Tom Y. Chan
Encyclopedia
Tom Young Chan was a Chinese American
businessman
and civic leader in Chicago
. He was a leading supporter of the Kuomintang
in the United States
, and helped raise money for both Sun Yat-sen
and General Chiang Kai-shek
. In addition, he raised money in the form of war bonds for the United States
during World War II
.
county, Guangdong
province
, China
. He was the second of seven children. His surname
is actually "Tom", but his Anglicized name failed to recognize that Chinese
give their surnames
first. A journalist for the Chicago Daily News
described him as a "handsome, smiling Chinese with leaping eyebrows" who spoke "halting English."
, he went back to Honolulu, Hawaii
in 1919 to ask the Goo family for help in raising the two children. Amy Goo, the second-oldest sister, was in love and did not want to go. Lillian was next in line at age 15, and she agreed. Feeling that she was too young, however, her parents had their second-oldest son, Robert (Mac) accompany them back to Chicago
. Mr. Tom and Lillian Goo (October 20, 1903 – February 7, 1966) married in 1922, and they subsequently had six children: Helene, Eunice, Mary, Priscilla, Tom Chan, Jr. (Chung), and Ping
.
Grace (April 9, 1917 – July 4, 1994) married Harry Chun (April 9, 1913 – August 18, 1983) in 1945. They had three sons: Cliff, Robert and Geoffrey.
Florence graduated from Northwestern University
and married Spaulding Chau on February 2, 1946. They had two sons, Tom and Brian, and a daughter, Andrea.
Helene graduated from the University of Illinois
and married Blas Guererro. They have no children.
Eunice graduated from Northwestern University and has one son, Jan Wong.
Mary attended a junior college and never married.
Priscilla graduated from the University of Illinois and married Ming Foo (October 1, 1924 – January 26, 1986) on October 10, 1953). They had two daughters, Karen and May.
Tom Chan, Jr. (1931 – September 11, 1980) married Nancy Dare. They had two children, Chan (Chip) and Lauren
.
Ping
married Valerie Ching in 1958. They had two children: Darryl and Curtis.
During the Century of Progress World's Fair (1933-34)
, Tom Chan had a noodle factory demonstration as well as a demonstration of how bean sprouts are grown. He had a booth from which he sold goods from China
. Lillian's brother, Robert, had been the architect of the Chinese Pavilion and Chinese Theater at the fair. Robert was, the time, superintendent of the Architectural Building Commission of Chicago, and he supervised the construction of the fair's Colonial Village. He later went to Washington, D.C.
to assist in the design of the Pentagon
.
.
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
businessman
Businessperson
A businessperson is someone involved in a particular undertaking of activities for the purpose of generating revenue from a combination of human, financial, or physical capital. An entrepreneur is an example of a business person...
and civic leader in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. He was a leading supporter of the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and helped raise money for both Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
and General Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
. In addition, he raised money in the form of war bonds for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Biography
Tom Young Chan was born in the village of Yakou in ZhongshanZhongshan
Zhongshan , also spelled Chungshan and historically known as Xiangshan or Siangshan, is a prefecture-level city in the south of the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong province in southern China. Zhongshan, one of the few cities in China with an eponymous name, is named after Dr. Sun Yat-sen who was...
county, Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
province
Province (China)
A province, in the context of Chinese government, is a translation of sheng formally provincial level divisions, which is an administrative division. Provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions, and the special administrative regions, make up the four types of province of administrative division...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. He was the second of seven children. His surname
Family name
A family name is a type of surname and part of a person's name indicating the family to which the person belongs. The use of family names is widespread in cultures around the world...
is actually "Tom", but his Anglicized name failed to recognize that Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
give their surnames
Family name
A family name is a type of surname and part of a person's name indicating the family to which the person belongs. The use of family names is widespread in cultures around the world...
first. A journalist for the Chicago Daily News
Chicago Daily News
The Chicago Daily News was an afternoon daily newspaper published between 1876 and 1978 in Chicago, Illinois.-History:The Daily News was founded by Melville E. Stone, Percy Meggy, and William Dougherty in 1875 and began publishing early the next year...
described him as a "handsome, smiling Chinese with leaping eyebrows" who spoke "halting English."
