Fannie Homer Garese MOURILYAN (née GOWEN later TRIBON) (1853-1917)

Fannie Homer Garese Mourilyan, née Gowen, later Tribon (1853-1917) was the sister-in-law of Eugénie Sladden (née Mourilyan).

Fannie was an American citizen, born on 27th June 1853 in Roxbury, Massachusetts, USA, the third of five children of John Emery Gowen, an eminent civil engineer, and his wife, Mary.  According to the Lynn historical website, Essex County, Massachusets (where John Emery Gowen was born):

“Colonel” John Gowen was one of the most eminent civil engineers that this county has ever produced. He was an engineer of distinguished ability; it was he who raised the Russian Fleet, sunk in the harbor of Sevastopol after the Crimean War.  From Alexander II, Emperor of Russia, he received the order of Commander of St. Stanislaus; the Star of the Medjedi from the Sultan of Turkey; Chevalier of St. Maurice and St. Lazare from Victor Emanuel, King of Italy; Chevalier of the Legion d'Honneur from the Emperor Napolean III of France; and from Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, a valuable gold snuffbox surrounded with diamonds, appropriately inscribed.

Fannie married Joseph William Ralph Mourilyan, a solicitor, on 3rd April 1880 in the Parish Church, Marylebone.  For some reason, she had changed her surname from Gowen to Tribon by this time; the marriage certificate stresses that she was single and unmarried.

Fannie and Joe went to live in Paris, where Joe had his business as a solicitor.  They did not have any children.  Fannie’s parents also lived in Paris as a report from The New York Times, 8th May 1895, indicates:

Colonel John E. Gowen died yesterday at Paris, France after an illness of 3 days.  His wife died on May 7, 1894 just a year prior.  He leaves two daughters and two sons; Mrs. Edwin J. Witthay of New York; Mrs. Joseph Mourilyan of Paris; Caleb E. Gowen of Cleveland in Ohio; Constantine of Paris, France.  The funeral service was at the American Church on Avenue de l’Alma and he was buried in Cimetière d’Auteuil.

During the First World War, Joe and Fannie went to live at 1 Avenue Herold, Le Rainey, Seine l’Oise.  Joe’s office was at 26 Rue du Mont Thuber.

Fannie died in Paris in 1917 and Joe died ten years later.