Francis H. Leslie, Urfa, and the Events of 1915

Year 2023, Volume: 10 Issue: 2, 292 - 321, 25.06.2023

Füsun Çoban Döşkaya Yakup Öztürk

https://doi.org/10.46868/atdd.2023.253

Abstract

Reverend Francis H. Leslie (1877-1915), a missionary of the American Board (ABCFM), was stationed in Aintab and Urfa at the beginning of the twentieth century. In 1911, he was put in charge of the works, begun by Corinna Shattuck (1848-1910) in Urfa. He was also appointed as an American consular agent for the region for a short time in 1915. During the Armenian uprising in Urfa, it is claimed that he was held hostage by Armenians in the mission premises from September 29 to October 15 to defend themselves. After the suppression of the uprising, he was called to the Government House and interrogated many times, and the government confiscated the money and valuables left under his supervision throughout that time. Fearing for his life in a depressed state, on October 30, 1915, he committed suicide by ingesting poison (carbolic acid, phenol). This study is on the writings and role of Francis H. Leslie before and during the Armenian uprising in Urfa.

Keywords

Francis H. Leslie, American Board, Urfa, Armenians, 1915 Events, Ottoman Empire.

References

• A missionary poisoned: The Rev. F. H. Leslie of Michigan killed at Urfa. (1915, November 13). The New York Times, 2.
• Akçora, E. (1990). Talat Paşa’nın 1915 Urfa İsyanı hakkındaki raporu. In XI. Türk Tarih Kongresi (pp. 1763–1807). Türk Tarih Kurumu.
• As matters stand in Oorfa. (1915). The Missionary Herald, 111(7), 332–333.
• Aslan, A. (2021). Urfa Ermeni Olayları (1880-1920). İstanbul Üniversitesi.
• Bayraktar, H. (2007). Tanzimat’tan Cumhuriyet’e Urfa Sancağı: (İdari, sosyal ve ekonomik yapı). Fırat Üniversitesi Orta Doğu Araştırmaları Merkezi.
• Birge, J. K. (1936). The Turkish Quest: The Story of the American Board in Turkey. [Boston] : [American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions].
• Cengiz, H. E. (Ed.). (1983). Ermeni komitelerinin a’mal ve harekat-ı ihtilaliyyesi: İ’lan-ı Meşrutiyyet’den evvel ve sonra. Başbakanlık Basımevi.
• Çoban Döşkaya, F. (2019). Corinna Shattuck’un hayatı ve bazı yazılarının analizi. In O. Köse & E. İslamoğlu (Eds.), Modern dönemde eğitim,edebiyat,sanat ve iktisat (pp. 137–162). Berikan Yayınevi.
• Çoban Döşkaya, F. (2021). Amerikan Board arşiv belgeleri ışığında Corinna Shattuck, Mary Haratounian ve Urfa Körler Okulu. Berikan Yayınevi.
• DH.ŞFR, 477/60. (1915, June 27). Dahiliye Şifre Kalemi. Ottoman Archive, Directorate of State Archives of Türkiye (BOA).
• DH.ŞFR, 495/35. (1915, October 30). Dahiliye Şifre Kalemi. Ottoman Archive, Directorate of State Archives of Türkiye (BOA).
• DH.ŞFR, 57/255. (1915, November 2). Dahiliye Şifre Kalemi. Ottoman Archive, Directorate of State Archives of Türkiye (BOA).
• DH.ŞFR. 493/148. (1915, October 17). Dahiliye Şifre Kalemi. Ottoman Archive, Directorate of State Archives of Türkiye (BOA).
• Eki̇nci̇, A., & Asoğlu, İ. (2017). Osmanlı arşiv vesikalarına göre misyoner hekimler ve Urfa’daki faaliyetleri. Şehir ve İrfan Araştırmaları Dergisi, 5, 105–118 .
• Field Notes. (1912). The Missionary Herald, 108(8), 362–367.
• Georgeon, F., & Dumont, P. (2018). Osmanlı İmparatorluğu’nda yaşamak (M. Selen, Trans.). İletişim Yayınları.
• Halaçoğlu, Y. (2002). Facts on the relocation of Armenians (1914-1918). Turkish Historical Society Printing House.