Timeline
From the first record of Tsintzina to 2025. Pick a subject to follow one thread.
48 events
The mountain and the plain
12th century
The villages
Tsintzina appears in Byzantine records
Early 1700s
The villages
The Lambroses move up the mountain
The family is said to have left Agios Dimitrios, near Geraki, for the high villages of Parnon to escape Ottoman harassment.
c. 1800
Family
Georgios A. Lambros (opens in a new tab) is born in Tsintzina
1821–27
War
War of Independence
Georgios (opens in a new tab) is listed among the Tsintzinians who fought the Turks.
Mid-1840s
The villages
The move to the plain is complete
Tsintzina becomes a summer village. Most families now live in Zoupena and Goritsa.
The crossing
1873
Crossings
Christos Tsakonas reaches Chicago
There are about 400 Greeks in all of North America.
1875
Crossings
Tsakonas returns with five companions
Among them is Nicholas Benekos of Zoupena, brother-in-law of the priest Papa-Georgios Lambros (opens in a new tab).
1882
Work
The first Greek-owned candy store opens in Milwaukee
1884
Crossings
John G. Lambros (opens in a new tab) arrives in Chicago
He becomes a florist on South Halsted Street.
1887
The Society
The Therapnean Society is founded in Chicago
The first organization in America exclusively for Greeks.
1889
Crossings
John (opens in a new tab) returns with his brother Basil (opens in a new tab), aged seven
c. 1890
Crossings
John D. Lambros (opens in a new tab) settles in Jamestown, New York
1895
The Society
First Tsintzinian reunion in Jamestown
A banquet in honor of Christos Tsakonas.
22 April 1903
Crossings
Harry (opens in a new tab) lands in New York at fifteen
He arrives on the SS Grosser Kurfürst with his cousin’s address pinned to his lapel.
1904
Work
John D. (opens in a new tab) takes over the Greek-American Fruit Company in Jamestown
1906
Crossings
Stamata (opens in a new tab) marries Michael Laskaris and leaves for Oneonta
5 September 1907
Crossings
Two couples arrive on the Koenig Albert
Anna (opens in a new tab) and Spiros Chios, and John D. (opens in a new tab) with his bride, Julia.
1912
War
The Laskaris family is stranded in Zoupena
They go home from Oneonta as the Balkan War breaks out. Michael is drafted and loses his American citizenship.
Shops and conventions
1914
Work
Harry (opens in a new tab) settles in Oneonta
He opens a billiard parlor with his brother-in-law Bill Georgeson. It becomes a sweet shop.
March 1915
Family
Julia Lambros dies after childbirth
John D. (opens in a new tab) is left in Jamestown with three small children.
July 1915
The Society
First Tsintzinian business convention, in Erie
1918
War
Harry (opens in a new tab) goes to war
A private in the Pioneer Infantry, he serves in France through the Meuse-Argonne offensive.
1920
Crossings
A year of arrivals
Effie (opens in a new tab) comes to join Harry (opens in a new tab). John G. (opens in a new tab) returns from Zoupena with a new wife and his eight-year-old niece Helen (opens in a new tab). Mary Zaharis sails from Patras.
1921
The Society
The Society buys its clubhouse on Lake Chautauqua for $10,000
28 September 1922
Family
Harry (opens in a new tab) marries Mary Zaharis in Syracuse
1923
Family
A birth and a death
Helen (opens in a new tab) is born in Oneonta in September. In October Harry (opens in a new tab)’s mother, Eleni, dies in Zoupena before he can reach her.
1924
The Society
The clubhouse is dedicated, its mortgage paid off
1927
Work
The sweet shop becomes the Diana Restaurant
The same year, Contillo (opens in a new tab)’s family leaves for a visit to Zoupena that lasts twelve years.
1930
The Society
John D. (opens in a new tab) is president of the Tsintzina Society
Christmas 1939
Crossings
The Georgesons get back to Oneonta
War
1941
Family
George Georgeson (opens in a new tab) is killed in an accident in Oneonta
Contillo (opens in a new tab)’s youngest son, fifteen months after the family got back from Greece.
1944
War
Three cousins at war
Thanasis Laskaris (opens in a new tab) is killed at Mistra. Harry Georgeson (opens in a new tab) dies of wounds in Germany. George Lambros (opens in a new tab) is wounded in the Battle of the Bulge.
1947
War
Antonia (opens in a new tab), Panos (opens in a new tab) and Eleni Laskaris (opens in a new tab) are executed in Zoupena
Antonia (opens in a new tab)’s husband had been shot months earlier. Five children are left with their grandmother.
5 February 1947
Crossings
Mary Carayanis lands in New York
That summer she meets George Lambros (opens in a new tab) at the Tsintzinian convention.
16 January 1949
Family
George (opens in a new tab) and Mary marry in Oneonta
Oneonta and beyond
17 May 1954
Family
Helen (opens in a new tab) marries Sam Stam
11 April 1956
Family
Harry (opens in a new tab) dies in Oneonta, aged 68
1958
Family
A chance meeting in Athens
On his first trip to Greece, Nick (opens in a new tab) sits down at a café table beside his great-uncle Pete Benekos.
1971
Work
Nick (opens in a new tab) moves from Oneonta High to Hartwick College
His last high school team wins the Class B championship.
1976
Family
Stamata (opens in a new tab) and Anna (opens in a new tab) die in Zoupena
1988
Work
Hartwick reaches the Final Four under Nick (opens in a new tab)
1990
Family
Contillo (opens in a new tab) dies in Washington at 94
June 1991
Work
George (opens in a new tab) sells the Diana
He, Mary and Helen (opens in a new tab) retire. Helen (opens in a new tab) had worked there for more than fifty years.
1995
Family
Angie Bertuzzi (opens in a new tab) dies suddenly at 68
In living memory
21 February 2009
Work
Hartwick names its gym Lambros Arena
The family history this site is based on dates from the same year.
1 August 2010
Family
George H. Lambros (opens in a new tab) dies at home, aged 85
17 June 2020
Family
Helen Stam (opens in a new tab) dies at home, aged 96
30 September 2025
Family
Nick Lambros (opens in a new tab) dies, aged 88
The last of Harry (opens in a new tab) and Mary’s children. His life is celebrated at Lambros Arena on 12 October.