Immigration Interview of Jew Joe/Jue Family on Angel Island 1918

Previously,  I have provided an overview of the United States Immigration Service  investigation of Jue Family on Angel Island in 1918. The following is the full transcript of  my great grandfather Jew Joe's initial interview in support of his application for his family to be allowed entry into the United States.

United States Immigration Service , Chinese Division
April 30,1918
17110/10-2,10-3,10-4
Leong Shee, Jew Sun Yew and Jew Sun Teong
Inspector: J.B. Sawyer
Interpreter: C.Richards
Stenographer: E.C. Benson

Statement of alleged husband and father, Sworn
Speaks See Yip dialect: Interpreter qualified
Admonished if you do not understand the Interpreter to immediately so state.

Q What is your name?
A  Jew Joe by which I am known among the Americans. Jew Soong is my boy-hood name, and my marriage name is Jew Pan Jeong. No other names.
Q How old are you?
A 62 years and a few months.
Q Have you an extra photograph of yourself?
A No, I didn't bring any.
Q  Under the rules it is necessary to submit an extra photograph for all the records before proceeding with the case, if we proceed with the case at this time will you agree to submit a photograph as soon as possible?
A  Yes.
Witness is measured. Height 5ft, 6-1/4 inches without shoes; marks of identification; little finger of left hand crooked, small scar end of right eye brow.
Q Have you any identification papers?
A  Witness presents certificate of residence No. 143657, issued in lieu of certificate No. 130256 and signed F.F. Sargent, Commissioner General of Immigration, Washington D.C. This certificate issued in the name of Jew Joe, age 39, residence,St.Helena, California, occupation, farmhand; height 5ft-7 1/2 inches; no marks of identification; dated Sacramento, California, May 3,1894.

Inspector's note: After careful comparison of witness withh the photograph on this certificate I am inclined to believe that the witness is the rightful holder although the difference in their appearance indicates that he has changed considerably in apperance since the photograph was taken.
Q When was this photograph taken?
A  1st month of K. S. 32 (February 1906)
Q Isn't it remarkable for you to have changed in appearance in those years?
A  I am stouter now.
Q Where were you born?
A In the Sam Goong village in the Sun Woey district
Q When did you first come to this country?
A When I was 18 years old. I don't remember in what year I came, I was 18 years old.
Q How many trips to China have you made since then?
A  One trip.
Q Give me the full particulars of that trip?
A Departed K.S. 28-4-2 or 3 (May 9 or 10,1902) S.S. Nippon Maru, and returned K.S. 32-1-10 (February 3,1906)  S.S. Mongolia, and I made the trip under the name of Jew Joe. I went as a laborer.
Q Have you secured the admission of any members of your family before?
A  No
Q  Do you identify these photographs (showing photographs in the present case)
A This is Gage Wong, my partner.  This is my picture.  This is my wife. This is my youngest son, Jew Sun Teong (Sin Chong). This is Jew Sun Yeaw (Sin Yew) my eldest son. This is my cousin, Lee Bing.
Inspector's note: Identification of photographs correct.
Q For whom are you appearing today.
A  I am a witness for my wife and two sons whose photographs I have identified.

Inspector's note: Certificate of residence presented by  the witness and indorsed with reference to the present case and returned to the witness. It bears no indorsement referring to any other case.

Q You are advised that we should have a duplicate set of the affidavit offered in these cases and we now have only one complete set, will you see to it that a second set is furnished?
A   I will
Q  Has your mercantile status been investigated in connection with these cases ?
A   It has.
Q How many times have you been married?
A  Once
Q What is your wife's name?
A Leong Ho.
Q How old is she?
A 35 years
Q What kind of feet?
A  Natural feet.
Q When did you marry her?
A In K.S. 28-9 or 10 (October or November 1902)
Q Of what village is she a native?
A Ma Choong village, Sun Woey district.
Q  How many children have you had by her?
A Two.
Q Give me their ages, date of birth and whereabouts?
A  Jew Sun Yew (Sin Yew) 15 years old, born K.S 29-8-17 (Octobert 7,1903) in Sam Gong Village.  He is at the station now.  Jew Sun Teong (Sin Choong) born K.S. 31-7-17(August 17, 1905) age 13 years old: born in Sam Gong village and now at this station appearing for admission.
Q  Have you ever had any other children?
A No
Q How old were these children when you saw them last?
A The eldest child was about 2  1/2 years old and the youngest child was about 4  1/2 months old.
Q What is your father's name?
A  Jee Leung Kow.
Q Is he living ?
A  He has been dead a long  time.
Q  When  did he die?  I don't remember, I was in California then.
Q Was it before you were married?
A  My father died before my marriage.
Q  What is your mother's name.
A   Lee Shee.
Q  Is she living?
A   She is dead.
Q  When did she die?
A In K.S. 20-1-20 (February 17,1903)  She died at the Sam Gong village.
Q Have you any  brothers or sisters?
A  There were four boys and one girl in our family.
Q Give me their names, ages, and whereabouts and particulars regarding their families if any?
A  Jew Niu, he is dead, he died in Alaska. I don't remember in what year. He was drowned on a vessel which was going to the canneries to Alaska about 20 years ago.
He was married and had one son and no daughters; son's name is Jew Mun Jew. I don't know his age exactly; he is in China; he is about 40 years of age.  I am the 2nd son. The third, Jew See, brother, he is 53 or 54 years of age, I don't know exactly.  he is in China; his family lives in the Sam Gong village.  I don't know his wife's name; I don't know whether he has any children; since he went to China  I have not heard from him.
Q When did he go to China?
A   I don't remember the year he went. He went to China from Paris, France.
Q  Was he ever in this country?
A Yes,  he studied  English in this country about 20 years.
Q Where did he study English?
A  At Los Angeles, Pasadena and Pomona.
Q  When you were last in China was he married?
A No, he was not in China then.
Q  Proceed with your next brother or sister?
A  Jew Yow brother; he is dead; he died more than 20 years ago .
Q  Was he ever in this country?
A No.
Q Where did he die?
A In China, Sam Gong village.
Q Did he have a family?
A Yes, he had one son.
Q What was his son's name?
A   Jew Fook
Q How old is Jew Fook?
A I  don't remember,  I was not at home when he was born.
Q Did you ever see him?
A Yes
Q When did you see him?
A I saw him at my village.
Q How old was he then?
A 6 or 7 years old.
Q  Was that at the time of our last trip (1902 to 1906)?
A Yes
Q Do you mean to say he was 6 or 7 at the time you arrived in 1902 or the time you arrived in this country 1906?
A He was about 6 or 7 years old the year I arrived in China.
Q Then he would be about 22 or 23 now, would he not?
A Yes, I thiink more than that .
Q  Is he married?
A I don't know, I have been in this country more than 10 years.
Q Proceed with  your next brother or sister?
A  My sister is older than me; her name is Jew Ho and she is about 65 years old; she is now in Nam Noong village, Sun Woey district; she is married' I don't know her husband's name, he is dead.
they have one son Leung(something.) I don't know his given name; I don't know how old the child is. Just they have one son.
Q Have you ever seen the son?
A No.
Q How far is your sister's place(Nam Noong village) from your village?
A About 2 or 3 poles (20 or 30 leas).
Q How many houses are there in Sam Goong village? 
A I don't know how many houses; it is a very large village and there are more than 10,000 people there.
Q What is the name of local division of the Sam Goong village in which you  live?
A  Dai Hoong Lee.
Q How large is Dai Hoong Lee?
A About 200 people there.
Q How many houses?
A I could not tell you how many houses.
Q In which way does Dai Hong Lee face?
A It faces south.
Q How many rows of houses are there?
A There are about 7 or 8 rows.
Q What is the location of your house?
A It is the 4th house, 4th row, counting from the stone road at the head of the village.
Q Which end of the village is the head?
A The head of the village is to the West.
Q Where does the stone road lead to?
A It goes to the farms to the east.
Q Did you state that the stone road is at the west of the village ?
A It runs East and West.
Q Does it pass your village in front or  rear?
A In the rear.
Q Can you get onto the road  at the east end or tail off your village?
A No
Q Who else lives at your home. 4 th house, 4th row?
A My house stands on the 4th block; the first lot is vacant and the second lot has a house; there is no house on the 3rd lot; the 4th lot contains my house.
Q Who occupies your house?
A My wife and sons live there.
Q  Has  anyone else lived there since your marriage?
A  No,  I heard that my brother , Jew See lived there after he went to China.
Q Do you understand that that has been his only home since you went to China?
A I don't know .  I heard that Jew Yow was living in my house.
Q If  Jew See has made his  home in the same house as your family  don't you know whether he has a family
  and who composes that family?
A My wife and sons wrote a letter saything that my brother Jew See and his wife were living in my house; they did not say whether they had any children.
Q How long has Jew See been making his home in your house?
A 3 or 4 years according to their letter.
Q Which part of the house do they occupy?
A I don't know.
Q Where is the home of your nephew Jew Mun Jew, the son of your brother Jew Nui?
A He lives at Dai Hoong Lee in the 2nd row in the 5th house. When I came to this country there was vacant lot in the 2nd row that  may have been a house built there since.
Q Who is living with Jew Mun Jew in the 2nd row of the 5th house?
A He and his wife are living there.
Q Wasn't his mother living with them?
A Mother was dead .
Q How long has he been marrried?
A I don't know how long.
Q Have you ever heard of him having a child.
A No.
Q Has Jew Mun Jew ever been in this country?
A  No
Q. What is his occupation?
A He is a farmer.
Q  Where is Jew Fook, the son of your brother Jew Yow?
A  He lives in the next house to mine.  I occupy 2/3rds of the lot and they occupy the other 3rd.
Q Which 3rd does Jew Fook occupy, the west 3rd or east 3rd.?
A The west 3rd.
Q Who lives with him?
A He lived there alone when I came away; his parents were dead.
Q According to your testimony he was only 11 years old when you came away?
A He was about that age.
Q Did he occupy a house all alone at that age ?
A He occupied the house but ate his meals at my house.
Q  Are the two houses both together as one house with no space between?
A No space between
Q Where did you get water for household purposes?
A From the well
Q What was the position of the well in the village?
A It was at the tail of the village.
Q Was the well surrounded by any  wall or other protection?
A There was tone built up around it.
Q How high did the stone stand from the ground?
A The stone was about 10 inch high.
Q Was this stone construction circular or square?
A It was square.
Q Who is the identifying witness in this case?
A  Lee Bing.
Q How long have you known Lee Bing?
A  I have known him since he was a boy.
Q  How long has he been in this country?
A 20 or 30 years.
Q What does he know about your family?
A My mother is Lee Bing's aunt.
Q Then you and Lee Bing are first cousins?
A Yes
Q  What was his mother's name?
A  I don't know.
Q Know what family she belonged to ?
A I don't know her family name.
Q What was his father's name?
A Lee Yick Ngng
Q How is Lee Yick Nng related to you?
A He is my maternal uncle, my  mother's youngest brother.
Q Is he living?
A Dead.
Q How long has he been dead?
A I don't know.
Q  Very long?
A A long time; I don't know how long.
Q Where is Lee Bing's home in China?
A Lin Hong, Sun Way district.
Q How far  is that from your village?
A About 3 poles.
Q How does he know the members of your family?
A He visited my home since I was in China.
Q When was that?
A  About C.R. 3rd year (1914).
Q  Give me full particulars of his trip to China (1915)?
A He went to China C.R. 2nd or 3rd Year (1913 or 1914), I don't remember what month or vessel. He returned in C.R. 3rd year and did not remain in China quite a year.
Q How many visits has he made to your home ?
A He vistited there when I was a boy and visited several times after he went to China?
Q When he visited there when he was a boy did you have a family?
A No
Q How many times has he visited your home since you have been married?
A He has been there several times.  I was not in China when he was there.
Q  How many trips to China has he made since you were married?
A Two trips
Q  Give full particulars of previous trip?
A Departed in K.S 32 (1906) I don't remember the month nor what vessel he went on. He returned K.S.32 (1907). I don't know what month or what vessel he returned on.
Q Then the only times he has seen members of your family is on the two trips you have mentioned.
A Yes.
Q Do yout know how many times he visited your family on the first trip?
A I do nott know,  I was not home.
Q Do you  know whether he visited your home at all on that trip?
A I asked him to take some money to China to my family.
Q How much money?
A $50.00
Q Anything else?
A No.
Q Do you know whether or not he did take the $50.00 to your family?
A Yes.
Q Do you know whether he made  more than that one visit to your family on that trip?
A I don't know that.
Q What do you know about his visits to your family on the 2nd trip?
A I asked him to take $50.00 for me on the 2nd trip.
Q  Did you know whether he made more than one vissit to your family on the 2nd trip?
A I don't know.
Q Have you anything further to state?
A Nothing more.

