Nahim Abraham, Merchant

Nahim Abraham was born in 1885, in Kafracab, Lebanon. He left his homeland in 1902 on the first of three trips he made to America before deciding to immigrate permanently. On his second return to Lebanon he was married to Alia Abdullah Bulos Malouf, the daughter of a doctor. After returning to America the third time in 1912, Abraham worked as a traveling salesman.

He settled briefly in Utah, then in Amarillo, Texas, before moving to Canadian in the summer of 1913. Later that year he brought Alia and his two sons to join him; the couple had two more sons in Canadian. When Alia and the first two sons, Tom and Naceeb, entered Ellis Island, they did not know that Nahim had changed their last name from Malouf to Abraham. This required Nahim go to Ellis Island and explain the change before Alia and the boys could join him. Nahim Abraham established a mercantile business called The Fair Store, which he managed until his retirement in 1955; the store was noted for its quality merchandise. At this retirement, his son Tom assumed management of the store. Nahim Abraham was an elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Canadian. He and his wife visited Lebanon over the years, the last time in the summer of 1939. In June 1950 Abraham purchased the old Moody Hotel, which dated from 1903. After his son Edward died in 1961, Abraham gave a gift to build the Edward Abraham Memorial Home, a nursing facility. Abraham died of a heart attack on January 10, 1965. His surviving sons became prominent local businessmen; Malouf (Oofie) served as mayor of Canadian and was a Texas State legislator. Shown to the left is an early picture of the inside of The Fair Store.