Kannan Family Papers

Military

Lebanese--United States

Portraits

Social groups

Biographical/Historical Note

Matthew Kannan descends from Charles Kannan and Nora Rabil Kannan, immigrants from Lebanon who settled in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Charles and Nora had seven children before Charles’s death on January 6, 1929: Addie, James, Magdaline, Kattie, Louis, and Francis. On his mother's side of the family, Matthew Kannan is a descendent of Shickrey Baddour, a businessman who emigrated from Hammana, Lebanon in 1893, and Victoria Alkazin. Shickrey and Victoria moved to Goldsboro, North Carolina, from Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1915. The Kannan, Baddour, and Rabil families all originated in or near Hammana, Lebanon. These three families founded the Hammana Club together in order to preserve their shared cultural origins in North Carolina.

Shickrey and Victoria’s youngest son, Mitchell David Baddour, was the grandfather of Matthew Kannan. Mitchell served in the United States Navy from 1943 until March 19, 1946, when he was honorably discharged due to injury. He served in the Mediterranean, Southern France, North Africa, and Sicily. Mitchell attained the rank of Quartermaster 3rd class, and received the American Campaign Medal, the Europe-Africa-Middle East Medal, and the Victory Medal of World War II. After his service, Mitchell returned to North Carolina to attend college. He married Doris Baddour in 1953, and had four children: Michael, Paul, Tony, and Mary Anne “Pixie” Baddour Kannan.

Pixie Baddour married Charles Louis Kannan, the son of Marguerite Rabil Kannan and Louis Joseph Kannan. Louis Kannan was a son of Charles and Nora Kannan. Though born in North Carolina, he raised his family in Franklin, Virginia. Charles and Pixie had two children: Matthew and Mariam Kannan.

Scope/Content Note

The Kannan Family Papers contain studio portraits and family photographs of individuals and groups from the Baddour, Kannan, and Rabil families. Material relating to Mitchell Baddour’s service in the United States Navy during World War II and material documenting the Hammana Club in North Carolina are also included.

Matthew Kannan

Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies

circa 1930s-2002, undated

Processed by Khayrallah Program staff. Collection Guide content contributed by Claire A. Kempa and updated by Allison Hall, 2023 November.

The donor retains full ownership of any copyright and rights currently controlled. Nonexclusive right to authorize uses of these materials for non-commercial research, scholarly, or other educational purposes are granted to Khayrallah Center pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. Usage of the materials for these purposes must be fully credited with the source. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials.

English

KC 0009