Inspector's note:  Our record No. 10093/29 shows the landing of Jew Joe as an overtime laborer of Los Angeles, ex. S. S. Mongolia, January 26, 1906, landed on instructions in Departmental telegram of February 6,1906. The record shows that Jew Joe departed for China, May 9,1902, by S.S. Nippon Maru.  This record contains no photograph of the person to whom it refers, but the records identifies said person with certificate of residence 143557 which has already been identified with the witness.  Consequently, I am of the opinion the record under consideration is that of the present witness.

Q. Have you the papers upon you showing your landing as a laborer in 1906?
A No; it was taken from me by Government authorities.
Q  Anything further to state .
A No.
Q Have you understood the Interpreter(thru Inspector Sawyer in Chinese)?
A I have .

Signed,

Jew Joe  ( Original Signature in Chinese and English)

"Excludable until proven otherwise"- The Investigation of the Jue Family, Angel Island 1918

Recently I was able to obtain the copies of the original Angel Island immigration investigation of the Jue Family in 1918. These documents are a treasure trove of information and provide a complete and dramatic picture of how one particular family navigated successfully the difficult interrogations of the  Exclusion era and were allowed entry into the United States.

At the time of  the arrival of Jue Joe's wife and sons at Angel Island,  the  Immigration service's policy stated that the Chinese were to be judged , "excludable until they could be proven otherwise."  It was assumed that Chinese were trying to deceive  immigration officials as to their identities and family relationships. Exclusion era policies had divided the Chinese community  into two separate and unequal groups. Merchants could travel freely between China and the United States and marry , have children and then bring those familes to the United States.  Laborers and farmers such as Jue Joe were not allowed to travel as freely and they were not able to bring their familes into the United States.  Immigration officials were well aware of the process of paper sons and paper wives  where men were posing as sons and women as wives of  merchants when in fact they were not related at all to the merchants applying  for their entry. They were well aware of the process whereby Chinese of the restricted laborer class would pay Chinese merchants to falsely apply for the immigration of these individuals as their own family members. Immigration officials were also well aware that many laborers would buy into merchant firms and falsely claim merchant status in order to bring their families to the United States. By 1918 when the Jue family arrived at Angel Island, immigration procedures had become standardized and quite rigorous in order to detect "paper sons" and false merchants.

In the case of  immigration of merchant's family members, the first phase of the investigation was an investigation of the validty of the applicant's merchant status. We have discussed  this phase of the investigation of Jue Joe's  application in the preceding post.  Jew Joe, a farmer and not in the merchant class, had bought into the Thomas C. Chung company in order to acheive merchant status. The immigration service determined that Jew Joe was indeed a bona fide merchant and thus allowed to apply for immigration of his family members.

The next phase was the interrogation of the merchant applicant. The applicant was questioned closely as to his birth , birthplace, how long he has been in America, his visits to China,  his relatives, their relationships with each other, their whereabouts , and specific physical details of their home village in minute detail. This information was detailed and was used to cross check against the testimony of alleged family members and the testimony of any witnesses. One of the main reasons for exclusion of  family members would be if the testimony of alleged family members did not match the testimony of  the applicant. Unfortunately , the questions were so difficult and detailed that  often inconsistencies arose even in the testimony of real family members. Young children were also asked detailed  questions separated from their parents. This was often the first time these children had faced a white adult and it was often a frightening experience. 

Witnesses who knew the applicant as well as the alleged family members were important and crucial to the investigation. These witnesses would also be subject to detailed and probing questions as to their knowlege of the family relationships  and home villages and the truthfulness of their answers was evaluated by how well they were consistent with the answers of the  applicant and his alleged family. Finally, inspectors would also comment on whether alleged children of the applicant matched his appearance.

After the initial  interviews were accomplished , the inspectors would then reexamine alleged family members and the applicant with probing questions if inconsistencies in their inital interviews were identified.
Finally a determination was made as to whether the alleged family were truly related to the applicant and decision for or against entry of family members would be made.  The decision could be to allow the whole family to enter or only certain individuals with other individuals deported back to China.

