WILLIAM PRITCHARD COE
William Pritchard Coe was born 12 April 1857 in Apia, Samoa. He was the son of Jonas Mynderse Coe born 12 February 1823 and his first wife, Le'uta Malietoa born in Salesatele, Samoa, in January 1829. William's father, Jonas, was born in Troy, New York but washed ashore in Samoa after the American whaler he was traveling on broke up on the reef near Savai'i Island. Samoans dragged him ashore and carried him to two Tongan missionaries in the village. He permanently settled in Samoa about 1846 and engaged in business as an exporting merchant. Jonas Coe spoke fluent Samoan and became the the first American Commercial Agent in Apia and for over fifteen years he held the post of US Consul at Apia, Samoa, where he died 6 November 1891.
William's mother, Le'uta Malietoa, was the daughter of Lelei, a native chief of high rank. He had 7 full siblings and 10 half siblings. His full sister Emma, was named Princess Tui Malietoa Coe of the royal Samoan line. She later became Queen Emma Eliza Coe of the South Seas.
William Pritchard Coe was appointed acting governor of Guam by Lieutenant Louis A. Kaiser, a naval officer aboard the Nanshan. Kaiser appointed his friend Coe as acting governor after Joaquin Perez y Cruz who had previously been appointed by Captain Edward D. Taussig [USS Bennington] displeased him. Coe had only been on Guam a short while. His tenure as acting governor only lasted two weeks. It ended when Captain Richard Leary arrived onboard the USS Yosemite and established the US. Naval Station.
William Pritchard Coe was married to Fa'uma born in Samoa in 1858. The couple had 6 children: Edith Active, Edward Henry, Caroline Rosima, Emma Eliza, Peter William and Nita Fauma Johanne.
For more information see:
Robson, R.W. 1973. Queen Emma: The Samoan-American Girl who Founded a Commercial Empire in 19th Century New Guinea, Sydney: Pacific Publications.
Rogers, Robert F. 1995. Destiny's Landfall: A History of Guam, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press
Photo courtesy of the University of Guam, Micronesian Area Research Center.
William's mother, Le'uta Malietoa, was the daughter of Lelei, a native chief of high rank. He had 7 full siblings and 10 half siblings. His full sister Emma, was named Princess Tui Malietoa Coe of the royal Samoan line. She later became Queen Emma Eliza Coe of the South Seas.
William Pritchard Coe was appointed acting governor of Guam by Lieutenant Louis A. Kaiser, a naval officer aboard the Nanshan. Kaiser appointed his friend Coe as acting governor after Joaquin Perez y Cruz who had previously been appointed by Captain Edward D. Taussig [USS Bennington] displeased him. Coe had only been on Guam a short while. His tenure as acting governor only lasted two weeks. It ended when Captain Richard Leary arrived onboard the USS Yosemite and established the US. Naval Station.
William Pritchard Coe was married to Fa'uma born in Samoa in 1858. The couple had 6 children: Edith Active, Edward Henry, Caroline Rosima, Emma Eliza, Peter William and Nita Fauma Johanne.
For more information see:
Robson, R.W. 1973. Queen Emma: The Samoan-American Girl who Founded a Commercial Empire in 19th Century New Guinea, Sydney: Pacific Publications.
Rogers, Robert F. 1995. Destiny's Landfall: A History of Guam, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press
Photo courtesy of the University of Guam, Micronesian Area Research Center.