Yonemoto family of sunnyvale - Photo Gallery of the First and second generations
Tsunegusu Yonemoto
Tsunegusu Yonemoto was my paternal grandfather. I knew him as "Jiichan" or "Sunnyvale Jiichan." At the age of 25, he arrived in the United States in 1905, leaving behind a wife and a young son, Jiichiro. After working for others for several years, he leased land and started growing flowers in Colma, California with two friends from Wakayama ken in Japan. In 1910 his wife, Toku Sakai, joined him in California. Fred Tsunezo, my father, was born in Colma on December 11, 1912. Fred was sent to Japan at the age of 1 to be raised by his grandparents because his mother was ill. In 1915 the partnership with his two friends was dissolved and Tsunegusu moved to Sunnyvale to start a nursery on his own.
To learn more about Yonemoto Nursery, click here.
To learn more about Tsunegusu's sad life during World War II, click here
Tsunegusu Yonemoto was my paternal grandfather. I knew him as "Jiichan" or "Sunnyvale Jiichan." At the age of 25, he arrived in the United States in 1905, leaving behind a wife and a young son, Jiichiro. After working for others for several years, he leased land and started growing flowers in Colma, California with two friends from Wakayama ken in Japan. In 1910 his wife, Toku Sakai, joined him in California. Fred Tsunezo, my father, was born in Colma on December 11, 1912. Fred was sent to Japan at the age of 1 to be raised by his grandparents because his mother was ill. In 1915 the partnership with his two friends was dissolved and Tsunegusu moved to Sunnyvale to start a nursery on his own.
To learn more about Yonemoto Nursery, click here.
To learn more about Tsunegusu's sad life during World War II, click here
Tsune Yonemoto
After the death of his first wife.Tsunegusu married Tsune, who arrived in San Francisco on May 2, 1917. I knew her as "Bachan." I didn't realize that she was my step-grandmother until I was an adult. She had 2 sons. Yoichi Takeshi (Tak) was born on November 9, 1920 and Goichi (Gooch) was born on February 25, 1922. Fred remembered her as a loving mother who didn't treat him differently from her own sons. She helped at the nursery and loved to fish.
After the death of his first wife.Tsunegusu married Tsune, who arrived in San Francisco on May 2, 1917. I knew her as "Bachan." I didn't realize that she was my step-grandmother until I was an adult. She had 2 sons. Yoichi Takeshi (Tak) was born on November 9, 1920 and Goichi (Gooch) was born on February 25, 1922. Fred remembered her as a loving mother who didn't treat him differently from her own sons. She helped at the nursery and loved to fish.
Second Generation Photos
Shown in pictures above are Tsunegusu's oldest son, Jiichiro, known to me as "Big Uncle", Yoneye, his first wife, and his children, Kunio, Noboru, Sumio, and Kiiko. Also shown in the photos above are Tsunegusu's other sons, Yoichi Takeshi, Goichi, and of course Fred, my father.
Shown in pictures above are Tsunegusu's oldest son, Jiichiro, known to me as "Big Uncle", Yoneye, his first wife, and his children, Kunio, Noboru, Sumio, and Kiiko. Also shown in the photos above are Tsunegusu's other sons, Yoichi Takeshi, Goichi, and of course Fred, my father.
Early Third Generation Photos
Uncle Tak was the scholarly uncle with a college degree in agriculture. Aunt Fumi was tall and lively. I asked her once if she were the tallest girl in her class at school. She said she was the tallest student, boy or girl, in her class in Sacramento, California. And she didn't go a segregated school. Uncle Gooch always had a twinkle in his eyes, giving the kids rides in his surplus Army jeep around the nursery and going to Chinatown to buy us illegal firecrackers for the Fourth of July. Aunt Alice, Gooch's wife, is petitie and cute with a lilt to her voice, a good match for Gooch.
Dates:
Tsunegusu Yonemoto born October 31, 1880 in Japan, died in Sunnyvale, California May 2, 1950, age 69
Toku Sakai Yonemoto born 1881 in Japan, died in Santa Clara County September 7, 1915, age 34
Tsune Miyamoto Yonemoto born May 10, 1893 in Japan, died in Sunnyvale, California April 16, 1969, age 75
Jiichiro Yonemoto born 1902 in Japan
Yoneye Yonemoto born May 10, 1907 in Japan, died in Sunnyvale, California September 28, 1941, age 34
Fred Tsunezo Yonemoto born December 11, 1912 in Colma, California, died in Sunnyvale, California April 8, 2008, age 95
Yukiko Udo Yonemoto born November 2, 1917 in San Mateo, California died in Los Gatos, California October 28, 2001, age 84
Takeshi Yoichi Yonemoto born November 9, 1920 in Sunnyvale, California,died in Sacramento California June 28, 1996, age 73
Fumiko Hitomi Yonemoto born September 11, 1921 in Sacramento, California, died in Sacramento California March 2004, age 83
Goichi Yonemoto born February 25, 1922 in Sunnyvale, California, died in Stanford, California July 11, 2002, age 80
Tsunegusu Yonemoto born October 31, 1880 in Japan, died in Sunnyvale, California May 2, 1950, age 69
Toku Sakai Yonemoto born 1881 in Japan, died in Santa Clara County September 7, 1915, age 34
Tsune Miyamoto Yonemoto born May 10, 1893 in Japan, died in Sunnyvale, California April 16, 1969, age 75
Jiichiro Yonemoto born 1902 in Japan
Yoneye Yonemoto born May 10, 1907 in Japan, died in Sunnyvale, California September 28, 1941, age 34
Fred Tsunezo Yonemoto born December 11, 1912 in Colma, California, died in Sunnyvale, California April 8, 2008, age 95
Yukiko Udo Yonemoto born November 2, 1917 in San Mateo, California died in Los Gatos, California October 28, 2001, age 84
Takeshi Yoichi Yonemoto born November 9, 1920 in Sunnyvale, California,died in Sacramento California June 28, 1996, age 73
Fumiko Hitomi Yonemoto born September 11, 1921 in Sacramento, California, died in Sacramento California March 2004, age 83
Goichi Yonemoto born February 25, 1922 in Sunnyvale, California, died in Stanford, California July 11, 2002, age 80