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HOW AN ARMENIAN SAVED USS CONSTITUTION
by Bill Milhomme
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2012/07/03/how-an-armenian-saved-uss-constitution/
July 3, 2012
Boston welcomes the "Tall Ships" this July 4 weekend. There is much
celebration around the naval warship Old Ironsides and her exploits in
the War of 1812. However, if not for the efforts of an Armenian
immigrant, the USS Constitution, commonly known as Old Ironsides,
would have been scrapped at the turn of the 20th century.
So as the U.S. prepares to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the
War of 1812 with Great Britain, in particular highlighting the role of
Old Ironsides, it might be fitting to recall Moses Gulesian, a
Boston-Armenian immigrant who rallied a nation to save the ship from
the scrap yard.
Moses H. Gulesian, a native of Marash, was a shining symbol of New
World success. After arriving penniless in New York harbor in 1883, he
moved to Worcester and eventually settled in Boston where he opened a
successful copper works factory.
In 1900, he was commissioned by the state to replace the wooden lion
and unicorn symbols of the Old State House with copper ones; the
originals incidentally were installed later on his home in Chestnut
Hill.
Gulesian offers $10,000.
Today Gulesian is best remembered for his efforts to save Old
Ironsides, the oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy and the
champion of the War of 1812. In 1905, Gulesian, overtaken by a strong
sense of patriotism, sent the following telegram to Naval Secretary J.
Bonaparte: "Will give ten thousand dollars for the Constitution, Old
Ironsides. Will you sell?" The offer made national headlines and one
reporter suggested that the ship might worry the "Sultan" of Turkey if
it was sold to an Armenian. "It would be a good joke if they could be
led to believe that the old frigate might steal out of Boston some
night and sail for the Mediterranean to bombard some of the
unprotected ports of Turkey," Gulesian replied.
Gulesian's efforts rallied public support and saved the ship. For his
role, Gulesian was elected president of the Old Ironsides Association,
and would later be given the distinction of becoming the first
foreign-born member of the Sons of the American Revolution.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
by Bill Milhomme
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2012/07/03/how-an-armenian-saved-uss-constitution/
July 3, 2012
Boston welcomes the "Tall Ships" this July 4 weekend. There is much
celebration around the naval warship Old Ironsides and her exploits in
the War of 1812. However, if not for the efforts of an Armenian
immigrant, the USS Constitution, commonly known as Old Ironsides,
would have been scrapped at the turn of the 20th century.
So as the U.S. prepares to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the
War of 1812 with Great Britain, in particular highlighting the role of
Old Ironsides, it might be fitting to recall Moses Gulesian, a
Boston-Armenian immigrant who rallied a nation to save the ship from
the scrap yard.
Moses H. Gulesian, a native of Marash, was a shining symbol of New
World success. After arriving penniless in New York harbor in 1883, he
moved to Worcester and eventually settled in Boston where he opened a
successful copper works factory.
In 1900, he was commissioned by the state to replace the wooden lion
and unicorn symbols of the Old State House with copper ones; the
originals incidentally were installed later on his home in Chestnut
Hill.
Gulesian offers $10,000.
Today Gulesian is best remembered for his efforts to save Old
Ironsides, the oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy and the
champion of the War of 1812. In 1905, Gulesian, overtaken by a strong
sense of patriotism, sent the following telegram to Naval Secretary J.
Bonaparte: "Will give ten thousand dollars for the Constitution, Old
Ironsides. Will you sell?" The offer made national headlines and one
reporter suggested that the ship might worry the "Sultan" of Turkey if
it was sold to an Armenian. "It would be a good joke if they could be
led to believe that the old frigate might steal out of Boston some
night and sail for the Mediterranean to bombard some of the
unprotected ports of Turkey," Gulesian replied.
Gulesian's efforts rallied public support and saved the ship. For his
role, Gulesian was elected president of the Old Ironsides Association,
and would later be given the distinction of becoming the first
foreign-born member of the Sons of the American Revolution.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress