The 1938 Attiyeh Convention in Sioux City, Iowa brought together a vast group of Lebonese and other nationality families from all over, converging in a Family atmosphere. As can be easily seen in photograph below, there was always plenty of activity and enjoyment in catching up with old friends, family and sharing meals together. Young cousins getting to know each other and playing together, initiating the next generations of Attiyeh adult connections. Attiyeh Conventions occurred often over the many decades in Sioux City and Cedar Rapids, Iowa and in Bismarck, North Dakota. The many individual photographs taken at these events are classics.

My connection to the Attiyeh Family began before I was born and encapsulated an incredible chapter, when my family joined with an outstanding family, eventually enabling me to learn the history of the Attiyeh's. The path to this education is both fascinating and historic. I found it to be a complicated history to even begin to understand and fully see the larger picture, of like my family, immigrants that came west in the 19th and early 20th Century. I can say I have certainly skimmed the surface and have recently been delving into the heart of the matter.

As the years go by, I seem to be getting a better handle on the vastness of the family and the complicated connections and natures of so many related families, under what I refer to as the Attiyeh Umbrella. Many thanks to my cousin Michael Nassif Boutrous, who has assisted me along the way.

Below is an encapsulated tale of how an Erickson met and married a Nassif Boutrous in Bismarck, at the midpoint of the 20th Century. And in that marraige I became the fortunate passenger on the trail of the Attiyeh's.

In started on a sparkling sunny day in the Spring in the mid later 1950s, when my (eventual) Uncle Floyd Nick Nassif Boutrous spotted my father Ernest Anders' kid sister, my Aunt Dian Marcella Erickson walking with two girlfriends on the street of Bismarck, North Dakota. The story goes, and Floyd told it often, that he was Immediately smitten by this tall statuesque Skandinavian beauty. To say even more he was knocked out and did what he could to meet this beautiful Swede.

And meet they did and for a guy, that Floyd's mother often referred to, as her eternal bachelor son, Floyd was under a spell he would never shake. Their meeting and as their courtship progressed, it was obvious Floyd had met his match. The age difference for the time was extreme. Dian had turned 18 in May of 1958 and Floyd was 41. The spell soon enough led to the fateful day he approached my Grandfather Frank G.S. Erickson and Dian's brother, my Father Ernest Anders for a mini conference to seek Dian's hand in marriage.

Let's just say it went well by the end. Floyd made his case to my WW1 Lost Battalion survivor and Cowboy Grandfather Frank. He eventually responded with an acknowledgement of agreement, with a ever so threatening undertone. Surely with his Cowboy face front and center, Frank agreeing that if all goes accordingly to what Floyd promised, Love Devotion and Faithfulness, all would be fine and dandy. But swerve off that path, and the consequences would be dire.

Floyd must have gulped and said, "No worries Mr Erickson, I will treat Dian like a queen. And Floyd's words were gold, as Frank soon became very close to Floyd and that promise came true with a lifetime marraige and family life anyone that knew them, would be proud of. Within eight years, the couple had four boys, Nick, Allan, Steven and Attas II and the family settled in a nice home in Bismarck. Eleven years later a fifth son, Michael, was born.

So when my Aunt Dian Marcella married Floyd Nick Boutrous on July 21st, 1961, that union brought into the family an incredible group of folk. Energetic, smart, and quite different than the quiet, stoic Skandis of the Ericksons and the Nelsons. A breath of fresh air swept in and Dian gained a mother in-law by the name of Delleh 'Della' binto Jirji Nassif Attiyeh. Della was quite happy to have the beautiful Dian in the family.

My memories are clear of my Uncle Floyd's mother, Della. A photograph below of Della at her home is attached. 'Queen of the Attiyeh’s' as she was known, always sitting at the head of the table of the many family Lebanese dinners I attended. Fun and good food were the measure of the day. I met many of the Boutrous, Nassifs, Nemer, Nicola, Skaffs and other family members over the years. Exciting times for me when I was growing up into adulthood.

Della born in Ain Arab, Lebanon in 1892. That was the same year as my grandfather Frank was born in Sundsvall, Sweden. Right there I knew it was kismet, both as children immigrated to the States in 1903 and 1905 respectively. This brings to mind yet again, that most us here in the States are from Immigrant families and that should be celebrated, not condemned or forgotten.

Della at thirteen years of age immigrated with her cousin Assaif 'George' Nassif Attiyeh via Mexico to unite with her father, Jirji 'George' Nassif Attiyeh (3rd photo below) at his homestead in Sheridan County, North Dakota, near Denhoff. It was Della's second attempt to enter the US, her 1903 journey through Ellis Island in New York City failed. Della had to return by herself at the age of eleven to Ain Arab and await two years for a second try.

Speaking no English, Della and Assaif made their way by train to North Dakota with a piece of paper that had only the words 'Denhoff, North Dakota' written on it. Della's mother was Takla (Skaff) Nassif and was also born in Ain Arab. She stayed behind to raise Della's sisters and brothers until a couple years later when the whole family were reunited with Della and Jirji in Dakota.

I was never fortunate to meet Della's husband Attas (Ghattas) Fares 'Abu Dakken' Boutrous, who passed in 1944. A photograph of Attas Sr. in 1935 is below. He was also born in Ain Arab in 1882. Ain Arab is a small village in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon. It lies in the shadow of the Biblical Mount Hermon, and is the headwaters for the Jordan River. Many of the different families under the Attiyeh's were also born in Ain Arab.

Attas' parents were Miriam Nicola Attiyeh and Fares Boutrous Abu Dakken; and were both also born and lived their entire lives in Ain Arab. Attas later dropped the 'Abu Dakken' from his name in the early part of 1900s.

Della and Attas ran the Boutrous ‘Corner Grocery' Store that was established on January 1, 1929 until Attas passed in 1944. Their five sons pictured below; Thomas 'Tom,' George, Floyd Nick, Theodore 'Ted' and James 'Jimmie' took over the business following the passing of their father. The store was family run till it closed in the early 1970s and was located at 500 North 3rd Street in Bismarck. I recall as a child visiting the store many times with my Aunt Dian and Uncle Floyd.

Pictured below are the various Attiyeh Families in a fantastic group photograph taken in Sioux City in 1938. Included also are two temporary images attempting to Identify as many of the cast as I could. Thanks goes out to Barbara (Nimmer) and Paul Lammers of Spirit Lake, Iowa for help with quite a few of the identifications. In time I hope to add all the names to the original black and white photograph in a neat and orderly fashion. For now, this will all do fine.

Any additional help from anyone in any of these families will be greatly appreciated.