Friday, December 7, 2018

Hon Chew Hee, Artist

Hon Chew Hee was born on January 24, 1906, in Kahului, Maui, Hawaii.

1910 United States Census
Name / Age
Jackson Hee, 40 (born in China; private school teacher)
Lee See Hee, 37 (born in China)
Chong Hee, 11
Ngu Hee, 09
Lung Hee, 7
Ku Heem 5
Chaw Hee, 4 (spelling in census)
Bew Hee, 1

Wai J. Char, Tin-Uke Char
Hawaii Chinese History Center, 1988
page 120
…Jackson School was then located on the ewa side of what is today the Smith Street parking lot in Chinatown. Its principal was Jackson HEE, a disciplinarian and academic classicist. HEE had taught Chinese in Lahaina, Hanapepe, and Honolulu, and was editor of the Hilo Sun Wan Daily News, Honolulu’s Hawaiian Chinese News, and New China Press. He retired to China in 1922 at age sixty-one after thirty years in Hawaii. His son is the internationally known artist Hon Chew HEE.
Honolulu, Hawaii, Passenger List
Name: Chew Hee
Age: 15 [sic]
Ship: Siberia Maru
Port of Departure: Hong Kong, December 31, 1920
Port of Arrival: Honolulu, Hawaii, January 23, 1921

Honolulu, Hawaii, Passenger List
Name: Chew Hee
Age: 22
Ship: Siberia President Madison
Port of Departure: Hong Kong, August 14, 1928
Port of Arrival: Honolulu, Hawaii, August 30, 1928

California, Passenger List
Name: Hon Chew Hee
Age: 23
Ship: President Jefferson
Port of Departure: Honolulu, Hawaii, August 15, 1929
Port of Arrival: San Francisco, California, August 21, 1929

1930 United States Census
902 Clay Street, San Francisco, California
Name / Age
Hon Chew Hee, 24 (head of the household had no occupation)
Hung T. Leong, 32 (lodger was a newspaper printer)

Honolulu, Hawaii, Passenger List
Name: Chew Hee
Age: 26
Ship: President Jackson
Port of Departure: San Francisco, California, July 1, 1932
Port of Arrival: Honolulu, Hawaii, July 7, 1932

Honolulu, Hawaii, Passenger List
Name: Chew Hee
Age: 26
Ship: President McKinley
Port of Departure: Honolulu, Hawaii, July 21, 1932
Port of Arrival: Hongkong, August 8, 1932

Daily Worker
(New York, New York)
June 26, 1937
Art Patrons Exhibition [the second annual National Exhibition of American Art]
…In such a large show there naturally would be a fair amount of good pictures and sculpture. From the Hawaiian Islands Hon Chew Hee sends a colorful canvas of Waimea Canyon and Madge Tennent a violently flickering “The New Holoku.”…
The New York Times
June 20, 1937
The Municipal Art Committee Assembles Work From Every Part of the Union
A way out in the Hawaiian Islands Hon Chew Hee has painted the unholy splendor of color in Waimea Canyon….
1940 United States Census
1011 Pawaa Lane (rear), Honolulu, Hawaii
Name / Age
Sam W Young, 31 (head of the household)
Bertha C Young, 29
Mary Ann Young, 8
Vernon Young, 5
Donna Young, 3
Chock Ying Young, 19
Yen Sau Young, 17
How Chew Hee, 32 (lodger, art teacher)

New York Sun
February 24, 1940










(New York)
March 3, 1940
New Gallery
As its premier exhibition, the Schoenemann Galleries have selected a group of 43 watercolors and drawings by Hon Chew Hee, who was born in Honolulu of Chinese parents.

Single figure studies dominate the show. “Sleeping Chinese Boy" is easily the outstanding paper here. In most of his subjects, Hon Chew Hee concerns himself chiefly with the silhouette outline characteristics of his sitters, indicating the merest suggestions of form beyond the two dimensional aspect. He is a promising young artist, with keen observing faculties and cleverness of hand. 

