By kiki
My dad had a Japanese friend who had a farm on Greenwood Blvd., just north of Telegraph Road in South Montebello. Not sure if it was in the Montebello City limits. Soon after the Dec. 7, 1941, bombing of Pearl Harbor, my dad's friend was roundup with his wife and young family and sent to a "War Relocation" camp.
We lived in the Simons Brickyard when my dad's friend was rounded up. I remember Pop's going to say goodbye to his friend the day they would be driven away from the farm. When Pops returned home, he told us we were moving to his friend's farm. I am curious to know what arrangements Pops made or with whom he made them.
I don't remember the year we moved into what we called "El Rancho," but it was during the early days of the war.
I don't know why we called it a "ranch" when it was a farm. My dad's friend, how I wish I knew his name, but I don't, grew black-eyed beans, tomatoes, cabbage, green chilies, lettuce, etc. The house on the farm was pretty good-sized. It was the first time I had had a bedroom to myself. There was a small irrigation channel that ran alongside the house. Don't remember ever jumping in the water, but that channel gave the Rancho character. I vividly remember the winter we lived on the farm when my older late sister, Rachel, and I, all bundled up in our winter clothing, had to walk to school through frozen farmland. After school, I remember picking the black-eye beans for mom to cook and picking up a cabbage that mom would cook; I love cooked cabbage!!
We didn't stay at "El Rancho" long, maybe six months, for some reason. However, a couple of memories are still embedded in my mind from those days we spent at the farm: I remember Rachel and me sitting by the window, looking out of our dark house as searchlights lit up the sky to identify unidentified aircraft…One memory that came to life when I closed my eyes was when we had retired for the night; I would lie in bed in my dark bedroom listening to the big rigs as they roared up and down Telegraph Road. I will never forget those months we lived in "El Rancho."
Frank, Nice story. It might be possible to identify the name of the man whose farm your family took care of in or near Montebello by searching the 1940 census records (or at least narrow the possibilities). For example, if you knew the names of the neighbors or had a pretty good idea where the farm was located on Greenwood Blvd. The entire 1940 census has been indexed to include the names and ages of householders, street address, occupation, etc. Any other clues you might have about the Japanese American family could prove helpful. Your 6-month stay there was relatively brief considering that most west coast Japanese Americans were forced to remain in the camps from 1942 until the war ended in 1945.
ReplyDeletetmaythai (at) hotmail.com
That is way over my head...I don't have any idea who his neighbors were, but I do know that they were all farmers too...That area by the late '40s was into full development.By the late '40s A pipeline company was where the farm was at. My dad worked for the pipeline around around 1949 and into the early '50s...Thanks for your suggestion, but I'll let it be....By the way,we never saw my dad's friend again.
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