Pilar Zamora On Arrival in St. Louis, 1904 (colorized in 2024)

Pilar Zamora was one of the first Filipinos to arrive in St. Louis in 1904. She was a 25-year-old schoolteacher from Manila and was solely in charge of the Model School in the Philippine Village after her co-teacher Antonio Estudillo died. She was educated at Colegio de Santa Rosa in Intramuros and spoke Tagalog, Spanish, and English. She was employed to implement and demonstrate American colonial teaching methods in the Philippines and at the 1904 World’s Fair.

She is the first Filipino woman I know of to come to St. Louis. She returned to the Philippines after the fair. When I was colorizing this photo, I noticed that she is wearing a wedding ring. Death records suggest she died on April 19, 1947 in Manila around 68 years old. If you are a relative of Pilar Zamora, please contact me.

Original photographer unknown.

Antonio Estudillo Before His Death, 1904 (colorized in 2024)

Antonio Estudillo died on February 24, 1904 at Mullanphy Hospital after suffering from pneumonia for two weeks shortly after his arrival in St. Louis. He was 30 years old. He taught in Cavite and Manila before coming to the United States to be Pilar Zamora’s co-teacher in the Model School. He was survived by a wife and two children in Manila. His body was repatriated to the Philippines and is likely buried in Manila.

If you have more information about Antonio Estudillo, his burial location, or are a relative, please contact me.

Original photographer unknown.