History of Almeria, Biliran
In 1668, Fr. Francisco Alcina, a Jesuit missionary assigned to Leyte and Samar, made mention of Talahib, a place that presumably belonged to the present Almeria (probably on the present Talahid), as a settlement served by the first Jesuits in 1596. Talahib was listed with such diverse places as Capul, Tagapoloan (Tagapul-an), Camandang, Limbancauayan (Almagro), Napalisan, Libucan, Cana-abaw, Buri, and Maripipi.
Talahib and nearby settlements probably disappeared from the map during the eruption of Panamao Volcano around 1669.
Around 1770, Bagombong (probably on the present Almeria) and Panamao were listed as places with bases of Moro raiders along with Malbog, Cataingan and Malbaranon in Masbate and Limbancauayan (Almagro).
Local folklore has it that the first settlers of Almeria came from Jagna, Bohol. Stories have it that a group of Boholanons sailed the Visayan Sea for Oquendo in Samar Island. Along the route they were struck by a strong typhoon, so they were forced to find a haven and landed on a place unknown to them.
When the weather had cleared, the group discovered that their haven had fertile soil suitable for planting root crops, and the sea teemed with fish and seashells. They liked the place very much that they decided to stay. They started building their huts and tilled the land for their living. The settlement was earlier called Bagongbong, but was renamed Solano in honor of a Capitan Solano, the known founder and first chieftain of the place.
In 1834, a Spanish missionary, accompanied by some soldiers, passed by Solano during an inspection trip of the Visayas islands. Its scenic beauty and the native’s hospitality pleased the Spanish visitors. They called it Almeria, after the hometown of the missionary in Spain. Upon their return to the place, they built a watchtower on the top of a hill (Baluarte Hill) to alert the natives from Moro raiders that were rampant at the time. A Roman Catholic chapel was also built.
In 1886, a decree issued by the Govierno Militar de Leyte created Almeria as a pueblo or municipality.
In 1905, during the early American occupation, a religious controversy triggered the transfer of the seat of government from Almeria to nearby Kawayan. The controversy started when Margarito Sabornido, the presidente municipal, together with some councilors, decided to bring in an Aglipayan priest, Fr. Fernando Buyser, to administer their religious affairs.
The other councilors and officials from Barrio Kawayan opposed the idea that ended in a heated debate in the consejo (municipal council). Sabornido’s decision also provoked the ire of the devout Roman Catholics who immediately reported the case to the Roman Catholic authorities in Cebu. Likewise, a protest was filed with the American Civil Governor of Leyte, Colonel Peter Borseth.
Acting on the official complaint instigated by Eugenio Obispo, a Kawayan resident who was juez de paz of Almeria, Borseth suspended Sabornido and three of his six councilors.
