About
Apkar and Ovsanna were married in Armenia early 1900. In 1912, Ovsanna had her first of three children (Araxie) in Armenia. Shortly thereafter, she along with her father and mother, sister, six brothers and her new born daughter migrated to America and bought a farm in Braintree, Massachusetts. Apkar stayed behind, fleeing from the Turkish draft to the military (all Armenian men who were drafted were murdered, tortured or put into slavery).
Information on where he went during this time is not known.
In 1920 Apkar came to the US and rejoined his wife. They had their second child ,Grace (Anahid) a year later in 1921. Jack was the next child born in 1922.
Apkar was an artist who could paint beautiful watercolor and combined his talent with his heritage of oriental rug weaving and production. Apkar created his rugs first with pencil and watercolor renderings then wove his creations by hand. In the 1920's he had a shop on Everett Ave in Chelsea, Massachusetts. He sold, washed and repaired oriental rugs. There were great expectations of his work when he came to America. His bright future was brought to an abrubt halt in 1928 by his early tragic death at 32 years of age leaving the adolescent Grace and Jack without a father.
After his death, Ovsanna, Jack and Grace lived with Araxie (Ovsanna and Apkar's daughter) and her husband Henry. In 1933 Ovsanna died. Jack and Grace were now without parents in their early teens and they stayed with their sister Arax and her husband until they each were married.