As a member of the Hawaiian Mural Guild, Mr. Hee does himself an injustice by omitting group compositions from this exhibit.
The New York Times
March 3, 1940
A Reviewer’s Notebook
Very indirect and dilute is the oriental influence in the water-color drawings by Hon Chew Hee, a Hawaiian-born Chinese, whose work may be seen at the Schoenemann Gallery, 605 Madison Avenue. Most of his subjects are in the figure field and they are distinguished by cleverness and fluency of line. One seated nude suggests a Daibutsu; another curiously resembles a Rodin wash-drawing. It is light and charming depiction, most of it quite personal.
World War II Draft Card
Name: Hon Chew Thomas Hee
Age: 34
Birth Place: Kahului
Birth Date: January 24, 1906
Residence Place: Honolulu, Hawaii
Registration Date: October 26, 1940
Employer: Ko Fong Lum
Weight: 120
Complexion: Light Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Black
Height: 5 4
Next of Kin: Ko Fong Lum

(China)
October 12, 1945
Marjorie Wong Is Bride of H.C. Hee, Honolulu Artist






























Kingston Daily Freeman
(New York)
July 11, 1949
Woodstock News
Art Exhibition Is Opened at Gallery; Will End July 20
Woodstock, July 11— One hundred and 31 painters and eight sculptors are represented in the art show which opened Friday afternoon at the Woodstock Art Gallery. Sponsored by the Woodstock Artists Association, the exhibition is said to be the most comprehensive show of the season.

Paintings by prominent artists are hung with those of students and artists who are not so well known. The unusual variety of the work on view tends toward a most interesting exhibition. It is a non-jury show and required only, that the work meet size limitation, under 30 inches including frame. The show will continue until July 20 and will be open to the public weekdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The exhibition includes…Farmer's Blessing, Hon Chew Hee…
Honolulu, Hawaii, Passenger List
Name: Chew Hee
Age: 43
Address: 1039 Wong Lane, Honolulu, Hawaii
Ship: Ile de France
Port of Departure: New York, New York, September 7, 1949
Port of Arrival: Le Havre, France

The Chinese in Hawaii: A Historical Sketch
Robert M. Lee
Advertiser Publishing Company, 1961
The Group, which later became affiliated with the Chinese Art Club of San Francisco, had headquarters in the studio which John C. Young, the first president, and Hon-Chew Hee, the first treasurer. It was above M’s Tavern at Fort and Merchants Sts.

August 22, 1993
Air Terminal for Hawaii
A new Interisland Terminal has opened at Honolulu International Airport on the island of Oahu in Hawaii….

The Interisland Terminal is planted with flora native to Hawaii, including lauae fern, mondo grass and palm trees. Two 180-foot-long murals depicting Hawaiian legends and cultural scenes, painted by the late Hon Chew Hee, hang in the main lobby….

Further Reading and Viewing
WikiVisually (scroll to bottom)
(Next post on Friday: Peg O’Wing, Actress)
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Friday, November 30, 2018

Media Spotlight: Anna Low, Aviatrix

Daily Advocate
(Stamford, Connectocut)
November 20, 1919





















Schenectady Gazette
(New York)
November 21, 1919


















The Patriot
(Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)
November 21, 1919


















Daily Argus
(Mount Vernon, New York)
November 22, 1919


















Morning Herald
(Gloversville, New York)
November 28, 1919


















Decatur Herald
(Illinois)
November 30, 1919
Mrs. Anna Low, wife of George Low, municipal engineer of the Island of Maul. Hawaii, and a graduate of the University of California, has the distinction of being, the first Chinese woman aviator. This photograph was taken, on her return to San Francisco from her home in China, where she was taught to fly by the famous Chinese aviator Tom Gunn, her brother-in-law.

Petaluma Argus-Courier
(California)
December 1, 1919
p4: First Chinese Woman to Become an Aviator
Mrs. George Low
Mrs. Anna Low, wife of George Low, municipal engineer of the Island of Maui, Hawaii, and a graduate of the University of California, has the distinction of being the first Chinese woman aviator. This photograph was taken on her return to San Francisco from her home in China, where she was taught to fly by the famous Chinese aviator Tom Gunn, her-brother-in-law.

