Part 7: New Beginnings Together 1914-1924

Pete and Pota were married in August 1914 in Elizabeth, NJ. Pota's brother-in -law Sophocles was a witness. Pete brought his bride back to DC to live above the Cokinos Brothers candy shop on H Street NE. Their first child, Catherine was born in April 1915, a discreet nine months after their marriage the previous summer. Her Greek baptismal name was for he rnother- Panayota, but I imagine her parents thought an English name would be a better fit for life in America.  

By 1916, another child was on the way. Pete bought a new three bedroom row house two blocks from his brother Adam at 909 11th Street N.E. The house had a mansard style tin roof and a kitchen in the basement which was typical at the time. My father George recalled that Pete liked the “Greek” columns holding up the porch roof.  George was born here-in this house.

The 11th Street house is still standing today. Below is a photo from about 1919 and another from about 70 years later.

As a first born male, George was named to honor his paternal grandfather and his own father. This was the Greek way of doing things and why so many names repeat in Hellenic families. Here is a photo of Pota with Catherine on her left and George on right, Not sure who the other children are.

1918.

George and Catherine c 1920

The census of 1920 finds Pete, and his brothers Adam and Alec all living near or above the H Street candy store. Alec drifted between the brothers, but my father remembered his uncle living with them most of the time. William, the brother who popped up in 1910 census seems to have gone back to Greece.

Pete, Pota, Katy and Adam with little George @ Hains Point 1920

In 1921, St Sophia’s finally started having services in their own building at Eighth and L NW. The congregation included a robust Sunday school. Catherine is standing in the front row, second from the end.

In other family news, Pete's cousin and business partner, the ever adventurous James Cokinos, pulled up stakes in 1921 and moved his family to Red Oak, Iowa to open a candy store there. His brother Daniel Cokinos remained working and living on 8th Street SE. Daniel's first wife, Angelika died, probably during childbirth, with their second child. Daniel married again in June of that year and started a second family with Pota Kapsalis. Pete's brother Adam bought a house at 1217 11th Street NW. 

The candy business was booming.

That fall, George started kindergarten at Wheatley Elementary on Neal Street N.E. He remembered his older sister Catherine dragging him to school by the hand. He cried all the way. Once there, the teacher repeatedly asked George his name, and he kept telling her “Yorgo.” He was the only Greek boy in the class, and had to catch up quickly in the language department. The only friend George could recall from those early school days was Harry Chase who lived up the street and did scary shows in his basement. (Isn’t there always one?) Another boy named Paul used to chase George home from school every day and would beat him up when he could catch him. When Pota figured out what was happening, she somehow lured Paul into the house and gave him a good going over herself. That was the end of that. 

Nick Kendros, another relative from Agoulnitsa, was still living on 8th Street with his Uncle Daniel, Aunt Bertha and their four children. Nick's daughter Ruby later told me that he slept on a cot in the back of the candy shop. When Nick was almost thirty years old, my grandmother Pota decided to play matchmaker. She introduced Nick to Angelika, a girl from her home village, St John- near Sparta. "Kiki" was just out of high school and living in Annapolis with her parents Harry and Bertha Tagalos. 

Nick brought St Sophia's priest to Annapolis, and the two were married in September 1922 in the Oddfellows Hall. I'll bet our entire Cokinos family was there. Not only did my grandmother take credit for the match, but Alec Cokinos was one of the groomsmen. Nick, his wife and her parents Harry and Bertha Tagalos came to live at 808 K St NE, two blocks from Peter and Pota. Nick went on to own the Woodward Sandwich Shop at 1422 H Street NW, and our families were close for many years.

Nicholas Peter Cokinos. Pota and Peter's last child. came along in April of 1924. All of their children were born in April. Either my grandparents were feverishly patriotic or they religously celebrated their wedding anniversary which was also in July.

The Greek population was growing in DC, and our family was a part of that boom.

from left to right Pota (Daniel's wife), Nick Kendros, Kiki, Pota, Pete, Katy, unknown

Catherine Cokinos standing with bow, George P Cokinos

Penelope. Koula, Thelma, Mary ( Daniel's children) Bill Maofis with Nick Cokinos in lap,

Kiki's father Harry Tagalos with Ruby in lap- probably Hains Point 1925 or so.