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May 23, 2013, 7:56pm

Chinese Genealogy :: Shop Talk :: Chinese genealogy :: South Bend Indiana Chinese laundry workers

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Topic: South Bend Indiana Chinese laundry workers (Read 291 times)

jrcisa
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South Bend Indiana Chinese laundry workers
« Thread Started on Jun 10, 2012, 2:27pm »

I have been trying to connect passenger lists & family info to find out how my 2 uncles & grandfather (surname Chin) arrived in the US. (under the surname "Mark", my grandmother's maiden name.)
All were in South Bend, Indiana around the early 1920s & worked in a laundry. According to one passenger list, the contact was "father, See Ning Mark, 416 Michigan St, which corresponds with the Long Kee laundry in the 1921 census. According to his immigration file, SeeNing either owned or worked in laundries. There were lots of Marks in South Bend (of all places) at the time. Does anyone have connections to that place & time?? The immigration file for this "grandfather" shows that he is not my true grandfather, but most likely a "paper" grandfather.

It's a long shot, but I've gotten lucky in the past. Thanks for any info!

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laohuaqiao
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Re: South Bend Indiana Chinese laundry workers
« Reply #1 on Jun 10, 2012, 3:43pm »

South Bend is not a big town. Check with the local library for archives of town newspaper for reports of your relatives. Births, marriages, deaths, new business openings, etc. were big news in the old days.

South Bend is also the home of University of Notre Dame. Perhaps the Center for Asian Studies in ND has some information on Chinese Americans in South Bend or can offer some suggestions on where to look.

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baksha
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Re: South Bend Indiana Chinese laundry workers
« Reply #2 on Jun 25, 2012, 7:33pm »

jrcisa,

I'm not sure if you've accessed their immigration files at the National Archives (NARA). If not, there is a regional branch in the Chicago area. Contact NARA before your visit to see if there is an immigration file for them there. You'll need their immigration names.

If your grandfather and uncles ever corrected their true surnameto Chin and US citizenship status through the "confession and amnesty" program, 1955-1965, then you'll be able to request their A-Files (Alien Files) through the www.USCIS.gov.org (US Citizenship and Immigration Service) by filing a FOIA (Freedom of Information/Privacy Act) request. Download Form G639. There is a copy fee, but very worthwhile it as the A-File is a treasure trove. It would contain the individual's complete immigration and naturalization history, plus photos, witness statements, and true family history.

If your relatives were born before 1911, those A-Files under their names may be searched through http:www.archives.gov/research/immigration/aliens/a-files-kansas-city.html. If found, follow the instructions for copies.
Also try: The National Archives. Archival Research Catalog (ARC).

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jrcisa
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Re: South Bend Indiana Chinese laundry workers
« Reply #3 on Jun 27, 2012, 10:31am »

Thank you baksha...Yes, I have submitted several requests under FOIA to the NRC for my uncles & parents in the last couple of months, but I am on a huge wait list for processing the requests. However, I've received various types of acknowledgements of my requests. Sometimes I get a NRC control number under the FOIA act and other times I've received form letters stating that genealogy requests are being handled differently now -"As of April 2008, the Naitonal Records Center no longer processes genealogy requests through the FIOA act and must go through their genealogy website: www.uscis.gov/genealogy." There are also two different payment processes as well. How confusing can you get? I have had limited success searching for their records at the online websites as well.

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mingdoi
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Re: South Bend Indiana Chinese laundry workers
« Reply #4 on Jun 27, 2012, 7:44pm »

America is so systematic. jrcisa, you should feel lucky that some documents lying somewhere will eventually provide your answers. Over in my place, Malaysia, too bad, there's absolutely no such records at all! That's why they named your place gold mountain and mine only southern ocean. Hang on, you'll get there.

Luckily, there is this forum. I have been searching through them for a few months looking for clues to my village in China, and just a week ago, I found a close family friend. Their grandparents knew my grandparents and we also knew each other as kids. But we lost contact when they migrated to Australia a long time ago. Then out of the blue, they were also trawling through the net looking for connections, and they found me here.

Now, I'm optimistic I'll find my village soon.

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helen
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Re: South Bend Indiana Chinese laundry workers
« Reply #5 on Jun 28, 2012, 12:50am »

Jun 27, 2012, 7:44pm, mingdoi wrote:

Luckily, there is this forum. I have been searching through them for a few months looking for clues to my village in China, and just a week ago, I found a close family friend. Their grandparents knew my grandparents and we also knew each other as kids. But we lost contact when they migrated to Australia a long time ago. Then out of the blue, they were also trawling through the net looking for connections, and they found me here.

Now, I'm optimistic I'll find my village soon.

well done - we're all in here to help each other.

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We shall pass this way but once All the good that can be done do it now. For we shall not pass this way again

Doug
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Re: South Bend Indiana Chinese laundry workers
« Reply #6 on Jun 28, 2012, 8:26am »

Jun 27, 2012, 7:44pm, mingdoi wrote:

America is so systematic....

Unless a minority is vociferous, the majority will neglect their needs. We need to thank baksha^click because several years ago it was her advocacy and organization which prevented the National Archives & Record Administration (NARA) from removing the San Francisco (San Bruno) Chinese Immigration files generated at Angel Island to some basement in Kansas City. That distance and lack of access would have eventually allowed these important Chinese American documents to be lost.

Baksha's work, her knowledge of these governmental papers, along with the associated Alien Files (A-Files) and the steps to obtain them via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) make her a valuable resource for our genealogy community.

Click on her profile and search her posts for a compendium of advice on how to obtain these files. She used to have the ID jing^click, through which you can find even more of her posts.

IMHO

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Lack of Chinese language skills should not deter one from studying their Chinese Family Heritage~^click

jrcisa
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Re: South Bend Indiana Chinese laundry workers
« Reply #7 on Jun 28, 2012, 3:50pm »

Yes, I agree with all of you who have generously shared your knowledge and encouragement. I have been researching my paternal history since the spring. Through persistence & luck, I've learned a lot. Like you Mingdoi, I also encountered a newly found relative on this forum & it's been a very interesting "trip" so to speak. Thank you everyone!

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baksha
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Re: South Bend Indiana Chinese laundry workers
« Reply #8 on Jun 29, 2012, 12:56am »

Thanks Doug for recognizing my contribution to ethnic genealogy and our Chinese community in the states. It was not my sole act of advocacy to save and urge preservation for the A-Files these last 14 years but through working with a dedicated team of executive directors here in California (Chinese Historical Society of America, Angel Island Immigration Station Ftd., National Japanese American Historical Society, San Francisco State University. Asian American Studies and my colleague, Jennie Lew under our grassroots organization "Save Our National Archives" (SONA) that we managed to create several letter and email writing campaigns, allianced with other historical and genealogical societies, met with USCIS and NARA officials. SONA working closely with the late Congressman Tom Lantos who lent his voice and influence towards preservation and Congresswoman Jackie Speier to complete the circle and make the impossible a reality. As a result, in 2009, the two agencies finally agreed to preserve and make accessible 1/2 million A-Files for ALL ETHNIC IMMIGRANTS to the U.S. for those who were born 100 years ago at the National Archives at Kansas City (All state except Northern CA) and San Francisco (Northern CA). To read more google search the A-Files. The latest method to search the 100 birthdate A-Files, go into www.archives.gov. ARC (Archives Research Catalog. Search: Alien Files person's name). Check periodically for your relative as the National Archives will be receiving A-Files from time to time. Thanks jrcisa, that everyone with birthdates under 100 years, will need to go through USCIS.genealogy.
Jeanie Low
SONA Communications Co-chair

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