The Big Men of Ventura’s
Chinese Community
Sam Fong Yi
1852:
- Sam
Fong Yi born according to a 1912 interview (see below).
1874:
- Sam
Fong Yi comes to the United States
according to an interview with the Press Courier on February 23, 1912. (Conflicting report from 1900 census
states he immigrated in 1870).
1887:
- Albert Ayers leased to Sam Fong Yi a building on the
west side of Figueroa Street. The term of the lease was three years
for $16.00 per month.
1889:
- Advertisement
for Sam Fong Yi’s Chinese Employment Office and General Merchandise
Store. Shows office in China Alley,
San Buenaventura. Will furnish all
kinds of Chinese help on short notice (Ventura Weekly Democrat
March 7, 1889).
- Involvement
in local dispute. See newspaper
articles below regarding the Tong and the Chinese Fire Company.
- An
advertisement for Sam Fong Yi’s restaurant, grocery store, and employment
office on Figueroa Street
between Main and Santa Clara.
1890:
- Sam
Fong Yi comes to Ventura County
according to an interview in the Press Courier on February 23, 1912. (There is a discrepancy here because Sam
Fong Yi leased a building on Figueroa in 1887).
- The Ventura Free Press dated Dec. 19, 1890 described the
damage of an especially destructive fire that almost burned the whole Chinese
community. By the time the
municipal fire department arrived, the fire had spread to three buildings,
two stores, and a barbershop. These
included the stores of Sam Fong Yi and Mee
Chin. The loss was estimated at
$1000 to $1500. The fire was supposedly
caused by a lamp near a gambling table.
This was the second time that this part of Chinatown
was burned.
1892:
- There are a large
number of Chinese at this time who are returning
to China
to remain. The list includes some of the best workers in orchards and
farms. They went back with Fong Hong [brother of Sam Fong Yi] this week [Ventura
Free Press Dec. 9, 1892].
- Fong Hong, a brother
of Sam Fong Yi, left Tuesday for China
on a visit. He secured a
certificate of identification, accompanied by his photograph, signed by
all the leading citizens in the town and will have no trouble to get back
again [Ventura Free Press Dec. 9, 1892].
1893-
- John Donlon leased to Sam
Fong Yi and Company a parcel or field on Rancho Santa Clara del
Norte. It consisted of about 90
acres. The term of the lease was
for three years for $10.00 per acre.
Beans, corn, potatoes or onions were to be planted.
1894:
- An
1894 hand drawn map of Chinatown shows that Kun Wo and Company, Wing Tai Yurn Company, Sam Fong Yi and Company, Quong Loy and Company, and Sing Hing
and Company were all merchants who also ran employment offices on Figueroa
Street in Ventura.
1896:
- Charley
Shung bought out Sam Fong Yi’s restaurant on Main
Street in Ventura
by January 31, 1896
according to an advertisement in the Ventura Weekly Democrat.
- Sam
Fong Yi has a Chinese Grocery store and supplies Chinese labor in New
Jerusalem according to the same paper mentioned above.
1899:
- Wife,
Fong Lee Shee and daughter emigrate from China. According to 1900 census data Lee She
was born in 1865 and daughter Moi was born in
1891.
1900:
·
A child is son to Sam Fong Yi and his wife on June 9, 1900. (Oxnard Courier June 17, 1900).
1905-1906:
·
Sam Fong Yi explains farming activities. See interview for Gin Fong below.
1912:
- Sam
Fong Yi is referred to as an “old timer” and a “high mogul” among the
Chinese in Ventura County. In an interview in the Press Courier
of February 23, 1912
Sam Fong Yi is seen as Americanized, speaks English remarkably well and has
many friends among the Americans.
He entertains people on Chinese New Year with one of the finest
feeds that he has ever spread this year.
He has been a resident of the country for 38 years. He is 60 years
old and has lived in “the community for 22 years.”
Tom Lin Yan
1850:
- Tom
Lin Yan born according to 1880 manuscript census
records.
1877:
- The
earliest merchant found in Ventura
was Tom Lin Yan.
His name appears in the 1877-1878 tax rolls. It shows that he had $300.00 in
merchandise and paid $4.52 tax on his inventory.
