Résumé

Owner, Nursery, Seattle, WA, c. 1940-1942.

Principal, Richard Yamasaki, Landscape Designer, Seattle, WA, 1940s-1950s.

High School

Coursework, Franklin High School, Seattle, WA. RIchard was a sophomore at Franklin in 1937, meaning his graduation would have occurred in 1939. (See Franklin High School Tolo Yearbook, 1937, p. 56.)

Relocation

Richard Iwao Yamasaki was born to Masagoro "George" Yamasaki and his first wife Umi Kawahara on 08/19/1921 in either Kirkland or Medina, WA. (A 1953 naturalization form for his father stated Kirkland, but RIchard's World War II draft registration card said, Medina.) Masagoro and Umi's two sons, Richard and William, were born in Kirkland and Seattle, respectively, suggesting that they lived in WA at the time. According to the 1930 US Census, the Yamasaki Family lived in a rented house at 3510 Holly Street in what is now Seattle's New Holly neighborhood. Masagoro worked as a landscape gardener for wealthy families. The Yamasakis paid $15 per month in rent, a modest amount. Two other families with Japanese surnames lived in the immediate vicinity. One of these neighbors, Kikuchi Okawa, (born c. 1905 in Japan) also worked as a landscape gardener on private estates. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 0221; FHL microfilm: 2342239, accessed 03/20/2023.)

Richard attended Seattle's Franklin High School in the late 1930s, while he father and brother continued living at 3510 Holly Street. Umi had died before or during 1940. The US Census of 1940 documented that Masagoro was a nursery's landscape gardener but that Richard was the "proprietor" of a nursery, likely the same as that of his father. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: m-t0627-04383; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 40-315, accessed 03/20/2023.)

On 02/15/1942, the date that he filled out his World War II draft registration card, Richard still lived at home, 3510 Holly Street. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For Washington, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 197, accessed 03/20/2023.) He was interned at the Minidoka Camp by 09/04/1942, and remained there only until the end of 06/1943. It is likely that he married while he was in the camp to his wife Fumiko, who had been interned at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Park County, WY, on 02/06/1943. They both left due to an employment opportunity in Buhl, ID, on 06/30/1943.

In 1950, Richard and Fumiko Yamasaki resided at 3510 Holly Street in Seattle. As per the 1950 US Census, he worked as a landscape gardener, and she worked planting flowers in a nursery greenhouse. (It is possible that she worked in Richard's nursery business.) At the time, Richard's brother William, who worked as a laborer, resided with the couple, according to the census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: 3077; Sheet Number: 72; Enumeration District: 40-851, accessed 03/20/2023.)

Parents

Richard's father Masgoro Yamasaki (born 07/02/1888 in Shiraishi, Japan) first came to the US on 10/26/1919, where he landed in San Francisco, CA on the ship SS Siberia Maru. Between 1919 and 1953, Masagoro lived in CA, WA, and OR. He wed Umi Kawahara (born c. 1896 in Japan) on 03/28/1921 in Seattle, WA, but it appears that she had left his life before 1940. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Marriage Records, 1854-2013; Reference Number: kingcoarchmc78208, accessed 03/20/2023.) No record of Umi's death or a divorce can be found in WA State records. On 10/22/1945, Masagoro wed Masano Yamasaki in Seattle.

By 1953, he and Masano resided at 10 SW Columbia Street in Portland, OR. Masano entered the US at San Francisco in 04/1920. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Seattle; Seattle, WA; Petitions For Naturalization; Record Group Number: 21, accessed 03/20/2023.)

Masagoro Yamasaki took at least two trips back to Japan, one between 11/01/1939 and 03/10/1940 (traveling between Japan and Seattle aboard the Hie Maru) and one between 04/04/1950 and 08/15/1950 (on board the Gordon traveling from Japan to San Francisco). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Seattle; Seattle, WA; Petitions For Naturalization; Record Group Number: 21, accessed 03/20/2023.)

He had a brother William Akira Yamasaki (born 01/28/1923 in Seattle, WA-d. 06/10/1989 in King County, WA). (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Japanese Americans Relocated During World War II, 1942-1946 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2005, accessed 03/20/2023.) William entered this camp on 09/04/1942, while Masagoro was sent to Santa Fe, NM, on 06/03/1943, but transferred to Minidoka at some point in 1943 to join his son. Masagoro was released on 07/23/1945, while William got out earlier to work in Soda Spring, ID. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Final Accountability Rosters of Evacuees at Relocation Centers, 1942-1946 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013, accessed 03/20/2023.) Wiliam served in the US Army between 08/30/1944 and 02/03/1947, according to US military records. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information: U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011, accessed 03/20/2023.)

Spouse

He wed Fumi (possibly Fumiko) H. Yamasaki (born 12/05/1920 in WA-d. 05/27/2017 in WA). (See Department of Health, Death Index, 1907-1960; 1965-2017 - Fumi - H - Yamasaki, Department of Health, Death Index, 1907-1960; 1965-2017, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov, accessed 03/20/2023.)

She resided at 3512 South Holly Street in 1993-1994. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 1 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, accessed 03/20/2023.)

Biographical Notes

In 1942, Yamasaki stood 5-feet, 10-inches tall and weghed 157 pounds. He was Asian-American with brown eyes and "black" (very dark brown) hair, according to this World War II draft registration card. His emergency contact was "H. Kato" available at 115 18th Avenue South in Seattle. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For Washington, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 197, accessed 03/20/2023.)