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Post by chak on Nov 7, 2010 19:44:50 GMT -5
Does anyone know how to find information on Tin Chin and his family?
On the 1880 census, they are living at 734 Pacific St in San Francisco. He is a saloon keeper and was born about 1842 in China.
He is married to an M. Smith from England and they have 3 children:
Tin Harry Chin, age 5
George Chin, age 4
Mamie Chin, age 1
The only thing I know about my g-grandma is that her name is Mamie Chin and she was supposedly born in San Francisco about 1880. I am wondering whether this Tin Chin's daughter is my g-grandmother....
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Post by Ah Gin on Nov 9, 2010 3:16:40 GMT -5
chak,
I wonder if the address is 734 Pacific AVENUE, rather than Pacific Street, San Francisco. 734 Pacific Avenue is in SF Chinatown, where as Pacific Street is not in Chinatown.
regards, ah gin
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Post by chak on Nov 9, 2010 7:51:21 GMT -5
Hi Ah Gin,
That was the address on the census but I'm sure you're "wondering up the right avenue". I doubt they would have let him establish a Chinese liquor saloon anywhere else at that time. (And the house next to his had more than 20 Chinese lodgers, where else but in Chinatown...)
Carol
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baksha
Member
wongyen@comcast.net
Posts: 105
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Post by baksha on Jan 13, 2011 19:30:15 GMT -5
Hi Chak,
sorry, I'm on holiday and not next to my resources....
1. Check with the Chinese Historical Society of America in San Francisco on Mamie Chin or any books on SF Chinatown, Chinese in America. Mamie's name rings a bells as a possible prominent community leader or as a member with the St. Mary's Catholic Church. SF.
2. I suggest that you look at the International Directory of Chinese Businesses published abt1902 for businesses listed for SF Chinatown. It was a subscriber based directory with listings with Chinese and English with addresses of the international establishments in the chinese communities.
3. The Special Collections at the SF Public Library has a SF Municipal map of c1885 Map of SF Chinatown with location & address, ie. opium dens, temples, goldsmiths, cigarmakers, bootmaking factories... quite interesting and don't know if the map is available by viewing the map on the internet.... That map is on 2 pages in Thomas Chinn's book "Bridging the Pacific" and not sure about saloons (?)
baksha/jing
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pete
Member
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Post by pete on Feb 8, 2011 2:22:38 GMT -5
I am a filipino grandson of a certain Chin Tek Yo ( if this spelling is right) Im looking for his parental lineage. He supposedly comes from Canton, but he uses the name YEE Kiam here in the Philippines. His mother is surnamed Yee. He was born 1905 and came here before the war. Can you help me please!
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Post by Doug 周 on Feb 8, 2011 5:00:26 GMT -5
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pete
Member
Posts: 4
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Post by pete on Feb 9, 2011 0:31:09 GMT -5
thanks a lot Doug, perhaps i should have to find an enormous time for this. nevertheless it is said, the journey of a thousand mile begins with a single step. these Chin and YEE surnames are my first step. unfortunately we have close relatives here WHO are using GOOYIT and Yap as surnames and these are siblings of my grandpa. We knew his uncle who brought them here as Chin Agim and one of his brother is Chin Ah Si. I don't know! But, thanks really!
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Post by Doug 周 on Feb 9, 2011 1:11:09 GMT -5
Pete, The time requirement is really the traveling to the relatives. If you have close relatives nearby, then initiate your inquiry to let them know you are in a research gathering mode. The information will come in hot and heavy, and you will quickly get writer's cramp from taking notes. Again, don't rely on your memory only. Look at the results of Steve in Researching Grand Father - Fong Sow~click. He found his jiapu~click within weeks, and across a continent! See Help required on Chinese ancestry-Images attached~click. His initial question was the same generic question as yours. The point is that the answers to your family heritage research is probably right next door. Try those ideas posted and take your time. Record what you do, and the puzzle will eventually fall into place. Again, repost your next set of obstacles in a new thread so others can find and answer your questions. There are some people on this forum who might know the nomenclature styles of the Chinese in the Philippines. Doug |
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Post by philiptancl on Feb 9, 2011 9:39:56 GMT -5
Pete,
Steve Fong already has his pedigree line for his family tree that spreads over a total of 36 generations. I have already compiled his pedigree chart that also includes his closest relatives remaining in China. If Steve Fong can give his permission and is willing to share what is already compiled for his pedigree tree, I could post it for other readers to see.
