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Post by Ah You Samoan? on Mar 22, 2017 4:29:52 GMT -5
Talofa, I've learned a great deal of information on this site and truly grateful to all who contribute to it. As I continue to search for my ancestors, I hope to be of help to others.
I am seeking information on my ggf Charles Ah You or Charles You who owned a store in Lepea (Samoanische Neitung 1921), and according to witnesses, he also owned a mechanic shop and a laundry business (1924). He also donated to Belgium Relief Fund in 1915 and was a member of the Chinese Committee in 1919. It is said he died around 1926 so I'm working on obtaining his death certificate to confirm. Also would like to locate his grave with the hope to find chinese characters or writings to help with my research.
Charles You (Samoa) had 3 children. His oldest son (my gf) Miki married Mele Latile Moe in Pesega, Samoa and later moved to Faleniu, American Samoa and eventually to Laie, Hawaii where he was laid to rest in July 1987.
Found a number of Charles/Charlie Ah Yous dotted across Australia (Trove) and New Zealand (Papers Past) who were merchants, gardeners and fruiterer but I'm hoping I'll find one on a outward/inward passenger list in Samoa.
In 1880 to early 1900s, would a Chinese merchant use different names throughout his travels or businesses? For example, could Charles Wong You in Fiji be the same merchant as Charles You in New Zealand or Wong You in Samoa? I actually found that some dates coordinated if such a merchant traveled between countries/islands.
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Post by Doug 周 on Mar 22, 2017 6:14:09 GMT -5
In the USA, the evocative vocative 'Ah' usually precedes a given name for Cantonese people. This is probably not important for you to trace your ancestor's journey across the Pacific Islands. You will eventually have to determine your Chinese surname. Did he take a given name phonetically spelled as 'You' as his Samoan surname? Or, based on the evocative vocative 'Ah' was 'You' his given name? Your best information will be from your family interviews?
You are on the right track trying to find his Hawaiian gravestone hopefully to view his engraved Chinese characters.
One of the other Forum members might be able to share if the phonetic spelling 'You' was a common Samoan romanization for certain Chinese names. You is an unusual Chinese surname (from my lack of Samoan Chinese knowledge) and I doubt he would change his Samoan name significantly to travel (imo)
We have a group of New Zealand and Australian Chinese family historians who might shed more light on their national resources.
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Post by ginagaladriel on Mar 22, 2017 8:52:56 GMT -5
Good morning, Haven't been able to find anything regarding your G-Grandfather, I do think we still need a bit more info, but you are already getting them! I would suggest also start with your grandfather, since you have your grandmother's full name try to search if you can find her marriage certificate or registration, it would have your grandfather's full legal name, from there you might be able to find travel manifestos for your grand-father and probably his birth certificate, which will give you your g-grandfather's full name. To complete a bit more of what Doug gave you, I found the following article: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_in_SamoaEdit: I searched your grandma's name and found you already have a tree in FamilySearch, that is one good place to search, in fact I was going to recommend using it once you had more info, so you're ahead of me. Edit 2: www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=35382837 (this is for your grandfather Miki) and this: Mickey Ah-You United States Social Security Death Index Age 73 Given Name Mickey Surname Ah-You Birth Date 22 Sep 1914 Last Place of Residence Laie, Honolulu, Hawaii Previous Residence Postal Code 96762 Event Date Jul 1987
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Post by Ah You Samoan? on Mar 23, 2017 3:47:49 GMT -5
Thank you all for your responses. I'll definitely work on obtaining my Grandfather's birth certificate to verify if additional information about my G-Grandfather is listed. The elders tell me that Charles Ah You is recorded on his BC as his father and Canton, China as his birthplace but I'll know for sure when I get a copy. It was mentioned that "Ah You" came to Samoa as a free settler after 1880 and successfully petitioned the German Governor Solf free settler status in 1904 (Leung Wai- “Reflections On The Experiences of the Chinese Community in Samoa”). So I've mainly searched the passenger lists in that time frame and looked out for phonetic variations as well i.e. Yu, Yue or Yoo. Guess it depended on the immigration agent on duty when the ship arrived. Thanks again all.....more to come!
