California Biographies Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919) History By Paul E. Vandor Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919 Notes: Missing+page1185-1186 Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm JOSEPH OUSSANI.� To boast of an ancestry reaching back to the Chaldeans, to rejoice that he came from one of the proudest and stablest of modern races, is the privilege of Joseph Oussani, who may also congratulate himself in having not only contributed to the success of one of the greatest world's fairs ever organized by Americans, but, after establishing important commercial interests in the Eastern States, in coming to Fresno County, Cal., to give his experience and enterprise in the further development of this most promising section. Mr. Oussani was born in far-away, mystic Bagdad, in Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, on December 21, 1865, the son of Thomas Oussani, who is de- scended from one of the oldest Christian families in Bagdad, where the family and its numerous connections have lived for many generations and may trace its blood back to the ancient Chaldeans from Babylonia. His father was a farmer and a stockman, making a specialty of sheep-raising; and was widely known as very sympathetic and kind, and heartbroken that his country was compelled to suffer so terribly from Turkish atrocities. He lived to the ripe old age of eighty-six ; and his widow now resides with her children in New York City. Among the three children surviving from a family of five, one son is a manufacturer in New York City, and another is a priest there. Joseph Oussani was reared in Bagdad and received a good education in both the Arabic and French languages, in which he is still very proficient, and when nineteen started out for himself, traveling by caravan to Persia, a trip of thirty days, at length reaching Teheran, the capital of Persia, where he became a dry-goods merchant. After three years in business there, he returned south to Kermancha, a twelve-days' trip from Teheran, and for two years was engaged in buying rugs in large quantities, the same being then sent by caravan to Bagdad, and thence shipped into different parts of Europe and the New World. This Oriental commercial experience con- tributed greatly to the rounding out of Mr. Oussani's education ; so that when new and far more attractive opportunity opened the way for him, he was ready as the man of the hour. On the building of the World's Fair in Chicago, for example, Mr. Ous- sani, with his brother Yak, came to that city and they together erected the Persian Palace, still recalled with pleasure by all who remember the crown- ing features of the Midway Plaisance : and in this artistic and gorgeous edifice, they had an equally gorgeous exhibit of beautiful Persian goods and Oriental rugs � an exhibit that was greatly enjoyed and most favorably com- mented upon by multitudes of visitors. The effort was a decided financial success, but what gratified the Oussani brothers was that they had really contributed to the success of the fair. At the termination of the World's Fair, the brothers returned to New York City and as partners opened a store at the corner of Madison Avenue and Twenty-third Street for the sale of Persian goods and antique Oriental rugs ; and about the same time they opened another business, quite different, for the manufacture of Turkish or Egyptian cigarettes. The business grew rapidly, and after a while they found a better location for the art goods on Broadway. Yak Oussani had charge of the rugs and Persian novelties, and Joseph looked after the manufacture of cigarettes, which they sold at both retail and wholesale rates. In 1900, however, they dissolved partnership, at the same time selling the store ; and Yak took over the cigarette factory. Joseph then entered what was to him an altogether new field� that of realty, in New York City. He bought and improved lots, built residences and improved them ; finally disposing of most of his holdings except two elegant apartment houses on Cathedral Parkway, near One Hundred Tenth Street, opposite Central Park. Each of these was built seven stories high, with one hundred-foot front, and with twenty-eight large apartments, of seven to eight rooms each. One having a granite front is named "Semi- ramis," after the queen of the seven hanging gardens of Babylon. The other, a gothic of glazed white terra cotta, is "The Zenobia," named for the Queen of Palmyra. These, with other choice business property in New York, afford him a snug fortune. For some years, too, Mr. Oussani owned sixty-four acres at Pocantico Hills, in Westchester County, adjoining the site of the John D. Rockefeller residence, and having improved the same, he sold the tract to Mr. Rockefeller at a good profit. Wishing to find a more equable climate, however, Mr. Oussani concluded to try the Pacific Coast; and so, in 1915. during the San Francisco Exposition, he came west to California. He traveled throughout the state ; and after a careful investigation selected Fresno as the location offering, all in all, the greatest inducements. The same November he purchased the old George Helm place, seven miles northeast of Fresno, consisting of 320 acres ; and he began to make the most of the splendid soil. He improved 160 to vines, forty in emperor grapes, forty in malagas, and seventy-five in muscat or raisin grapes, all of the shipping quality ; and as the balance had been un- cultivated, he put the first plow into it, attended to the leveling of the land. and immediately set out forty acres in Thompson's seedless, forty in sul- tanas, and forty in calimyrna figs, interset with plums of different varieties. He spent in all over $60,000 improving the property, which is now in the finest condition. Although giving the detailed attention to his agricultural holdings. Mr. Oussani resides with his family in his artistic residence at the corner of Ventura Avenue and Fourth Street, Fresno ; leaving the cosy corner once a year to revisit New York and look after his investments there. From the beginning he has been interested in the success of the various raisin associa- tions, and he is a decidedly live wire in the California Associated Raisin Company. While in New York City, Mr. Oussani was married to Miss Gladys Holmes, a native of London, England. Mr. Oussani indulges his taste for travel, as when, in October, 1910. with his family, he set out on a tour of the Old World, visiting England at the time of the coronation of King George, going to points of interest on the continent, and having the pleasure and dis- tinction of an audience with Pope Pius X., and also visiting the Coliseum and Catacombs of Rome. Their trip extended to Egypt, Syria and Mount Lebanon, and they returned to New York in 1911. In 1912 they made an- other trip to Europe, spending two winters in Egypt, and returning to their home in 1914.