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People

The presidents of the FSM and figures from every era, each linked to the record. Short entries only, drawn from the sources.

Presidents of the FSM

Congress elects the president and vice president from its four at-large senators, one per state. Terms run four years, renewable once.

ChuukKosraePohnpeiYapEach band is one presidency, as long as the term, coloured by the president’s home state. The table below gives the same terms.
Presidents of the FSM in order, with their state and term
No. President State Term
1 Tosiwo Nakayama Chuuk 1979–1987
2 John Haglelgam Yap 1987–1991
3 Bailey Olter Pohnpei 1991–1996
4 Jacob Nena Kosrae 1996–1999 (acting until May 1997)
5 Leo Falcam Pohnpei 1999–2003
6 Joseph Urusemal Yap 2003–2007
7 Emanuel “Manny” Mori Chuuk 2007–2015
8 Peter M. Christian Pohnpei 2015–2019
9 David Panuelo Pohnpei 2019–2023
10 Wesley W. Simina Chuuk 2023–present

Figures from every era

In order of the ten eras, and within each era by the year the record first names them.

The contact era

1820–1885

Fyodor Lütke

Russian navigator whose sloop Senyavin visited Kosrae, Pohnpei, the Mortlocks and Chuuk in 1827–28.

  1. The Prudent puts seaman William Floyd ashore on Murilo; Lütke picks him up about eighteen months later. In the timeline
  2. Lütke’s Russian sloop Senyavin arrives at Kosrae for a friendly stay of about three weeks. In the timeline
  3. Lütke’s survey boats are turned back by canoes; some trading occurs and a map is made. In the timeline
  4. The Senyavin reaches Lukunor and spends about three weeks surveying the Mortlocks, finding iron tools in use. In the timeline

Désiré Maigret

Catholic priest who spent 1837–38 on Pohnpei without making converts.

  1. Fr. Désiré Maigret lands at Madolenihmw, burying Fr. Bachelot, who died at sea, in the first Catholic mission attempt. In the timeline
  2. Maigret raises a sixteen-foot cross on Pohnpei. In the timeline
  3. Maigret leaves Pohnpei on the Notre Dame de Paix without converts, after about seven months (MicSem: six). In the timeline

David O’Keefe

Irish-born trader on Yap who shipped Palauan stone money in exchange for copra from the 1870s.

  1. Irish-born David O’Keefe arrives on Yap, apparently aboard the junk Catherine, and starts trading. In the timeline
  2. O’Keefe’s schooner Queen spends three months at Yap loading copra. In the timeline
  3. O’Keefe’s schooner Lilla is wrecked off Babeldaob, Palau. In the timeline
  4. After Yapese attack trader Walter Amery, Holcomb leads foreign traders to burn three men’s houses; O’Keefe refuses to join. In the timeline

Spanish rule

1885–1899

Isidoro Posadillo

First Spanish governor of the Eastern Carolines at Pohnpei; killed in the July 1887 uprising.

  1. Governor Isidoro Posadillo lands at Mesenieng with 50 soldiers, 50 Filipino convicts and six Capuchins, founding Santiago de la Ascensión (Kolonia). In the timeline
  2. Governor Posadillo and others are killed trying to reach the hulk offshore. In the timeline
  3. Posadillo arrests American missionary Edward Doane and deports him to Manila. In the timeline

German rule

1899–1914

Georg Fritz

German administrator who carried out the Pohnpei land reform, replacing tribute to chiefs with labor for the government.

  1. Georg Fritz arrives as district officer, finds widespread mistrust, and drafts the land reform. In the timeline
  2. Kitti, Madolenihmw, U and Net perform the new compulsory labor; Fritz waives Sokehs’s 1909 labor. (No German text attests the waiver.) In the timeline
  3. Gustav Boeder becomes district officer (dewiki: 1909; MicSem: replaced Fritz in 1910). In the timeline
  4. Senfft’s term ends; Rudolf Karlowa, then Georg Fritz (1909–1910), head the Yap district. In the timeline

Gustav Boeder

German district officer on Pohnpei whose flogging order set off the Sokehs Rebellion; killed 18 October 1910.

