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Chamorro Whalers of the Charles W. Morgan Ship

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Written by: Bernard Punzalan

Published: 26 March 2014

In the second edition of the book "The Mariana Islands 1884-1887: Random Notes," by Governor Francisco Olive y Garcia and translated and annotated by Marjorie G. Driver (2006), there are several accolades of Chamorro men as sailors and harpooners. Within the book, one of the American whaling ships that frequented the Mariana Islands between 1851-1904 was the Charles W. Morgan.

Economic Driver

The whaling industry was a significant economic driver for the Mariana Islands. For instance in 1788, the situado (subsidy) for the Mariana Mission was 20,137.50 pesos. By 1828, that amount was severely reduced to 8,016 pesos. Meanwhile, the whaling industry contributed an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 pesos a year to the economy; mostly trade articles and some cash to buy or exchange products. (Driver in Olive, 2006)

Bayeneru/Ballonero

Several Chamorro men (known as Bayeneru/Ballonero) had taken up the opportunity to become a part of the Morgan whaling ship. I was fortunate to find some historical information (www.mysticseaport.org) on the Morgan as well as a crewmember manifest listing. Many of these Chamorro men never returned home and settled in Hawaii, California and other places of preference.

Mystic Seaport.org

"After the Morgan began operating out of San Francisco in 1887, her crews reflected the islands of the Pacific even more. Men from Guam served on most of her voyages from San Francisco. Enos Aflague, Joaquin de la Cruz, Lino Patricio, Jose Santos and Pedro Taitano were Spanish subjects when they signed aboard in 1897. They became Americans with the signing of the treaty concluding the Spanish-American War." (Mysticseaport.org)

Crewmembers Listed with Guam as Birthplace

Below is a crewmember list of the Morgan that had their birthplace listed as Guam and how it appears on the Mystic Seaport website. Do note that some men's names appear more than once because they had more than one voyage. Also in some cases, names appear to be phonetically spelled. (www.mysticseaport.org)

Na’an Lajo (Laho ->Låhu)

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Written by: Bernard Punzalan

Published: 12 March 2014

During the 1819 Freycinet Expedition over the Mariana Islands, Jacques Arago sketched several images of people among many other things. In particular, he had sketched pictures of Stephan Lajo and Claudio Lajo and noted that they were Indiens de race pure, which translates to the effect of "purebred Indians," or purebred indigenous people.

As with much of the Mariana Island mainstream history, it is unfortunate that not much else was recorded about them, which makes it quite a challenge to trace not only their ancestry but their potential descendants.

I was not familiar with the name or the potential indigenous word for "Lajo." However, I have found that låhu means to go or walk.

1727 Census

In the 1727 Census three people were recorded with the surname Laho:

1. Juan Laho, unmarried male from Mongmong
2. Tomas Laho, married from Umatac
3. Ambrosio Laho, unmarried male from Inarajan

1758 Census

In the 1758 Census only one person with the surname Laho was recorded:

Tomas Laho, listed as orphan from Pago

1897 Census

Fast forward to the 1897 Census (gaps) and the surname Lajo appears only once. Don Casildo Lajo age 68, was recorded with his wife Josefa Marchena, age 68 residing in the Barrio of Sinajana.

Guam News Letter

From the December 1918 edition of the Guam News Letter the death of Joaquina Lajo Quichocho (November 12, 1918) was recorded.

Help!

Thereafter and from the 1920 Census and beyond I have not been successful in finding any other information. Through my current research efforts the contemporary surname Lajo (as spelled) are tied to families found in the Philippines and those with Hispanic heritage.

Does anyone have any information or is a descendant of any of the Lajo families from the Mariana Islands?

Database Update 12 March 2014

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Written by: Bernard Punzalan

Published: 11 March 2014

The database has been updated and has grown from 310,462 to 311,410 names.

First Guam Citizens to Fly on Commercial Pan American Hawaiian Clipper

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Written by: Bernard Punzalan

Published: 26 February 2014

In January 1937, the Guam Recorder reported that Trinidad T[orres] Calvo and Julia M[illinchamp] Martinez had the honor of being the first Guam citizens to make a regular commercial flight aboard the Hawaiian Clipper from Guam to Manila that departed on January 22, 1937.

Dela Cruz-Anderson Lineage

Upon a further review of my family tree and records, I found out that I am related to both of them. Apparently, we are all descendants of Doña Josefa Dela Cruz and Don Juan (John) Anderson. Both Tun Da' and Tan Julia are descendants of Juan dela Cruz Anderson and I am a descendant of Jose (Che') dela Cruz Anderson.

Trinidad Torres Calvo (January 6, 1906 – September 18, 1948)

Julia Millinchamp Martinez (July 3, 1903 - February 15, 1985)

Historical Big Picture...research in progress

To some at first glance this may not seem like that big of a deal. But in my world there's a bigger historical picture tied to these families that are descendants of my Great-Great-Great Grandparents Josefa dela Cruz and John (Juan) Anderson that I hope to one day better synthesize. For those not familiar with some of my stories, I have bits and pieces that I have previously wrote about so those stories are available here on this project.

Mangåffan Matå'pang

In short, Don Juan Anderson is a Scottishman that arrived in the Mariana Islands in 1819 aboard the French Uranie ship, settled on Guam, and married Josefa dela Cruz. He became the Pilot of the harbor, port for incoming and outgoing ships. Through family lore, Josefa is allegedly a descendant of Måga'låhi Matå'pang.

Somehow Josefa, is related (sister, cousin or niece) to Don Justo Dela Cruz, Captain of the First Company of Spanish Infantry, Secretary to the Governor and the Administrator of the Royal College of St. Jean de Letran. Don Justo is recorded as being a descendant of Måga'låhi Matå'pang.

Through land records we have been able to establish that the Mangåffan Terrao (tied to the Dela Cruz/Cruz) are descendants of Don Justo Cruz. Hence, they are also descendants of Måga'låhi Matå'pang. Still yet, more research work on this effort remains a work in progress...sigh.

Trans-Pacific Trade/Whaling/Migration

Through the Anderson lineage and connection, are the Calvo, Tudela, Castro, Millinchamp, and many others whose names appear in historical documents with regards to key Spanish government positions, trans-Pacific business/trade transactions and events in the 1800's. They all appear to have frequented or were tied to trade and travel throughout the Philippines, Bonin Islands (today known as Ogasawara Islands), sometimes Hawaii/Polynesia and certainly throughout the Micronesian rim. Descendants of some of these family members may have migrated out (for sure in Bonin Island history). Also, there are bits and pieces these stories tied to whaling, Bully Hayes, and blackbirding. If you don't know about the history of the Bonin Islands, Hayes or blackbirding, Guampedia.com and Google are your friends that make for quite interesting reads.

It is so exciting and yet quite a challenge to piece all of this together. I have learned the hard way and through this project not to be so quick to discard what may seem to be initially irrelevant, but later a evolves into major and profound piece of information.