Letters

Letters

Japanese American Oyster Farming Walville

20 letters written to Ruth Kaasa a teacher in Walville WA from Mary Fujita her former pupil A: Note to teacher explaining illness; no date B: 5/25/1925 (no envelope); C: 5/30/1925 envelope; D: 7/3/1925 envelope; E: 9/22/25 envelope; F: 9/30/1925 envelope; G: 11/22/1925 envelope; H: 10/6/1926 (incl. photo of Mary in front of utility pole car in background) envelope; I: 10/19/1926 envelope; J: 11/9/1926 (no envelope) K: 12/12/1926 envelope; L: 1/24/1927 evelope; M: 3/24/1927 evelope; N: 4/22/1927 evelope; O: 7/23/1927 (encl. postcard photo of Mary and husband Joe) envelope; P: 9/6/1927 envelope; Q: 10/16/1927 envelope; R: 1/10/1928 envelope; S: 4/15/1928 envelope; T: 1/21/1929 envelope. Mary Fujita's History: Born Mary Tonoyo Sumihiro in 1909 in Hiroshima; came to South Bend WA shortly after marrying her second cousin Kango Fujita at 16. Lived with Amer. family while commuting to local elementary school her husband (Joe) lived with his parents until they returned to Japan and Mary & Joe had a wedding ceremony when she was 19. Son Gene Masanori Fujita born 1928. Husband raised oysters; seriously hurt. Mary get her beautician's licens Returned to Japan in 1940 because father-in-law died. Continues as beautician. Survives bomb husband killed. Son returns to U.S. 1948 and Mary returns 1950. See newspaper article in donor file (supplied by Ed Suguro).

1993.060.001