Francis H. Leslie, Urfa, and the Events of 1915

Abstract

Reverend Francis H. Leslie (1877-1915), a missionary of the American Board (ABCFM), was stationed in Aintab and Urfa at the beginning of the twentieth century. In 1911, he was put in charge of the works, begun by Corinna Shattuck (1848-1910) in Urfa. He was also appointed as an American consular agent for the region for a short time in 1915. During the Armenian uprising in Urfa, it is claimed that he was held hostage by Armenians in the mission premises from September 29 to October 15 to defend themselves. After the suppression of the uprising, he was called to the Government House and interrogated many times, and the government confiscated the money and valuables left under his supervision throughout that time. Fearing for his life in a depressed state, on October 30, 1915, he committed suicide by ingesting poison (carbolic acid, phenol). This study is on the writings and role of Francis H. Leslie before and during the Armenian uprising in Urfa