Evening State Journal and Lincoln Daily News
(Lincoln, Nebraska)
December 4, 1919


















Baltimore American
(Maryland)
December 28, 1919









The Green Book Magazine
May 1920


















Women of China
Foreign Language Press, 1990
page 40: Women Pioneers in Aviation

This is the first in a series of articles about the women who pioneered in China aviation

Although their numbers were not large, these strong women dedicated their energy and skill to the motherland as well as to the cause of aviation. Their noble spirit stimulated the ideals of millions of Chinese women. The heroic women fought against traditional feudal ideas to move China forward.

Women in the United States and Europe became interested in aviation before Chinese women, but Chinese women were the first in Asia to take their place in an airplane cockpit. Actually, in 1915 [sic], shortly after the outbreak of World War I, Mrs. Anna P. Low, an American-Chinese became the very first woman aviator. Her brother-in-law was the well known aviator, Tom Gun. Inspired by his example, she took flying lessons in the United States. Tom Gun went to China to fight under Dr. Sun Yat-sen, but Anna was still undergoing flight training. When she completed her training she also went to China and American newspapers hailed her as “the first Chinese woman pilot.”

* * * * *

At Ancestry.com there are two passenger lists with an “Anna Low” and “Anna T. Low” who sailed from Honolulu to San Francisco in 1919 and 1925. The 1919 passenger list (below) said she was born January 31, 1895 in San Francisco. A third passenger list recorded “Anna Low” traveling from Victoria, British Columbia to Seattle, Washington. Her identification was Form 430, a requirement of the Chinese Exclusion Act. She was five feet tall and an Oakland, California resident at 254 8th Street. I believe the woman in the passenger lists was the aviatrix, Anna Low.













(Next post on Friday: Hon Chew Hee, Artist)

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Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Bruce Lee’s Birthday and Case File

Chinese Exclusion Act Case Files

National Archives Catalog
Return Certificate Application Case File of 
Chinese Departing —Bruce Lee (12017/53752)


(Next post on Friday: Anna Low, Aviatrix)
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Friday, November 16, 2018

Dong Kingman at Mills College

Shanghai Evening Post and Mercury
(China)
February 25, 1944














Further Reading
Mills College

Archives of American Art
Oral history interview with Dong Kingman, 1996 Jul. 3-4

The Summer Sessions 1933–1952
Visiting Artists at the Mills College Art Museum
Dong Kingman in timeline


Related Posts

(Next post on Tuesday: Bruce Lee’s Birthday and Case File)




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Friday, November 9, 2018

Yun Gee in the Shanghai Evening Post and Mercury

April 16, 1943
Chinese Painter Works in New York

































October 8, 1943
As a Chinese Artist Sees New York

















October 20, 1944
Yun Gee Oil Shown at Metropolitan





















April 6, 1945
New York Bridge as Seen by Chinese Artist

















September 13, 1946
Yun Gee Exhibition Scheduled in SF












Related Posts


(Next post on Friday: Dong Kingman at Mills College)
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Friday, October 19, 2018

Yun Gee in California History

Summer 1993
The Flute Player (1928)























Related Posts


(Next post on Friday: Yun Gee in the Shanghai 
Evening Post and Mercury)


















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Friday, October 12, 2018

Timothy Fung, Commercial Artist

Timothy Locke Fung was a commercial artist. His older brother was Paul, a cartoonist and the subject of several posts here. His younger brother was Silas, also a commercial artist, a Century of Progress collector and the subject of the documentary, Randoms Acts of Legacy, which showed extended clips of Silas’s home movies. The film included images of Paul and mentioned Timothy.

