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What They said about Theodor Weber

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Theodor Weber headed up the Godeffroys / DH & PG operation in Samoa and the western Pacific between 1864 and 1888 . He was responsible for the steady growth of the company which dominated Samoan commerce for 40 years . His land acquisitions enabled the development of the three large company plantations at Vailele , Mulifanua and Vaitele . Weber was a pioneer of the world copra trade and this novel but simple product proved to be a key component of the Samoan economy for a hundred years from the 1870 ’ s . In the photo at right , sourced from the Godeffroy family , Mr Weber appears to be the man sitting on some cases . On his left , in grey trousers , is Mr August Godeffroy , who worked in Apia between 1879-81 , thus allowing us to approximately date this photo .
Photo credits : above J . D . Hahn-Godeffroy Family Collection ; below ( left to right ), Stevenson per internet sources ; Moors per Harry Moors , “ Some Recollections of Early Samoa ,” 1986 ; Trood per “ Cyclopedia of Samoa ,” McCarron , Stewart & Co , Sydney , 1907
Mrs Weber & Children : Theodor Weber ’ s Samoan wife was reportedly of “ high rank .” Her name has not been passed down . The Webers had two daughters . Bertha was born at Suga on 20 August 1870 and Emma was born at Moto ’ otua on 27 February 1872 . In about 1877 both were taken to Hamburg for education . In 1879 , Theodor ' s brother , Johann , and his father and mother , Gottfried and Sophie Weber , were appointed the girls ' guardians . There is no indication that the two ever returned to Samoa . Nor is it known if their mother ever saw them again , indeed her fate is completely unknown after Theodor returned to Hamburg and died in 1889 . In that year Emma married German master builder Franz Mühlenbruch and they had three children , the only son dying in the First World War . Bertha is known to have married as well . There are doubtless numerous part-Samoan Weber descendants in Germany but it has not proven possible to locate them to assist in the research of this
Robert Louis Stevenson
“ He was an artful and commanding character ; in the smallest thing or in the greatest , without fear or scruple ; equally able to affect , equally able to adopt , the most engaging politeness or the most imperious airs of domination . It was he who did most damage to rival traders ; it was he who most harried the Samoans ; and yet I have never met anyone , white or native , who did not respect his memory ... His name still lives in the songs of Samoa .”
Harry J . Moors
“ He was a healthy , wholesome , jovial person , and was always highly respected , and accessible to anyone who thought he had business with him . He had a handsome native wife or companion , for whom he built a cottage on the sea shore , near where Vaitele landing is , and by her he had two beautiful daughters , whom he sent to Germany when they were less than eight years old …. He was always accessible , kindly and generous , and as public spirited as the best of us …”
Thomas Trood
| To Walk Under Palm Trees - The Germans in Samoa : Snapshots from Albums | Tony Brunt
“ Weber possessed extraordinary ability , never going back on his friends and supporters , even though he and they might sometimes differ on various points . His private life too was most estimable , and he took the greatest care of his two children ... As he lived in my house at Tongatabu for more than twelve months I saw necessarily a good deal of him ... I have but seldom met in my life a man whom I could more highly value and esteem than Theodor Weber …”
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