Attention!
Looking for the Filipino Knights of Rizal, Inc.
1928 Charter Members
600 Park Av., Union Beach, NJ
Pictured
(seated left to right) Anastacio Q Liaguna, Eduardo H Reyes, Mamerto
M Buenafe, Mrs Thedora Abaya (Mother Advisor), Miss Louise Ruth Shapiro
(Legal counsel), Eduardo Orna,Albert C Young, Julian Tabletan,
(second row) Honofre G Javier, Higino G Navar, Jose R Asuncion, Vicente
N Bellaran, Afredo M Alvarez, Eulogio D Jutie
(third row) Miguel V Macabay, Alfonso C Barredo, Estanislao T Bantog,
Jose P Cabansag and Esteban Macaso
Vicente Bellaran, Julian Tabletan, Eduardo
Orna, Alfonso C Barredo, Higino Navar, Alfredo Alvarez, and Astanaslas
(Estanislao) Bantog are listed on the Ellis Island Data Center.
Astanaslas (Estanislao) Bantog was from
Calumpit, Philippines dob May 7 1892 arrived June 11, 1917 and was 5'
7"; 159lbs, and changed his name to Stanley later. He was
a wiper/fireman listed on the Ellis Island Historical Family records
as crewmembers of the ship ferrying immigrants to Ellis Island during
the early 1900.
Last names like Asuncion, Jutie, Abaya
who might be related to the other names were members of the ship's crew.
I found that these names appeared more than once as manifests were separate
for each voyage they made. The other Knights of Rizal might have been
mariners too except that they were assigned to ships that were not transporting
passengers to Ellis Island. It was their means of coming to America
at that time as opposed to the early pioneers in the Hawaii and West
Coast, where you would find contract farm workers, Alaskeros, and school
pernsionados.
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Between 1892 to 1924 there were over
22 million passengers and ship's crewmembers processed through the
Ellis Island and Port of New York (ref: American Family Immigration
Center.) The member of the crew are listed and the names above
are just a few of the Filipino mariners who transported millions
of these new Americans. During the final years I found that Filipino-American
madeup almost 20 percent of the crew. The ethnic classification
was either, Filipino or Philippino. |
There were also new immigrants who came,
were processed, and stayed in Europe. They later relocated in the East
Coast by coming by Ellis Island. You might see it as the old Statue
of Liberty play in football or a Brooklyn side strike in Bowling...examples
like Abaya or Delacruz that you can find on my other article.
Alfredo M Alvarez was born in Manila
Philippines on December 27, 1902 . Father's Name is Diosdado Alvarez
Mother's Name is Marie Martinez The ship, Walter A. Luckenback's on
June 30, 1921 reads: Alfred Alvarez, 19 years old 5 ft 6 inch member
of the crew Job: Oiler Ethnicity: Filipino ref: American Family History
Ellis Island Original member of the knight of Rizal 1928 in New Jersey
He married Estelle Chesky of Elizabeth, N J on March 17, 1928.
I could hardly believe this when the
granddaughter of Alfredo M Alvarez from Elizabeth, New Jersey wrote
me the following letter.
Dear Nestor,
Here is the picture and letter I said I would
send to you, there isn't really anything I could tell you about my
Grandfather Alfred M. Alvarez and the club that he was part of. I
didn't know that I was part Filipino until about four years ago. This
is the story why.
My grandfather married a Polish woman (Estelle
Chesky). They used to go to the parties that the club had. My grandmother
was deaf, but she could read lips really good. At one of the party
some of the women were talking bad about her. (right in front of her).
She got very mad. Both of them stopped going to the club. My grandmother
was so hurt she had my grandfather stop going to the club. My grandmother
didn't want anything to do with the Filipino people. So my grandfather
never said he was Filipino he said he was Spanish.
When my grandfather was on his death bed he
told his older son John to find his brothers, meaning find his brothers
from the club. A couple of years after my grandfather died my Aunt
ran into her best friend at a funeral and one of my grandfather's
best friends, he was a member. One day this guy came over (I cant
remember his name) to my Aunt's house and spoke with her and my Uncle
and explains what happened between the club and my grandfather.
My Aunt wrote to the club and they sent her
the picture and letter that I'm sending to you. We really didn't know
if my grandfather was Spanish or Filipino, but now I know and I am
very proud of my grandfather and who he was. I know that his family
never came over to the US. I would like to find out about his family
and maybe get a birth certificate on my grandfather. Hopefully you
can help me.
My grandfather loved my grandmother they were
married for over 50 years. He gave up part of roots for her. You wanted
to know where he work, he worked for Singer Mfg. in Elizabeth, NJ.
I think for 40 years. He had three sons and two daughters.
I don't know if the club that my grandfather
was part of was in Elizabeth or Newark.
If you ever run across anything dealing with
my grandfather please let me know.
Sincerely
Signed by the granddaughter
The letter in 1987 from the Knights of Rizal Inc
The FILIPINO KNIGHTS OF RIZAL, Inc.
600 Park Ave.
Union BeachNew Jersey
February 25, 198?
My dear (to the children of Alfredo Alvarez)
In our meeting February the 15th, 1987 your
letter was read áÊIn 1928 the FILIPINO KNIGHTS OF RIZAL, was organized
and I do believe that your father was one of the founders. Imagine
how long ago that was. In response to your question number one.ÊÊI
must assure you that your father was ,a Filipino. You see one of the
rules of theconstitution of the lodge I., you must be a Filipino from
in the Philippines to be accepted as a member. We want also to assure
you that your father was born in the Philippines as to where about
we do not know, We do believe that your father had a sister and brother
if he mentioned to you while he was still alive. If he communicated
with you then there where about in the Philippines could be a source
of your quest of information about your father.
The incidents that caused your father and mother
stopped coming back to the meetings was most regrettable. This happened
during the war and most of the members were drafted into the army.
Meetings were stopped temporarily.
The Knights of Rizal are proud of you to care
about your roots. The Filipino blood is, you which you must cherish
and be proud of.
Should you want more information you may attend
one of our meeting once a month on the third Sunday of every month
at the Home of bro- Albert C. Young.
Sincerely,
THE FILIPINO KNIGHTS OF RIZAL
Nicholas A. Gacino