Individual Details

Paul George Morfogen

(18 Apr 1893 - 20 Sep 1955)

BIOGRAPHY: Prepared April1993, possibly by son, Zachary: Sent to Carol Petranek by Nicholas J. Pappas, May 1999.
Paul Morfogen was born April 18, 1893 in Anavryti, Greece. At age 12, he left Greece for America with his older sister, Athanasia. His first job was as a waiter in a Sand Street Brooklyn restaurant; he worked nights in a Manhattan night club that was frequented by gamblers. One night he found $600 hidden under a table which no one claimed, and he used his claim as his first stake to go into business for himself. He invested that money in Pappas Restaurant on 14th Street and 8th Avenue. That launched his successful career as a restauranteur at Pappas Restaurant, and later at Chelsea Restaurant at 23rd and 8th Avenue in Manhattan. He took a fling at the tobacco business making cigars and was much more successful in real estate in the lower Village, Manhattan and Staten Island. He served his new country during World War I from 1917-1918 in the U.S. Army 302nd Machine Gun Battalion of the 77th Division. He fought in France and was gassed which caused him health problems throughout his life. His hobbies were his family and business, reading, cooking, good clothes, fan of the New York baseball Giants and the New York theater. He was one of 12 children (Athanasia, Nicholas, Sam, James, Christina, Pauline, Anna, Stavroula, Peter, Theodore and Constantine) and he had three children (George, Vivian and Zachary). He died peacefully at his Boonton Township home, where he lived from 1941, on September 20, 1955. His life is celebrated on the occasion of his 100th birthday with the dedication of The Morfogen Collection at the Rockaway Valley School, Boonton Township, April 17, 1993.

Catherine Pappas Kostakos remembers Anna and her children, but does not remember Lena.

Tombstone: Mt. Olivet, buried directly behind tombstone of Papagianakos, Christos, Lucretia (see photo, Jan. 2007) where son, George Morfogen, is buried.

Per Ann Morfogen (granddaughter, Nov. 6, 2013): My grandfather Morfogen and my grandfather Pappas were partners in the restaurant on 14th Street. And they had a big fight and they split up.

Events

Birth18 Apr 1893Anavryti, Vryseon, Lakonia, Greece
Arrival1907
Military1917U.S. Army, World War I
Naturalization-Declaration20 May 1917New York City, New York, United States
NaturalizationPetition16 Feb 1920New York City, New York, United States
Marriage26 Sep 1921Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States - Lena Fortney
Marriage8 Oct 1925New Brunswick, Middlesex, New Jersey, United States - Anna Z. Landis
Census1930The Bronx, New York, United States
Residence1930Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head: Head - The Bronx, New York, United States
Residence1935New York, New York, United States
Census1940New York City, New York, United States
Residence1 Apr 1940Marital Status: Married; Relation to Head of House: Head - New York City, New York, United States
Military Draft Registration27 Apr 1942New York City, New York, United States
Town Register1955Anavryti, Vryseon, Lakonia, Greece
BurialSep 1955Mount Olivet Cemetery, Maspeth, Queens, New York, United States
Death20 Sep 1955Boonton, Morris, New Jersey, United States
Alt nameApostolos Georgios Morfogenis
FamilySearch IDM4MD-XZG

Families

SpouseLena Fortney (1894 - 1922)
ChildGeorge Paul Morfogen (1922 - 1997)
SpouseAnna Z. Landis (1903 - 1999)
ChildVivian P. Morfogen (1926 - 2024)
ChildZachary Paul Morfogen (1928 - 2014)
FatherGeorgios Nikolaos Morfogenis (1869 - )
MotherVasilo A. Alatsas (1870 - )
SiblingAthanasia Morfogen (1889 - 1955)
SiblingNicholas George Morfogen (1892 - 1963)
SiblingSam George Morfogen (1895 - 1979)

Notes

Endnotes