Interrogations were intimidating both on a verbal level and also in the physical layout of the interrogation environment.  Here is a picture of a typical Angel Island immigration interrogation:

In  April of 1918 Jue Joe's family finally arrives in the San Francisco bay via steamer from Hong Kong. The family is headed  for detention on Angel Island until their immigration status is settled. Jue Joe has hired  a Caucasian immigration attorney.  He has proven his merchant status through an immigration investigation in Los Angeles.  He has provided the authorities with this sworn affadavit requesting admission of his  family with photos of himself and his family. He has not seen his family for 12 long years. (Click on image to enlarge and read) .

He is in San Francisco  with his witness Lee Bing , his cousin.  Lee Bing has travelled between the United States and China twice bringing money home to Jue Joe's family in China and can identify Jue Joe and the family. The two men are prepared to testify to immigration authorites.   Jue  has provided instructions for his sons to dress in western clothing and his wife to dress in Chinese clothing appropriate to the wife of a merchant. He has sent  90 pages of coaching instructions to his wife, and sons as to the probable questions that they will be asked and how they should be answered.  My grandfather, Jew Sun Tong is 13 years old.  He sees Angel Island looming ahead and as instructed by his father he throws the coaching papers over the rail of the ship. He is frightened but his father, who left the family when he was a baby and who he does not remember, has instructed him that he must be strong. He must answer the questions confidently and calmly and only give the information requested and no more. He has memorized the answers he must give. He wonders what this strange new land will be like , and what his father will be like.  The island draws closer.

In succeeding posts I will  provide the full transcripts of the testimony of  Jew Joe, Lee Bing, Leong Shee, Jew Sun Yeaw , and Jew Sun Tong ( the youngest son of Jew Joe and my grandfather),as well as a full text of the final United States Immigration Service analysis of the testimony .

Investigation of Jue Joe's Merchant Status 1918

In 1918, my great grandfather Jue Joe planned to arrange for the immigration of his wife and two sons to the United States.  Although Jue Joe was a successful farmer by that time,  restrictive immigration laws prevented farmers or other "laborers" from bringing their families into the United States. One of the exempt classes who were allowed to  do so  were merchants.  Many Chinese, including Jue Joe,bought partnerships in Chinese mercantile firms to allow them to be designated as merchants and bring their families over from China.  Over the years, the immigration service understood  that many of the men claiming merchant status were not bona fide merchants and increasingly strict investigations were conducted. Interestingly, as the critera for  defining the merchant class became more formal , as did the nature and format of investigations , opportunities arose for Chinese to better "game" the process. Chinese had no scruples in circumventing what they considered unjust and unfair racist laws . In fact ,circumventing unjust laws began only after major and unified attempts by the Chinese community were made to defeat the unfair laws in the courts.  As it became clear that the exclusionary laws would stand , and as Exclusion era immigration polices and procedures became more formal and ritualized, deception and circumventing these procedures and policies became widespread amongst the Chinese community. Chinese often had the help of  Caucasian immigration attorneys who were well versed in  the immigration law and procedures and could aid Chinese in circumventing these procedures. Often the Chinese in a quest to reunite with long lost families were willing to spend small fortunes to circumvent the laws and reunite with their families.

It is against this background  that we will consider my great grandfather's successful efforts to establish his "merchant" status.  Jue Joe has known  Hom Sich Chung for many years . He is about Jue Joe's age , was born in China , but been in the United States for many years and owns a grocery business in Los Angeles.
He is also known by his American name of Tom Chung.   Tom Chung is my  great grandfather through my father's mother.
Here is a  picture of Tom Chung.

His son is Thomas G. Chung . In 1911  Thomas starts the Thomas G. Chung Company a commission produce company.  Here is a  passport picture of Thomas G. Chung in 1918 at age 25. ( He is also has a Chinese name (Tom Kim Goon) which he uses on this passport.)

In 1914 Gage Wong buys into the business and joins Thomas.
Here is picture of  Gage Wong in 1918,. He is 22 years old.

Jue Joe buys into the business in 1916.  The three become partners.  He is the old man in the business.
Here is a picture of Jue Joe in 1918, age 62.

In order to establish his mercantile status. Jue Joe must have evidence that he works only as a merchant in said business and does no farming or other labor for a period of at least one year. He will be required to show partnership papers to establish that he is indeed a partner in said business. He will need to have testimony by his partners as to his bonafide status as a merchant.  He will also need independent testimony by Caucasians who are in a position to interact with him as a merchant .He will have to have detailed knowledge of the finances of the business , profit  , income , salaries paid etc. His answers will need to match with testimony independently given by his partners.   Jue Joe is aware of this and prepares for the immigration  investigation of his merchant status.  He, his partners, and his witnesses are ready.

There is a wrinkle however.  Just prior to the immigration investigation  Thomas G. Chung  applies and receives a passport to go to China.  According to an affadavit in support of  Thomas's passport application ,  Gage Wong states :
"We are anxious to increase our business opportunities, and realizing the tremendous awakening that is now being experienced in the Republic of China, have decided to investigate and see if the business knowledge we have gained can be utilized advantageously there. For that reason we are desirous of sending Tom Kim Goon(aka Thomas G. Chung) and Wong Hing Sheung to China and have them look into conditions there and report the prospects of the successful opening of a canning factory, either in Hong Kong city, Canton city or some other large center of population ."
Later in Gage's sworn testimony  it turns out Wong Hing Sheung is his brother.

Interestingly , Thomas marries  just 10 days after getting his passport in late January of 1918   and shortly after his marriage suddenly departs for China with Wong Hing Sheung in February of 1918.  Laura , his new wife, has been having issues with her passport and is unable to leave with her husband.  In her affadavit to apply for her passport, she states that her husband has had to leave on urgent business to China and thus unable to wait for her to complete her passport process. Laura, ultimately does get her passport and joins her husband . They spend a year travelling about China and return in 1919 and Thomas resumes as manager of his business.   By leaving Los Angeles and going to China , Thomas G. Chung becomes a "silent partner" in the business and his status as such is recorded on partnership documents.
The year 1918 was a most important year in American history. In the spring of that year, large number of American men who had registered in 1917 in the first selective service draft were being called to serve on the Western front in Europe in World War I.  Thomas G. Chung had registered for the draft in 1917 as had Gage Wong.  Gage Wong's brother Wong Hing Sheung  would be required to register in the summer of 1918  having turned 21. (Draft age was 21 in those days).  All three young men had been born in the United States and were American citizens. Perhaps there were other reasons for the two young men to take a sudden year long trip to China?

In any event, Jue Joe now has only one partner to be a witness at his immigration hearing to establish his merchant status. He does , however, also have two Caucasian witnesses as well. 

Jue Joe's attorney sends a letter to the US Immigration Service saying that Jew Joe has received a telegram that his family is enroute and that Jue Joe would like the investigation into his mecantile status  to proceed forthwith.  Here is a photocopy of Jue Joe's attorney's letter and the telegram. (Click on image to enlarge and read)

Attached are copies of the partnership agreements submitted by Jue Joe's attorney (Click on images to enlarge and read).

In receipt of  this paperwork , the US Immigration Service is ready to begin it's investigation into the validity of  Jue Joe's  alleged merchant status.    Attached is a full transcript of the investigation and the final result .
 

U.S. Department of Labor
Immigration Service
Mexican  Border District

Office of Inspector in Charge
Los Angeles,California
File No. 5530/362
April 19, 1918   1:00 P.M.