Timothy was born on November 20, 1898 in Portland, Oregon according to census records, some travel documents and the Oregon Historical Records Index. In the 1900 United States Census, Timothy (line 28) was the youngest of five children born to Fung Chak and “Lee Chak Fung”. The census enumerator thought the family name was Chak. The children, in descending age, were Lai, Eunice, Annie and Paul. The family resided in Portland, Oregon at 169 Ankeny. Fung Chak was a minister. Also living with the family were Fung Chak’s mother and nephew.


The Baptist Home Mission Monthly, October 1901, published a letter by Timothy’s father, Fung Chak, who was preparing to leave for Canton, China. He included a photograph of his sons.


Timothy’s 1905 passport application was filed March 13 at the Consulate General in Canton, China. Timothy left the United States September 1, 1901. The purpose of the passport was for travel in Kwangtung Province. Timothy also stated that he intended to return to the U.S. within four years. Timothy signed with an X. His father signed as a witness on Paul and Timothy’s applications. The passport stated erroneously that Timothy was born in Seattle, Washington.


Another passport was issued to Paul and Timothy on January 18, 1908.


On August 16, 1908, Fung Chak, Paul and Timothy were aboard the steamship Aki Maru which departed the port of Hong Kong. Their designation was the Chinese Mission, on South Clark Street, in Chicago, Illinois. The ship arrived in Seattle on September 16. Below is Timothy’s interview from his Chinese Exclusion Act case file at the Seattle National Archives branch.

In the 1910 census, Fung Chak, Timothy (line 87) and Paul were in the household of Herbert Low who was married to Eunice. Fung Chak’s son-in-law was a merchant. They resided in Portland, Oregon at 43 North Third Street.


Timothy and Paul performed at a benefit concert for famine sufferers in China as reported in The Oregonian, March 12, 1911.


An article about the Tuesday Afternoon Club’s annual lecture appeared in The Oregonian, April 25, 1915, and mentioned was Timothy who played the cornet.


On September 12, 1918, Timothy signed his World War I draft card. He was a student at Lincoln High School in Portland and had the same address, 228 Morrison Street, as his sister, Eunice. Timothy was described as medium height and build with brown eyes and black hair.


Timothy has not yet been found in the 1920 census but he was in Portland. The Christian China, February 1920, reported an event in Portland. 
The local branch of the Chinese Students’ Christian Association has been organized for active work for the new year. The officers recently elected are: Mr. Kenneth Lum, chairman; Miss Mary L. Sun, secretary; Mr. Harold Lowe, treasurer; Mr. Timothy L. Fung, sergeant at arms. The last Friday of each month has been chosen for our regular meeting. We are all looking forward to a very active year; discussion groups have been organized. Not only religious, but educational, economic and social questions of the present day will be taken up….
Oregon Daily Journal (Portland, Oregon), June 6, 1920, announced the names of the Lincoln High School graduates including Timothy. He was also mentioned in the Morning Oregonian (Portland, Oregon), June 12, 1920, coverage of the graduation. 

Timothy prepared for another visit to China. Below are the interviews of Timothy and witnesses from his Chinese Exclusion Act case file at the Seattle National Archives branch.

Timothy’s Form 430 was approved October 20, 1920 in Portland and the following day in Seattle. His passport, issued on November 2, said he was going abroad to visit his mother in China and travel to Japan and Hong Kong. 

A passenger list at Ancestry.com recorded Timothy’s return to Seattle, by way of Vancouver, on June 23, 1922. It was a family affair which included his father and sister plus his uncle Herbert Low, his wife and four children. They sailed on the Empress of Canada from Hong Kong  on June 7.

At some point, Timothy made his way to Chicago. The Chinese Students’ Monthly, May 1925, mentioned Timothy’s brother, Silas, who was studying at the Meyer Both College of Commercial Art of Chicago. It’s likely Timothy studied there, too.


