Unlocking My Greek Heritage: Help Needed with Spartan Ancestry & a Family Mystery
Hi Everyone,
I’m on an exciting journey to uncover my Greek roots, and I could really use your help! My research points to Sparta and the Peloponnese region as key areas, but I’m hitting a few roadblocks as I try to piece together my family history and verify connections in my tree.
The Key Players in My Story:
2nd Great-Grandparents:
Christos Kaskabouris (1879–1954) and Mary “Pangouria” Caravoulias/Caras, parents of my great-grandfather Thomas Kaskas.I have an unknown mystery grandfather (half Italian and half Greek) who was possibly given up for adoption 1950-1955 in Chicago Illinois.
A Family Mystery:
Thomas Kaskas lived in Chicago, Illinois, where he was involved in the Greek Mafia. I’ve found newspaper articles linking him to burglaries, and he tragically died in 1956—possibly due to Mafia-related activities.
DNA evidence and family stories suggest that Thomas may have had an affair with someone from my Italian side (possibly Mary Albanese), which could explain the mystery of my biological grandfather, whose identity remains unknown.
I’m fascinated by this history but need help digging deeper into my Greek ancestry and solving the mystery of my biological grandfather, as well as verifying and tracing my Spartan roots further back.
What I’m Hoping to Learn:
- Verify My 3rd Great-Grandparents: Is Jawouli Pastashis the mother of Mary/Pangouria caras/caravoulias?
- Trace My Roots Beyond the 3rd Great-Grandparent Level: What Greek records or resources can help me go further back?
(I do not know the Greek Language unfortunately) - Understand Life in Sparta and the Peloponnese: What cultural or historical insights might help me understand my ancestors’ lives?
Additional Context:
To help, here are the links to Thomas Kaskas’s profile and tree on FamilySearch:
- Thomas’s Profile: FamilySearch Profile
- Thomas’s Tree: Family Tree
I’ve also attached an image of my ancestry tree for visual reference.
If you have experience with Greek genealogy, Greek Mafia history, or navigating Spartan records—or even just ideas for where I can look next—I would deeply appreciate your insights!
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
—Skylar
Here is a view of my (work-in-progress) ancestry tree too:
(I’ve done a lot of research with the help of a researcher friend, but I’d love any insights or suggestions in case we’ve missed something)
