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TSO Mee Shew
曹美秀 April 15, 1935 |
My maternal grandmother TSO Mee Shew
曹美秀
was born in Shek Doi Village
石嘴村 in Taishan County,
Guangdong, China, on November 7, 1917. She was the second daughter of Tso Wah
Sun 曹華申 and Yow Shee
丘氏.
Her aunt arranged her engagement to CHIN Pak Yick in 1935, and they were married on August 29, 1936. Pak Yick had returned from America following the passing of his first wife and was already father to eleven children.
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Gateway to Shek Doi Village, 2014 (credit: Douglas Lam) |
On June 19, 1937, they traveled with Pak Yick's youngest son, William, to the U.S. aboard the SS President Coolidge. Meanwhile, Edward was sent to Shanghai to study. After arriving at the Port of San Franciso, Mee Shew was detain at Angel Island immigration station for a medical examination and to await the determination of her legal status to enter the United States.
On July 7, 1937, Pak Yick and Mee Shee attended a lengthy interview session before a board of special inquiry consisting of two inspectors, a clerk, and an interpreter at the Angel Island immigration station. At the end of the inquiry, the Chairman, R. W. Hanlon, made the following findings:
- The alleged husband accompanied the applicant to the United States and was admitted as a returning merchant.
- There were a few statements on which they lacked agreement but it is not believed that this factor would discredit the general favorable showing made. He believed that the evidence should be considered as reasonably establishing that the claimed relationship exists.
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| Chin Pak Yick & Tso Mee Shew in 1937 |
Hamlin moved that Mee Shew be admitted if and when cured of a hookworm infection that had been identified during her medical examination. The other inspector seconded the motion, and clerk concurred. After being detained on Angel Island for 23 days, Mee Shee obtain her medical release on July 12, 1937 and was admitted to the United States at 12:10 PM the same day.
