Historic Somerville

Catherine Samaras's Story
(by Anthoula Rozakis, her daughter)  

Catherine and her twin sister, Anna, were born to Paraskeve Kakaris and George Samaris in the Somerville home of her mother and father, Theodoros and Yianoula Kakaris. There were no Greek doctors then.  The two baby girls weighed only 4 pounds at birth and were kept near the stove for warmth.  The doctor who came to check on the new mother and twin babies kept his car running in the January cold. Sadly, Anna died in infancy.  Catherine grew up, attended Somerville public schools and the school of the Greek Othodox Church, which perpetuated Greek customs, language and traditions.  During WW II, while attending a family baptism, she met a soldier on leave, Pvt James Anagnostou, who would become her future husband. He had been an illegal immigrant from Greece, but his is another story...

Volunteer Opportunity:

Would you like to work with Historic Somerville to capture the stories of the descendents of the Greek immigrants living in Somerville in either written or oral form? We have several professionals interested in helping, but need an organizer for the project.

Contact us!

Catherine Samaras in Greek costume, early 1900s.