A grainy image of a Los Angeles Newspaper item tells volumes . By 1918 Jue Joe is a "well known Chinese merchant and marketman " who brings his two sons and wife to the new land .
"AFTER MANY YEARS -DADDY WELCOMES FAMILY FROM ACROSS THE SEAS
United after a separation of more than a dozen years , one of the happiest families in Los Angeles is that of Jue Joe , well known Chinese merchant and marketman. A few days ago , Jue Joe's two sons and their mother arrived from the province of Sum Wai, China. Jue San You is 15 years old and Jue San Tong is 13. Jue Joe had not seen them nor his wife since the youngest was a few months old .
The lads were immensely pleased at the prospect of coming to America and although they knew not a single word of English when they arrived , they at once applied themselves to learning the language and can now write many words in English and they have quite an extensive vocabulary. Jue Joe has employed a tutor for them and they have their English lessons daily. His ambition is to give them training in American schools and make good American businessmen of the lads .
Jue Joe plans soon to make a thorough inspection of the lands in the Imperial Valley with the idea of forming a Chinese company for extensive farming in that region."
This July 1, 1918 photo was taken 1 month after San Tong and his brother arrived in L.A. General Harrison Gray Otis, one of Jue Joe's best friends, took the 3 up to the rooftop of the old L.A. Times building. There he posed the 3 against the brick wall of the rooftop's elevator shafts. General Otis instructed his reporter to write the article. Jue Joe owned a saloon at 2nd and Broadway, which was diagonal from the Times building and Otis always frequented the saloon. Auntie Soo-Yin.
ReplyDeleteCorrection: Harrison Gray Otis died on July 31, 1917. So it was Harry Chandler, Otis's son-in-law, who met with and who had the above photo taken of Jue Joe, San You, and San Tong on the rooftop of the old L.A. Times building in July of 1918. Jue Joe knew Harrison Gray Otis and Harry Chandler personally. And San Tong knew Harry Chandler and his son Norman Chandler personally. He knew of Otis Chandler as Norman's son, but I don't think he knew him personally. Auntie Soo-Yin.
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