Gho Goan Thiap‘s
Family story.
{From Haiteng /
Xiamen to Padang/ Sumatra)
(by Gho Tjeng Jauw / George Putrasahan)
It was in late 19th Century that the brothers Gho Goan
Thiap and Gho Goan Tee ventured out to Nanyang in search for better living conditions.
It is not exactly known why or how they had chosen Padang as
their new home but if we look at the sea routes Admiral Cheng Ho has taken
during his travel to Semarang, Palembang and Malacca, they might have first
sailed to Penang/Malaysia, which in early 19th Century already had more
Chinese immigrants from Fujian province. From Penang they then have sailed to
Padang, on the West coast of Sumatra.
During our survey in Padang, we found out that there were
seven Gho brothers (or Half brothers) in Padang and some of the descendants are
still living there. (Pic 1)
Most prominent among the brothers is Goh Goan Tee, who was
nominated as Kapitan for the Chinese community in Padang, Due to his big
contribution to the Qing Government in China, he was also appointed as their representative
for Padang area. (Pic 2). He passed away
in 1914 and was buried in Padang. Three of his sons migrated to Singapore
before the Second World War and the youngest of them, Goh Soon Tioe became a well-known
Violinist in Singapore.
Gho Goan Thiap (my great-grandfather) had 5 sons (Gho Hock
Tiauw, Gho Hock Po, Gho Hock Tjoan, Gho
Hock Seng and Gho Soon Lie), who remained in Padang except my Grandfather Gho
Hock Seng (Pic 3), who migrated with his family (Pic 4) to Tanjung Balai
(Asahan) in the 1920’s.
He started a joint venture and set up a sawmill (Pic 5) “SIN HOCK BIE” with his future son in law Oen
Soon Bie, who at that time was dealing in sawn wood in Medan (180 km away from
Tanjung Balai and had a good road and railway connection) . Later on my
Grandfather bought a Peranakan style house near the Asahan river on the opposite of the sawmill , where my Father Gho
Gim Tiong with his siblings grew up.(Pic 6 ).
In 1938 my Father got
married and moved out of our Akong’s house. (Pic 7) to a small one in Tanjung Balai. So did his younger brother
Gho Gim Sien moved out of Akong’s house after he got married.
Then it was World War 2. The Japanese also occupied
Indonesia. They also set up in Tanjung Balai their Area command, because it was
a strategic Port town opposite of Malacca. Akong’s house, being the tallest
building in town was confiscated by the Japanese and made their command quarter
for Asahan district. My father and his brother were interned because they could
speak Dutch and suspected as potential spies.
Soon after the World war ended my Grandfather passed away in
1945 and my Father has to continue look after the sawmill. It was a very
difficult time because of the revolution against the returning Dutch colonial government.
On August 17th, 1945 Sukarno and Hatta proclaimed Indonesia’s
Independence and the revolution continued until December 1949, when the Dutch
withdrew all their forces from Indonesia. The whole country was at that time in
turmoil. Many private properties were confiscated because practically there was
no government there to look after peace and order.
It was then because of the uncertain situation that my
parents decided it is best for the children to have a good education and become
professionals, rather than to stay in Tanjung Balai. So in 1950 we moved to
Medan, where better organized schools were available. (Pic 8).
After our A levels High school education, we went to Germany
for studies. George Gho Tjeng Jauw, the eldest left first and took up
Mechanical engineering. Then followed by second brother Paul Gho Tjeng Bok and
third brother Johnny Gho Tjeng Hoei. Both of them became Medical doctors. The
number four brother Jimmy Gho Tjeng Ho followed and took up Civil engineering
in Germany.
After graduation I started to work in Germany for DEUTZ in Cologne
and in January 1971 was seconded to the company’s then newly set up regional
office in Singapore, where I worked until retirement.
Meanwhile in 1964 , my father Gho Gim Tiong passed away and
so the sawmill had been looked after by his brother in law Oei Soei Gie, who
was then living in Akong’s house in Tanjung Balai. After his death, there were
no more relatives living in Tanjung Balai and the sawmill was closed down.
Akong’s house was then sold to a Buddhist Association in 1984 and converted to
a Temple, named “VIHARA TRI RATNA”. In 2009 a new Temple building has been
constructed in its place.(Pic 9 ).
In 1967, the Indonesian Government recommended that all
citizens with Chinese names should change their names to more Indonesian
sounded ones.
We adopted a new Family Name: PUTRASAHAN , which mean “Sons
of Asahan”.
Notes :
Haiteng and
Lungyen merged into city called “Lunghai”.
Pictures :
