EARLY CHAMORRO MERCHANTS

Luís Martínez Baza's stores, located in three Hagåtña barrios : San Antonio, San Ramón and San Nicolás

Chamorros were involved in commercial enterprise, in small numbers, even back in the 1800s under the Spanish.

We can think of Jose Martínez Portusach who, in partnership with his brother-in-law, the British J. Turner Harrison, tried to make money from copra in Pagan.  But his lease on Pagan was full of legal controversy, hampered by the change of administration from Spanish to German rule and the separation of the Northern Marianas from Guam.

We can also think of Vicente Roberto Herrero, engaged in business also at the turn of the century. And there were a few other Chamorros who invested money here and there with the hope of making a profit.

In 1915, we get an idea who were the principal Chamorros interested in running businesses on Guam.

Luís Martínez Baza was one the biggies. He had a 2nd class business license in 1915 which enabled him to run a business worth no more than $5000 with imports valued at the same amount.

Others at the same tier of business were Lorenzo de León Guerrero, Eulogio de la Cruz (Filipino but married to a Chamorro), José Martínez Torres, Vicente de la Rosa Mesa and Antonio de Torres.

Small retailers (3rd class license for businesses worth $500 or less) included numerous Chamorros. These would have been sellers of copra or owners of small retail shops.

Ignacio Mendiola Cruz

Vicente Dueñas de Torres

Vicente de Borja

Rosauro Unpingco

Manuel Manalisay

Ignacio Camacho

Vicente Palomo Camacho

Emilia Martínez

Vidal Camacho

Antonia Martínez

Rafael Calvo

Vicente Roberto Herrero

Antonio Camacho

Ana de Salas

José Untalán

Antonio San Nicolás

Juan Santos

José Castro

Félix Pangelinan

Gregorio Pérez

Rita Guzmán

José Díaz

María de León Guerrero

María Flores

Enriqueta de Guzmán