Judge Kochitty Kuruvila's Children
1. Accamma.
Eldest daughter, Accamma was born in 1807. (ME 982 Kumbham 6) She was married to Chackochen from the Shanakaramangalam family
2. Kunjachen (Niranam Valliappan)
Eldest son, Kunjachen was born in 1810 (ME 985
Thulam 15). He married Achiyamma from Eraviparoor Edavamvalil family.
They lived in Niranam in a house near the church built for them by
Judge Grandpa.
Niranam Valliappan had no children. Two of his
nephews, Chackochen Puthen Purackel (son of brother Cherian) and
Eapachen- Poikat - (son of brother Kochujachen) lived with him and
they inherited his wealth.
3. Chackochen Puthenveetil
Second son, Chackochen was born in 1813. He
married Mariamma from Kannamkot family and had a daughter Annamma and a
son Kuruvila. Kuruvila though married, died young before he had any
children. Daughter Annamma was married to Lukose Vaidyan from
Thavalakara Valiaveetil family. Their son Yacob Alexander Vaidyan moved
to Mepral in the Puthenveetil house. He married Sosamma Punnathra and
they had 2 children, Lukochen and Alexander Jacob Vaidyan
(Pillachen). The present Puthenveetil branch descends from them.
4. Cherian Puthen Purackel
Judge Grandpa's third son, Cherian was born in
1815 (ME 990 Makaram 9). Among all the children of Judge Grandpa, it
was Cherian who ably carried on the legacy of his illustrious father.
He managed the agricultural properties of his father very efficiently
and increased the wealth and assets he inherited. Even the majestic
palanquins in which he traveled were famous in those days. He had
workers and associates from all castes and religious communities and he
was a great philanthropist and community leader.
There is an old saying in our family that like Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob in the Old Testament, Cherian, the 3rd son of Judge Grandpa, became the ancestor of all future priests and bishops in the Poothicote family.
After the death of his father, Cherian gave
leadership for his brothers to realize final wish of his father to
build a church in Mepral. He and his brother Kunjachonda Madayil
donated the land to build the Mepral St. John's Church.
Cherian's first marriage was to Annamma from the
famous Syrian Christian family of Adoor Nellimootil Thekaveetil.
Annamma's brother Ponnu Oommachen was gold and diamond merchant and had
extensive trade with Arab countries. He was a close confidant of the
Maha Raja of Travancore.
After giving birth to a daughter and 4 sons, Annamma died.
Annamma's brother, Ponnu Oommachen went in a
trading ship for business abroad and he never returned. It was believed
that some ship wreck or some other calamity happened.
Oommachen's wife
Mariamma waited for several years hoping for his return. In the
meantime, her husband's business partner, Nattukotta Chettiar tried to
acquire all his partners' wealth by dubious means. Mariamma bravely
and astutely resisted Chettiar's attempts.
There is an
interesting story of how Mariamma cleverly defeated the Chettiar once
when he bribed the local government officer- thahasildar- and came
with him to Mariamma's house to recover gold which Chettiar claimed was
his. Mariamma with the help of her devoted servant, made hole in the
floor in one of her rooms and buried all the gold in it. When
Thahasildar and the Chettiar arrived, Mariamma got on to a pettukattil-
the low height bed the women used in those days to deliver babies- and
pretended that she was having severe abdominal pain. The bed was just
above where gold was buried and she also had a Naripodu- wood burning
vessel- over it. Thahasildar and Chettiar searched every place except
where the gold that was buried and they found nothing. Before they
left, Mariamma secretly intimated the thahasildar to come at night and
search her well. Mariamma made sure that a gold plate was secretly left
in the well. At night Thahasildar came and took the gold plate for
himself and he no more bothered Mariamma.
According to the
custom in those days, if a husband disappeared for more than 7 years
and there was no news about him, he could be presumed dead and his wife
could remarry. There was no news about Ponnu Oommachen for more than 7
years. By this time Cherian Puthen Purackel also had become a widower.
So with the permission of the Church and the Malankara Metropolitan,
Cherian married Mariamma, the widow of his brother-in-law Oommachen.
This Mariamma was a descendent of Middle Eastern immigrants who came to
Quilon, Kerala in 825 AD with Bishop Mor Proth and Mor Sabor.
After the birth of a
son and a daughter, Mariamma also died. After her death, Cherian
married another Mariamma from Puthencavil Puthenpurackel family. 2
youngest children of Cherian were born in this third marriage.
. I. Annamma, the eldest daughter of Cherian was married to Kumplathara Chackochen.
II. Eldest son of Cherian, Moothaknju, was married from Kochupurackel family. He died at the age 36, and he is the ancestor of Athikanadiyil Puthenpuryil branch.
