The Bapis Family
Michael Bapis, Father of Nick Bapis and grandfather of Michael N. Bapis
Michael Bapis left Agios Vasilios, Kinourios Greece for America in 1907 at age thirteen. Traveling to Utah for employment, he worked for Kennecott Copper Mine for fifty-two years. As a powder foreman for thirty of those years, Michael worked long and hard hours like many other immigrant laborers until he retired in 1960.
In 1937 he received his naturalization papers while living inCopperfield, Bingham Canyon, Utah. Five years later, Michael married Maxine Kolendrianos, daughter of immigrants Tom and Eleni Kolendrianos from Leonidion,Greece. Michael and Maxine raised two sons Nick and George and one daughter Eugenia in Copperfield and later in Midvale, Utah. Michael’s long, healthy life reminds us all of a man who trusted his dreams and delivered their promises.
Harry Lallas Markos and Frosso Houlis Markos: Paternal Grandparents of Elaine Bapis
Harry Lallas emmigrated from Lemnos Greece to America in the early 1900s where he became Harry Markos. He followed the work of the time to Ogden, Utah and was employed for Southern Pacific Railroad. Having earned enough money to bring his wife and child to the United States, Harry was joined by Frosso Houlis and daughter Anastasia from Lemnos and began his family life in Farr West, Utah. Together they raised five children and ran a farm. Their second child George worked as a coal trucker, transporting coal from Price to Ogden.
During one of his trips, he attended the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church Price, Utah and met Bessie Konakis, Photios and Ellen’s daughter. Bessie and George engaged in a long distance letter-writing relationship and married on September 1, 1940. They began their family life renting the Marriott farm near Ogden and later established the Markos Farms in Plain City, Utah. Married for 62 years, they raised a family of five and enjoyed eleven grandchildren and fifteen great granchildren. Bessie and George organized chapters of Ahepa, Philoptocos, and Daughters of Penelope in Ogden and were founders of Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox church of Ogden.
Photios Konakis and Ellen Bellaros Konakis: Grandparents of Elaine Markos Bapis
Photios Konakis immigrated to the United States in 1912 From Agia Marina, Lesvos Greece. Legend has it he shined shoes for Teddy Roosevelt before making his way to Carbon County, Utah where he worked in the Columbia Coal Mine. Not suited for mine work he opened a boarding house in Sunnyside, Utah and sent for his bride. Ellen Bellaros, from Lemnos Greece, arrived in Sunnyside, married Photios and raised a family of 10 children. Leaving the boarding house early in their marriage, the Konakis family bought land for a goat ranch in Icelander, Utah. There, Photios and Ellen developed a thriving cheese, olive, and goat milk business. They shipped cheese by rail to both coasts and enjoyed seeing their family expand to 30 grandchildren and several more great-grandchildren. The Konakis family is now on its fifth generation.
