Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Going back a few generations...

I had this nice and interesting email:

Dear Mr.Jacob Matthan

I am Sunil George Koshy from Mullamangalam family of Kottayam.

I just came back from the funeral service of one of the grandsons of Arch Deacon K.Koshy – Mr. John Mathai who passed away on Sunday 9th at the age of 93.

After coming back from the funeral, I searched for Mullamangalam in Google and found the website on R.M.Kurien Ashan which mentions his mother as the sister of Koshy Achen (who was the son of Maramon Koshy).

My great grandfather is the youngest brother of Arch Deacon K. Koshy (Koshy Achen) , Mullamangalam. Like his eldest brother, Koshy achen, my great grandfather was also a teacher at the CMS School at Kottayam. Both Koshy achen and John Ashan (popularly known as Chempolil Ashan) where the sons of Maramon Koshy (who had other sons too, as written in the Madolil Family History – published by the Madolil Kudumbayogam), Koshy Achen being the eldest and John Ashan, the youngest.

I have often heard, in my younger days, my father – George Mullamangalam Koshy (Thankappan) who is 83 years now, discuss R. M. Kurien Ashan and Dewan Bahadur Kuriyan Matthan, at family gatherings.

Every year, in December, the Madolil Family (of which Mullamangalam, Chempolil, Pullavallil, Vengalil etc. are branches) meet for the Kudumbayogam in Maramon.
I think and hope that you can gather more information from people who gather at this meeting.

I will write to you after talking to my father. I hope he still remembers the visits of the Dewan.

Warm Regards

Sunil G. Koshy


From the above I am glad to decipher this side of the family.

Marmon Koshy had several children, of which Arch Deacon K. Koshy (Koshy Achen) was the eldest and John Ashan (popularly known as Chempolil Ashan) was the youngest. One of their sisters was the mother of Kurien Aaschan (my great grandfather).

Kurian Aaschan was brought up by his uncle Arch Deacon K. Koshy (my great great grand uncle), so John Ashan was also my great great grand uncle.

George Mullamangalam Koshy, who is now 83, is, therefore, the second cousin of my grandfather (Dewan Bahadur Kuriyan Matthan) and the writer of the email (Sunil) in my father's third cousin.

John Mathai, who is reported by Sunil to have passed away, was also the second cousin of both Dewan Bahadur Kuriyan Matthan and George Mullamangalam Koshy.

I have recorded as much as possible of the Maliyakal Ravoor Matthan Kurien [also known as Maliyakal K. Aaschan (1852 - 1935)] on my web page about the Maliyakal family. (I apologise to many of you who have fed me much valuable information but which I have not yet used.)


My grandfather, Dewan Bahadur Kuriyan Matthan (1877 - 1951).


My father, Kuriyan Matthan (1911 - 1993).


Me, Jacob Matthan (1943 - ).


Thank you Sunil for this fascinating input.

4 comments:

Annie said...

Dear Jacob Matthan
I was thrilled reading the e-mail of Sunil George Koshy. John Mathai who passed away on the 9th of August was my appapen - my daddy's youngest brother. I am Archdecon Koshy achen's great grand daughter.
I have seen Sunil's father Thankappachayan who is a musician. In fact during my wedding in 1972 he organized the choir. my father who passed away in 1976 was an artist and also good in music could play the organ though due to several disappointments in life he was not actively involved in music. I would like to get in touch with Sunil. Staying in Delhi I have sort of lost touch with all my relations. From my father I too have heard my share of family history and sort of enjoyed basking in the glory of my ancestors!! Please keep in touch with me.

Ranjit said...

Dear Jacob Matthan,

Never expected to come upon this blog but I am another actor in the entire Mullamangalam saga.

I am the, wait let me try and get this right or else my aunt who just posted a comment before me will whack me on the head, great great grandson of Archdecon Koshy and Annie Ammai is my father's sister. Phew!! Hope I got that right.

I stay with my wife, another Annie, in Edinburgh, Scotland and it was highly enlightening to read the entries on this blog.

Just thought I'd let you know that I exist and unfortunately I can't add to the history but I will keep visiting here to gain further insights added on by more knowledgable persons than me.

Rauha (Peace) said...

Dear Annie and Ranjit,

As you have posted the Comments on the blog but not given your email contacts, and your blogger profiles are just transient, there is no way to contact you. Please email me at jmatthan@gmail.com or jmatthana@gmail.com so I can be in touch with you. Regards

Sushil

Unknown said...

PL ADD YOUR DETAILS IN ORKUT - GROUP - MADOLIL FAMILY. WE ARE TRYING TO GATHER INFORMATION OF ALL OUR FAMILY MEMBERS.
RGS- THOMAS PONVELIL -PULLAD