Apcar & Stephens Company

The Apcar family is an Armenian family originally from New Julfa in Isfahan, Persia. After moving to India they became prominent in commerce and industry. Later members were involved in the practice of law and the legislature.

Aratoon Apcar was born in 1779 at New Julfa in Isfahan, Persia. He was the second son of Apcar, the ancestor of the family. He came to Bombay when he was sixteen and found employment with an Armenian merchant there, trading with China and Manila. After his patron died, he continued in this trade in his own right. He founded Apcar & Co in 1809 and was Senior Member of this firm until his death in 1863. In 1830 he moved to Calcutta. He gave generous endowments to the Armenian Apostolic Church of St Mary at New Julfa, and in 1843 established the Armenian Patriotic School there. Aratoon Apcar died at Calcutta on 16 May 1863 at the age of 85.

Aratoon Apcar married Catherine Thomas (1800–1849) in 1813. They had four sons and one daughter name Sandookth who died aged 8 months (1814–1815), Apcar (1816–1862), Seth (1819-188?), Thomas (1821–1875) and Alexander (1824–1895). Seth Apcar (born Mumbai 12 May 1819 died London March 1885) was the first Armenian Sheriff of Kolkata. He was awarded the Order of the Lion and the Sun by the Shah of Iran, which was presented to him by the Governor-General of India. As a London resident in the 1870s, he was Honorary President of an Armenian committee set up to increase British awareness of the plight of Armenians during the decline of the Ottoman Empire. Alexander Apcar (born Mumbai 4 November 1824 died Kolkata 12 November 1895) was the Consul for Siam (Thailand) in Kolkata until his death. Alexander’s son was Apcar Alexander Apcar (see below).

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