.S. on the S.S. Leviathan from the harbor of Cherbourg, France, and arrived in New York on December 23, 1930 and later in Aberdeen in January 1931. Their initial intention was to return to Greece in a year or two. But things turned out differently.

In early 1931, Christos lost everything after his bank failed due to the global depression.

Things were tough for a long time during which the couple had three sons:

George Alexander, who was born in Aberdeen on July 26, 1931. Andrew (Andy), who was born in Aberdeen on November 4, 1932 and Evangelos (Angelo), who was born in Aberdeen on March 25, 1942.

In 1939, Christos left his family in Aberdeen to find better work in Yakima, Washington, where he worked at the Strand Café. Six months later he called for his family.

View of Yakima Washington in the early 1940s

They lived in Yakima until 1941 when they moved back to Aberdeen when business at the Seattle Café picked-up again to support a living income for all the Heliotis and Belesiotis family as well as for James’ brother Evagelos “Angelos”, the manager of the Café, who had emigrated to the U.S. in 1910 and remained single.

Demetrios “James” Heliotis died at the age of 53 in 1948.

The Seattle Café closed in 1960. Christos worked at a few other restaurants including the Royal Café in Hoquiam until 1965 when he retired. He and Katina then moved to Tacoma where their sons George and Andrew lived with their families.

Katina passed away on March 6, 1996, at the age of 87.

Christos passed away at the age of 104 on July 6, 2001. He had nine grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

References: https://www.greeksinwashington.org/digital-exhibits/the-brothers-three

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