Testimony February 19, 1929

Tung Lin Leong

  U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Immigration Service
Sacramento, California


12017/36337 and 36342 pp 4-9

In re:  Application of

TUNG LIN Leong for return
permit as the wife of a lawfully
domiciled merchant and QUAN BING LEONG
or BING L. CHONG for return permit as
a native born citizen of the United States.

February 19, 1929

F. O. Seidle, Inspector in Charge.

B. G. Barber, Stenographer,

Mrs. Agnes Haviland, Acting Int'p

(Duly Sworn).

APPLICANT, Tung Lin Leong, DULY SWORN.  (Testifies in English) (Int'p Present)

Q.  What is your name?
A.  Tung Lin Leong

Q.  How old are you and when were you born?
A.  I am 35, born in Madera, California, on December 25, 1895.

Q.  Are you married?
A.  Yes.

Q.  What is your husband's name and what is his occupation?
A.  Chan Tai Oy, He is a merchant.
Q.  With what firm is he connected?
A.  Tong Sun & Company, 916 - 3rd St.

Q.  When and where you married?
A.  On May 26, 1912, in San Francisco.

Q.  You state you were born in Madera, have you any documentary evidence as to your birth in the United States?
A.  Only what papers I gave you this morning.
 
NOTE: (Applicant presents affidavid prepared in April, 1903, to which is affixed her photograph.  Affidavit is heretofore mentioned in the testimony and is a part of the record.  There is also enclosed in applicant's record birth certificate which was filed of record on May 9, 1927.)

Q.  What are the names of your parents?
A.  Father is Leong Yee Chong or Ah Bow and my mother's name is See Chong and Sun Ho.

Q.  Where are your parents at the present time?
A.  My father is dead and my mother is living in Isleton.

Q.  When and where did your father die?
A.  In Madera County in the year of 1902.

Q.  What did he do in Madera?
A.  I heard he was a merchant at first and then he was a farmer.

Q.  With what firm was he connected, if you know?
A.  I am sure I don't know that, I never heard.

Q.  About how old were you when your father died?
A.  About seven or eight years of age.

Q.  Have you no recollections as to what your father was doing just before he died?
A.  He was farming just before he died.

Q.  Where?
A.  In Madera.

Q.  Did he reside on a farm or did he reside in Madera?
A.  He resided on a farm.

Q.  Did you and your mother reside on the farm with him?
A.  Yes.

Q.  Do you know how long you resided on the farm?
A.  Fifteen years on the farm at Madera.

Q.  Have you any brothers and sisters?
A.  Yes.

Q.  Name your brothers and sisters giving their places of birth and dates of birth?
A.  My oldest brother Leong Quan You and also known as L. E. Chong, age 40,
      born December 21, 1889, at Borden.
    Sister, Leong Chun Mooey, age 38, born in April, I don't know the day
      or year, she was born in Borden, Madera County, Calif.
    Leong Quan Chew, brother, age 36, born in October, I don't know the day
      or year, born on a ranch near Madera.
    Then myself.
    Leong Quan Sam also Sam L. Chong, age 32, born in January, I don't know
       the day or year, on a ranch near Madera.
    Leong Quan Bing, age 29, his birthday is in January, 1900, born on a ranch
       near Madera.
    Leong QUan Look, age 27, his birthday is in July, 1902, he was born on a
       ranch near Madera, Madera County.

Q.  How many, if any, of the chldren are married?
A.  Three.

Q.  Name the children who are married?
A.  Leong Quan You, Leong Chun Mooey and myself.

Q.  When and where and to whom was Leong Quan You married?
A.  He was married to Look Hon Lin of San Francisco in December, 1913.

Q.  When, where and to whom was your sister Leong Ah Mooey married?
A.  In Fresno to Sun Kow in December, 1907.

Q.  Where do you reside at the present time?
A.  2215 - 13th St., Sacramento.

Q.  Where were you living before you came to Sacramento?
A.  In San Francisco.

Q.  How long did you live in San Francisco?
A.  Two years.

Q.  Where does your mother reside at the present time?
A.  At Isleton on the McCarty Ranch.

Q.  When did she leave Madera?
A.  In the year of 1910.

Q.  Are you sure of that date?
A.  Yes, 1910.

Q.  She states that she moved from Madera in 1915?
A.  She must have made a mistake somewhere or she didn't understand what you meant.

Q.  Do you know where your father was buried?
A.  In Borden.

Q.  How far is that from Madera?
A.  That is about three miles from Madera.

Q.  Did you ever live in the town of Madera?
A.  We lived there for a little while, not quite a year when my father died.