Literary Digest, April 3, 1920

 Timothy was mentioned in the November 1925 issue of The Chinese Students’ Monthly, “In the music contest, September 5, the first prize for the vocal contest was captured by Mr. Timothy Fung of Chicago…” 

 A History of Chinese Christian Union Church of Chicago . . . 1890 to 1965
Compiled by Silas H. Fung
Chinese Christian Union Church of Chicago, 1965
pages 6–7: 1928–Youth on the March! . . . and There Was Music!
The number of young people attending the church services increased with the opening of the new building. This resulted in the organization of the Chinese Youth People’s Club early in 1928. Members of the club were mostly college students with a few highschoolers and young adults of various professional backgrounds. The purposes of the organization were to draw more young people to the Church for Christian fellowship and to lead the non-Christians to Christ. The program, which was presented every Sunday evening in the Church’s reception room downstairs, was of a devotional, educational and musical nature along with occasional social functions which proved to be quite successful. Among the enthusiastic organizers and leaders of the club were Mun-kwong Wong (the first president), Paak-shing Wu, Tso-tin Taam, Dr. Shou-yee Chan (a professor at the University of Chicago), Silas Fung, Timothy Fung, Bok-chang Yang, Helen and Ann Moy, Pauline and Martha Leong, Edward M. Kan, Margaret and Esther Kan, Clara Low, Otto and Lillian Law, Sunny Lau, William Poy Jue, Ruth, Philip and Paul Moy and Mrs. Flora Belle Wong. The average attendance was about thirty.

Musical activities were also increased at the Church. A sizeable [sic] choir, reorganized under the directorship of Timothy Fung, met every Friday evening to rehearse for Sunday service. A 7-piece orchestra was led by Silas Fung. It rehearsed bi-weekly at the Fungs’ home. The orchestra appeared in several special events of the Church and received favorable comments. These musical groups added much to the church services as well as attracted more young people to the house of God. …

In the late 1920s, Timothy moved away while Silas remained in Chicago.

According to the 1930 census, Timothy (line 75), an advertising commercial artist, was in the household of his brother, Paul the newspaper cartoonist. They were Manhattan, New York City residents at 300 Riverside Drive. 


In the 1940 census, Timothy’s sister, Eunice, had remarried to Harry Lewis. Timothy (line 77) was a member of the household which included Eunice’s three sons and a nephew. They lived in Manhattan at 611 West 158 Street. Timothy’s occupation was commercial artist at a wholesale engraving company.


During World War II Timothy enlisted in the Army on August 13, 1942. The record said the commercial artist was single and a Nassau County, New York resident who had two years of college. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Beneficiary Identification Records Locater Subsystem Death File, at Ancestry.com, said Timothy was discharged November 9, 1944.


The New York, New York, Marriage License Indexes, at Ancestry.com, said Timothy and Thelma Hor obtained a marriage license on March 29, 1945 in Manhattan. They married on March 31. 



The 1950 census counted Timothy (line 9), his wife and son, Kenneth, at 15 Garfield Place in Hempstead, Nassau County, New York. Timothy was a commercial artist at an art studio.


The late Bruce Edward Hall mentioned Paul and Timothy in his book, Tea That Burns: A Family Memoir of Chinatown.
Aunt Thelma and Uncle Tim drive in from Long Island. Uncle Tim always tries to surreptitiously slip me a lucky red envelope at Chinese New Year's, but I never catch on and he has to just shove it in my pocket. His claim to fame as a commercial artist is that he helped design the Wonder Bread wrapper, while his brother, Paul Fung, was once a famous cartoonist, drawing the Dumb Dora strip, popular in the 1930s and 1940s until high living caught up with him and he died young.
Timothy passed away July 1979 in New York according to the Social Security Death Index. An obituary was published in Newsday (Melville, New York), August 2, 1979. 
Fung—Timothy L. of Baldwin, on July 30, 1979. Beloved husband of Anna. Loving father of Karen, Kenneth and Kevin Fung. Dear brother of Silas. Also survived by one grandson. Reposing at The Howard E. Williams Inc. Funeral Home, 181 Greenwich Street, Hempstead. Religious service conducted by the Rev. Robert D. Hayden 8 PM Thursday, August 2nd. Funeral 10 AM Friday. Interment Greenfield Cemetery, Hempstead. Visiting hours 2–5 and 7–9:30 PM.

Further Reading
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