  1. Gustav Boeder becomes district officer (dewiki: 1909; MicSem: replaced Fritz in 1910). In the timeline
  2. District Officer Boeder orders ten strokes of the cane for a Sokehs road worker. In the timeline
  3. Sokehs road workers revolt and kill Boeder and three other Germans (Navy 1911: two officials) plus boatmen. In the timeline

Soumadau en Sokehs

Leader of the 1910–11 Sokehs Rebellion against German rule; German files spell him Jomatau, and he was baptized Samuel. Executed in Kolonia on 24 February 1911.

  1. Rebel leader Jomatau (Soumadau en Sokehs, Samuel) surrenders; the last followers give up by 22 February. In the timeline

Road to nationhood

1965–1979

Tosiwo Nakayama

First President of the FSM (1979–1987), from Chuuk; earlier Senate president of the Congress of Micronesia.

  1. Future first FSM president Tosiwo Nakayama attended the Pacific Islands Central School, then located on Truk. In the timeline
  2. Tosiwo Nakayama went to the University of Hawaii on a Trust Territory scholarship. In the timeline
  3. Tosiwo Nakayama served as President of the Truk District Legislature. In the timeline
  4. Nakayama served as Micronesian Advisor to the US delegation at the UN Trusteeship Council. In the timeline

Bethwel Henry

Pohnpeian Speaker of the House in the Congress of Micronesia from 1966 to 1979.

  1. Pohnpei’s Bethwel Henry became Speaker of the House of the Congress of Micronesia and held the post until 1979. In the timeline
  2. The new Congress met; Bethwel Henry was again elected Speaker and Amata Kabua Senate President. Ambilos Iehsi won a Ponape Senate by-election that month. In the timeline
  3. Tosiwo Nakayama and Bethwel Henry petitioned the UN; the Congress of Micronesia was disbanded that year. In the timeline

Petrus Tun

From Yap; vice president of the 1975 Constitutional Convention and first FSM Vice President (1979).

  1. In Congress elections, Petrus Tun won Yap’s Senate seat, defeating incumbent Joseph Tamag. In the timeline
  2. Congress elections sent Ambilos Iehsi (Ponape), Andon Amaraich (Truk) and Petrus Tun (Yap) to the Senate. In the timeline
  3. Congress elections sent Ambilos Iehsi (Ponape), Nick Bossy (Truk) and Petrus Tun (Yap) to the Senate. In the timeline
  4. Yap’s Petrus Tun served as one of six vice presidents of the Constitutional Convention. In the timeline

Andon Amaraich

Chuukese leader who headed the Future Political Status Commission.

  1. Congress elections sent Ambilos Iehsi (Ponape), Andon Amaraich (Truk) and Petrus Tun (Yap) to the Senate. In the timeline

Politics and society since 1979

1979–2026

Perpetua Konman

First woman elected to the FSM Congress, in a 2021 Chuuk special election.

  1. Dr. Perpetua Konman wins a Chuuk special election, becoming the first woman elected to Congress. In the timeline
  2. Merlynn Abello-Alfonso becomes the first Pohnpeian woman senator; Konman is re-elected. In the timeline

Recent years

2023–2026

Aren Palik

Vice President of the FSM since 13 September 2022, from Kosrae.

  1. Special election: Christian wins Pohnpei’s vacated at-large seat and Aren Palik wins Kosrae’s. In the timeline
  2. VP Yosiwo George dies in office (13 Aug); Aren Palik of Kosrae becomes VP (13 Sep). In the timeline
  3. Charles Chieng becomes Yap governor (9 Jan) and Tulensa Palik Kosrae governor (10 Jan). In the timeline
  4. Congress elects Wesley Simina of Chuuk as 10th president and re-elects Aren Palik as VP. In the timeline
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