III. Mathukunju, the second son and the ancestor of the Chathathra branch was
born in 1831 and died in 1901. He played a prominent role in the Synod
of Mulamthuruthy held in 1876 called by Patriarch Peter III of Antioch.
IV. Very Reverend Corepiscopos Cherian Thomas (1846-1912) is the 3rd
son of Cherian. He is one of very famous priests in the Syrian
Orthodox Church history, and details about him appears in the chapter
on the famous personalities of our family. His eldest son Cherian
(Kunju) is the ancestor of the Thakapurackel branch and second son Varkey is the ancestor of Puthen Purackel (Achentagathu) branch.
V. Chackochen Puthen Purackel is the 4th
son who stayed with his uncle, Niranam Valliappan, and inherited most
his properties in Niranam and Pulikizh. He is the ancestor of Niranam and Pulikizh Puthenpurackel branch.
VI. Gheevergheechen, the 5th son is the ancestor of Payikandathil branch. Died in 1891 (ME 1068 Kumbham 11)
VII. 2nd daughter of Cherian was married to Avarachen of Thalavady Adagaprath Mamootil family.
VIII. Cheriachen, the 6th son is the ancestor of Manimalaparampu branch.
He had 5 sons, Onnoonni (Cherian Poothicote), Kochappy, Kunjappy,
Chackochen (Chacko Poothicote), and Georgekutty, and 3 daughters,
Chinnamma, Kuttyamma and Aleykutty.
IX. Kunju Oommen Manimalaparapu (
Kochikachen- Vakil Valliappan). The youngest son of Cherian became a
well known lawyer in Kottayam and Thiruvella. His only son
Pappachen (P.C. Cherian, B.A.,B.T ) was the manager of Ducan Bank in
thiruvella and later a teacher in Thiruvella MGM High School. He was a
highly respected community leader and worked for the common welfare of
our family. Vakil Valliappan's had 3 daughters, Kunjamma, Kunjannamma,
and Mariamma.
X. 3rd daughter of Cherian, Rahalamma was married to Philipose from Thumpamon Thekaveetil.
.
5. Kochujachen Kizhakaveetil
The 4th son Kunjujachen (Kochitty
Kuruvila II) of Cherian was born on 1822 (ME 997 Meenam 4).
Kochujachen was only 4 years old, when his mother Annamma died in 1826
( ME 1001 Kumbham 2). Kocujachen was athletic, strong, and very smart.
He married Achamma from Manimala Karikattur Kulathur family. Achamma
was the only child of her parents when she was married to Kochujachen
and so he was promised to inherit all his wife's ancestral wealth as
was the custom in those days. But after their marriage, a younger
brother for Achamma was born to her parents and so Achamma could not
inherit all wealth of her parents. Judge Grandpa is said to have
consoled his son that he has made enough wealth for all his children
and so not to worry about Achamma's inheritance. But Achamma's parents
gave one half of their property in Manimala to Kuchunjachen,
Even after receiving half the property in
Manimala, Kochujachen stayed in Mepral. This is story told to me by an
elderly person from Manimala. Achamma's family in Manimala was Syro-
Malabar Catholics and during those days Catholic use wear cotton bead (
ventiga) around their neck.. This was not familiar among Syrian
orthodox people. One day as a practical fun, Kochujachen and his
brothers borrowed the ventiga from Achamma and put it around the neck
of a dog. Deeply offended Achamma returned to Manimala and spent most
her time with her parents.
Kunjujachen and Achamma had 4 sons and a daughter.
I. Kuruvila, the eldest son, the ancestor of the PLAKATTU branch, moved to Manimala and inherited the properties of his mother.
II. Mathachen, the second son is the ancestor of the PARUVAPARAMPIL branch.
III. Eapachen, the 3rd son is the ancestor of POIKADU branch.
IV. Oommachen, 4th son is the ancestor of the KIZAKAVEEDU branch.
V. Annamma, the eldest daughter was married to Mathachen of the Palai from the Kuruvinakunnel family.
After the death of
Achamma, Kunjujachen married the youngest sister of his brother
Cherian's wife from the Adoor Nellimootil Thekaveetil family. After
this marriage he built the new house ELAVIRALIL and moved over there.
VI. The first son in the second marriage, Kochitty Kuruvila of is the ancestor of ELAVIRALIL branch.
VII. Cherian Kunju is the ancestor of PALAMPALLOM branch.
VIII. Chackochen is the ancestor of the NANJANKANDAM branch.
IX. Kunjadamma was married to Karthikapallil Kaiyalakath family.
X. Mariamma the youngest daughter was married to Kuthrapallil Palakunnel Advocate Joseph.
6. Kunjachonda (Kunju) Medayil
Kunjachonda is the first son of Judge Grandpa in
his second marriage to Annamma from Mavalikara. He was born in 1828 (ME
1003 Thulam). It was after the birth of Kunjachonda, Grandpa moved to
the new house in Moonnamadam in 1830. All the wealth Judge Grandpa made
after his second marriage was in the name of Kunjachonda.