1878:
- Tom Lin Yan,
the proprietor of the store is one of the most intelligent and highly
educated Chinamen we have ever met.
He speaks and writes English fluently, and looks after the school,
of which he seems to be very proud . . . [Ventura Free Press Jan. 19, 1878]
- In the Chinese quarter of this town
there is a school in which Chinamen are being taught to read and write
English language. It has been in
successful operation for several months and some of the students are quite
proficient being able to read and write.
There is a large number of students . . . Many of them go about our
street when they have no employment on hand, and question well disposed
white men on the meaning of certain words and phases, listening with rapt
attention while the desired information is being given. They have a school building of their
own, about 10 X 14 in size furnished with a single desk running through
the middle on each side of which, during every evening, may be seen a row
of stolid looking Celestials, each reading or spelling in a loud voice,
and apparently unconscious of anything except the work at hand. If an American should happen to call at
the Chinese store during school hours he is generally invited to visit the
school, and if he should accept upon entering the school he is immediately
solidified by the Celestials present to hear them read [Ventura Free
Press Jan. 19, 1878]
1880:
Tom
Lin Yan appears on manuscript census for Ventura.
1884:
- Ah Sing (Aged 18) was tried for murder that happened
In Saticoy August 11, 1884 for killing Ah Young. Tom Lin Yan was sworn as interpreter.
1889:
- Involved
in local dispute. See newspaper
articles below regarding the Tong and the Chinese Fire Company.
1890:
- Tom
Lin Yan writes to J.D. Putnam, the Chinese
(Customs) Inspector in Los Angeles,
to open an investigation so that “a Chinaman” could obtain a Return
Certificate. This was usually
handled by attorneys. It is curious
that he signed his name and Kun Wo
& Co. (This company appears in
the 1878 tax rolls for Ventura).
1900:
- According
the 1900 census data, a man named Tom Lim was living with Sam Fong
Yi. Could this be Tom Lin Yan? He stated
that he was born in 1838 and was 61 at the time. He immigrated to the U.S.
in 1858. He was married for 31 years.
1905:
- According
to Soo Hoo Bock’s
will, Tom Lin Yan and Soo
Hoo Bock bought a lot at the corner of Ventura
Ave. and Main Street
on August 14, 1905
from Jose E. Ortega. Deed Book 104
page 106.
1910:
- Tom
Lin Yan sells a piece of property at Ventura
Ave. and West Main to Soo Hoo Dil
Deed Book 117 page 341.
Ung Hing
1852:
- Ung Hing born in China
according to immigration files.
1860:
- Ung Hing states that he came to American in
this year.
1874:
- Ung Hing comes to Ventura County according to his 1924 immigration file.
1889-
- C.R. Horn sold to Ung
Hing Lot 6 in Block 29.
- Ung Hing
involved with dispute over Bing Kong Tong and Chinese Fire Brigade. See below article.
1894:
- Sing Hing and Company appears on a hand drawn map of Figueroa
Street found at the National Archives.
1896:
- Ung Hing marries Soo Hoo ChongTi. Big Celebration in Ventura. Story on the front page of Ventura
Free Press.
1897:
- Willie
Hing is bought from a cousin in San
Francisco.
He is raised and known as their own son
until an investigation takes place in 1911.
1899-
- William Wolfson
sold to Ung Hing for
$3000 Lot 4 in Block 48. This included about half of the west
side of Figueroa Street
including the Bing Kong Tong. This
building was described as a two story building with a porch and scroll
work on the upper floor. The
interior had big lanterns and religious artifacts (N.Peirano
1986).
1900:
- Ung Hing and his wife live
in the back of their store on Figueroa Street
in Ventura along with 2
partners, 4 boarders and a servant who cooked. (1900 manuscript census).
1902:
- Photographs taken of Ung Hing, the Sing Hing store
and a fan tan table. These pictures
found at the National Archives in San Bruno.
1905:
- Ung Hing bought the Ortega Adobe anticipating Chinese
expansion on Main Street
(Greenwood and Foster 1984).
1906:
- Ung Hing moves his business
to Oxnard.