In re ---
Leong Shee, wife
and
Jew Sun Yeaw, Son
Jew Sun Tong, Son

of Merchant ,Applicants for Admission

W. A. Brazie, Inspector-Stenographer
Ng Gunn, Chinese Interperter.

AD INTERIM INVESTIGATION

John B. Stevens, witness , being first duly sworn , testified as follows:
Q State your name , age , residence and occupation?
A John B. Stevens; 44; live at 115 East 47th Place, Los Angeles
Q Where is your place of business?
A On the New Seventh street market; formerly on the Sixth street market, but we moved last week.
Q Do you know this man? ( Submitting photo of Jew Joe, alleged father, attached to application)
A Yes, that is Jew Joe; have known him eight or nine years.
Q What is his occupation?
A He used to be a potato raiser when I first knew him, but for the last year  and a half he has been a merchant of  Thomas G. Chung Co., on the Sixth street market, but they moved to the Seventh street market last Monday.
Q  How frequently have you visited  the  store of Thomas G. Chung Co., during the past year?
A Every  morning.
Q Did you always find Jew Joe there ?
A  Most every time.  He is there practically every time I am around there.
Q  Have you ever transacted business with him as a member of that firm?
A Yes; we have done jobs for them, such as sorting potatoes for the house, and sometimes he paid me for that work, and sometimes others would pay me.
Q Do you consider  Jew Joe a bona fide  merchant?
A Yes, sir
Q  Has he done any work as a laborer during the past year?
A  No, sir, nothing more than buying and selling at that store.
Q Is there a restaurant, lodging house, laundry or lottery conducted at the Thomas G. Chung store?
A No, sir; nothing like that.
Q What other members of that firm do you know?
A I know Thomas G. Chung , who went to China recently; this man Jew Joe and the young fellow they call Wong; know them well.   There are several other Chinamen working there, but I don't know whether they belong to the firm or not .
(Signed)   JOHN B. STEVENS.

FLOYD G. HALL, witness , being duly sworn, testified as follows:
Q State your name, age ,residence and occupation?
A  Floyd G. Hall, 32; live at 727 Camulos street, Los Angeles, California, and am in the  produce business on the Seventh street market now, formerly on the Sixth Street market, but  moved last Monday. I also sort potatoes, vegetables, etc. for other firms.
Q Do you know this man ? ( Exhibiting photo of Jew Joe, alleged father and husband attached to application)
A Yes, sir; I have known him for about a year and a half.   His name is Jew Joe.
Q  What is his occupation?
A Ever since I have known him he has been with the firm of Thomas G. Chung Co., on the Sixth street market, No. 117 , until last Monday, when they moved to the Seventh street market.
Q How frequently have you visited their store during the  past year?
A Two or three times a week.
Q On your visits there  did you always  find Jew Joe at the store?
A  Yes, always  found him there or out in the yard at the market buying stuff for his store.
Q Have you ever transacted business with him as member of that firm?
A  Yes, quite often I have sorted potatoes, etc. for that firm and usually made my contract with Jew Joe.  Jew Joe  usually paid for my work , which was always done by contract.
Q Do you consider Jew Joe a bona fide  merchant?
A Yes, sir;  I do.
Q Has he done any work as a laborer during the past year?
A Never did any since I have known him; nothing more than work in the store.
Q Is there a restaurant, lodging house, laundry or lottery conducted in the Thomas G.  Chung store?
A  No.
Q What other members of that firm do you know?
A I know Thomas G. Chung, who went to China about two months ago;   Jew Joe and Gage Wong.  Several others work there, but I am not sure they are members  of the company.
(Signed )   FLOYD G. HALL

JEW JOE, alleged husband and father, being first duly sworn,  testified through interpreter as follows:
Q State all your  names ?
A  Jew Joe, childhood name;  Jew Fong Jung, married name.   No other names.
Q How old are you ?
A 63 years;  born HF 6-8-28 ( September 26, 1856) , in  Sam Gong village, Tai Hong Lee
section, Sun Woy district, China.
Q  Your father's name?
A Jew Leong Keow, died in China over 20 years ago. Never in the  United States.
Q Your mother's name?
A Lee Shee;  small bound feet , died in China KS 29-1 ( January-February, 1903) , never in the United States
Q  Have you any brothers and sisters ?
A Three brothers and one sister.
Q Name your brothers and sister ?
A Jew Nuey, died in Alaska over 20 years ago
Jew Yow, died in China over 20 years ago. Never in the United States.
Jew See, 54, born in China , still living  in my home village in China,  He was in the United States, but went back to China about 11 or 12 years ago.
Sister, Jew How, about 65, married to Leong man, but he died .
My sister lives in Nom Long village, Sun Woy district, China.
Q What is your wife's name?
A Leong Shee, about 35 , natural feet, married her KS 28-9 (October 1902) , forget the day, married her in Sam Gong Village,  she is from Mar Chung village, my only wife.  She is coming  to the United States with my two sons.
Q How many children have you?
A  Just two boys , no girls.  They are coming here with my wife.
Q  Name your two sons?
A  Jew Sun Yeaw, 15 , born KS 29-8-17 ( October 9, 1903), in Sam Gong  Village, China.
The other boy is Jew Sun  Tong, 13, born KS 31-7-17 (August 17, 1905) , in Sam Gong village, China.
Q Did you ever have any other children?
A No , just two boys.
Q  When did you first enter the United States?
A  TG 12( 1873) , on a steam vessel , and landed at San Francisco.
Q Have you made any trips to China since then?
A Only one trip, KS 28-4 ( May-June 1902), as a laborer from Los Angeles, SS  Nippon Maru.  Returned KS32-1 (January-February 1906) , SS Mongolia, via San Francisco
Q Did you register during the regsitration period?
A Yes. ( Presents certificate of residence No. 143557, issued in lieu of CR No. 130256, proof of loss, in the name of Jew Joe, 39 , laborer-farmer, residing at St. Helena, California, same being dated May 3, 1894 and signed  F.P. Sargeant, Comr. Genl.)
Q What is your present occupation and address?
A  Merchant of Thomas G.  Chung Co., now 772  Seventh street market , just moved last Monday from 117-118 Sixth street market.
Q How long have you been  a member of that firm?
A I joined that company September 1, 1916, American calendar.
Q How did you acquire your interest there?
A Paid Thomas G. Chung $1000 for my interest.
Q How many partners are there  in the firm of Thomas G. Chung Company?
A Only three.  Gage Wong, $1000, manager.  Myself, Jew Joe, $1000, buyer and salesman.  Thomas G. Chung, old manager, $1000, went to China about two months ago.
Q  Does your firm  keep a partnership book ?
A Yes ( Presents same, which is entirely in English and shows above names. )
Q Will you file a copy of your partnership list , together with photographs of the active partners, to be used as an exhibit in this case?
A  Yes, (Same filed herewith, marked "Exhibit A")
Q What is  the value of the stock on hand in your store at this time?
A  Only about $200 or $300. It is a produce business, and each morning we get in over $800 worth of fruits and vegetables, but sell most of it out the same day.
Q How much business  did your firm do last year ?
A About $200,000
Q What was the total profit made by your firm last year?
A  $5100
Q How was that profit divided ?
A Each partner got  $1700 as his share.
Q What rent do you pay?
A  Now in the new place $72  a month.  In the old place we paid $40 a month.
Q Does your firm pay salaries?
A Yes , I get $17 a week and Gage Wong gets the same.  We also  have four hired men who get $17 a week each.
Q Have you done any work outside the store during the past year?
A No, all the time work in the  store.
Q Is there a restaurant , loding house, laundry  or lottery run  in connection with your store?
A No.
Q Do you know any Chinese persons born in Los Angeles?
A  Yes, I know all the children of Hom Sich Chung, they were all born here, but I cannot state the dates of their birth.  Thomas G. Chung, my partner, is his son.
Q  Do you know any Chinese persons born elsewhere in the United States?
A No.
Q Can you testify to the facts surrounding the birth of any Chinese person anywhere in the United States?
A No , I cannot remember that.
Q Have you every been a witness for any Chinese person claiming birth in the United States?
A No
Q Have you understood the interpreter at all times during this examination?
A Yes.
(Tracing of signatures): Jew Joe ( In English and Chinese)