Q.  Where was your father in business in the town of Borden?
A.  In the town of Borden.

Q.  Your mother testified that he was in business in the town of Madera?
A.  She thinks that is it the same thing.

Q.  But you say Borden is three miles from Madera?
A.  It is almost together.

Q.  How large a town is Borden?
A.  I don't know, not very large.

Q.  In what cemetery were the remains of your father buried?
A.  In that Chinese cemetery not far from Madera.

Q.  Do you know the name of the cemetery?
A.  No.

Q.  Did you ever visit that cemetery with your mother?
A.  Yes.

Q.  Have you any recollection at all of your father being in business in Borden?
A.  I don't remember it at all.

Q.  Were you living with your mother when she moved from Borden, Madera County, to Isleton?
A.  No, she moved from Madera to San Francisco, for two years she lived in San Francisco.

Q.  Did she come to Isleton from Borden or from San Francisco to Borden?
A.  She came from San Francisco, she had resided there two years previously.

Q.  How many children were living with your mother at the time she moved from Borden to San Francisco?
A.  Six, I believe.

Q.  Were you living with your mother at the time and did you move with her from Borden to San Francisco?
A.  Yes.

Q.  Your mother has testified that she moved to Isleton from Madera and that at the time she moved all of her children were living with her but her two daughters and that she came to Isleton from Madera in 1915, can you explain why she would make such a statement as that?
A.  I am sure I don't know, because they went to Isleton in the year 1915.  She left Madera in the year 1910.  I lived in San Francisco two years and then I got married and then they moved to Isleton.

Q.  She has also testified that she and her five children came from Madera to Sacramento by train and that from Sacramento they went to Isleton by boat when this move was made from Madera?
A.  That is funny how she got things turned around like that.

Q.  Did you go to school in Madera?
A.  Yes.

Q.  How many of your brothers and sisters attended school in Madera?
A.  All of have attended school in Madera.

Q.  Did your youngest brother attend school in Madera?
A.  Yes.

Q.  What is the name of your younger brother?
A.  Leong Quan Look.

Q.  Your mother has testified that your younger brother Leong Quan Look never did attend school in Madera, stating that he was too small to attend school in Madera?
A.  Yes, he went to school just one year there.

Q.  While you were attending school in Madera where did you live?
A.  On the ranch.

Q.  Did you and all of your brothers and sisters attend school in Madera at the same time?
A.  All but my big brother.

Q.  Where are your brothers at the present time?
A.  All at Isleton.

Q.  What do they do at Isleton?
A.  Farm.

Q.  Are they all on the same farm?
A.  No, four are on the McCarty Ranch and one is working for George Bellamy ranch and my big brother is working for Shelly now.

Q.  Did any of your brothers ever attend school in Sacramento?
A.  Yes, two, Leong Quan Look and Leong Quan Bing.
Q.  How long did Leong Quan Look attend school in Sacramento?
A.  He attended school here in 1915 up until 1919.

Q.  Did he graduate from high school?
A.  No.

Q.  Where did he reside whle attending school in Sacramento?
A.  He was residing with myself and Mr. Oy, my husband.

Q.  How long did Leong Bing attend school in Sacramento?
A.  He started in the year 1915 and he attended school until 1918.

Q.  Where does your sister Mrs. Sun Kow live?
A.  She is at Isleton living with my brother.

Q.  How many Chinese families lived in Borden?
A.  I am sure I don't know that.

Q.  Can you recall if there are any Chinese children in Borden besides your own family?
A.  No, I don't.

Q.  Did you attend school right in the town of Madera?
A.  No.

Q.  You have heretofore testified that you did attend school in Madera, please state just where you did attend school?
A.  In the country.

Q.  How old were you when you moved from Borden or from the farm you were living on near Borden to San Francisco?
A.  I was 15.

Q.  If you were fifteen years of age can you not recall as to whether there was any Chinese families residing in the town of Borden?
A.  When my father's store closed up the people moved away from Borden to Madera.

Q.  Were there any Chinese families were living in the town of Madera?
A.  Yes.

Q.  How many Chinese families were living there if you can recall?
A.  I don't know how many.

Q.  Can you recall the names of some of the pupils aside from your own brothers and sister who went to school with you while you resided on a farm near Borden?
A.  Yes.  Florence Thomas, Lola Dodd, Helen Footman, and Willie Rowe.

Q.  What was the name of your teacher?
A.  The first teacher we had was Mr. Conner and Miss Bailey and Miss Bowman and Mrs. Rann and Mrs Waters.

Q.  Do you know if any of these teachers or any of the pupils whom you have mentioned are still residing in the vicinity of Madera or Borden?
A.  No, I don't.

Q.  What was the name of your nearest neightbor while you lived on the farm near Borden if you can recall?
A.  The first farm on which we lived the nearest neighbor was Osborne.

Q.  Did they have any children who attended school?
A.  Yes, Hazel Osborne.

Q.  Did they have any boys?
A.  I don't think so.

Q.  How far was their house from your house?
A.  I think it was about 1/4 mile that is the best I can remember.

Q.  When you removed from Madera County to San Francisco where did you reside in San Francisco?
A.  Sacramento Street between Kerney and Grant Avenue.

