Densho Digital Archive - Fred Oda Interview (denshovh-ofred

<Begin Segment 2>

TI: So let's go back and talk a little bit about your dad. What was your father's name?

FO: Tokuzo.

TI: And do you know where in Japan he was from?

FO: I'm not too sure, but could be Yamagata.

TI: And do you know anything about the family, like what kind of work they did or anything like that?

FO: Yeah. I think my dad, they had forest land in Japan, that's what I understand, forest. My mother's, I guess, they were pharmacists.

TI: And so was your mother kind of from the same area?

FO: Yeah, she's from Hiroshima, too.

TI: And what was your mother's name?

FO: Toku.

TI: Okay, so let's go back to your father a little bit. So why did your father come to America?

FO: Well, that's it. I always thought the Issei, lot of 'em came because they were the second-born son, and the first soon really take over the family deal. But I found out that a lot of 'em came because there was a draft going on. [Laughs] Was it the Russian War?

TI: Right, the Russian War was going on.

FO: But I don't know why he came. [Laughs]

TI: So that was, so was he the first born or was he the second born?

FO: I guess he must have been the first born, yeah.

TI: I have to make a note because I found the same thing about my grandfather, that he was a first born. And I asked my dad, "So why did he come?" and he said to avoid the draft also. So I thought that was interesting.

FO: The younger brother was, I guess, a politician in Japan, in the village where they lived. So that's where the rub came in between my father and mother, because he had to keep sending money back to politics. [Laughs]

TI: Okay, so when he was in the United States making money, he would send it back to the family, and he would complain because, or your mom would complain because you were supporting a politician?

FO: No, my father's brother was a politician, so he had to send money back to help him, I guess.

TI: But your mother didn't like that, okay. And so he came to the United States...

FO: Well, he went to Hawaii first.

TI: Okay, talk about that. So what did he do in Hawaii?

FO: He worked in a, I guess, probably a sugar cane. Then after that, he came to San Jose, California. Then from there...

TI: Well, in San Jose, what did he do in San Jose?

FO: He was working in a packing company, I guess, fruit packing.

TI: Okay, and so Hawaii, then San Jose, and then after San Jose?

FO: Then he came to Watsonville, yeah.

TI: And what did he do in Watsonville?

FO: He was a barber.

TI: And do you have a sense about what time he came to Watsonville?

FO: It must have been around... let's see. The Buddhist church celebrated the 100th anniversary last year, and he was already here.

TI: Okay, so that would have been 1907, would have been a hundred years.

FO: Yeah. So he must have been here about 1904 or someplace around there maybe, because he was here before the San Francisco earthquake.

TI: Good, okay, that's a good timeline. Because 1906, I think, was the earthquake.

FO: So he was here before that, yeah.

TI: Okay. And then right away, he became a barber?

FO: Yeah, from what I understand, another Japanese barber sold him the shop, yeah.

TI: Okay, so he started a business. Now, my understanding is that he had a first wife.

FO: Yeah, he lost his first child and he lost his wife, yeah.

TI: So how did he meet his first wife? Do you know who she was and how they first met?

FO: No. That was probably arranged by the family in Japan, probably. I don't know.

TI: And do you know how this first wife died, and this first child?

FO: No, I don't know about that.

TI: Are they, are they buried in Watsonville?

FO: Yes, yes.

TI: And do you know where they're buried?

FO: No, let's see. I just, no, I don't think she is buried here in Watsonville. But then the funeral here and I don't know if they sent the ashes back or what.

TI: Okay, so that must have been a difficult time for your father.