The Estephan Family

In the year 1759, the people of Kfarsghab elected Sheikh Abou Youssef Estephan Abou Elias, to be the one who rules among them and so was born Okta'at Kfarsghab. (Feodal strongholds called "Okta'at" in Arabic and the word really means "feodality".)

In 1763 he went to war against the Hamadi, backed by the Wali of Tripoli, until the Hamadi were thrown out from the North in 1777. The successors of Sheikh Abou Youssef were his son Youssef, then Antonios the son of Youssef.

Sheikh Antonios had two sons, Youssef and Sayed.

Sheikh Youssef was nominated member of Lebanese Parliament on the 24^th of May 1926 for the first time, then renominated in 1927-29 and in 1929-32. He was elected in  Parliament session 1937-39 then in 1943-47 session. From March to November 1938, Youssef Estephan was nominated Minister of Interior and Minister of Defense.

Youssef Estephan on the left with President Emile Edde.

Youssef Estephan (in grey) with the Cabinet as minister of Interior and Defense.

The Estephan Family returned to the political scene in 1951 with the election of Sheikh Antoine, son of Sayed as a deputy member, and he was nominated Minister of National Education from 11 February to 9 September 1952.

The political life of that family ended in 1953, it lasted 300 years.