Kunjachonda was sent to CNI School run by the
English missionaries at that time. So Kunjachonda was among the first
Keralites to learn the English language. He also learned Bible and
became very pious and devoted Christian. After his studies, he returned
to Mepral and tried to spread message of Christ. He and a group of
believers would go from house to house and tried to help the spiritual
and material needs of the people.
There is a story about Kunjachonda Valliappan in
our family. One night a very poisonous viper snake got in to the bed
where Kunjachonda was sleeping. In the morning his wife noticed that
there was a dead snake on the bed and God in a miraculous way spared
his life.
When Judge Grandpa moved to Moonnamadam, he took
an anex of of his house- Meda- to Moonnamadam. After Grandpa built a
house in Moonnamadam, the Meda served as a guesthouse for his
distinguished guests like Syrian bishop Euakim Mor Coorilose, the
delegate of the Patriarch of Antioch. When Kunjachonda moved to his
own house, he took this Meda with him and henceforth his descendents
of the Poothicote family is known as Medayil branch
Kunjachonda married Accamma from Kayamkulam Kanayil family and they had one son and 3 daughters.
I. Kuruvila (Kunju) Madayil. He also had only one son, Kochu Pappy ,Medayil.
II. Sosamma married to Kovoor Iype Vakil.
III. Rebecca married to Judge Jacob of Mattithra, Kottayam.
IV. Kochachiyamma married to Koshy Chandy of Iymanam Mattithra family.
7. Aleyamma
2nd daughter Aleyamma was born in 1830 and she was married to Mamachen from the Thiruvella Chalakuzhy family.
8. Annamma
3rd daughter Annamma was born in 1833
and she was married to Deacon Ninan from Kaniyathra Vathapallil family.
Deacon Ninan later served as a priest of St. John's Church, Mepral.
9. Unnikunju
6th son Unnikunju was born in 1837 (ME
1012 Madam 12). He first married from Mavalikara Polachirackel and
after the death of his first wife, he married from Eraviparoor
Shankaramangalm. He had 5 sons and a daughter.
I. Daughter
Annamma was married to the famous Elajickel E. John Vakil of Niranam.
Their 2 sons E. John Philipose and E. John Jacob were highly respected
political leaders in Kerala and both of them occupied cabinet positions
as ministers in government.
II. Kolamkandathil Kochitty Kuruvila is the ancestor of the Kolankandam branch.
III. Kuruvila Varkey is the ancestor of Malanil branch.
He was one of the first college graduates from the Syrian Christian
community in Kerala. He was very powerful and was close to the king
and the palace. He was so much respected that when he retired as
registration director of government, the Maha Raja requested him to
continue in his position for few more years.
IV. Perashary Pappy had only one daughter, Thankamma. Thankamma died without children. .
V. Oommachen is the ancestor of Elanjimootil branch.
He first married Kongattuparampil Mariamma and after her death married
Chathnnoor Puthenveetil Mariamma. He had 4 sons and 4 daughters.
VI. Kunjoyichen, the 5th son is the ancestor of Manaku branch. He and his wife Mariamma had 2 sons and 2 daughters.
10. Kochu Koshy
Youngest son of Judge Grandpa, Kochu Koshy was
born in 1843 (1018 Kumbham 22). He stayed with his parents in
Moonnamadam house even after all his siblings moved to their own
houses. Kochu Koshy was unmarried at the time of Judge Grandpa's death.
Kochu Koshy married Achamma from Mannar Vallakalil. After the death of Achamma,
Kochu Koshy married Puthencavil Puthenpurackel
Thoppil Achiyamma. Kochu Koshy had a son and a daughter from each of
these marriages.
I. Vallia
Pappy , Chavidiyil, was the eldest son. He was a brilliant man and a
great visionary. He was successfully involved in chitty business -an
old loan and banking system- and acquired considerable amount of wealth.
Poothicote family is
ever indebted to him for writing the first and only autobiography of
his grandfather, Judge Kochitty Kuruvila in 1930.
His father
relocated an annex- Chavidy- of his house in to a nearby plot of land
for Vallia Pappy and wife to live.
Henceforth all the descendents of Vallia Pappy are known as the Chavidiyil
Branch of the Poothicote family.
II. Annamma, the eldest daughter was married to Ousapachen of Kaniyathra Valliaparampil.
III. Kochu
Pappy, the second son was a popular public figure and very hard worker.
It is he and P.T. Varkey ( Kunju Varkyachen of Puthen Purackel
Achentagath) who took the public contract to build the first
Mepral-Swamipalam Road..
Kochu Pappy married Mariamma from Kuzhipurackel family and the present Moonnamadam branch of the Poothicote family descends from him.