1911:
Ventura’s first fire
in months occurred Saturday at which time the limited portion of the city known
as “Chinatown” came near being wiped out of existence. The roof and much of the building owned
jointly by Soo Hoo Mon Li
(sic) and Mrs. Bock and the Wing Tai Yuen Company were badly damaged and water
soaked. Chinatown Fire Department
responds readily. Hard to determine
damage (Ventura Free Press June 30, 1911).
Did Soo Hoo
Chong Ti own the building because she was an American
born Chinese? See Alien Land Laws.
- Ung Toy Ying
is born in China
supposedly to Soo Hoo Chong Ti and Ung Hing. Toy Ying
is probably adopted.
1913:
- The
business (Sing Hing and Company) owns several
pieces of property in Ventura
and Oxnard; he is a member of
firms in Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Hong Kong and Canton. He held stocks in Canton Bank, steamship
lines in China, Kee Fong Company in Santa
Barbara, and some Mexican enterprises.
1920:
- Willie attempted to return to the United
States after a visit to China. Soo Hoo Chong Ti says that she
needs him back because she suffers from rheumatism and needs him to help
manage the property.
1921:
- City condemns Ung
Hing’s property on West Figueroa. The buildings are to be torn down. Ung Hing and Soo Hoo Chong Ti testify. Ung Hing states that his wife is ill at the time and all
of his money goes to medicine. He
has no money to fix the property.
1924:
- Ung Hing surrenders his certificate of residence and
returns to China.
- Ung Hing testifies that Willie is married, working in San
Francisco as an interpreter. Willie married Low Shee
and has three children in China:
two boys and one girl. They have
never been to America.
1927:
- Ung Hing dies in China. The whereabouts of his wife and children
are unknown.
Tong Information
and Chinese Fire Company
Ventura
Democrat 10-8-1889
The celestials were arrested in Chinatown,
Tuesday night, charged with standing up and robbing a fellow country man of
$60, and now are in jail. Some of the peaceable and older Chinese of the town
say that the accused men are highbinders of the worst class and
that there are several more of
their kind here.
Ventura
Democrat 10-10-1889
A card. To all whom it may
concern: It having been stated and published that the new public building on
Figueroa street in Chinatown was built and is occupied by highbinders, we deem
it only fair to ourselves and our countrymen here, to correct that false
statement. The building in question was
erected for the purpose of a Chinese Masonic Lodge and is used in that
connection. We are not aware of the presence of highbinders among the Chinese
population of Ventura, and the row which occurred a few nights ago that resulted
in the arrest of four men and gave rise to the impression that it was the work
of highbinders, originated from a dispute over a game of dominos, in which a
small sum of money was staked by a couple of gamblers. We are told that Sam
Fong Yi, and Tom Tim Ying are the parties who gave the
information to the authorities concerning the matter, and for a purpose of
their own did not give it correctly. Sam
Fong Yi, and Tom Tim Ying giving to their knowledge of the American language
have been paid a salary by the resident Chinese here to protect their interests
and defend them in the courts, but some of the young men not being willing to
stand their extortion any longer, refused to pay them, hence their anger and
false
presentation.
Respectfully,
Wong Jone,
Ah Hing and others.
[The Ventura
Vidette October
12, 1889 2:1]
A Card
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
We notice that Wong Jone, Ah Hing and other disreputable Chinamen have a card to the
public to the general effect that they are very good men,
and that all other Chinamen are necessarily bad. We deny this emphatically. Jone and Hing are both
scoundrels, who make their living by gambling, robbing and other Highbinding tactics. The Chinese of this town never had any
trouble, either among themselves or with Americans until the coming of Ah Hing, Wong Jone and the rest of
the gang who erected an alleged Chinese Masonic building, but which is nothing
more or less than a Highbinding establishment where
gambling, robbery, and murder if necessary, are resorted to.
The trouble between Ah Hing and
his gang and the decent Chinamen of Ventura grew out of the following: We have
purchased a hose cart and hose and run a fire department for the protection Chinatown,
and when the new building was erected we asked Hing
to contribute his share toward maintaining the department. He refused and we
demurred, since when he said his company have been very ngly,
(sic) making threats against our lives, robbing members of our company, etc;
and the Highbinders on trial are making treats that if they are acquitted they
will kill several of us before they are through. Respectfully
THE LAW-ABIDING CHINAMEN
Ventura
Democrat 10-17-1889
Card from Sam Fong Yin & Co.
