LOST SURNAMES : WATKINS

Many Anglo-Americans came to Guam in the 1800s, on whaling ships and on other business, as well. Many of them stayed and married Chamorro women. One of them was named Watkins.

The name was spelled in a variety of ways by the Spaniards : Warquin, Walkins, Varquin and a few others.

In an 1831 document (a list of foreigners living in the Marianas), the name Guillermo (William) Watkins appears.

He is listed as being English, having resided on Guam for 7 years. Thus, he would have arrived around 1824. He is married with 2 children, but his wife is not mentioned. He could have had more children after this list was composed.

So, until we find more documents, we cannot say much about the connection of the people named Watkins later in the century and William; whether they are children or grandchildren of William Watkins.

For example, take Juan Pangelinan Watkins. He is listed as being 56 years old in 1897. That would mean he was born around 1841. Knowing how notoriously bad people were in stating their age back then, he could have been older or younger and, in either case, Juan could very well be a son or a grandson of the original Mr. Watkins. In any case, Juan himself did not have any children.

Juan Watkins' signature, spelled Warquin

There was also a Benedicto V. Watkins from Guam who ended up in a sanatorium for tubercular seamen in New Mexico in 1910! According to the 1910 New Mexico census, he was 42 years old in 1910, so born around 1868, so more than likely a grandson of William. He left Guam around 1883 and was a cook on merchant ships. Apparently he, too, had no children. He died in San Francisco and was buried in the Italian cemetery in Colma, California, just south of San Francisco, in 1913.

We also find a mysterious man in California who went by the name Ben Joseph, born on Guam in 1887, but who also went by the name Watkins (spelled in various ways). Some documents state that his father was John Watkins and his mother was María Borja. We do find a Juan Watkins married to a Maria Borja living in Malesso' in 1897. The problem is that they had no children. But there is a young man named Vicente Borja living with them. Ben Joseph is this Vicente Borja, who was being raised by Juan and María, María probably being his Borja relative.

There was also a Joaquin Watkins Luján, who must have been a Watkins on his mother's side. But the Watkins, of course, would be hidden in time and only the Luján name continued among his descendants. We have no information yet who his parents were. Some mention a mother's name, but until I find some documentation I am hesitant to make the claim.

Then we are left with women named Watkins, who marry, and thus the Watkins name disappears in time.

There was a Rosa Watkins, daughter of Dolores Watkins, and Dolores was the daughter of Rita Watkins. Rosa married Miguel Camacho Quintanilla of Sumay.

A María Watkins married Joaquín Dim, and thus we find a lady named Ana Watkins Dim, who stayed in Guam and had a few children out of wedlock, and another lady named Josefa Watkins Dim who married in Luta. In the 1920 Guam Census, the Dim surname had disappeared.

And then there was Rita Aguon Watkins, who married Calistro Torres Taitano. Their granddaughter was Rita Mateo Taitano, who became Sister Roberta of the Mercy Sisters.

Sister Roberta was the granddaughter of Rita Aguon Watkins and a descendant of the British settler William Watkins

The Sister Roberta Center at Mercy Heights Nursery is named after her