GAGE WONG ,  witness being first duly sworn, testified in English as follows:
Q State all your names?
A Gage Wong is my American name; Wong Hing Chung is my Chinese name. No other names.  Not married.
 Q How old are you?
A 22, born July 21, 1893, at Downey, California, on the Governor Gage Ranch, that is how I got my name.
Q Have you any documentary evidence of your birth?
A I have an affidavit of my  birth, but that is kept at Anaheim, California.
Q What is your father's name?
A Wong Sai Sing, died in Los Angeles , July 1908.
Q Your mother's name?
A Gin Shee,natural feet, died in Los Angeles, December 31, 1908.
Q Have you any brothers and sisters?
A Only one brother, no sisters.  My brother is Thomas Wong, American name and Wong Hung Sheung, Chinese name, 21 , born in Los Angeles. Now in China, went there with Thomas G. Chung, a couple of months ago.
Q Have you ever made any trips to China?
A No , sir.
Q What is your occupation and address?
A  Merchant and manager of Thomas G. Chung Co., 778 seventh Street, on the Central Avenue Los Angeles Terminal Wholesale Market, justed moved there last Monday from the Sixth street market, where our place used to be 117-118 Sixth street.
Q How many partners are there in the Thomas G. Chung Co.,
A Just three of us.  Thomas G. Chung, was manageer until he went to China , about two months ago, he has $1000 interest in the busines.  Myself, Gage Wong, $1000, manager.  Jew Joe, $1000, buyer and salesman.
Q What is the value off the stock on hand in your store?
A About $200 or $300.  In the morning we get a new stock , about $1000, and sell it alll out and ship it away. We have a produce commission business. Not much stock left at night.
Q How much business di the firm of Thomas G. Chung Co., do last year?
A Pretty close to $200,000.
Q How much profit was made last year?
A About $5100, little over .
Q How was that $5100 divided?
A Each partner received $1700 profits for last year.
Q What rent do you pay?
A On Seventh street market we have to pay $72 a month, on the Sixth street market we paid $40 a month.
Q Does your firm pay salaries?
A Yes , Jew Joe and I each get $17 a week . We have four hired men , and we pay them $17 a week each.
Q How long has Jew Joe been a member of your firm?
A Since September 1, 1916 , he bought  $1000 interest from Thomas G. Chung.
Q  How long have you been connected  with that firm?
A Since July 1, 1914.
Q Has Jew Joe done any work outside the store during the past year ?
A Not any.
Q Is there a restaurant, lodging house, laundry, or lottery run in connection with your store?
A No, it is located in on a public market.
Q Have you anything further to say?
A Not unless you ask me .
Q Do you know any Chinese persons born in Los Angeles?
A Yes , a good many of them , but  I cannot tell anything about it.
Q Do you know any Chinese persons born elsewhere in the United States?
A No.
Q Can you testify  to the facts surrounding the birth of any Chinese  persons born anywhere else in  the United States?
A No , I cannot say anything about that.
Q Have you appeared as a witness for any Chinese person claiming birth in the United States?
A No.
Q Have you understood all questions asked of you during this examination?
A Yes.

(Tracing of signatures): Gage Wong in English and Chinese.

U. S. Department of Labor
Immigration Service

Office of Inspector in Charge ,
Los Angeles, Cal.
April 19,1918

In  the matter of Leong Shee, wife and Jew Sun Yeaw and Jew Sun  Tong, alleged sons , of Jew Joe, a merchant of Los Angeles, I beg to report that I have conducted an ad interim investigation  regarding the mercantile status of the said Jew Joe, and herewith hand you record of same.

I find from the testimony in this case that said Jew Joe entered the firm of Thomas G. Chung Co., which is now located on the Seventh street market, having recently moved from the old Sixth street market, on September 1, 1916, and since said time he has done no work as a laborer, that he is at the present time a bona fide merchant.

The  firm of Thomas G. Chung, Co., is composed of but three members and is one of the largest wholesale produce dealers in the Los Angeles. Their stock, of course, varies, they securing a new stock each morning . No objectionable features were found at said store.
 (Signed)  W. A. Brazie, Chinese Inspector.

Friends in high places-Jue Joe returns to America in 1906

Recently I have been able to obtain the detailed immigration records of the Jue family's interrogation on Angel Island in 1918. Those records will be presented and discussed in future posts. In this post, I will  explore the story of Jue Joe's return to America in 1906. Studying immigration history and the  history of the Chinese Exclusion Acts , I have always been puzzled about how easy it was for Jue Joe to return in 1906.
The Scott Act of 1888  was an amendment to the original Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.  The Scott Act strictly prohibited any Chinese laborer residing in the United States from returning to the United States after leaving the country.

"Fiftieth Congress, Session 1, CHAP. 1O64. An act a supplement to an act entitled "An act to execute certain treaty stipulations relating to Chinese," approved the sixth day of May eighteen hundred and eighty-two.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repesentatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That from and after the passage of this act, it shall be unlawful for any chinese laborer who shall at any time heretofore have been, or who may now or hereafter be, a resident within the United States, and who shall have departed, or shall depart, therefrom, and shall not have returned before the passage of this act, to return to, or remain in, the United States.

SEC. 2. That no certificates of identity provided for in the fourth and fifth sections of the act to which this is a supplement shall hereafter be issued; and every certificate heretofore issued in pursuance thereof is hereby declared void and of no effect, and the chinese laborer claiming admission by virtue thereof shall not be permitted to enter the United States."

1888 Scott Act: Congress prohibited all Chinese laborers who left the United States, or who in the future would choose to leave, from reentering.  The Scott Act canceled all previously issued “certificates of return,” meaning that 20,000 Chinese laborers then overseas who held these certificates could not return to the United States.  The Supreme Court recognized that the act abrogated U.S.-China treaty obligations, but nonetheless upheld the act’s validity, reasoning that Congress had absolute authority to exclude aliens

The Scott Act was later amended by treaty with China to allow certain laborers to travel and return if they obtained a special return certificate from their port of departure. They were required to prove they had a  spouse, parents or children who were legal residents of the United States or $1000 in property or debts owed to them .   These special return certificates were for travel  not exceeding one year. No returning laborer would be allowed entry without one of these return certificates in their posssesion , nor were they allowed to remain  abroad for more then one year except for severe extenuating circumstances such as "loathsome or contagious disease." I am sure Jue Joe was aware of these laws, however Jue Joe did not request any such return certificate at the time of his departure.  He was not intending to just make a trip of less than one year to China. He was planning to marry and raise a family and remain forever in China.
As we have seen in previous posts , his plans to do so depended on his brother maintaining the family farming and produce business in Los Angeles and sending money back home to China. When Jue Joe's  brother, Jue Shee, sold the business and left with the money,  Jue Joe realized that he would have to return to American without his family to remake his fortune.
There was one very big problem.  There was absolutely no way for him to do so legally! He had left the United States as a laborer without a return certificate and now would be returning as a returning laborer which was expressly prohibited by United States law then in effect.
How did he do so?  My father has told me that  his father (San Tong) had told him that Jue Joe was able to return as a merchant in 1906, one  of the protected classes under the law.  Was this true?  Even though, the National Archives has misplaced Jue Joe's original immigration file, the records of the 1918 investigation refer to that immigration file and it's contents and clarify the story of  Jue Joe's 1906 immigration status.  Also my Auntie Soo-Jan kindly supplied me with a fascinating 1906 Los Angeles Immigration document  in which shortly after landing in 1906 and allowed entry, Jue Joe applies for a duplicate certificate of identity.  In 1906, a certificate of identity was required of all Chinese residing in the United States whether laborer, merchant , or student or other class.  Not possessing such a certifcate could be grounds for deportation.  Jue Joe does not have his original certificate of identity on return in 1906 nor any return certificate specifying that he was in the exempt class of return laborers.  Jue Joe not only does not have his original certificate of identity  or return certifcate with him on his return in 1906 but he returns as a " overtime laborer" having exceeded the one year limit on travel for any exempted returning laborer.   Despite all of this he is shortly "landed" ,which is  immigration parlance for being allowed entry to the United States, on "instructions  in a Departmental telegram".  Such a telegram must have specified that Jue Joe was in the exempt class of laborers when he departed in 1902 and that he intended to return in one year  despite not having any return certificate in his possession,but because of special circumstances out of his control exceeded the one year limit and would be landed as an "overtime laborer".  These special circumstances were usually only for severe contagious illness or physical disability preventing return. I wish we had the original immigration files to understand  more completely why Jue Joe was allowed to land  but the facts are clear that  he was allowed entry and relatively swiftly ( he was held in detention on the S.S. Mongolia for 10 days prior to being admitted ). Soon after being permitted to reenter  the  United States he was granted a duplicate certificate of identity and stated his occupation as farmer (one of the classes prohibited from immigrating or reentering after leaving the country).  To me that means that there must have been some pulling of strings in the background . Friends in high places ?  Yes, indeed!!

Los Angeles, Cal. March 20, 1906
Inspector J.H. Jenkins
Stenographer J.J. Brady

in re Jew Joe , applicant for duplicate certificate
Jew Joe, sworn.

