LOST SURNAMES : WILSON

José Díaz Wilson

(spelled Willson)

In the 1800s, there was a Wilson family in the Marianas.

James (in Spanish, Santiago) Wilson arrived in Guam around 1826, according to an 1831 document listing the names of foreigners living on the island.

Other records suggest that his full name was Robert James Wilson.

His main occupation, it seems, the whole time he lived on Guam was pilot at the port. This means he directed to shore the boats that would pick up passengers from the larger ships anchoring at Apra.

He seems to have married twice and had nine children from both wives combined, but we're not entirely sure about all their names.

But one of the older children seems to have been a María Materne Wilson, born around 1827 and a 70-year-old widow by the time she is listed in the 1897 Census. Her deceased husband was Juan Taitano Díaz, who was dead already by 1866. In 1897 she is living with two grandchildren. Her maternal surname Materne suggests that James Wilson's first wife was a Materne.

1866 document stating that María Wilson was the widow of Juan Díaz

There seems to have also been a Juana Wilson, deceased by the 1897 Census but the first wife of Francisco Pangelinan, aged 76 years, listed in the 1897 Census.

Juana Wilson and Francisco Pangelinan could be the parents of one José Wilson Pangelinan, born around 1878 who moved to Saipan. He married twice. His first wife was Dolores San Nicolás Sablan and his second wife was María Cabrera San Nicolás. He was better known as Jose'n Obo.

This Juana Wilson, married to a Francisco Pangelinan, might explain why there is also mention of a man named Lorenzo Wilson Pangelinan, He is absent from the 1897 Census but there does appear there a widow named Valeria de la Cruz, who had been married to a Lorenzo Wilson Pangelinan, dead by 1897.

We are more certain about James' children from his second wife, Rufina Palomo Díaz.

One was a daughter named Eduviges, who married Antonio Pangelinan Martínez. Many of their children married into socially prominent families. Antonia married into the Goyo clan (José Flores Pérez); Emilia married the American William Notley; Josefa married Julián Pérez Sáiz; Joaquín married Rita Anderson Millinchamp; and Ángel married Emilia Roberto Kamminga.

Another daughter, María, married into the Siket family of Castros. Her husband was Ezequiel León Guerrero Castro. From the Chamorro pronunciation of Ezequiel (E - se - kiet) is derived the family nickname Siket.

FRANCISCO CASTRO WILSON

Son of Ezequiel Castro and Maria Wilson

He signed his name in the Spanish style, with the father's surname first

Thus it seems that James had two daughters named María; one from the first wife and the other from the second wife.

James had one son whose name appears frequently in the old documents. His name was José, and he followed in his father's footsteps and worked as a pilot at the port. In those days, the boat carrying passengers from the ships would land at the pier in Piti, which was part of the village of Tepungan. José was civic head of Tepungan a few years, too.

Here is a reference to José Wilson and his son from an author who wrote about arriving at Apra harbor in 1895:

"About sunset on Christmas eve, we sight the high table lands of Guam....and finally drop anchor at Fort (San) Luis de Apra. As there was nothing to be gained by going on shore long after dark, we deferred our landing till next morning. About nine o'clock a boat comes off, manned by a crew of natives, under the command of the son of Joe Wilson, the pilot." (1)

It's interesting that the American author calls José by an American nickname - Joe. With all those British and American whalers visiting Guam in the 1800s, it wouldn't surprise me if José, half-white himself, was called Joe by the British and Americans.

José married Encarnación de San Nicolás and, after she died, he married Tomasa Castro Castro but Wilson's last will states that he no children with either wife. He did have one daughter out of wedlock, but whom he did publicly acknowledge. Her name was María San Nicolás Wilson, who married Antonio Flores San Nicolás. Wilson's will mentions a brother named Antonio Díaz. Since Antonio is not a Wilson, I imagine he is a brother of Wilson only on his mother's side.

Since José had no sons, the Wilson name eventually disappeared.

Guam Court documents show that José Wilson was called on at times to act as court interpreter in English, for the benefit of witnesses who couldn't speak Spanish and of the court officials who couldn't understand English. Wilson must have learned English from his father, but it's also possible that he spent some time on the British and/or American whaling ships that touched on Guam in those days.

José Díaz Wilson again, as court interpreter of English 

(1) Christian, FW. The Caroline Islands (1899)