Philip
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pete
Member
Posts: 4
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Post by pete on Feb 10, 2011 4:54:08 GMT -5
thanks a lot to you Doug and Phillip, i hope to be able to accomplish something in the near future. your tips would help a lot! thanks again.
pete
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Post by Doug 周 on Feb 10, 2011 10:31:04 GMT -5
Good luck Pete,
Give us feedback. Make the sharing a two way street. I am sure during your research, you will discover things people in the forum never knew about. I have not read from anyone looking for their family heritage from the Philippines. And I bet there are Chinese-Filipino lurkers on this forum who are just as hungry and willing learn from your experience.
Sincerely,
Doug
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Post by Steve Fong on Feb 14, 2011 16:03:50 GMT -5
To Pete and other newcomers to the forum my quick progress has been possible with the friendly advice and expertise from those on here. Philip especially has been particularly helpful and Philip please feel free to share the research we have undertaken in respect of my family tree.
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Post by Doug 周 on Feb 15, 2011 13:02:09 GMT -5
Steve needs to take credit for doing the initial research. The people on this forum, despite the depth of knowledge and experience, can only help others overcome obstacles AFTER the inquirers have done their initial research. Much of the beginning of Chinese family heritage research requires looking for information from sources ONLY you know best, ie your immediate and extended family. No outsiders, professional or amateur, can interview your family as well as you can. Chinese parents living in foreign lands did not have the time and inclination of carrying on the tradition of ancestor reverence. Without the support of extended family, struggling with language issues, frequently within a hostile majority culture, and regardless of financial situation, it is unusual for the parents to discuss homeland life and ancestors back in China. Two examples best illustrating this are the similar statements about their parents by renown musician YoYo Ma~click and the statements of Doris Shoong Lee~click, daughter of the first Chinese millionaire in the USA, Joe Shoong. Even though our parents or grandparents may not be forthcoming in initially discussing their family heritage, it is important for researchers to tease this valuable information out of their ancestors. So, for the newcomers to the forum, do as Steve did: interview your nuclear and extended family. Let them know you are researching your Chinese family heritage. You will then get a lot of information, with which the forum members can further help you expand. IMHO Doug |
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Post by Steve Fong on Feb 16, 2011 11:36:04 GMT -5
Further to what Doug has mentioned it is sometimes difficult to bring up the past with family. In my case I feel it brought back painful memories to my elderly uncle who was born in England, UK. When he was about 7 years of age he was taken from England with his father back to the ancestral village. He thought he was going on a holiday but he was left with his fathers other family whilst his father returned back to England. He was broken hearted. I believe that due to war he was split up from this secondary family and had to fend for himself in China. He was unable to return to England until he was in his 20's and by that time his father had died. There were so many questions that my uncle had wished to ask but it was too late by then.
In spite of the above my uncle has been very supportive of my quest and has encouraged me no end. I can only emphasise what Doug has said above in that "No outsiders, professional or amateur, can interview your family as well as you can"
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Post by helen on Feb 17, 2011 1:16:30 GMT -5
How old is your Uncle Steve? His story sounds very familiar to ours in New Zealand. I am reading this interview of a Peruvian-born Chinese lady. Her story is in a similar era of my Mother In Law. She and her sister did the walk from Canton to HK and back agaib. Her son was born on the run from the Japanese. I hope you enjoy this very good interview. Isabel Wong-Vargas tinyurl.com/4cf7poy Philanthropy in Peru, China, and United States - WWII in China and H K; arranged marriage |
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