Tan Oo Long

Tan Oo Long 

陳有郎

Plaque of the 36 founders of Keng Teck Whay 

Tan Oo Long name is highlighted 

Brief Biography of Tan Oo Long

Tan Oo Long was the second son of Tan Guat Teong, who emigrated from China to Malacca at a young age. Guat Teong's father, Tan Leong, tragically passed away in 1758 in Haiteng, China, at the age of 36, leaving behind his wife, a 3-year-old son named Guat Teong, and a daughter.

Born in 1755, Guat Teong settled in Malacca from an early age. There, he married Kow Geok Neo, who was 16 years his junior and hailed from a large family in Malacca, in contrast to Tan Guat Teong's smaller family.

Tan Guat Teong lived a long life, passing away in 1849 at the age of 85. He was buried in Malacca. His son, Tan Tock Seng, died the following year in Singapore, and Guat Teong's wife, Kow Geok Neo, passed away in 1851 on the eighteenth day of the eighth lunar month.

Upon Kow Geok Neo's death, her surviving elder son, Tan Oo Long, became the sole executor of her will, as the eldest son, Meng Long, had died much earlier at sea.

Tan Oo Long , sole executor of Kow Geok Neo’s estate 

Tan Oo Long was a member of the Keng Teck Whay, a mutual aid organization consisting of 36 Hokkien businessmen who had come to Singapore. Many of these 36 individuals became pioneers in the early business scene of Singapore and Malacca.

Together with his brother Tan Tock Seng, Tan Oo Long invested in properties. Their names were recorded as registered landowners as early as 1827, just eight years after Sir Stamford Raffles founded modern Singapore.

Children 

長男

陳水源 Tan Swee Guan 

次男

陳太源 Tan Tye Guan 

三女

陳淡娘 Tan Tang Neo 

四女

陳曲娘 Tan Chee Neo 

五女

陳蔭娘 Tan Im Neo (married to Seet Moh Guan) 

六男

陳三原 Tan Sam Guan 

七男

陳活源 Tan What Guan 

生於嘉慶二年丁巳 1797

卒同治六年 1867

在丰美本山 

Tan Oo Long was buried in Hong Bee Hill, Singapore, which land  was owned by Cheang Hong Lim for purpose of a burial ground . 

He had two wives 

He used to own big tracts of land in Outram Road as evidenced by this auction notice  which was between his two grand daughters in law Koh Yan Tee Neo (Mrs Tan Bian Teng) and Wee Yan Neo (Mrs Tan Jin Cheng) 

Page 4 Advertisements Column 3

The Straits Times, 2 October 1929, Page 4

Page 14 Advertisements Column 2

The Straits Times, 25 February 1929, Page 14

Tan Wee Chuan was another son of Tan Swee Guan .  He was staying at 40 Outram Road , area 43,496 sq ft , which was auctioned off shortly after 

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In 1850, a plaque commemorating the construction of the Tian Hock Keng temple recorded Tan Oo Long as paying interest of $49 to the temple. He probably would have take a loan from the temple fund ..  His brother, Tan Tock Seng, was known as a great contributor to the temple.

Keng Teck Whay founders