msen
Member
Posts: 59
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Post by msen on Feb 12, 2013 18:23:16 GMT -5
Need help in using the very few clues that I know for sure. My Chinese father went by the name of Chuck Sen and had a Chinese laundry in Brooklyn, New York, around the 1940s and 1950s. I only lived with both my parents (my mother was German) until I was two years old. He died around 1960 and his cousins or perhaps brothers came to see him one last time (he was very ill) and to make arrangements for burial. However, their last name was something like Sien. They told another relative that this name, Sien, was the real name but my father used Sen because a clerk had dropped the letter and so he kept using it. I find no census records or any vital documents but my older biological sister knows that he came from Canton, China and maybe the village was Ping Ling. One of the cousins was Jimmy Sien, who later died in Hong Kong. Can anyone offer any direction or connections with such few clues? Thank you for any advice you can offer.
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Post by laohuaqiao on Feb 12, 2013 18:56:03 GMT -5
One place to look for that information is on your father's tombstone. Is there any Chinese inscription? That would have his Chinese name and place of birth.
In case you don't know the location of his grave, search the city records for his death certificate based on the year and approximate date of his death. I think the certificate should contain information that would lead you to the cemetery and funeral home which handled the service. The funeral home, if it was Chinese and still in business, would have some info in Chinese of your father.
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msen
Member
Posts: 59
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Post by msen on Feb 12, 2013 20:04:18 GMT -5
Thank you for such a quick reply. I will try that although NY does not post vital for 70 years, I believe. So I will write to the NY Health Dept archives. Thanks so much.
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Post by laohuaqiao on Feb 12, 2013 22:45:40 GMT -5
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msen
Member
Posts: 59
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Post by msen on Feb 13, 2013 10:07:38 GMT -5
Per the NYC vital records site, I am sending the snail mail application since they will need to do a search for several years. Looks like it could take 30-60 days for a response. Are there any other suggestions while I am waiting on the death certificate? Does anyone know if the name Sen or Sien links back to Canton China? Thanks.
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Post by lachinatown on Feb 13, 2013 10:51:01 GMT -5
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msen
Member
Posts: 59
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Post by msen on Feb 13, 2013 22:39:19 GMT -5
I have just now looked and will need to do more work to find the original surname. It is sad that so many have lost their real names. I appreciate this site and am amazed at all the direction given. I'll post when I find more info. Thank you!
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Post by FayChee on Feb 14, 2013 4:52:54 GMT -5
This may not help, but a quick search in the Ancestry.com database brought up this record (New York State Passenger and Crew List 1917-1973) from the National Archives. You may be able to order his immigration records if it is your dad. New York State, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1917-1973 Name: Chuck Sen Age: 25 Birth Date: abt 1895 Arrival Date: 18 Oct 1920 Port of Arrival: New York Ship Name: Essequibo Attachments:
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Post by laohuaqiao on Feb 14, 2013 11:52:59 GMT -5
msen, If your father's burial was handled by a Chinese funeral home in the 1960s, I think his grave is very likely to be in Evergreens Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY (718) 455-5300. It's worth a try to give them a call.
Also find-a-grave websites do return one result for "Chuck Sen". They require a fee for membership, I don't know how reliable they are. Perhaps others here can comment.
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msen
Member
Posts: 59
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Post by msen on Feb 14, 2013 21:23:38 GMT -5
@faychee Wow, that is amazing since I thought I had checked Ancestry! Yes, I will request his immigration record, since I have so little to go by and have never seen his name except on an old census. Great clue, thanks!
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msen
Member
Posts: 59
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Post by msen on Feb 14, 2013 21:52:23 GMT -5
I do not see the "Chuck Sen" in the find-a-grave website but perhaps there is more than one site with that name? because there is no charge to search the records. I will double check again. Did not know that Evergreen might be the one so thanks for the phone number, I will call, and post results.
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Post by FayChee on Feb 15, 2013 0:54:56 GMT -5
I checked Evergreen Cemetery (where my dad is buried) and did not find a Chuck Sen. I also did another search in Ancestry and came up with another Chuck Sen (which may not be your father). Nevertheless, here is the information: New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 Name: Chuck Sen Arrival Date: 19 Aug 1931 Birth Date: abt 1871 Birth Location: China Birth Location Other: Canton Age: 60 Gender: Male Ethnicity/ Nationality: Chinese Port of Departure: Kingston, Jamaica Port of Arrival: New York, New York Ship Name: Zacapa Attachments:
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Post by FayChee on Feb 15, 2013 1:09:56 GMT -5
These are all the people named 'Sen' and 'Sien' listed in the Evergreens Cemetery database in Brooklyn, NY
ENG NEW SEN
1951-10-11 (burial date)
369567
LEE KIM SEN
1945-03-05
344826
LUM LICK SEN
1953-04-09
375619
NG KWONG SEN
1970-08-31
455612
PEARL W. SIEN
2003-08-01
521922
SIMON M SIEN
1981-02-04
480969
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Post by laohuaqiao on Feb 15, 2013 12:04:03 GMT -5
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msen
Member
Posts: 59
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Post by msen on Feb 15, 2013 14:55:36 GMT -5
Yes, the rep at Evergreen Cemetery read these names to me and interestingly enough, her son is married to a Chinese woman, so she took a little interest and also referred me to the NY Public Library (I have an email in to them)and said that many? Chinese families are buried at the Cypress Hills Cemetery and the All Faith Cemetery in Middle Village. I will continue the search. Thank you.
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