Exhibit: Santa Barbara Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage, 1870s-1970s
Hong Yick Wong (1912-1995)
Loving Father and Grandfather, “U.S. Market” Owner, and a “Paper Son Who Married a Paper Daughter”
By Melinda Yamane Crawford
Hong Yick Wong portrait
Early History
Hong Yick Wong was born on March 25, 1913 in Toishan, Canton, China. At the young age of 16, he left his parents’ home in the dark of night to go to Hong Kong to catch a boat. While enroute to the U.S., he studied his “cheater” book, memorizing answers to a long list of questions in preparation for the investigation that he would be placed under upon his arrival in San Francisco as the “paper son” of Doong Wong.
From the time of his arrival in Santa Barbara in 1928 until starting his military service in World War II as part of the U.S. Army’s Corps of Engineers, 486th Heavy Shop Company (1942-1946), Hong worked for a relative at the Ung Hi Yee Laundry. After the war, he and his brother-in-law, Finley Yee, purchased property located at the southwest corner of Haley St. and Quarantina St. It was at that location that Hong and Finley owned and operated U.S. Market.
Hong Y. Wong, brother-in-law Finley Yee (seated), and Ung Hi Yee, 1930s
Hong Yick Wong family photo
Bow Ying Fong was a single young woman at the age of 21 when she arrived in San Francisco as a “paper daughter.” On June 14, 1949, Hong married Bow Ying Fong in Los Angeles, CA. Together, they raised their five children: Helen, Judy, Kay, Ed and Ron. The family first lived at 607 W. De La Guerra St. but then moved in 1958 to 114 W. Cota St.
At U.S. Market, Hong and Finley sold sodas, some vegetables, and canned goods. The penny candy and chocolate bars were a favorite of kids from Santa Barbara Junior High School and neighborhood kids. According to Judy, “Dad was also a butcher…one of those old-fashioned types of butchers. They would get a side of beef, and Dad would cut it up into steaks, saving the scraps to grind into fresh ground beef.” At the grocery store, it was just Hong and Finley working, as they did not hire other employees. For Hong, his morning started at 7:00 am or 7:30 am, with the store staying open until as late as 10:00 pm. Besides serving his customers, each day there would be a bank deposit to be made, a nap to be taken in the afternoon, putting up barricades in the windows to hide the cash register drawer’s money being counted, and wood shavings to be scattered along the concrete floor to soak up any oil or other spilled liquids before being swept up to remove any other dirt and dust. It was a daily routine that he would closely follow for the next 33 ½ years until his retirement and the sale of the property to Economy Supply, Inc. in 1980.
U.S. Market
Hong Y. Wong U.S. Market
Growing Up in Santa Barbara
Childhood memories of the three sisters included stocking and restocking the shelves at the store with such items as 8 oz. cans of Del Monte tomato sauce and evaporated milk and schlepping beer cartons for stocking the refrigerator. The brothers in turn helped at the store. Kay also shared how “Uncle Finley used to give us dirty looks because we wanted to eat a piece of candy or something. So, we had to ask dad when he went in to have lunch.” Helen, on the other hand, said, “I was always a favorite of Uncle Finley’s. He never gave me any dirty looks because I always had tea with him.” In addition, Judy shared how she and Helen would be dropped off at school by their father before the start of his work day so that they didn’t have to walk up the big hill. Younger sister, Kay, was less fortunate as she never got a ride to school from their dad.
Helen and Judy attended McKinley Elementary school, while their younger siblings attended Lincoln Elementary. All five siblings attended Santa Barbara Junior High School and Santa Barbara High School. All five siblings also earned college degrees, the push for which they attribute to their mom, who was progressive for her time. In contrast, their father was very traditional, and Judy was seriously concerned that the three sisters would be sent to China to marry native Chinese men. Fortunately, their mother was supportive of their extracurricular activities, including travel to Taiwan with a study-abroad program. Even their mother went back to adult school to be better educated in English.
Hong Y. Wong holding Judy Wong with Helen Wong by his side, ca. 1953
Clan Wong in H. Y. Wong’s home village of Hoyseng, Guangzhou, PRC. Return home after 60 years, 1982.
The Trip of a Lifetime
In 1982, Hong, Bow Ying, and the three daughters traveled together to Hong’s and Bow Ying’s villages. It was the first time in 60 years that Hong had been in his home village. He was also the first person to return to the village after having immigrated to the U.S. When he returned with his family to his village in 1982, he hosted a huge celebration for the whole village. He hired a cook, and there was a roast pig. Sadly, however, Hong’s parents were no longer alive. The last time that he saw his parents was when he immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 16 years old.
Acknowledgements
Warm thanks to sisters Helen, Judy and Kay for sharing their family history, stories and photographs.
References
Arrival Case File for Heung Yick Wong. Accessed on March 31, 2023, National Archives at San Francisco, CA.
“Hong Y Wong”. California, U.S., Marriage Index, 1949-1959. Accessed on Ancestry.com.
“Hong Y Wong”. Obituary, Santa Barbara News Press. Copy provided courtesy of daughter, Judy Wong. April 14, 2023.
“Hong Yick Wong”. California Death Index, 1940-1997. Accessed on Ancestry.com.
Neighborhood Groceries of Santa Barbara – Revisited: A Black and White Calendar for 1980. 1979, Woodie Press, Santa Barbara, CA.
Wong, Helen. Interview with Melinda Yamane Crawford, Holly Snyder, Susanne Mori and Betsy Green. December 17, 2022.
Wong, Helen, Judy and Kay. Interview with Melinda Yamane Crawford. April 14, 2023.