Marriage and children
Mr. Tom first married Mary Goo in 1915. She was the oldest child of Goo Dow and Tom Lin. They had two children: Grace and Florence. After Mary died of influenza in 1918, before the discovery of penicillinPenicillin
Penicillin is a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi. They include penicillin G, procaine penicillin, benzathine penicillin, and penicillin V....
, he went back to Honolulu, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
in 1919 to ask the Goo family for help in raising the two children. Amy Goo, the second-oldest sister, was in love and did not want to go. Lillian was next in line at age 15, and she agreed. Feeling that she was too young, however, her parents had their second-oldest son, Robert (Mac) accompany them back to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Mr. Tom and Lillian Goo (October 20, 1903 – February 7, 1966) married in 1922, and they subsequently had six children: Helene, Eunice, Mary, Priscilla, Tom Chan, Jr. (Chung), and Ping
Ping Tom
Ping Tom was a Chinese American businessman and civic leader in Chicago.-Early life:Mr. Tom was the youngest of eight children. His mother, Lillian Goo, married Tom Y. Chan after her sister, Mary Goo, Tom Y. Chan's first wife, died from influenza. Mary Goo had two children: Florence and Grace...
.
Grace (April 9, 1917 – July 4, 1994) married Harry Chun (April 9, 1913 – August 18, 1983) in 1945. They had three sons: Cliff, Robert and Geoffrey.
Florence graduated from Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
and married Spaulding Chau on February 2, 1946. They had two sons, Tom and Brian, and a daughter, Andrea.
Helene graduated from the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
and married Blas Guererro. They have no children.
Eunice graduated from Northwestern University and has one son, Jan Wong.
Mary attended a junior college and never married.
Priscilla graduated from the University of Illinois and married Ming Foo (October 1, 1924 – January 26, 1986) on October 10, 1953). They had two daughters, Karen and May.
Tom Chan, Jr. (1931 – September 11, 1980) married Nancy Dare. They had two children, Chan (Chip) and Lauren
Lauren Tom
Lauren Tom is an American actress and voice actress perhaps best known for her roles as Lena St Clair in The Joy Luck Club, Julie in the TV series Friends, and for providing the voices for both mother and daughter characters on two animated TV comedy series: on Futurama she voices Amy Wong and her...
.
Ping
Ping Tom
Ping Tom was a Chinese American businessman and civic leader in Chicago.-Early life:Mr. Tom was the youngest of eight children. His mother, Lillian Goo, married Tom Y. Chan after her sister, Mary Goo, Tom Y. Chan's first wife, died from influenza. Mary Goo had two children: Florence and Grace...
married Valerie Ching in 1958. They had two children: Darryl and Curtis.
Political activities
- 1898: he immigrated to Honolulu, HawaiiHonolulu, HawaiiHonolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
at the age of 17 and worked as a typesetter for the Lung Chi Pao, a weekly newspaper that reported for Sun Yat-senSun Yat-senSun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
. He became a United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
citizen as a result of the annexation of HawaiiHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
on July 6, 1898. The Lung Chi Pao reorganized into the Min Sheng Daily in 1906, and later into the Tan Shan Hsin Pao. In 1907, he helped raise funds to establish the Tzu Yu Hsin Pao (Freedom News).
- 1908: Tom Chan moved to the mainland, traveling first to New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he learned how to make noodles, and then to ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. He believed that industry and commerce were essential to financing the revolutionary cause.
- 1909: he joined the T'ung Meng Hui (Revolutionary Alliance), which Dr. SunSun Yat-senSun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
established during his visit to ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
that December.
- 1911: he founded the Chinese Noodle Company, Chinese Trading Company, and Min Sun Company. During this year, he gave financial support to Dr. Sun'sSun Yat-senSun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
revolutionary movement, which experienced a setback with the Canton uprising in April. After the Wuchang UprisingWuchang UprisingThe Wuchang Uprising began with the dissatisfaction of the handling of a railway crisis. The crisis then escalated to an uprising where the revolutionaries went up against Qing government officials. The uprising was then assisted by the New Army in a coup against their own authorities in the city...
on October 10, he helped raise money so that Dr. Sun could return to ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
from the United States through Europe.
- 1926: he represented the main party branch in San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
at the Second National Congress of the KuomintangKuomintangThe Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
in GuangzhouGuangzhouGuangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
(January 4-19). At that time, he saw his father for the first time in almost 30 years.
