William Gilmer, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetWilliam Gilmer
Naval governor of Guam
Date of Birth: 21-May-1863
Place of Birth: Chatham, Virginia, United States
Date of Death: 08-Jan-1955
Profession: military officer
Zodiac Sign: Gemini 
About William Gilmer
- William Wirt Gilmer (May 21, 1863 – January 8, 1955) was a United States Navy Captain who served as both the 22nd and 24th Naval Governor of Guam.
- A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he commanded the USS South Carolina during World War I, for which he received the Navy Cross.
- During his two terms as governor, he proved one of the most contentious leaders in Guam's history.
- He exercised a large amount of control over islanders' daily lives, including banning whistling and smoking and setting up a curfew.
- He came into conflict with prominent Americans and Washington Naval leaders when he outlawed marriage between whites and non-whites on the island, believing the Chamorro people inferior.
- Eventually, concerned islanders gained the attention of Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels, who had Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin D.
- Roosevelt personally order the rescinding of the act.
- Gilmer was removed for a short time before serving a second term. During his second term, he continued making numerous edicts, eventually equaling 50 separate orders.
- He required all men over sixteen to carry identification cards, partially in an effort to wipe out the Spanish naming customs of adopting both the mother's and father's name.
- Seen as autocratic and abusive of his power, the Navy ultimately removed him from the post in 1920.
- A number of geographical features in Alaska, as well as a school in North Carolina, are named after him, largely during an expedition that he took part in to explore parts of the Alaskan islands.
Read more at Wikipedia