Charles You in Samoa (1888 - 1926)

[gckimm]

Hi:

By any chance do you have a photo of the baptismal record? Could you post that for us?

The problem is that the romanization of the names of your great-grandfather and his son makes it look like they were of Cantonese origin. Kiangsi (known today as Jiangxi) is a province to the north of Guangdong Province (formerly known as Canton). Cantonese is not spoken there and the province produced few migrants to other parts of the world during the late 19th-early 20th century. I'm wondering if perhaps there is a transcription error.

Did your Chinese studies expert say more specifically where this Sanyangxiang was located?

Greg

[Ah You Samoan?]

[Henry]

I suggest you read The Chinese in Western Samoa: 1875-1985 " by Nancy Y. W. Tom, Charley You is mentioned on pages 7 & 43, probably other pages.





Other threads on this Forum discuss Western Samoa:

siyigenealogy.proboards.com/search/results?captcha_id=captcha_search&what_at_least_one=Western+Samoa&who_only_made_by=0&display_as=0&search=Search

You may also want to check Samoan Archives:

www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Samoa_Archives_and_Libraries

www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/284.html

natlib.govt.nz/records/22649083


Henry

[gckimm]

Hi:

Thanks for posting that image. Unfortunately, the name of that place is still a puzzle. Yes, it does look like "Kiangsi." But even if the place is in modern Jiangxi Province, I cannot find any location there with a name in Mandarin that is similar to "San Yeung Tsien."

The record clearly states that Charles was from "Canton." It is still most likely that his son Kam Fat was also born in Guangdong Province but I have been unable to uncover any place in Guangdong that could be the birthplace of Kam Fat.

I wish I knew what "Tsien" was supposed to be. It is difficult to determine from the spelling. For example, "xian" (or "hsien") in Mandarin = county 縣. In Cantonese, it would be pronounced "yuen." Village is "cun" (or "ts'un") in Mandarin; "chuen" in Cantonese 村.

Greg