QUON MANE
Quon Mane was both the name of the uncle with whom Albert lived as a child in the US, and the name of the uncle's handicraft store in San Diego where Albert got his start.
Quon Mane is pictured on the left, and even with the line through his face, the shape of his head and resemblance to Albert is striking.
His shop was located at 1159 Fifth Street.
Uncle Mane and other of Albert's family members were supposed to have arrived in the US to work on the railroads and help build the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. The following unattributed blurb on a website about San Diego's past jibes with the family account and would appear to be Quon Mane's story.
His shop was located at 1159 Fifth Street.
Uncle Mane and other of Albert's family members were supposed to have arrived in the US to work on the railroads and help build the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. The following unattributed blurb on a website about San Diego's past jibes with the family account and would appear to be Quon Mane's story.
in his own words
"I arrived here in the early 80's and went to work for Sing Yick & Co., who had a contract to clear Coronado for a town and hotel site.
"The whole island was covered with sage brush and we had to cross the bay in row boats.
"The clearing of the island; the building of the Hotel del Coronado and the railway along the Silver Strand; and the great excitement over the successful sale of town lots, all stand out plainly in my memory.
"After my work on Coronado I was with the Marston family.
"To Mr. George W. Marston's mother I owe most of my early education, she having taught me the English language and given me practically all of my schooling during the following three years.
"In 1888, about the time the San Diego Trust & Savings Bank was organized, I opened my first store on lower Fifth Street with a line of Oriental merchandise, mostly imported direct from my native land. My acquaintance with President M.T. Gilmore (then cashier) of the bank dates from those early years."
"The whole island was covered with sage brush and we had to cross the bay in row boats.
"The clearing of the island; the building of the Hotel del Coronado and the railway along the Silver Strand; and the great excitement over the successful sale of town lots, all stand out plainly in my memory.
"After my work on Coronado I was with the Marston family.
"To Mr. George W. Marston's mother I owe most of my early education, she having taught me the English language and given me practically all of my schooling during the following three years.
"In 1888, about the time the San Diego Trust & Savings Bank was organized, I opened my first store on lower Fifth Street with a line of Oriental merchandise, mostly imported direct from my native land. My acquaintance with President M.T. Gilmore (then cashier) of the bank dates from those early years."
"Direct Importers, Chinese & JAPANESE FANCY GOODS"
Could this photo taken outside of Quon Mane show young Albert? Lil thinks man the man second from the right could be her father, while the man on the far right could be his brother Frank and on the far left his cousin Ben, Quon Mane's oldest child. But it's hard to say for sure!
In the photo of the store interior, Lil thinks the man on the right could be her father's younger brother, Nathan, who looked a lot like Albert. Someone is going to have to get to the San Diego Historical Society and ask to see better copies of these photos!!
