CHIN Kee Ben - First Generation American

Chin Kee Ben 陳基彬 

My Great-grandfather Chin Kee Ben (Kay Bin, Ghee Ben, pinyin: Ji Bin) was born in Cha Zhou Liu Cun in Taishan, Guangdong, China, 廣東省台山縣六村槎洲. Kee Ben was married to Leong Shee 梁氏 then later to Foong Shee 馮氏. They had five sons, my Grandfather Pak Yick伯釴, Pak Tou伯陶, Pak Hong伯衡, Pak Ho伯侯, and Pak Hei伯喜. Kee Ben likely came to the United States around the turn of the 20th century.

According to Kee Ben’s grandson William Chin, “Grandpa Ghee Ben may have immigrated with Uncle Chin Bok Lain in 1896. Uncle Bok Lain returned to China in 1905 to visit and then returned to San Francisco in 1906. So grandpa could have come in 1896 or 1906.”

He later brought two of his sons with him including Pak Yick and Pak Tou. Pak Tou died in the United States and is buried in Colma, California. His descendants ended up in Hong Kong, along with the descendants of Pak Hong. Pak Ho and his descendants remained in China. We do not know what happened to Pak Hei, or if he had any descendants.

CHIN Kee Ben, 1912

CHIN Kee Ben's Wife, Foong Shee

Kee Ben was in the 1^st generation of his family to immigrate to the United States, the 23^rd generation of Chins to born in Liu Cun, and a 62^nd generation descendant of the Ying Chuan Chen family 頴川陳氏.