As Wong Jone, Ah Hing and other rounders and
thieves like them, who hang around the highbinders den in Chinatown,
have attempted to exalt themselves at our expense and deceive the public, we propose to tell the people of what character of
fellows they are. We have lived a long time in this community and have always
had friendly relationship with the Americans as well as our own countrymen and
are willing to compare our record and standing with all such bull dozers and
outlaws. There never was any serious trouble of turmoil among the Chinese
residents here, until they came among us. The building, which they assert is
used as a Masonic Lodge, in nothing of the kind. It has no furniture or other
paraphernalia pertaining to such an institution. It was never designed as such and is nothing more nor less than a highbinder den and a house of
prostitution, where thieves and loafers of the disreputable class resort to
carry on their nefarious work. The statement that we have been paid a salary to
protect the interests of others in the courts, etc., is false. We were
instrumental in organizing a Chinese fire company for the protection of common
property and collected funds with which to purchase hose and cart
and defray other expenses
connected there with, and when application was made to the highbinder crowd to
pay their share, they utterly refused to contribute a cent. That is all there
is to the salary issue. Threats of
assassination from these robbers have also come to our ears, and knowing their
villainous disposition we have no doubt if darkness and opportunity favored
them, they would willingly carry out their murderous intentions.
Sam Fong Yi
Tom Tim Ying
Ventura
Democrat 10-17-1889
Judge Boling court was employed Tuesday, in the
investigation of the charge of robbery, proffered against Wong Chung, Lung Boo,
Ah Ben and Yap Wing, to whose arrest reference was made in last week's
Democrat. Lawyer Patton, assisted by Assistant D.A.Poplin,
prosecuted the cases and Attorney C.C. Stephens of Los
Angeles, aided by W.E. Shepherd, Esq., appeared for
the defense. During the progress of the examination the court room was
literally jammed with the curious and interested Chinamen. The accused were
held to answer in the Superior Court in bonds of $1,500 each, which were
promptly given and the men turned loose.
Ventura
Democrat 10-24-1889
The trial date for the four Chinamen was set by Judge
Boling. They will stand for robbery, and
set for Monday Nov. 11th.
Ventura
Democrat 11-21-1889
AH Sing Acquitted
--------------
The Superior Court room was crowded a couple of days this
week with Chinamen. The Celestial community was excited over the trial of Ah
Sing, alias Lung Bow, charged with robbery.
It was also divided in sentiment with respect to the out come of the
trial. The prosecuting witness was a Chinaman and all the testimony on both
sides was Chinese. The defendant also had his friends who were present in
force. The alleged crime was committed several weeks ago in Chinatown, and it
will be remembered that it occasioned the publication in the Democrat of
personal cards from prominent members of the two opposing factions, in which
some plain talked was indulged in, not complimentary to the individuals to whom
it directly referred. Four of the
alleged robbers were arraigned, one of whom, Ah Sing was put upon trial, as
stated, in the Superior Court, Monday. Special Counsel were
employed by both sides. C.C. Stephens, of L.A.,
aided by W.E. Shepherd appeared for the defense, and Payton, also of Los
Angeles, assisted by D.A. Orr prosecuted. A great deal
of ambiguous and contradictory evidence was elicited, consuming considerable
time and the case went to the jury about 4 p.m. Tuesday, which after wrestling
with the problem all night brought in, Wednesday morning, a verdict of
acquittal. A nolle prosegui
will probably be entered in the remaining cases, as they are precisely similar
in every respect to the one tried, and a further investigation would in all
probability only add to the expense bill.
Vidette 11-23-1889
The case against the highbinder Lung Bo, who has been on
trial in the Superior Court for the past few days charged with robbery, came to
an end this morning by the jury returning a verdict of not guilty. The verdict
was somewhat of a surprise, as it was confidently expected that the jury would
hang. This was a test case, and now that Lung Bo's innocence has been
established, the charge against his confederates will not be prosecuted. It has
been an expensive case and has cost the county a large sum.