Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Frank Kitamoto Interview
Narrator: Frank Kitamoto
Interviewer: Lori Hoshino
Location: Bainbridge Island, Washington
Date: April 13, 1998
Densho ID: denshovh-kfrank-01-0002

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LH: So your father essentially was a, a farmer?

FK: My grandfather was.

LH: Your grandfather was a farmer, okay.

FK: Yeah.

LH: And was he the first generation to come over from Japan?

FK: Yes. I think he originally came into San Francisco. It must have been in the very early 1900s because I think he came up to Seattle about 1906 or 1907, right around in there, to pick up his, his wife. They, she was kind of like a picture bride but not exactly, because their family knew each other. I think my grandmother's sister or something was married to one of his relatives or something like that. So it was, it was, so they did know each other before that happened.

LH: Gee, 1906, in San Francisco. Was he there during that big earthquake?

FK: Well, I think what he did was, when he came, came up here to get his wife, and that's when the fire and earthquake, or whatever happened down in San Francisco. So he didn't go back to San Francisco, he stayed here in the area, and I think that's where they first settled in the Bellevue area.

LH: I see, so your, your mother came from maybe a similar village in, in Japan?

FK: I think so, I'm not, I think, I'm not sure, I think they may both be from Wakayama, but I'm not really sure. I know my grandfather for sure is from Wakayama.

LH: Yeah, and so where was your mom born?

FK: My mom was born in Seattle. She says she was one of the earliest Nisei women to be born in Seattle. So she was actually born in 1907 -- although in those days, the parents used to think when the kids were born they were one years old. So she was actually put down as being born in 1906 I think on the birth certificate. So, she was a year older than she was supposed to be. And in fact, I think, in those days when they tried to correct it later on and then the attorney essentially told them it was too hard to do that. So, leave it the way it was and, and you'd probably be able to own property in that, a year earlier than you're supposed to if you do that. So, I think that's what happened.

LH: Works for her benefit.

FK: Yeah, yeah.

LH: And what's your father's story? How did he come here?

FK: I'm not really sure. He, he said he was born in Watsonville and... in California in 1900. And that's, his birthday was February 25th, if I remember in 1900. And he said all his records were destroyed in the... the same San Francisco earthquake, and so he couldn't prove he was a citizen. Now, when I talked to my sister, she's not sure whether he was born there or was came, born in Japan and came over at an early age. It's hard to tell. Although, I know if he did come from Japan, it had to be very early, because some of the photos that he has show him as a pretty young guy. He said that he didn't get along very well with his stepfather. So, one day his father, stepfather, asked him what he learned in school and he said, "Nothing." So his stepfather said, "Well, why are you going to school?" So he just quit school. And, and actually left home and worked as a ships boy, kind of went out on his own... yeah.

LH: Now, you said he was how old?

FK: About twelve I think...

LH: Twelve.

FK: He quit school and actually kind of went out on his own when he was really early...

LH: At the age of twelve?

FK: Yeah, real early teens. And I know he was telling this story about having applied for a job as a chauffeur and it must have been after he was of age to get his driver's license. Anyway, but he got the job. So he decided if he had the job, he better go get a driver's license. So, he went to go get a driver's license. So he was, he was quite a guy... a pretty self-made guy.

LH: He was kind of an adventurous kid.

FK: Yes, yes. I think so.

LH: Yeah.

<End Segment 2> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.