- 1928: he was appointed director of the main party branch by the Kuomintang Central Executive Committee. On October 21, he was elected inspection officer at the second congress of the main party branch, which adopted his proposal to establish a Chinese newspaper in ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
- 1929: he revisited China as a delegate to the Third National Congress of the Kuomintang in Nanking (March 18-27).
- 1930: he became general manager of the San Min Morning Paper, which was first published on March 18. For many years, this was the only Chinese newspaper in the Midwest, with circulation in the southern U.S., central Canada, and Mexico.
- 1934: he served as vice chairman of the China Relief Association in Chicago, one of the eariest such organizations in the U.S.
During the Century of Progress World's Fair (1933-34)
Century of Progress
A Century of Progress International Exposition was the name of a World's Fair held in Chicago from 1933 to 1934 to celebrate the city's centennial. The theme of the fair was technological innovation...
, Tom Chan had a noodle factory demonstration as well as a demonstration of how bean sprouts are grown. He had a booth from which he sold goods from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Lillian's brother, Robert, had been the architect of the Chinese Pavilion and Chinese Theater at the fair. Robert was, the time, superintendent of the Architectural Building Commission of Chicago, and he supervised the construction of the fair's Colonial Village. He later went to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to assist in the design of the Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
.
- 1941: Tom Chan raised $1 million for an orphanage founded by Madame ChiangSoong May-lingSoong May-ling or Soong Mei-ling, also known as Madame Chiang Kai-shek or Madame Chiang was a First Lady of the Republic of China , the wife of Generalissimo and President Chiang Kai-shek. She was a politician and painter...
, the wife of Chiang Kai-shekChiang Kai-shekChiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
that cared for 30,000 children. At that time, he was the only one in ChinatownChinatown, ChicagoThe Chinatown neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, is on the South Side , centered on Cermak and Wentworth Avenues, and is an example of an American Chinatown, or ethnic-Chinese neighborhood. By the [ftp://ftp2.census.gov/census_2000/datasets/demographic_profile/Illinois/2kh17.pdf 2000 Census], has...
to have seen her before, and he dined with the General and his wife five times during a visit to ChongqingChongqingChongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
.
- 1942: he was appointed to China's People's Political council, the closest thing to a parliament in China's political structure, along with seven other overseas Chinese. He went to China to attend the Second People's Political Council in November and the Ninth Session of the Kuomintang National Congress. That year, he took an eight-month tour of the U.S. and Canada to give encouragement to overseas ChineseOverseas ChineseOverseas Chinese are people of Chinese birth or descent who live outside the Greater China Area . People of partial Chinese ancestry living outside the Greater China Area may also consider themselves Overseas Chinese....
by order of the Party.
- 1943: he served on the five-man presidium of the All-America Chinese Congress of Resistance and Relief Organization in New York (September 5-11).
Death and afterward
Tom Chan died on September 3, 1944 at the age of 63. Thousands turned out for a man who had helped to raise more than $4 million during the last war bond drive for his adopted country. As prominent as he was, however, he was not allowed to be buried next to his late wife, Mary Goo, in Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois, for what some believe to be racist reasons. He is buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery, Stickney, IllinoisStickney, Illinois
Stickney is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,148 at the 2000 census. It was well known in the 1920s and early 1930s as the home for several bordellos linked to mobster Al Capone's empire....
.
See also
- BiographyBiographyA biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
- Ping TomPing TomPing Tom was a Chinese American businessman and civic leader in Chicago.-Early life:Mr. Tom was the youngest of eight children. His mother, Lillian Goo, married Tom Y. Chan after her sister, Mary Goo, Tom Y. Chan's first wife, died from influenza. Mary Goo had two children: Florence and Grace...
- Lauren TomLauren TomLauren Tom is an American actress and voice actress perhaps best known for her roles as Lena St Clair in The Joy Luck Club, Julie in the TV series Friends, and for providing the voices for both mother and daughter characters on two animated TV comedy series: on Futurama she voices Amy Wong and her...
, actress and granddaughter - Sun Yat-senSun Yat-senSun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
- Chiang Kai-shekChiang Kai-shekChiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
- KuomintangKuomintangThe Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
- Raymond and Jean Lee Chinese American Museum of Chicago website