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Post by helen on Mar 23, 2017 3:58:35 GMT -5
Did he come from Hong Kong, Sydney, to Samoa? or Hong Kong to Samoa direct? He must have had a Chinese name before he arrived - The European name would have been used later.
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Post by Ah You Samoan? on Mar 23, 2017 15:09:56 GMT -5
No luck yet finding Charles You on any of the inward passenger list for Samoa from Hong Kong, Sydney, Wellington, Hawaii, nor San Francisco. However, I found a Charles You on an inward passenger list in Sydney from Hong Kong in 1909. He also appears on a passenger search engine for earlier years like 1880 and 1890 into NSW but still have not found him on any outward vessels to Samoa or other neighboring island groups i.e. Tonga and Fiji.
There is also a Charles Wong You, a merchant, in Wellington, NZ. Immigration records show he arrived in 1896 from Sydney but I haven't been able to connect him to Samoa.
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Post by helen on Mar 24, 2017 2:56:53 GMT -5
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Post by Ah You Samoan? on Mar 26, 2017 1:34:06 GMT -5
I'm glad you posted that- thank you!
This article was interesting to me because this incident seem to have occurred in the Auckland, NZ area and there are other events recorded throughout New Zealand over a period of time for Charles Wong You. This led me to believe a Chinese merchant traveled/moved often.
In Australia, quite a few recorded events with "Charlie Ah You" throughout in Queensland, NSW, Perth and Tasmania but I believe these were separated individuals perhaps identified by a common name because of the distance and timeline.
I suspect Charles You may have traveled to Samoa with his European name if he was already established in NZ or AUS before moving to Samoa.
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Post by helen on Mar 27, 2017 0:22:04 GMT -5
Hi - the incident happened in Australian - but was report in the Auckland newspaper
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Post by Ah You Samoan? on Mar 27, 2017 3:26:33 GMT -5
Thanks Helen
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Post by Doug 周 on Mar 28, 2017 8:51:25 GMT -5
I am not sure if traveling to Hawaii is convenient, but in the past you could request someone to look for your ancestor's names on Find a Grave click
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Post by Ah You Samoan? on Apr 27, 2017 3:19:16 GMT -5
I was able to find the name Wah Yun You or Ah You, Wah Yun as it appears in the Samoan Collection/Family History Library (SLC, UT). It appears to be some sort of census as it also lists the names of others in the household, i.e. a Grand Aunt and a Grand Uncle. I was not able to find a record of his death yet.
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Post by helen on Apr 27, 2017 18:03:26 GMT -5
sorry these may not be yours - but worth a look Name Wah You Event Type Immigration Event Date 15 May 1893 Event Place Wellington (other ports also listed), New Zealand Age 24 Nationality Canton Birth Year (Estimated) 1869 Departure Port Sydney Departure Place Sydney Arrival Port Wellington Ship Name Wakatipu Arrival Place Wellington (other ports also listed) familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DW2Q-X3D?mode=g&i=24&cc=1609792Then on to Dunedin - same time Wah You New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Passenger Lists Name Wah You Event Type Immigration Event Date 15 May 1893 Event Place Wellington (other ports also listed), New Zealand Gender Male Nationality China Departure Port Sydney Departure Place Sydney Ship Name Wakatipu Arrival Place Wellington (other ports also listed) familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DW2Q-6VR
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Post by Ah You Samoan? on May 2, 2017 1:21:16 GMT -5
Thanks Helen
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Post by Ah You Samoan? on Sept 10, 2022 12:48:56 GMT -5
Update: Still have not located his (Charles You) gravestone nor a document with his name written in Chinese characters, however, I found his Samoa baptism record!
We're pretty stoked because this is the first time seeing a a possible link to a specific village/town in China. This baptism record shows that he had a son named Kam Fat You born in 1899 in San Yeung Tsien, Kiangsi, China. An expert in Chinese studies says this maybe the town of modern Sanyangjxiang.
Is it possible that there be a record of him (or his son Kam) or a family in Sanyangjxiang?
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