Mr. John Jacob Baba

John Jacob Baba, 33, was a Persian national from Chicago, Illinois, United States traveling aboard Lusitania with 12 other companions to learn the fate of their families following the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey.  John Jacob Baba and his traveling companions Frank Baba and Thomas Ohan Stephen survived.

From the Sunday, 9 May 1915 New York Times, page 5, column 4:

The following cablegram was recieved by Ohan Stevens of 713 North Clark Street, from his son Thomas, who sailed on the Lusitania was a party of twelve other Persians to visit his grandparents: ‘Father am safe, Son Thomas’. The party of Persians was on its way to the scenes of recent Turkish massacres to learn the fate of relatives. In the party were John Jacob Baba, Ala Vard Yohan, Envin Yohnan, Aziz Ohanis, Nokila Kaperalia, Stephen Ohan, Pera Saejis and George, Frank and Abraham Baba. John Jacob and Frank Baba were reported safe in the news dispatches, but no word has come to the north side of the Persian colony of the fate of any of the others. Ohan is a naturalized American citizen. ‘It is a terrible blow to the Persians in Chicago,’ said Malik Hatma of 63 West Grand Avenue, ‘for on those who may be lost we depended for news of the wives, mothers and sweethearts imperiled at home’.

Contributors:
Judith Tavares

References:
New York Times, Sunday 9 May 1915, page 5, column 4.