Chinese Filipino-Tan ancestors from Tai Chai, Hosan, Fujian?

[alec]

Hi all,

I've recently taken an interest in researching my family tree. Currently, I have found that one of my 2nd great (great great) grandfathers came from the Philippines. I have gotten the following information from a great aunt:

• His name was Tan Dio.
• He was one of three brothers, the other two being Tan Sima and Tan Mia.
• He had a family already before leaving
• The departed from southern Fujian at the port of Amoy some time in the late 1870s.
• They were from a village called Tai Chai in the county of Hosan in the town of Amoy (Xiamen)
• Tan Sima allegedly got off in Manila, the other two in Catbalogan, Samar, Philippines
• Tan Dio owned a general store in Catbalogan and married a Filipina named Agustina Sison. He changed his name to Dionisio Tan after converting to Catholicism to marry her.
• He was able to get one of his teenage sons, named Owa to Catbalogan to help with the business. He was baptized and given the name Pedro Tan
• He returned to his village in Amoy/Xiamen to die in the early 1900s

I have tried searching for Hosan and Tai Chai but I have found no locations with those names in China. Most, if not all of this information was probably passed through word-of-mouth so it's possible some information has become distorted. I also don't know the actual Chinese characters of Tan and his brothers or the villages. Any help translating those back to Chinese would be great.

[andytan]

What is your family's Chinese character for Tan?

[alec]

Unfortunately, I don't know. I can try to track down any old documents or belongings of my 2nd great grandfather, or any other information that might hint at the character but I was hoping I could get some help figuring it out based on the locations. Any advice for figuring out the Chinese character?

**EDIT**
Henry said my Tan character is probably 陳／陈, and that the town of Hosan is now Heshan 禾山. I am still not sure where Tai Chai (Tai Cai?) might be though.

[tulihaw13]

Nov 16, 2020 21:10:38 GMT -5 andytan said:

What is your family's Chinese character for Tan?

Hi, there are Tan families in la carlota city. They are all my cousins. My uncle passed away Robert Tan passed away 20 years ago. My grandfather is Yap Ching later baptized as Jose Yap married to Catalina Villlasis. My grandfather came from Amoy China. Before departure the Yap family meeting organized. It takes 3 days sailing from Amoy to Philippines. I am looking for grandfather roots. I have no pictures or documents just to find grandfather roots.