Q What is your name?
A Jew Joe
Q How many names are you known by?
A Just Jew Joe
Q How old are you ?
A 51
Q Where do you live?
A El Monte
Q What is your business?
A Farmer
Q Did you register?
A Yes, sir
Q In what year, month and day did you register?
A I was 38 years old , in 1892 or '93
Q Did the certificate that you first got in 1892 or '93 have a picture on it?
A No , no picture; the first one no picture, but that no good I no keep , throw it away.
Q When did you register the second time ?
A K.S. 18 or 19 ; got a picture that time .
Q What became of that certificate?
A I left it in the custom house when I went to China
Q Where at ?
A San Francisco. I go home to China they keep my certificate and give me another ticket and if I come back ,everything they keep down there
Q Are you sure you left your certificate with the Chinese Bureau at San Francisco?
A Yes, sir.
Q In what year was that ?
A I was 47 years old when I went home , coming 48 K. S. 28, 1st day, 4th Moon (May 8,1902)
Q When did you return from that trip to China?
A This year
Q What month and day?
A Chinese January 3, K.S. 31, I come to San Francisco, and I come to land on the 13th ; I stay on the boat ten days .
Q What boat?
A "Mongolia"
Q And you are sure you never registered but one time?
A One , that's all
Q Where were you living at the time you registered?
A St. Helena, Napa County
Q Where were you living when you threw the first certificate away?
A In Napa county. Time have to register second time every people say first one no account and I no keep, I throw it away .

Signed , Jew Joe


United States Immigration Service , Chinese Division

April 30,1918

17110/10-2,10-3,10-4

Leong Shee, Jew Sun Yew and Jew Sun Teong

Inspector: J.B. Sawyer

Interpreter: C.Richards

Stenographer: E.C. Benson

Statement of alleged husband and father, Sworn

Q Have you any identification papers?

A  Witness presents certificate of residence No. 143657, issued in lieu of certificate No. 130256 and signed F.F. Sargent, Commissioner General of Immigration, Washington D.C. This certificate issued in the name of Jew Joe, age 39, residence,St.Helena, California, occupation, farmhand; height 5ft-7 1/2 inches; no marks of identification; dated Sacramento, California, May 3,1894.

Inspector's note:  Our record No. 10093/29 shows the landing of Jew Joe as an overtime laborer of Los Angeles, ex. S. S. Mongolia, January 26, 1906, landed on instructions in Departmental telegram of February 6,1906. The record shows that Jew Joe departed for China, May 9,1902, by S.S. Nippon Maru.  This record contains no photograph of the person to whom it refers, but the records identifies said person with certificate of residence 143557 which has already been identified with the witness.  Consequently, I am of the opinion the record under consideration is that of the present witness.

Jue Shee and the Chinese Mission Schools

Recently my Auntie Soo-Jan has studied the record of the 1918 immigration interview of Jue Joe. This interview was conducted as part of the immigration investigation concerning Jue Joe's wife and sons at Angel Island.  I will post much more about those immigration records in a later post. For now we will concentrate on a comment from Jue Joe's interview about his younger brother Jue Shee : "The third son is Jew See, 53 ot 54 years old.  He lives in the village with his wife.  Can't remember her name or if they have children.  He studied English in this country about 20 years in Los Angeles, Pasadena and Pomona.  He went to China from Paris, France."
In the previous post we have discussed the mystery of Jue Shee's education career. Jue Joe's interview is an additional clue that helps us understand Jue Shee's story in more detail.  I originally surmised that Jue Shee had got his initial English language education in missionary schools in China. I now believe that he actually got this education in  Los Angeles and Pasadena before enrolling in high school level classes at Pomona College.
 When did Jue Shee  immigrate? I think it was after Jue Joe was in Los Angeles and established his farming operations. My best guess would be sometime in the 1890's probably early 1890's . Did Jue Shee speak some English when he immigrated?  Maybe , maybe not.
What was he doing ? My best guess is that Jue Joe would have trained his younger brother  to work in the Los Angeles end of the business selling the produce there while he himself  would be at the ranch . Jue Joe established early on the need for family at the produce market and then family at the ranch. It was a pattern he would continue for years. Whether or not Jue Shee spoke English he would have to learn quickly to be effective in the produce market.
How did he learn English and how did he get educated? The big clue is in the discovery of Jue Joe 's comment that Jue Shee was educated in Los Angeles, Pasadena and Pomona . We already know that he went to Pomona in 1904 and enrolled in high school there . Education is linear and we can assume that Pomona was the pinnacle of Jue Shee's educational career,so he must have had grade school type education somewhere else to be accepted into the college prep school. The clue is in the educational careers of the two other Chinese university educated students that I have discussed earlier.
Both Walter Fong and Fong Sec were educated at missionary schools in the United States that catered to Chinese immigrants in the late 19th century. These missionary schools were havens for the Chinese in the late 19th century. Subject to fierce discrimination and persecution these missionary schools took the Chinese boys and men and provided them with English language and grade school type education while converting them to the Christian religion . These schools did not cooperate with immigration authorities. They protected the Chinese men who went there whether they had immigrated legally or illegally. Did such schools exist in Los Angeles and Pasadena and what denominations were they? Most interesting is Jue Shee's Pomona transcript where he lists his religious denomination as "cong. m." I think that refers to the Congregational church and the m. the Methodist church.
How did he become a Christian and a Congreationalist and Methodist ??? It looks like in the late 19th century the Congregational Church had an active mission in Los Angeles giving classes in English and other subjects to Chinese men while converting them to Christiantiy. A similar Chinese mission was run by the Methodist church at the same time in Pasadena. These missions were usually run by Caucasian women of the middle or upper class who felt called to help the Chinese. The photo posted above is dated about 1890. It is of the Chinese Mission School of the Congregational Church located in Los Angeles Chinatown. The photo and a fascinating discussion of  it's context and implications can be found here.
I think Jue Shee's education was long and drawn out because of his need to work on the produce side of the family business in Los Angeles at the same time he was getting his education in the missionary schools . Remember Pomona is a Congregational church sponsored university . Like Fong Sec, Jue Shee would have been educated in missionary schools in Los Angeles and Pasadena and the teachers there would have helped him get into the Pomona prep school just like the missionary teachers helped Fong Sec get into Pomona. The Christian missionary schools were true refuges for these young Chinese men. 
The Congregational Church through the American Missionary Association was at the forefront in protesting the discriminatory attitude and legislation of the times directed against Chinese immigrants.  A great article about the  role of the Congreational Church  in creating mission schools can be found here.
"Congregational purists like Lyman Abbott rejected all restrictions. He asked, "By what right do the children of the immigrants of 1620 say to the immigrants of 1880, 'You shall not set foot upon this soil?' By what right do the sons of the Pilgrim Fathers say to the pilgrims of this generation, 'You shall keep off?'"(26) At the thirty-third annual meeting of the AMA, in 1879, the Chinese Missions committee reported:
We would utter, therefore, our solemn protest as an Association against the discriminating legislation of State or nation, and the insults and wrongs of individuals, by which the lives of the Chinese among us have been vexed and the name of the Christian religion has been dishonored. And we would urge this Association to lead the van in arousing public sentiment against the wrongs already inflicted as now threatened, and to prosecute its work of evangelization among them, until the Chinese shall be as undisturbed in America as immigrants from other lands. The cry that the Chinamen must go is unworthy of our nation and our religion.(27)"
"By 1892 there were at least 271 schools or missions sponsored by numerous denominations. An 1876 Congregational report argued: "For bringing the Chinese within our reach, no other plan compares with this of proffering to them instruction in the English language. These thus attracted are, in general, and by a process of natural selection, the choice spirits, most eager for knowledge, and thus most open to impression."(30) Congregationalists often said that they were "baiting the Gospel hook with the English alphabet."(31)
In its first annual report the CCM boasted that it had 1,500 students enrolled in thirteen mission schools throughout California. There were three schools in San Francisco and ten more schools, one each, in Antioch, Eureka, Los Angeles, Oakland, Oroville, Petaluma, Sacramento, San Leandro, Santa Barbara, and Stockton. Later schools were founded in Marysville, Suisun, Visalia, Woodland, Tucson, San Diego, Fresno, Ventura, Pasadena, Riverside, Santa Cruz, Berkeley, and Bakersfield.(33)
Congregational missions never required their teachers to learn Chinese because, argued Pond, the object of the schools was not to train the intellect, but to save the soul. The Chinese were eager to learn English and even risked becoming Christian. The CCM relied on Chinese helpers and "close hand-to-hand teaching," making less use of books and tracts than did other missions. Even if the missionaries could speak Chinese, Congregationalists believed that it was better to let recent Chinese converts speak from their own experience.(34)"
For the Chinese it was not always easy. Lee San Hong, a Chinese mission worker in San Diego, recalled how his friends ridiculed him when he became a Christian. "The Chinese made fun of me, calling me a Jesus Boy. After I was baptized by immersion they asked me if the water was wet. I thought my father in China would not like it, so I did not tell him for a long time. When they [in China] saw my photograph with my queue off they called me a monk."(35)"