Q.  With whom did you reside there?
A.  Just lived in housekeeping rooms.

Q.  Were any of your brothers in business in San Francisco?
A.  No.

Q.  Were your brothers employed in San Francisco while you resided there?
A.  Yes, Leong Quan You the oldest one was employed while there, he worked for the Sing Chong Co.

Q.  Did your sister and her husband move from Madera to San Francisco when you and your family did?
A.  No.

Q.  When did they move from Madera County?
A.  They didn't move from Madera County, they lived in Coulterville in Mariposa County.

Q.  When did your sister and her husband move to Isleton?
A.  In 1919 or 1920 I don't exactly remember what year.  It must have been in 1920.

Q.  How many of your brothers moved with your mother from San Francisco to Isleton in 1915?
A.  The four younger brothers moved.

Q.  Was your brother Leong Quan You living in San Francisco when your mother moved from San Francisco to Isleton?
A.  No.

Q.  Where was he?
A.  He was at George Bellmy's ranch at Isleton.

Q.  When did he go to the George Ballmy's ranch?
A.  1911 or 1912.

Q.  Did you ever have any brothers or sisters who died?
A.  No.

Q.  Has your father or did your father have any brothers or sisters?
A.  Not any that I know of.

Q.  Has your mother any brothers or sisters?
A.  Not any that I know of, she has told me that she had one sister and one brother in China.

Q.  Did you ever hear whether your father ever had any brothers or sisters residing in the United States or in China or any place?
A.  No, I never.

Q.  What were the names of your paternal grandparents?
A.  I am sure I don't know what their names are, I never heard.

Q.  What are the names of your maternal grandparents?
A.  I don't know, she has never told me about them.

Q.  Did your mother ever tell you the names of her brothers and sisters who reside in China?
A.  No.

Q.  On how many different ranches do you recall having resided in the County of Madera?
A.  The first one was Dorn's ranch and the next one was the Emma Ranch, I don't know the last name and the last ranch was Robert's ranch.

Q.  Did you move to the town of Borden after having resided on these ranches or did you live in that town before going on that ranch?
A.  I don't remember that I have no recollection having lived in the town of Borden but I understand that my father was in the Yee Chong Company in Borden.

Q.  How many children have you?
A.  Five.

Q.  Name your children giving their ages and places of birth and the dates of their births?
A.  My oldest child is a boy, Chan Shue Kee, his American name is Edward Chan, born May 14, 1913, at 408 "I" St., Sacramento, Calif.;
    Chan Shue Dunn, American name, Daniel Chan, born June 9, 1915, at 408 "I" St., Sacramento;
    Chan Shue Mei, American name Marjorie Chan, born August 10, 1917 at 526 "I" St., Sacramento;
    Chan Shue Yong, American name, Thomas Chan, born July 17, 1919 at 526 "I" St., Sacramento;
    Chan Shue Too, American name, William Chan, born April 9, 1922 at 526 "I" St., Sacramento, California.

Q.  How many of your children are applicants for return certificates at this time?
A.  Two.

Q.  Which two children are applicants?
A.  Chan She Kee and Chan Shue Tong.

Q.  What documentary evidence have you, if any, as to their births?
A.  I have birth certificates.
 
NOTE: (The files of the respective children contain birth certificates as to their births in Sacramento)

Q.  What doctor attended you at the birth of applicant Chan She Kee?
A.  Dr Frank Krull.

Q.  What doctor attended you at the birth of Thomas She Chan?
A.  Dr. Igo-Flitcroft.

Q.  Have the applicant's attended school?
A.  Yes.

Q.  Is Chan She Kee a student at this time?
A.  No.

Q.  Where does he attend school?
A.  At the main high school in Sacramento.

Q.  Is Thomas She Chan a student at this time?
A.  Yes, he is attending school at the William Land School.

Q.  Have the applicants always resided with you and Mr. Oy since they were born?
A.  Yes.

Q.  When did Chan She Kee commence going to school?
A.  When he was six years old.

Q.  When did Thomas Shue Chan commence going to school?
A.  When he was five and a half years old.

Q.  What schools has Chan Shue Kee attended?
A.  Only the William Land.

Q.  Have you ever had any children who died?
A.  No.

Q.  Have either of the applicants ever been away from home for any considerable period of time?
A.  Only just during vacation.

Q.  Where did they go?
A.  Down to my sister's place on the ranch at Isleton.

Q.  Have they ever visited San Francisco for any lengthy period of time?
A.  Only when we go there on vacation for just a few days.

Q.  Has either of the applicants made trips to San Francisco by themselves?
A.  No.

Q.  Are there any further statements you desire to make?
A.  No.
 

BX 13401
Pg's 49-50

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