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Semaan(1) Bitar who was born around 1680 in Jage (in the region of Jbeil) moved to Bickfaya. He had three sons, the two eldest died and the youngest Yacoub 1 survived.
Cheich Abi Nawfal Hosn El-khazen, who had a great deal of respect for Yacoub 1 asked him to move to Ghosta around 1710 after Bikfaya fell to the Maan dynasty.
Yacoub 1 had a son (Semaan 2) born in ghosta who was made responsible for the Batroun region by Emir Youssef Chehab who ruled the Lebanese mountains from 1763 to 1790.
During a year where the harvest and therefore tax collection was very weak, Semaan 2 had paid on behalf of the Emir the taxes owed to wali el Sham (Ottoman ruler of Damacus). This act of loyalty and goodwill helped in convincing the Emir to donate to the Maronite church vast real estate and [tax exemption status]. A large number of the Maronite Church Monasteries are built on land donated by the Emir.
Al Jazzar, a Bosnian slave who became wali (ruler) of Saida for the Ottomans, had ordered the killing of Emir Youssef and his closest aides. He had enlisted the support of Emir Bachir II, the nephew of Emir Youssef and provided albanians soldiers to aid the young Emir Bachir.
Semaan 2, who had a son named Yacoub (2), was imprisoned in St John D'Acre in Palestine by Al Jazzar in 1790. He died in prison in 1794 and was buried in the church of St John D'Acre.
Yacoub (2), Father of Fares and son of Semaan (2) Al-Bitar, secretary of Emir Bachir II, had substantial weatlth in 1848 which according to a German Pilgrim surpassed that of the Al-Khazens and the Emirs Chehab.
Yacoub (2) helped Emir Bachir II conquer St John D'Acre in 1831.
Emir Bachir ruled from 1790 until 1840.
Fares, son of Yacoub (2), is believed to have been buried alive. His son Semaan (3) had a brother called Wakim.
Habib, the son of Semaan (3), was born on 15-01-1865 and became Kayem Makam (Governor) of the Kesrouan region in Lebanon.
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