Here is a nice article about the Los Angeles Chinese Mission School run by the Congregational Church.(Picture of this school is attached at the head of this post).
"By 1890 there was a Los Angeles Congregational mission for the Chinese but the
directors lamented the discouragement they felt about the city. Nineteen years
before, a Congregational deacon from Los Angeles related that on his way home
from midweek prayer meeting he saw 18 Chinese hanged by vigilantes. In 1892 the
California Chinese Mission reported that it had cut off funds for a Los Angeles
project but the local residents refused to die and had obtained help from First
Church of Los Angeles. By 1895-1896, the Los Angeles mission to the resident
Chinese could count 38 adults enrolled in the Congregational Association, 15
youths in the Christian Endeavor Society and a total of more than $300 was given
for benevolences.
Obviously the primary advantage for the Chinese in a Christian afternoon or
evening school came from the chance to become assimilated. So the school of
adult education became the enticement to join some Christian Church. By August
of 1891 the Congregational school for Chinese in Los Angeles could claim 122
students who had enrolled, eleven of whom had publicly declared they had given
up idol worship. Mrs. C. A. Sheldon and Low (or Loo) Ying were in charge that
year. Many found the classes of lasting value. "

A similar mission school was established by the Methodists in Pasadena and ran for many years. Here is a timeline of the Chinese community in Pasadena.

"1885 Shortly after its establishment, the First Congregational Church at 27 W. California Blvd. begins a ministry to Pasadena’s Chinese population
1885 On November 6, unemployed white laborers throw stones into Chinese laundry on Fair Oaks just south of Colorado, knocking over lanterns, and resulting in a fire. The next day, an ultimatum from town council bars Chinese from living in entire center section of the city as bounded by California Boulevard on the south and Mountain on the north.
1886 Part of Los Angeles Chinese quarter is burned in LA
1887 Methodist Episcopal Chinese Mission is established at 259 N. Marengo, where it operates until 1946"

The Methodist Chinese Mission school  in Pasadena was a  prominent part of the community there for many years.

The Mystery of Jue Shee

The more that we have learned about my great grand uncle Jue Shee, the more the mystery of his life has deepened. But understanding him is very important to understanding the story of our family. His actions and his choices changed forever the future of our clan. Our family has no pictures of him ( It turns out pictures we thought were him were not ). No one alive now ever met him. In fact we have only two tangible physical traces of his life.  There is this signature on a textbook, in Chinese with the letters J.S.

The other is his transcript from Pomona Prep School .

THE  FACTS
So what do you know for sure? We know that Jue Shee was born Sept 1867 in Sam Gong, Canton, China. He is 7 years younger then Jue Joe. Jue Joe in America sends money home while Jue Shee is growing up. Jue Joe brings Jue Shee over in the late 19th century. In 1902 Jue Joe leaves his business in the produce market and farm to his younger brother. The agreement is that the younger brother will manage and run the business and send some of the proceeds back to Jue Joe in China regularly. Jue Joe plans to marry and start a family and never return. Jue Shee enrolls in Pomona College Prep school in Sept 1904 taking classes in high school level chemistry and english literature but drops out after only three months in December of 1904. In 1905 Jue Shee leaves the United States for Paris, France and then turns up in Harbin Manchuria, working ultimately for the Ford Motor Company there. He sells the Jue Joe business and takes the proceeds of the sale without telling Jue Joe. Jue Joe no longer receives any money from Jue Shee and discovers that his farming operations and produce business have been sold to a Jewish man with a produce stall next to his in the market. He does not know the whereabouts of his brother and returns in 1906 to the United States leaving his young wife and two baby boys in China in order to rebuild his business in America. Meanwhile the wife and two sons hear nothing about their husband and father until 1915 when Jue Shee suddenly turns up in the village. He brings with him a 10 year old son and stories of having graduated from Pomona and then Berkeley with a PhD in mining engineering. He tells the family that Jue Joe is still alive and living in Los Angeles. He raises havoc for his sister- in -law, tearing up the yard looking for minerals and then building a large two story library. He seems unbalanced and strange to his sister- in- law, Leong Shee. Having reconnected with her husband, Jue Joe, Leong Shee begs him to send for her and the boys. She leaves China  in 1918 , her two boys in tow bound for San Francisco, their passage arranged by Jue Joe. During an interview with immigration authorities in 1918, Jue Joe says this of his brother: "The third son is Jew See, 53 ot 54 years old. He lives in the village with his wife. Can't remember her name or if they have children. He studied English in this country about 20 years in Los Angeles, Pasadena and Pomona. He went to China from Paris, France."

THE RESEARCH
Despite extensive research there is no record of Jue Shee's name on immigration documents or ship passenger manifests consistent with his immigration and departure dates. This is quite odd because of the strict enforcement of the Chinese exclusion act and the extensive immigration documentation at the time. This leads us to assume that perhaps Jue Shee used a false name , like many Chinese immigrants did at the time.
Later, Jue Joe  brought over another  relative as a "paper son". Is it possible that he arranged for his brother's immigration in the same way, as a "paper son" of a merchant friend with a different surname?

There is no record of Jue Shee ever attending UC Berkeley. The only record at Pomona is the transcript attached above. On the transcript his religion is noted as Congregational. He takes courses in chemistry and english literature for 3 months and then is gone, dropping his classes. Auntie Soo-Yin remembers seeing some very esoteric and complex engineering textbooks in the Jue Joe ranch with dates in the late 1890's .  Auntie Soo Yin hears from her father stories of Jue Shee and a couple of college student friends of his  attending a movie premiere at the Orpheum theatre in Los Angeles and arranging for legal representation to allow them to break the "No Chinese Allowed "edict of the theatre. 

Researching Jue Shee's supposed educational credentials, I came across the compelling stories of  Fong Sec and Walter Fong, both Berkeley Alumni.The stories that Jue Shee tells later in life of his own academic career in America are remarkably similar to the real life academic careers of Fong Sec and Walter Fong. Fong Sec begins his education at Pomona Prep school in 1897 exactly as Jue Shee does 7 years later.  Fong Sec is about the same age as Jue Shee. Meanwhile,Walter Fong graduates from Stanford in 1896 and in 1898 enters the minining engineering program at Berkeley as a graduate student. He also is the same age as Fong Sec and Jue Shee. Walter Fong graduates from Berkeley in 1903 with an M.A. in Oriental Language. Fong Sec begins his Berkeley education as a sophmore in in the 1902-1903 academic year, so Fong Sec's Berkeley time and Walter Fong's time at Berkeley overlap. In 1903 Walter Fong is vice president of the Orientals club, a club at Berkeley for students of Asian descent. The story that Jue Shee tells in China of his own academic career, graduating from Pomona College and then going on to UC Berkeley to get his degree in mining engineering is sort of an amalgm of the academic careers of  Fong Sec and Walter Fong. The number of Chinese students in Berkeley and Pomona at this time was extermely small. In fact Walter Fong and Fong Sec may have been the only Chinese students in their colleges. It was indeed a very small world and it stands to reason that these students would know of each other.

Jue Shee begins his own aborted college prep classes at Pomona Prep in 1904, having originally immigrated in the late 19th century when Walter Fong and Fong Sec were attending college. All three men were of Cantonese descent from Southern China. If Jue Shee was interested in ultimately attending Pomona College and talked to Pomona College representatives, he must have been introduced to Fong Sec. Fong Sec was the first Chinese student to attend Pomona. I believe that Fong Sec must have been acquainted with William Fong. They both immigrate at around the same time. Their early life stories were remarkably similar,receiving initial education by Christian missionary schools in the United States. They have the same surname. Both initially came from Northern California and both attended Berkeley and both attended the University at the same time in 1903. Did they know each other ? I think most certainly they did. If Jue Shee had made contact with Fong Sec, he could have been  introduced to William Fong through Fong Sec.

Both Fong Sec and Walter Fong received education in Christian mission schools in the United States before attending college prep schools and ultimately receiving a University education. For Jue Shee to enroll in Pomona College Prep in 1904 he would have had to have had some evidence of previous education and recommendations. Why did he use his real name at Pomona?  I think the answer lies in the fact that  he received his English language education in Christian mission schools in Los Angeles and Pasadena where it was safe to use his real name without fear of his status being revealed to authorities.
Why did  Jue Shee delay his college education until 1904 when we know he immigrated in the late 19th century? My theory is that Jue Joe was eager to train his brother in running the farming and produce market operations so he could leave and return to China. I think it is probable that Jue Joe and Jue Shee decided that Jue Shee would work in the family business until Jue Joe left for China and then begin his college education with funds from the business, as well as sending money back home to Jue Joe. Meanwhile, Jue Shee would continue his education in the evenings and on weekends at the Christian missionary schools in Los Angeles and Pasadena. The business which was quite successful at the time would have  provided ample funds for both men to realize their dreams, Jue Shee of pursuing a college education in America and Jue Joe of marrying, starting a family and living comfortably in his home village back in China.

We know that Jue Shee did start his education at Pomona in September of 1904 but dropped out in December of 1904. He sold the family business immediately thereafter in 1905 and left for Paris, France and then ended up in  Harbin, Manchuria in that year. He did not tell his brother of this and stopped sending money to his brother and kept all the money from the sale for himself. Why the abrupt sale of the business and betrayal of his brother?

THE THEORY
Auntie Soo-Yin and myself have discussed a number of  theories to explain the facts and the result of our research. I think we will never know for sure the "real" story.

What follows is a historically based fiction about Jue Shee's life that fits the known facts. I have decided to include Fong Foo Sec and Walter Fong in this historical fiction because their stories are compelling and in many ways their stories match the fictional story Jue Shee weaved about himself for all to hear. Did Jue Shee really know Fong Sec and Walter Fong ? We will never really know. But he could have and that is enough for me for this diversion into fiction.


ONCE UPON A TIME
Jue Shee  was the  younger brother of Jue Joe . Jue Joe who was working in America. Jue Joe arranged for his brother to immigrate to the United States in the late 19th century.  Because of the Chinese exclusion act, Jue Shee could not immigrate under his real name and immigrated as a "paper son" using a false name. Jue Joe arranges for this with one of his friends in the Chinese community who is a merchant ( one of the classes allowed to immigrate). Arriving in  America , Jue Shee is trained in the family farming and produce operations. Jue Shee is  eager to learn English and enrolls in classes at Christian missionary schools in Los Angeles and Pasadena. His real ambition is to attend an American university. He has heard about Pomona University from his missionary teachers in China and goes to Pomona and meets the only Chinese student there, Fong Foo Sec. Fong Sec is about the same age as Jue Shee and tells him his life story and how he is studying in the Pomona college prep school with hopes to enroll in Pomona university and then to go to the University of California, Berkeley.  Through Fong Sec, Jue Shee meets Walter Ngon Fong , the first Chinese student to graduate from Stanford and now a graduate student in mining at UC Berkeley. All three men are about the same age and all born in China and Cantonese and English speaking. Mining engineering is the career that Jue Shee wants for himself and he is eager to hear from Walter Fong all about mining. Walter Fong is quite a fellow, married to a white woman, president of the Chinese Revolutionary Party in America and a lawyer as well as a mining engineering student! In 1898 Jue Shee arranges for the three of them to go to the Orpheum Theatre for a movie premiere. He knows that Chinese are not allowed but has arranged in advance for legal representation to force the owners to desegregate the the theatre. Walter Fong ultimately decides to change from mining to the Department of Oriental languages and gives Jue Shee some of his mining engineering texts. Much later Auntie Soo Yin sees some of these books in the library at the Jue Joe ranch.

Jue Joe and Jue Shee discuss his plans to become an educated man like Fong Sec and Walter Fong.  Jue Shee has been an eager student taking English classes at the mission schools in Los Angeles and Pasadena. Jue Joe however, is eager to train his brother in farming and produce market operations as soon as possible and prepare his brother to take over the business. The two agree that Jue Shee will delay his college education until after Jue Joe leaves for China. Jue Shee works with Jue Joe in the farming and produce operations but remains friends with Fong Sec and Walter Fong and follows their careers and academic adventures. His dream is to ultimately follow in their footsteps.

In 1902 Jue Joe leaves for China, leaving his business with his brother. Jue Shee is ready to realize his real dream of following in the footsteps of Fong Sec and Walter Fong and getting an American University education.Finally in 1904 he enrolls at Pomona Prep School and has subordinates running the farming and produce market operations for him. Unfortunately, the reality of  taking high school level classes at age 37 along side young kids over 20 years his junior must have been humilating to him. Being probably the only Chinese in the classroom and an ancient guy at that, he must have been the butt of jokes. Jue Shee realizes that there is at least 8 to 10 years more of this  before he can get a degree, a very long road indeed for a 37 year old man.  The alternative of spending the rest of his life as a farmer and produce merchant sending money back to his brother is also a bit too much to bear.  But there is another choice. His neighbor in the produce market, a Jewish merchant has offered many times to buy him out. Jue Shee sees his way out. He will sell everything and  leave the US for  China and make his fortune there. He will not tell his brother. Does he feel guilty for selling out his brother's business? Probably not. He feels his brother has enough already. He has gone home, and married and should be able to fend for himself without the extra money. Now it is time for Jue Shee to get on with his own life!  American dollars will be worth a lot in China. The question is where to go?

Harbin, Manchuria !  It is  1905 just after the Russo-Japanese war and Harbin is bustling and full of foreign companies. This is far enough away from Jue Joe that Jue Shee will feel safe from having to deal with his brother finding out where he is . His bilingual English and Chinese skills and his ability to read and write will stand him in good stead. So Jue Shee abruptly drops his Pomona classes in December of 1904. He sells the business and in early 1905 leaves first for Paris, France . It has been a big dream of his to visit Europe and Paris.  After visiting Paris he will go to Harbin where he ultimately lands a job with the Ford Motor company.

 Like all returning Gold Mountain men he wants to be a " big man" in China ,so like other returning Chinese before him, he will weave a story about his life in America, a story based on the lives of Fong Sec and Walter Fong. Yes he did attend Pomona college , he graduated there and then went to Berkeley and got a  PHD in mining engineering but because of discrimination he was unable to find work in the United States and ended going back to China. That is what he told family and friends and they believed him. Maybe he ultimately starts even believing a little bit of the fiction himself. He has read enough about mining to know how to dig and find precious metals. Ultimately in Harbin he gets married and has a boy, but his dream is still to return to the village and  become rich. He has heard from friends in America that lo and behold his brother has returned to the United States without his family to try to rebuild his fortune. So it is safe for Jue Shee to return to the village, which he does in 1915  and turns his sister- in -law, Leong Shee's life upside down digging up the yard looking for minerals and building a two story library and acting unbalanced !
 THE END   ( or perhaps the beginning ?)

In many ways the choices that Jue Shee made are pivotal to the story of our family in America. Without Jue Shee selling out his brother's business and stealing the money , the Jue Joe clan would have remained in China. Jue Joe , Leong Shee , and San Tong would have stayed in China and we would not all be here in America !!!  So while  Jue Shee may have been a scoundrel, we can thank this scoundrel for putting into action the events that caused Jue Joe to return to America and ultimately to bring his wife and sons back here.

Auntie Soo Yin :
I believe that you are on point!  It all fits together, now...
Ah Gung did mention that the Jewish wholesaler had always admired and had envied Jue Joe's produce.  And the way Jue Shee thought and behaved, in your scenario, conforms with how oral history portrayed him in stories handed down from Jue Joe to San Tong, and to my siblings and I.  This is why Jue Joe could never forgive his brother...he felt his brother had betrayed him.  According to Ah Gung, Jue Joe seemed sore about this to the end of his life, but only as if his "little brother was very very naughty."  To Jue Joe, and to San Tong, blood was thicker than water.  Meaning that no matter how "naughty" one had been...one was still an integral part of the family.

Yet, it is this very betrayal that we have Jue Shee to thank for, as you've said...because BUT FOR Jue Shee's mischievious actions we would not have been born in America!  You are sooooo right to point this out, LOL, LOL!  I had a huge chuckle reading all your emails on the matter!       

ps. edited 6/7/2012    new research suggests that  Jue Shee was educated in Chinese Mission Schools  run by the Congregational and Methodist Churches in Los Angeles and Pasadena and that he first went to Paris France before Harbin.  See this post.  I have edited my comments above to reflect this new information.